Helen Mary Shurilla, 105, of Poland, was called home to the Lord on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at Assumption Village. Helen was born December 11, 1913 to Helen (Pastor) and Joseph Katona in Roznava, Hungary. “Miss Helen” spent her childhood in Connellsville, PA and married Stephen R. Shurilla on October 8, 1934, then moved to Poland, Ohio where they raised seven children.
Stephen passed away on July 27, 1981. Helen was a member of the choir of Holy Family Parish for many years and an organist at St. Charles Church in Boardman. She was a crossword enthusiast (in ink!
) and a very talented seamstress who lovingly devoted many hours to sewing clothing for needy children. Always looking to learn something new, Helen discovered ballroom dancing in her seventies and won awards in statewide competitions. She enjoyed traveling, in particular, her trips to Europe to research her ancestry which inspired her to publish the biography of her father’s life, “To Joseph With Love (Helen’s Story)”.
She is survived by her sons, Stephen (Susan) of New Middletown and Michael (Deborah) of Poland; daughters, Sylvia Grist of New Middletown, Kathleen Lazor of Kentucky, Marie (Ralph) Parshall of Medina, Rose (William) Pudimat of Avon Lake and Theresa Schlegel (Alan Dunchak) of Poland; brother, Paul and sisters, Betty Massie, Clara Rankin and Mary Thompson. She also leaves her grandchildren, Joseph, Mark, Andrew, Mary, Thomas (Nancy) and Robert Grist, Elizabeth (Regi) Billock, Anthony (Marcia) Spinosa, Jeanne (Gary) Lazor, Lisa (Chris) Kochis, Christina (Michael) Butts, Theresa (Kurt) Kunz, Pamela (Michael) Ritten, Julie Pudimat, Jillian (Ryan) Janiel, Emily (Josh) Montgomery, Matthew Shurilla and Rachel (Chad) Fender; nineteen great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. Besides her parents and husband, Helen was preceded in death by her grandsons, Adam Schlegel and Vincent E. (Elenie) Spinosa III; brothers, Joseph and Stephen Katona; sisters, Anna Kostelnik and Cecelia Polito; and sons-in-law, Joseph Grist, Scott Schlegel, Vincent E. Spinosa II and Michael Lazor.
Family and friends will be received on Sunday from 4-7 p.m. at the Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home, 270 N. Main St., Poland. A prayer service will be held on Monday at 9:15 a.m. at the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial on Monday at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Church with Msgr. William Connell officiating.
Interment will follow at the Poland Riverside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial contribution to Assumption Village, 9800 Market Street, North Lima, OH 44452 or Beatitude House, 238 Tod Lane, Youngstown, OH 44504. The Shurilla Family would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the Specialty Care staff at Assumption Village and Hospice of the Valley for the kind and compassionate care shown to Helen.
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