Julie A. Guss

Julie Ann Guss passed away at 2 am on Thursday January 31 in her Sewickley home at the age of 50.  Born Julie Ann Kuppinger To Bruce Craft and Gayla Kershbaumer (Tkac) On September 7, 1968 in Lawrence PA.  She was raised and attended school in New Brighton, PA and later graduated from Andover College in South Portland Maine.  She led a complicated younger life which had a meaningful impact on her, and her desire to help children as an adult.  In her younger years Julie lived in New York, Vermont, and Maine; where she worked as a care provider to adults with disabilities, an aerobics instructor, and manager of a startup internet company.  After returning to Pittsburgh to be closer to family Julie Married John Guss on November 7, 1998 in Bethel Park PA.  The couple moved to Sewickley later that year when Julie was hired to manage The Court Yards at Sewickley Apartment complex.  Julie was a licensed Realtor since 1997 and used that license as a leasing agent, manager of property, and a Real estate Agent.  She also worked for Saint Stephens church in their MMO program, which she later became the director of.  It was during her time with the MMO program that she (Mrs. Julie) met so many of the wonderful people that she called friends in the Sewickley community.  She was a member of Saint Stephens and lead many small groups over the years, out of her passion for relationships, and their ability to be used by Christ to transform lives.  She was Very involved in the Lazarus Center ministry, which she would eventually become the director of, and Championed their Let’s Dance Sewickley fund raiser.  She had a heart for children in the foster system, was an advocate for people to become foster parents or adoptive parents, and her home welcomed many foster children over the years.  She was a Realtor over the past 12 years, most recently with Piatt Sotheby’s International Real Estate in Sewickley and used her love of relationships to serve her clients who would soon be friends to the best of her ability and with the utmost integrity.  In 2016 she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and led a very public fight against the disease, in order to spread awareness and to increase funding for a cure.

Julie loved music, she also loved exercise and completed the Chicago marathon twice.  She loved flowers and gardening, she loved traveling and adventures.  She loved traditions and making new ones.  She loved animals but not bugs.  She loved people who were sometimes difficult to love or had no one to love.  She loved to walk with friends, especially up into the Sewickley cemetery. She loved her family, her children, and her friends. She loved.

Julie leaves behind her Husband John Guss, Children Dillan and wife Shannon, Jordan, Richard, Isaac, and Brandon, Grand children Teddy, Titus, and Tanner, Father Bruce Craft and her mother Gayla Kershbaumer Tkac, step father Frank Tkac, Grandfather Joseph Kershbaumer and Jeannette Williams, Grandmother Marjorie and grandfather Richard Kroskey, sister Jennifer Kuppinger Bevilacqua, brother in law Giulio Bevilacqua, and a host of nieces and nephews.  In leu of flowers donations can be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance at www.ocrahope.org, or OCRA, PO box 32141, New York New York, 10087.  Also the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition at www.ovarian.org.  Or to the Lazarus Center at www.thelazaruscenter.org, or The Lazarus Center, 237 Main Street, Imperial PA, 15126.  A celebration of Julies life will be held at St. Stephens Church in Sewickley Pa on Saturday February 9th at 2pm.

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