May Beile Fenton

A month shy of her 89th birthday, May Beile Fenton died peacefully in her sleep Christmas evening, her favorite day of the year. A 1946 graduate of South Hills High School, May was involved with music and church all of her life while raising a family, nurturing her grandchildren and sharing a full and vivacious life with "her Bud". May began piano lessons at age 8, began teaching at 16, walking all over Mt. Washington, and gave her final lesson in October 2015. A childhood member of the Mt. Washington Methodist Episcipol Church involved with youth & choral groups, May and her family joined Wallace Presbyterian Memorial Church in 1948 when they moved to Greentree. May took a few classes at University of Pittsburgh, worked at Mellon Bank and the Penn Mutual Life Ins. Co.. While Choir Director from 1949-1955, she met and married George P. Fenton, Jr. on June 14, 1952. May and Bud had three children and when they went off to school, May brought her teaching and musical talents to Wallace's Nursery School, becoming Music Director from 1967-1986. She continued teaching privately through these years while raising their children, yet remained actively involved in all of their various sports, activities and encouraged them to explore the many opportunities available around them in the community and Church. May was also a dedicated and faithful servant to Wallace Church singing alto in the choir, chairing and participating in various women's Circles, president of CSA, Elder, worked with Youth Club, Vacation Bible School, the esteemed "Niners" youth group, Girl Scout co-leader and organizing various fund-raising variety shows. May was also involved in local summer community theater groups, musical programs and accompanied a Wallace-based singing group, the "Song Painters", all over the city of Pittsburgh for 12 years.

Music was the tapestry upon which everything else was woven. Blending her professional and family lives over 80 years of playing, teaching and performing both on the piano and the organ, May taught and shared her gifts with hundreds of children and adults through private lessons, playing and accompanying at Wallace and Music Director at Bethel Church (1997-2003). Continually striving to improve her gift, she took lessons again at 52 and returned to college at 57, graduating from Duquesne University with a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Performance. Yet with all that May accomplished throughout her life, her greatest treasures were first and foremost her "Bud", her children and her grandchildren; cherishing every moment spent with them, sharing and celebrating their accomplishments with support and love. May and Bud loved to travel in order to explore and visit dear family and friends all over the continental U.S., Germany, France, Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand and many van trips out West.

Our dear Maizie—an inspiration to all of us who knew and loved her, a life beautifully, fully and faithfully led in Christ, who has now returned to the arms of the love of her life, "her Bud".


Loving mother of George P. III (Deborah) Fenton, Jeffrey (Nancy) Fenton, and Carolyn Fenton (Mike) McVeigh; Sister of Lawrence P (Judy) Beile; dear grandmother of Cassandra Fenton, Carly Fenton, Michael McVeigh, Ryan McVeigh, and Ashleigh Lipford. Aunt of Megan Beile, Josie Beile Regan, Erin (Scott) Baumgarten and grand nieces and nephews.