Dawn Roxanne Long (Virgi), 77, of Dormont, who loved her family as much as she disliked that middle name, died on June 15, 2022, after a long, colorful life and a brief, aggressive illness. Dawn is survived by her two sons, George (Amy) P. Long, III, of Pittsburgh and Jason (Deborah) A. Long of Fairfax, Virginia and a sister, Cynthia Moore (Virgi), of Pittsburgh. She is further survived by four grandchildren, Oliver Daugherty-Long, Harper Daugherty-Long, Andrew Long, and Madeleine Long, and two step-grandchildren, Leah Merlo and David Merlo. They all called her Baba and will miss her dearly. Dawn was preceded in death by her beloved father and mother, Dominic Virgi and Sophie Mirchich and her beloved stepmother, Marjorie Gregg. In accordance with her wishes, she was also preceded in death by her ex-husband. Dawn attended Grove City College for two years, took a brief hiatus of 42 years, and then graduated from Point Park University at age 61. During that brief hiatus, she got married and divorced, raised two sons who probably could have called her more, whipped up countless delicious meals from scratch (except for ‘elegant hash,’ which was just an abomination), made killer pie crusts, worked from home before that was a thing, buried too many friends at too young an age, discussed Henry Clay Frick’s commode in Rick Sebak’s “Downtown Pittsburgh” documentary and reinvented herself as a paralegal nonpareil at various law firms. Throughout it all, her determination to get that college degree never wavered. For those that knew Dawn well, and even for those who just passed her briefly on the street, the word ‘determination’ would probably come to mind. With a Herculean work ethic that inspired many and terrified others, her true legacy was serving as a mentor to so many of her colleagues throughout the years. F. Scott Fitzgerald said that there were no second acts in American lives, but he clearly never met Dawn. She would have invited him in for pie if he had. Dawn’s hair was never out of place and her nails were always manicured. She overdid it at Christmas. She swore like a sailor in multiple languages. She loved doo-wop music. She accessorized. She suffered no fools. She occasionally got banned from Twitter. She had a crush on James Dean. She knew the life story of everyone she met. And she never forgave DeLallo’s for putting walnuts on sale a day after she bought them back in 1979. Dawn lived in Dormont for most of her life, in the home that she grew up in, although she was hit-or-miss with her home repair projects – apparently needing 37 separate contacts in her phone, each labeled “Handyman.” She tended to her lawns and garden with an intensity that bordered on obsession. She refused to leave that house, despite the growing protestations of her sons and loved ones. Dawn ultimately won that battle, as everyone knew she would. All are welcome to celebrate Dawn’s life at Beinhauer Funeral Home at 2630 West Liberty Avenue on Monday, June 20, from 2–4 p.m. and 6–8 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 21, at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home, with a private interment to follow at St. George Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Dawn’s name to the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh (https://wcspittsburgh.org/). Please add and view tributes at www.beinhauer.com.