Valeria H. (Petritsch) Pupko

Valeria H. Pupko, 92, or as her friends and husband called her, “Mike,” formerly of Grier City, passed away Friday afternoon at Fritzingertown Senior Living Community, Drums.

Born in Conyngham, she was the daughter of the late John F. and Mary L. (Dzujko) Petritsch and grew up with five brothers and two sisters. 

She was a member of St. Mary’s B.C. Church, Mahanoy City and a graduate of Mahanoy Twp. High School, class of 1951 where she performed in plays and earned her gift of gab reputation with “whispers too much” on her report card.  She spoke longingly about her first car (the temporary plates she kept), a 1948 red Chrysler convertible she bought on June 23, 1954.  

She married a handsome blue-eyed man on February 8, 1958, and together they had three sons.  In her earlier years, Valeria proudly served as a president of Mahanoy City VFW Ladies Auxiliary and a devoted den mother when her sons were Cub Scouts. Prior to retiring, Valeria was employed as a seamstress in the local garment industry, but she kept up several jobs including waitressing and selling Avon into her sixties.  

Valeria had a wonderful sense of humor and entertained everyone by telling jokes and stories. She loved to dance; especially wearing a dress, high heels, and red lipstick.  She was blessed with a beautiful singing voice and sang for many weddings over the years.  Ave Maria was her favorite hymn to perform.  But maybe her greatest love was ice cream.  Her son, Tim, would bring her sundaes and fudgesicles at least once a week and it was a treasured shared experience with her great-grandchildren.

Surviving Valeria are her sons, Stephen Pupko of Barnesville; Timothy Pupko and wife Cynthia of Sugarloaf; sister, Henrietta Matuskevich of Bethel, PA; 9 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Valeria’s faith was important to her.  She shared her God-given talents in the St. Mary’s choir and served as auction chairperson for many years.  Her family is consoled to know she is reunited in heaven with her loved ones.  Preceding her in death were her husband, Thomas S. Pupko; son, Daniel Pupko; granddaughter, Alison Pupko; grandson Nicholas Pane IV; and several brothers, sisters, and lifelong friends.       

A special thank you is extended to the staff at Fritzingertown Senior Living Community for their loving care.

Her funeral service will be held Thursday, August 21, at 11 a.m. in the Damiano Funeral Home Inc., McAdoo, with Pastor Louis Aita officiating. Entombment will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Drums.

A calling hour will be held Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. in the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church, 621 W. Mahanoy St., Mahanoy City, PA 17948.

Condolences may be entered and information is available at www.damianofhinc.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Valeria H. (Petritsch) Pupko, please visit our floral store.