YURSKY, HELEN NANCY (GIGAC) 90 “GIGGY” BORN ON AUGUST 7, 1927, WAS WELCOMED INTO THE ARMS OF HER SAVIOR , AT HER DAUGHTERS RESIDENCE ON APRIL 18, 2018. SHE WAS THE LAST SURVIVING MEMBER OF HER FAMILY. HELEN WAS PRECEEDED IN DEATH BY HER HUSBAND EMIL, PARENTS BARBARA(GORDON) AND GEORGE GIGAC , SISTERS MARY(JOHN)BEARJAR AND JEAN(WILLIAM)BERKHAMMER AND NIECE BARBARA (WAYNE)BERKEY.
HELEN IS SURVIVED BY DEVOTED DAUGHTERS JANICE YURSKY AND EMILIE(DARBY) SPRINCZ AND GRANDSONS BRYCE AND BRENT TROYAN AND DAKOTA SPRINCZ. HER GRANDSONS PUT THE SPARKLE IN HER EYES! BABA HELEN WAS THE CHIEF BABY SITTER FOR ALL THREE BOYS.
SHE WAS SO PROUD TO ATTEND THEATRE PERFORMANCES, HOCKEY GAMES AND BASEBALL GAMES AND ALL THEIR EVENTS. HELEN’S FAMILY WAS THE LIGHT OF HER LIFE. WE WERE CERTAINY NOT WEATHLY BUT WE WERE RICH WITH THE LOVE AND WARMTH SHE PROVIDED.
HELEN IS ALSO SURVIVIED BY SPECIAL NIECE GEORGETTE(BARRY)SUSKIE, KRIS AND FAMILY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WITH WHOM SHE SPENT HER 90TH BIRTHDAY. THAT WAS HER FIRST PLANE ADVENTURE! SHE LEARNED THE “SHAG” AND ENJOYED SUNBATHING AT THE BEACH.
SHE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY BROTHER-IN-LAW EDWARD YURSKY AND SISTER-IN-LAW BEVERLY PAPALIA AND MANY NIECES AND NEPHEWS. SHE LOVED ALL OF YOU. HELEN LOVED ALL DANCES BUT THE POLKA WAS BY FAR HER FAVORITE.
SHE ATTENDED AS MANY POLKA EVENTS AS SHE WAS ABLE. SHE DANCED TIRELESSLY AND JOYFULLY. ONE OF HER FAVORITE BANDS WERE THE RHYTHM MASTERS.
TOMMY, YOU MADE HER FEEL LIKE A CELEBRITY WHEN YOU CALLED OUT “GO HELEN, GO”. MOM ENJOYED HER LAST POLKA DANCE AT ST. THERESA’S WITH HER POLKA FRIENDS AND CHILDHOOD FRIEND, MARGIE.
HELEN WAS A HOMEMAKER MOST OF HER LIFE BUT WAS ACTIVE IN THE PARENT /TEACHER GUILD AND TOOK BUS TRIPS WITH WAGNERS CANDIETTES WITH HER DAUGHTERS. SHE ALSO SERVED AS JUDGE OF ELECTONS AND IN HER LATER YEARS WORKED AS A WAITRESS ,WITH FRIEND AND IN-LAW MARION, AT CHRIST THE SAVIOR EDUCATIONAL CENTER . SHE MADE MANY FRIENDS THERE, ESPECIALLY HER BUDDY, ANNIE.
MOM ALSO VOLUNTEERED AT HER CHURCH SELLING GOBS AT THE FRIDAY FISH FRIES. THANKS TO SHIRLEY, DEE DEE AND ALL HER ST. FRANCIS FRIENDS WHO LOOKED AFTER MOM.
SHE WAS A 1946 GRADUATE OF JOHNSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL AND ATTENDED ALL OF HER REUNIONS WITH HER BUDDY ANN. SHE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HER LOVE OF LIFE AND PEOPLE. SHE RESPECTFULLY PASSED ON THE HOLIDAY SLOVAK TRADITIONS AND WELCOMED HER HOME TO MANY RELATIVES AND FRIENDS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
SHE WOULD MAKE AN ORDINARY DAY SEEM LIKE A HOLIDAY WITH HER WARM HOSPITALITY AND “GOODIES”. THANKS TO CLOSE FRIENDS DOROTHY (OF 68 YRS) AND TOOTS FOR THE DAILY CALLS AND GOOD NIGHT BLESSINGS, LAUGHS AND GOOD TIMES. AND ALSO TO THOSE ON HER DAILY CALL LIST.
SHE WOULD AWAYS SAY, “SENIOR CITIZEN CHECKING ON A SENIOR CITIZEN”. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF “TOPS” AND ENJOYED HER MONDAY MEETINGS WITH THE GIRLS AND SPECIAL FRIEND AUDREY, WHO FAITHFULLY DROVE HER THERE AND THEN AFTER TO HER FAVORITE RESTAURANT, THE PHOENIX. DAVE YOU WERE SO KIND TO HER.
SHE HAD A TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT WHEN SHE WAS 89 AND RECEIVED REHABILITATION AT THE CRICHTON CENTER. HER GOAL WAS TO RETURN TO POLKA DANCING AND THAT SHE DID WITH THE HELP OF THE WONDERFUL STAFF. UNFORTUNATELY, HELEN SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK IN OCTOBER AND ALTHOUGH SHE TRIED HER BEST WAS NOT ABLE TO RECOVER FULLY.
MANY THANKS TO SENIOR LIFE CAREGIVERS, ESPECIALLY CAROL AND THERESA , AND FAMILY FRIEND SHANNON WHO MADE HER LAST MONTHS COMFORTABLE AND DIGNIFIED. HELEN ENJOYED HER DAYS AT SENIOR LIFE. ALL THE STAFF WAS EXCEPTIONAL, ESPECIALLY RALPH, BARRET AND JILL.
OUR MATRIARCH IS GONE BUT HER SPIRIT AND KINDNESS AND LOVE OF LIVE LVES ON IN US , AND OF COURSE, DANICING ! FRIENDS AND FAMILY WILL BE RECIEVED ON MODAY FROM 2PM UNTIL 8 PM AT MOSKAL-REID FUNERAL HOME. FUNERAL MASS WILL BE HELD ON Tuesday at 10 AM AT ST.
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