Christine "Chriss" Ann (Herrle) Brendel

BRENDEL

Christine "Chriss" A.

Age 71, on Sunday, August 20, 2023, of Mt. Oliver.

Beloved mother of Matthew (Christine), and Jarrett (Morgan);

beloved grandmother of Riley, Emmet, Avery, Brynn, and Jarrett, Jr.;

beloved daughter of the late Arthur and Mildred Herrle; beloved step-daughter of Leona Herrle;

beloved sister of John Herrle, Bob (Nina) Herrle, , Renita (Ed) Fink, Susan "Susie" Herrle, Paul (Bonnie) Herrle, Jeanine (Ron Gus) Herrle, and the late Arthur "Artie" (surviving spouse Maureen) Herrle.

Will also be dearly missed by her numerous relatives, including many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins, and her friends.

     Chriss broke hearts and broke character when she passed. She was The Maestro of making a plan and following it through one step at a time. Yet, in a single-bound, she traversed to another realm, quicker than her stinging right jab.  Despite perception, she was afterall, only human. If you're keeping score, conservative estimates of her career record at achieving plans she set, now rests at 738,478 and 1. 

    Chriss was raised in lower Mt. Washington, and came up in the streets of Allentown. Here, she honed her devoted affinity towards family.  She may say something bad about them, but you better not!   You could frequently find her mouthing off at Warrington Playground in those days.  She lost her mother at 15, married at 21, and birthed 2 debonair sons by the age of 24.  Once the boys were in school at St.Joseph's (Mt. Oliver), she caught on as a substitute secretary there, and began building her reputation as an organized, efficient, task-master. Shortly thereafter, her marriage went kaput & disintegrated, like her cigarettes during dinnertime.  However, life isn't all bad news all the time, and she eventually quit smoking, and St. Joe's realized they couldn't live without Mrs. Brendel running the office, so they hired her on full time.  Coincidentally, the previous secretary, who was 114, retired first.  Anyway, that's when Mrs. Brendel hit her stride, and cemented herself with so many families, as a competent, helpful, compassionate, funny, and dare I say, friendly resource in their and their children's daily lives. Chriss was the fun and cool adult on the premises. She enjoyed working at school because of the students and the hours.  She could be a working single Mom that went home when her boys did.  Also, it became the norm for a few younger cousins to go home with Aunt Chrissy as well, whom she'd watch until the end of the traditional work day.  Since she knew EVERYTHING, which is presumed something magical that happened from working in a school, she rather liked having the nieces and nephews at the house, so she could sharpen them up, just as she always did with her own boys.  She relished a challenge and the hard work.  One of her sons obliged, and dabbled in criminal activities.  This era of Chriss' life lasted into the years when St. Joseph's became Bishop Leonard. 

     Around 1992, the Pittsburgh Catholic Federal Credit Union cherry-picked Mrs. B, and hired her as a teller.  That likely happened because Chriss' reputation for doing good work had spread far and wide, clear across the 25 paces walk someone needed to take to reach the Credit Union's front door, which was located in the school's Auditorium/Cafeteria building.  At the Credit Union Chriss deepened her ties within the community by meeting the folks without children, or ones that went to public school.  Eventually, the Credit Union moved to its present location and Chriss went too, working many years, until health issues made standing most of the day too difficult, and brought about early retirement.  The Credit Union had been enjoyable work for her because banking errors became like a puzzle needing solved. There was the money too. She had a passion for counting money. Always a hard-ass, the tough and independent woman in Chriss overcame her health scares, and life got normal again.  Even better, fair to say, because she now could focus all of her energies on her most cherished title ever, Gramma.  

     So, that is what she did.  She lived it out as the greatest, most spectacular, and devoted Gramma in the minds of the five she has. On their birthdays she nailed it. At Christmas she nailed it. On a regular weekend for a sleepover-she nailed it.

Friends received THURSDAY 2 - 4 and 6 - 8 at TIMOTHY K. SLATER Funeral Services, Inc. (412-381-3337) 425 Brownsville Road, Mt. Oliver, 15210, where a Blessing Service will be held FRIDAY at 10 am.

Condolences at www.timothykslater.com

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