Mary Louise Clemmer Fiesta Obituary

Her legal name was Mary Louise Hickey Clemmer Fiesta, but she was known and loved as Louise by her family and many friends. On Thanksgiving, November 24, at 4:45pm, at the age of 93, Louise passed peacefully into her final rest.

A Connellsville, PA native, Louise was born on November 18, 1929, the daughter of Dennis Hickey and “Besse” Creedon Hickey, and lived on Apple Street with her sister Anne and brother Jimmy. She graduated from a secretarial program at Immaculate Conception High in 1947, and worked for most of her early career for William Swan. Sr. at Swans Appliances. Louise married Norman Earl Clemmer, a graduate of Connellsville High School, WWII veteran, and employee of West Penn Electric Company. He was the son of Cecil and Lillian Cooley Clemmer, and was raised on Oak Street in the South Side of Connellsville with his older brother Gerald. Louise and Norman had four children: their son James Patrick, who died as an infant, and three daughters, Anne, Virginia, and Mary. Louise was a homemaker and stay-at-home mom until 1974, when her husband Norman died of a fatal heart attack.

Out of necessity, she reentered the work force, employed by Bigam’s Gas Station, South Side Elementary School, and eventually as a receptionist in the office of local ophthalmologist Dr. Thomas McClellan until her retirement. At the end of the last century, Louise began dating her high school boyfriend, John Fiesta, following the death of his beloved wife, Carol. John (a Connellsville High graduate, a Korean War veteran, and the owner of JAF Fiesta Insurance) and Louise dated again after a fifty year break, and married in 2000. They resided at Hidden Valley, PA, and traveled to many sites in the U.S., as well as Italy, Ireland and Prague. Louise was known for her fabulous brownies, as well as butter pecans and minted walnuts during the holidays. Since January, 2018, she resided at Siemon’s Lakeview Manor Nursing Home in Somerset, because of her increased dementia.

She was the last surviving member of her immediate family, and is survived by her husband, John Fiesta of Hidden Valley, daughters Virginia Clemmer and Mary Clemmer Brady; stepsons Richard, Jack and William (Joyce) Fiesta; step-grandchildren Jay (Caity) and Colby (Katelyn) Fiesta. Louise was predeceased by husband Norman Clemmer (died 1974); daughter Anne Clemmer (2019); infant son James Patrick Clemmer (1955), parents (Dennis and Besse Hickey) and siblings (Anne Hickey and James Hickey).

The family would like to thank the entire staff of Siemon’s, for their extraordinary kindness and care of Louise, as well as to the staff of ViaQuest Hospice Services.

Louise’s final arrangements are under the care and supervision of the Paul G. Fink Funeral Home 418 North Pittsburgh Street Connellsville, PA 15425.

There will be no public viewing.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory are suggested to be made to Carnegie Public Library of Connellsville, PA.

A mass celebrating Louise’s life has been tentatively planned for December 22, 2022 in the Immaculate Conception Church, Connellsville at 10am with the doors to the church being open at 9am.

Committal will follow in St. Joseph R.C. Cemetery, Connellsville.

If you wish to leave an online condolence for the family, please visit our website: www.paulgfinkfuneralhome.com.