Rhea 'Ray' A. Samuels (Duffy),73, of Shaler, PA, passed away on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. She was born on May 5, 1949 in Lawrenceville, PA.

She is reunited with her sister, Kay Duffy in death as well as her lifelong best friend, Elsie Buzinski.

Rhea is survived by her loving husband, Chuck; two loving daughters, Dana (Dale) Kirkpatrick, Megan (Jim) Burger; two granddaughters, Hannah and Jillian Kirkpatrick; Honorary daughter, Meghan Colonello; Sister, Grace Stranahan (Duffy); nephew, Scott Duffy and many more.

She was born and raised in the Lawrenceville neighborhood and was a lifelong Catholic.  She attended St. Augustine church Pittsburgh Catholic School where she later married Chuck to begin their 53 year long marriage. She worked at Bell Telephone where she met her lifelong best friend, Elsie. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33 after losing her sister to cancer.  She was a lifelong fighter of her breast cancer as well as Diabetes and even beat an aggressive recurrence of metastatic cancer in her bones and was celebrated as a long-standing bone marrow transplant success story from her transplant in 1991.  She was diagnosed with cancer again after her being diagnosed with the BRCA gene in 2009.  She survived multiple heart attacks, stents, bypasses, Diabetes and never allowed these illnesses to define her. Rhea was a fun Aunt, avid dog grandma, absolutely adored her grandchildren, and was a fantastic friend.

Family and friends will be received at Eloise B. Kyper Funeral Home, 2702 Mt. Royal, in Glenshaw, PA on Sunday, February 19, 2023 from 2 - 8 p.m. The Funeral Service will be held the following day, Monday, February 20, 2023 at 11 a.m.

Interment will be held privately at Mount Royal Cemetery, Glenshaw, PA.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the American Diabetes Association or 412Thrive breast cancer nonprofit where Dana sits on the board.

Condolences are welcomed and encouraged.