Florence M. Knaus Petros Penska; 81; of Belle Vernon (Washington Township); died Thursday; July 14; 2005; in Haven Crest Nursing Home; Carroll Township. Born July 5; 1924; in Belle Vernon; she was the daughter of the late Paul and Mary Crasovic Knaus. Mrs. Penska was a member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church; Belle Vernon. She was a beautician in the Mon Valley for several years and later retired from the Belle Vernon Area School District as a custodian with 12 1/2 years of service. Mrs. Penska then pursued her hobby of entertaining people with her ethnic costumes and playing polka music. She belonged to the Slovene Heritage Association where they put on shows showcasing costumes from every region of Slovene. They performed in Colorado; Ironworld; Minnesota; Wisconsin; Ellis Island Statue of Liberty; Ohio; Michigan and Canada; among many other places. Mrs. Penska also was a member of the Thursday Niters Button Box Club and played all over the United States and for several years at the Kitchner-Waterloo Octoberfest in Canada. She also played backup music for performances at the David Lawrence Convention Center and Renzie Hauser Park in McKeesport. The band also played at many church festivals and functions in the Pittsburgh area and in our region. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law; Mark and Rosemary Petros of Belle Vernon; two daughters and sons-in-law; Valerie and Edward Mendola of Charleroi and Eileen and Thomas Costella of Belle Vernon; a brother and sister-in-law; Robert and Lois Knaus of St. Louis; Mo.; a sister and brother-in-law; Mildred and Frank Mazzei of Belle Vernon; five grandchildren; Edward and Eric Mendola; Ciara Petros and Nicole and Nathan Costella; four great-grandchildren; Trevor; Mitchell; Ian and Avery Mendola. She was preceded in death by her first husband; Edward Petros. Visitation will be held Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. at the LEONARD J. PARZYNSKI FUNERAL HOME; family owned and operated; 626 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon (724-929-6183). A Prayer Service will be held Saturday; July 16 at 9 a.m. in the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass at 9:30 a.m. in St. Sebastian R.C. Church with the Rev. Lawrence L. Manchas V.F.; pastor; as celebrant. Interment will take place in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Members of St. Sebastian parish will pray the rosary for the departed soul of Florence Penska Friday at 3 p.m. in the funeral home. For those unable to attend; online condolences may be sent to the family at the funeral home web site; www.parzynskifuneralhome.com