Lucetta Simeone

Lucetta Joan Simeone (née Limpert)

very affectionately known to all who loved her as "Muz," passed away peacefully on July 4, 2026 at the age of 95.

Muz was the ultimate matriarch—a loving Mother, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother. She was the devoted wife of her late husband, Norman Simeone. She is survived by her six beloved children: Christine (Ken) Pontiff, Carol (Larry) Roberts, David, Daniel (Cathy), Cynthia and Stephen (Rachel). She was the dear sister of Alma “Mike” (Drake), Joseph, Robert, and Patricia (Owens). Muz's incredible legacy of boundless love, strength, and family spirit lives on through her 13 cherished grandchildren, nine adored great-grandchildren, and she is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. 

After growing up as a "Morningside Bulldog" and marrying her husband, Norman Simeone, Lucetta lived briefly in the West End before settling in the South Hills—drawn, like many young families, by the appeal of the iconic Dormont Pool. Dormont became her home for the next several decades. She quickly became involved in community work. Lucetta was president of the Dormont Mothers’ Club, a member of Keystone Quilters and Dormont Historical Society, an advocate for the Dormont Library (sponsoring the annual house tour), served on the Dormont Day Committee (taking special pride in the craft booth), and volunteered her time helping to make thousands of pies for St. Bernard’s school.

For all of the community groups she served, Lucetta hosted countless appreciation events, making her home an epicenter of Dormont life. The Simeones spent their first nine years in the middle of Gaylord Avenue, where Lucetta organized the neighborhood summer block parties throughout the 1960s. But it was their next move—just nine doors down to the corner of Gaylord and Biltmore Avenues—that cemented her legacy as the ultimate hostess. For the next 45 years, the family simply called it “Biltmore.” The doors at Biltmore were rarely locked; there was a permanent, open invitation for anyone to drop in for a quick visit and a taste of her famous chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter squares. Gatherings around the large kitchen table happened often, spontaneously, and were filled with laughter and enjoyment.

Biltmore was a house built for music, food, and celebration. It hosted everything from family Christmas parties for dozens of loved ones and holiday parties for the French Club, the Dormont (KO) Band, and the Varieties. It was inevitable that on chilly December nights the neighborhood carolers always ended up inside, warming up with Lucetta’s hot chocolate and cookies. Its staircase was the backdrop for decades of prom and wedding pictures. Music was a constant thread through the home—whether it was the sound of guitars, the piano, harmonicas, and voices singing in harmony.

It didn't matter if you were close family, a distant cousin, a neighbor, a friend of her children, or a friend of a friend—you were welcomed at Biltmore. Even strangers who knocked on the door in the dead of winter because of a stalled car, a fender bender, or an empty gas tank wound up leaving as lifelong friends. Lucetta had a rare gift: she knew how to slow down and relax, making the grandest holidays, birthdays, and gatherings feel entirely effortless. Thanks to her thoughtful touch, everyone who walked through her door felt like they belonged.

Though she never intended to be the center of attention, Lucetta naturally drew people to her. Muz had a rare warmth that elicited a smile and laughter from everyone who crossed her doorstep, earning her a lifetime of deep love and respect.

That vibrant spirit only deepened later in life. Even well into her 90s, she moved through the world with immense grace and joy. Whether she was bisque-firing and glazing pottery, quilting, enjoying Women's Week at Deer Valley or sitting down for back-to-back games of Shanghai Rummy—where she would nonchalantly win more than her fair share of hands—she kept everyone on their toes and thoroughly entertained.

Yet, perhaps more than any other memory, her children will most dearly hold onto those magical occasions when the stars aligned, all six siblings found themselves under one roof, and everyone felt musically inclined. With guitars strumming and voices harmonizing around her, Muz would take the lead, right where she belonged—at the heart of the melody.

Friends will be welcomed at Laughlin Cremation & Funeral Tributes, 222 Washington Road, Mount Lebanon on Tuesday, July 7th from 4:00 until 7:00pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Saint Bernard Church (St. Michael the Archangel Parish) on Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock. (Everyone Please Meet at Church). Interment will be Private. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting the Dormont Library. https://dormontlibrary.org/donate/