Louis F. Florian

Louis F. Florian, 77, of Washington, died Monday, October 6, 2014, in UPMC – Presbyterian, Pittsburgh. He was born January 30, 1937, in Washington, a son of Frederick and Elizabeth Rodgers Florian. Mr. Florian was a graduate of Immaculate Conception High School and St. Vincent College and attended the Newspaper Institute at Columbia University. A journalist for over 50 years, he was a sports writer, reporter, city editor and editorial editor at the Observer-Reporter, retiring in 2009. For the past 29 years, he was the organist at St. Hilary Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Florian was very devoted to his music and work. His many journalism awards included eight Golden Quill Awards for Editorial Writing; five Keystone Press Awards sponsored by the Newspaper Publishers’ Association and Pennsylvania Society of Newspaper Editors; the Director’s Award given by the Society of Professional Journalists; the William Allen White Foundation Editorial Excellence Award sponsored by the Inland Press Association; and the Keystone State Professional Chapter Spotlight Award for Editorials. Mr. Florian was past president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and was a member of National Association of Pastoral Musicians. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Church. On July 30, 1977, he married Mary Jo Bolek, who survives. Also surviving are a son, Michael Florian (Kristin Franco) of Pittsburgh; a daughter, Katherine Florian of Columbus, Ohio; a brother, Frederick J. Florian (Pearl) Of Camden, South Carolina; two sisters, Molly Bado (Anthony) of Manassas, Virginia and Ann Hurst (Steve) of Evansville, Indiana; and several nieces and nephews. Friends will be received Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., in William G. Neal Funeral Homes, Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m., Friday, October 10th, in Immaculate Conception Church, with Rev. Pat Barkey and Rev. Thomas O’Neil as celebrants. Burial will follow in Queen of Heaven Cemetery.