Honoring the Memory
of Those
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Age 84, passed away on September 24, 2023, in Pittsburgh, PA following an extended illness. She was born on November 2, 1938, in Pittsburgh, PA to Thomas Lewis Jones, Sr. and Anna Mae (Zitzman) Jones. Ann was a dedicated individual, who made a significant impact on her community and the environment.

Ann served as a proud Highlander at Baldwin High School and went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Education from Allegheny College in 1960, graduating as the class valedictorian and serving as President of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She further pursued her education at Carnegie Mellon University, where she obtained a Masters in Public Management from the Heinz School in 1996. Ann began her career as a school teacher in Nassau, NY.

She then returned to Pittsburgh, where she married Samuel P. Gerace and taught elementary education in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District. With Samuel Gerace, she raised four children, Samuel Philip Gerace, Jr., Julia Ann (Gerace) Doumont, Thomas August Gerace and Kristin Lynn Gerace. Ann followed in her mother's footsteps by serving in various leadership roles with the Girl Scouts of Southwestern Pennsylvania. In addition to her involvement with the Girl Scouts, Ann volunteered for numerous school activities in Bethel Park, where she was an active band chaperone, Cub Scout troop leader and volunteer at speech and debate tournaments.

Her dedication to conservation and sustainable practices led her to Conservation Consultants, Inc. (CCI), where she served in the role of Executive Director for 24 years. Under her leadership, the organization established home energy conservation initiatives, reducing homeowner costs and promoting sustainable neighborhoods and building practices. Thousands of Pittsburgh area families were able to make ends meet during cold winters because of the home assessments, education, weatherization and appliance replacements CCI provided at no cost to them, leveraging state grants in partnership with Duquesne Light and Columbia Gas. Her conservation work was implemented in neighborhoods as close as the South Side of Pittsburgh and as far away as Poland. Ann's work received recognition from various local, state and national conservation organizations, including the Catalyst Award for 2002 from the Carnegie Science Center. In 2015, CCI dedicated their building as the Ann Jones Gerace Center.

Ann is survived by her beloved sister Mary Lou Herrold (Dan) of Mansfield, OH and her children Samuel P. Gerace (Lynne) of Cleveland, OH, Julie A. Doumont (Verne) of Burlington, KY, Thomas A. Gerace of Imperial Beach, CA and Kristin L. Gerace of Hopewell, PA. She also leaves behind grandchildren Shanna Holtzhauser (Eric), Michael Gerace, Jenna Doumont, Andrew Gerace, Vianna Walton, Christopher Gerace and Lucas Walton, and many nephews, nieces, cousins, and cherished friends. Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Lewis Jones, Sr. and Anna Mae (Zitzman) Jones, her brother Thomas Lewis Jones, Jr. and Samuel P. Gerace, Sr.

Family and friends are invited to attend the viewing on Thursday, October 5, 2023, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at John F. Slater Funeral Home, located at 4201 Brownsville Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15227. The final services will take place at the funeral home on Friday, October 6, 2023, at 10:30 AM, followed by a brief ceremony at Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, 401 Curry Hollow Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, and then a Celebration of Life at Slater’s Whitehall House.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (waterlandlife.org), UPMC Hillman Cancer Center (hillman.upmc.com) or to a charity of your choice in honor of Ann Gerace.

For more information or to offer condolences, please contact John F. Slater Funeral Home at (412) 881-4100.