Obituary for Ann Rusnak
Ann (Katcher) Rusnak, 102, of Wynwood House, 294 Discovery Drive, Boalsburg, formerly of Fernwood, passed away on Sunday, August 30, 2020.
She was born on March 15, 1918 in Smokerun to Ukrainian immigrants Alex and Catherine (Bungo) Katcher. Like many young girls during the Depression, Ann was sent to New York at 14 to work in the homes of wealthy families, helping with the children and general household duties. She remained in New York until her 20’s. Returning home one weekend, she attended a dance where she met her future husband John “Jake” Rusnak. They married on May 16, 1942 and when Jake went to war, Ann went to Ohio and worked in a factory.
After the war, they made their home in Fernwood, where they had two daughters, Charlotte R. (Dennis) Weldon of NC, and Alice M. (James) Dugan of Boalsburg.
Ann was a homemaker for most of her married life, but as the girls got older, she worked at Genesi’s Greenhouse in Fernwood planting flowers. She always had a green thumb and loved plants and flowers. In the 1960’s, she began working at General Cigar Company and worked there until she retired in 1982. After being widowed in 2000, Ann began attending the Houtzdale Senior Center, where she reconnected with friends from her school days and made new ones. For her e100th birthday in 2018, friends and workers at the center held a special birthday party for her. She loved seeing friends at the center and looked forward to riding the bus to get there.
Ann was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She will be missed, but we were lucky to have her for so long.
She is survived by her two daughters, Charlotte and Alice, a sister, Helen Vujevich; five grandchildren, , Erica (Shawn) Shimmel of Boalsburg, Aaron (Heidi) Dugan of Philipsburg, Tim (Drayton) Weldon of SC, Jarret Dugan of Boalsburg, and Chris (Lindsay) Weldon of NC; she is also survived by ten great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents and husband, Ann was preceded in death by four brothers, Charles, John, Frank, and Stanley Katcher.
She was a lifelong member of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Smithmill, PA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church for the Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Fund. Checks should be made payable to the church with For: Cemetery Trust Fund on memo line. Please mail donations to David E. Zazworsky, 1100 Haymaker Road, State College, PA 16801.
Graveside Service will be 2 PM Wednesday in St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery, Ramey. Fr. Paul Bigelow will officiate.
Condolences may be made at www.kruise-spewock.com
She was born on March 15, 1918 in Smokerun to Ukrainian immigrants Alex and Catherine (Bungo) Katcher. Like many young girls during the Depression, Ann was sent to New York at 14 to work in the homes of wealthy families, helping with the children and general household duties. She remained in New York until her 20’s. Returning home one weekend, she attended a dance where she met her future husband John “Jake” Rusnak. They married on May 16, 1942 and when Jake went to war, Ann went to Ohio and worked in a factory.
After the war, they made their home in Fernwood, where they had two daughters, Charlotte R. (Dennis) Weldon of NC, and Alice M. (James) Dugan of Boalsburg.
Ann was a homemaker for most of her married life, but as the girls got older, she worked at Genesi’s Greenhouse in Fernwood planting flowers. She always had a green thumb and loved plants and flowers. In the 1960’s, she began working at General Cigar Company and worked there until she retired in 1982. After being widowed in 2000, Ann began attending the Houtzdale Senior Center, where she reconnected with friends from her school days and made new ones. For her e100th birthday in 2018, friends and workers at the center held a special birthday party for her. She loved seeing friends at the center and looked forward to riding the bus to get there.
Ann was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She will be missed, but we were lucky to have her for so long.
She is survived by her two daughters, Charlotte and Alice, a sister, Helen Vujevich; five grandchildren, , Erica (Shawn) Shimmel of Boalsburg, Aaron (Heidi) Dugan of Philipsburg, Tim (Drayton) Weldon of SC, Jarret Dugan of Boalsburg, and Chris (Lindsay) Weldon of NC; she is also survived by ten great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents and husband, Ann was preceded in death by four brothers, Charles, John, Frank, and Stanley Katcher.
She was a lifelong member of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Smithmill, PA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church for the Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Fund. Checks should be made payable to the church with For: Cemetery Trust Fund on memo line. Please mail donations to David E. Zazworsky, 1100 Haymaker Road, State College, PA 16801.
Graveside Service will be 2 PM Wednesday in St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery, Ramey. Fr. Paul Bigelow will officiate.
Condolences may be made at www.kruise-spewock.com