Lois Regina McAuliffe, 87, of Pinehurst, N.C., passed away on Saturday, January 8, 2022, at the First Health Hospice House surrounded by loved ones. She was born on November 23, 1934, in Pittsburgh, Penn., to the late Eileen and Louis Baldizar.

She grew up in Sharpsburg and Mt Lebanon. She put herself through college, graduating with a BS in Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, which led to her lifelong career as a teacher and her first job in the City of Pittsburgh School System.

Before retiring to Pinehurst, Lois lived in Newtown for 25 years. She taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grade Social Studies and English at St Joseph of Danbury and St Joseph of Brookfield. She was also active in civic and spiritual organizations including Meals on Wheels, Newtown Woman’s Club, Newtown Literacy Program, and Newtown’s Commission on Aging. In addition, Lois was an active member of St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church serving as a Eucharistic Minister and Lector.

In Pinehurst, Lois was an active member of Sacred Heart Church as a Eucharistic Minister and volunteer for Perpetual Adoration, as well as a member of the Women of Sacred Heart. In addition, she was a volunteer coordinator for Newcomers of the Pinehurst Area, Moore County Literacy Council, and Moore Regional Hospital. A lover of the arts and music, she attended the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra and the North Carolina Theater for as long as she was able.

Lois was predeceased by her soulmate, Jack, with whom she celebrated 61 years of marriage. Her passion for continued education, history, and the arts took her, Jack, and her family to many places, near and far. It was important for her to share this love with children and expose them to a world outside their own. She enjoyed the companionship of dogs, gardening, playing tennis and golf, volunteering, and playing cards, especially bridge. She was involved in bridge groups both in Newtown and Pinehurst. She was an avid reader who could finish a book in one sitting, knew all the rules for grammar and English, and was a master at solving complex crossword puzzles. Lois is remembered as a woman of integrity, strength, compassion, honesty, unwavering faith, a sense of humor, a deep love for family, and passion for the arts and an array of music. She was an educator to the end and was insistent that all her children graduate from institutions of higher learning. She could diagram any sentence and tell you about any Civil War battle.

In addition to her parents and husband, Lois was preceded in death by her sisters, Eileen Baldizar and Madeline Mozzoni.

She is survived by five children, Gary McAuliffe, Jean Hawkins and husband Joseph, Jill McAuliffe, Kathleen Young and husband Michael, and Suzie McAuliffe; as well as seven grandchildren, Brenna, John, Grace, Joy, Jack, Caitlin, and Sean. Other surviving members of the family are brother-in-law Thomas McAuliffe and family (Mary, Mark, and Karen); and Mrs Jan Marie Johnson and family; as well as several cousins and nephews.

A service and burial will be held at later date at Arlington National Cemetery, where she will reunite with her husband, Jack.

In place of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105, or stjude.org.

Online condolences may be left at bolesfuneralhome.com.

Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.