Rosa Dora Gurekovich, 86, of Tyrone her spirit passed from this life to her new life with the Lord on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at Wynwood House, Boalsburg. She had been in declining health for the past year.

She was born November 12, 1929 in Tyrone a daughter of Salvatore and Margaret (Johnson) Cannistraci. On June 11, 1949 at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Tyrone she married Michael J. Gurekovich. He died July 15, 2006.

Surviving are three sons, Timothy M. and wife Judy of Tyrone, Robert L. of Tyrone with whom she resided, Sean D. and wife Karen of Tipton, a daughter Susan J. Gurekovich and husband John Yohn of State College, three grandchildren, Valerie, Paul and Luke Gurekovich and a great-granddaughter Alysa, two sisters Betty L. Moore of Port Matilda, Joyce L. Stocks of Ayden, NC and four brothers Samuel, John, James and Frank Cannistraci all of Tyrone and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Gurekovich retired in 1994 as weekend head cook at Grier School following twelve years service. She also had been employed at Big Yank, Tyrone and was a volunteer cook for the Sinking Valley Grange.

She was a member of St. Matthew Catholic Church, American Legion Women’s Auxiliary for 60 years, Sinking Valley Grange #484 for 35 years, U.S. Marine Corps Museum Foundation and the U.S. Marine Corps. Toys for Tots.

Rosa was an avid reader of non-fiction and history. She loved crossword and word find puzzles. Cooking and baking were her special talents that she generously shared with family, friends and community organizations. She often sent special baked goods home for her grandson Paul. She often won blue ribbons for her baked goods for the Sinking Valley Grange. She instilled the love of word find puzzles to grandson Luke and the joy of reading to great-granddaughter Alysa. She excelled at crocheting and received first place for her afghan “Spring Fling” at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. She crocheted hundreds of donated hats and scarves for newborn infants and cancer patients and donated hundreds of walker caddies to the nursing homes and sewed hundreds of body blankets for local hospitals as a member of Sinking Valley Woman’s Group.

She attended Tyrone High School and was an avid learner all her life and taught Junior Great Books at St. Matthew Elementary School. She attended sewing and baking classes over the years and was quite knowledgeable in those fields.

The highlight of her summers was her annual vacations to Ocean City, MD with her family. She enjoyed watching the Pirates, Steeler’s Penn State football and Nascar but most of the time you would find her watching the Food Channel. As a Marine Corp. wife she had much respect and admiration for all veterans.

She dearly loved her family and immensely enjoyed all the family reunions. She was a devoted mother and grandmother and will be greatly missed and always will have a special place in our hearts.

Funeral Mass will be held Saturday July 23, 2016 at 11 AM at St. Matthew Church with Fr. Jozef Kovacik Celebrant. Interment will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery. Friends will be received at Feller Memorial Home on Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 P.M.

Memorial gifts may be made to Marine Corps.Heritage Foundation,
18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Triangle, VA 22172

fellermemorialhome.com

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