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April 10, 2008
Services
Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 14, 2008, at 8 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, Wayne, where at 9 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family, at the funeral home, on Sunday, April 13, from 2-6 PM.
Helen Hreha (nee Barna), age 74 of Wayne, died on Thursday April 10, 2008 with her family by her side, after a courageous battle against Pancreatic Cancer.
Helen was born and raised in Clifford Township, Pennsylvania having graduated from Greenfield High School in 1950. She was only one year old when her mother died in childbirth, leaving eleven surviving children, of which Helen was the youngest. She moved to Wayne with her husband 52 years ago and has lived there ever since.
Family was everything to her, especially the love she shared with her husband Albert for fifty years of a “devoted, loving, and inseparable” marriage until his passing in 2003. The two had met at a local dance in Spring Lake, PA. Their children describe their parent's marriage as “an everlasting fun time”. They did everything together and simply enjoyed being with one another all the time. They were also a very giving couple, as their son Al explains that at the holidays, they never knew who would be coming over for dinner because their parents would invite anyone they knew who did not have a place to go that day. Being a large family, they also enjoyed spectacular parties in their yard with many relatives and friends in attendance. Many of you may recall when Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus would visit Great Eastern Mills stores, arriving in a helicopter to take photos with kids; Helen was Mrs. Claus, and her husband was Santa. They were always very giving of themselves, and would do anything they could for anyone.
Helen was an amazing grandmother who devoted much of her life to her grandchildren. She believed in each one of them and supported them in all that they did. She never missed a chance to turn a frown into a smile and made the most delicious eggplant parmesan. She will forever be remembered for her generous heart, her gentle touch, unwavering support and amazing grandma hugs. Not only did she love her own grandchildren, but she valued her time spent in the Wayne school system, as the "cafeteria lady" who touched the hearts of many Wayne children. (Newman Prep, Lafayette Elementary, Wayne Valley HS, and more recently Anthony Wayne Middle School).
Helen leaves behind two children; Cindy Knapp and her husband Lenny of Wayne, and Albert J. and his wife Patti of Wayne, six grandchildren; Heather Hoch and her husband Duane of Ithaca, NY, Megan Knapp of Wayne, and Kimberly, Allison, and Jeremy Hreha all of Wayne. Helen leaves three sisters; Mary Borich of Clifton, NJ, Ina Nemitz of Wayne, NJ, and Olga Link of Rochelle Park, NJ, and two brothers; Steve and John Barna of Jermyn, Pennsylvania. She was predeceased by 6 brothers and sisters.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Helen’s name are asked to consider sending donations to support pancreatic cancer research at www.pancreatic.org or www.lustgarten.org The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 14, 2008, at 8 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, Wayne, where at 9 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family, at the funeral home, on Sunday, April 13, from 2-6 PM.
April 10, 2008
Services
Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 14, 2008, at 8 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, Wayne, where at 9 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family, at the funeral home, on Sunday, April 13, from 2-6 PM.
Helen Hreha (nee Barna), age 74 of Wayne, died on Thursday April 10, 2008 with her family by her side, after a courageous battle against Pancreatic Cancer.
Helen was born and raised in Clifford Township, Pennsylvania having graduated from Greenfield High School in 1950. She was only one year old when her mother died in childbirth, leaving eleven surviving children, of which Helen was the youngest. She moved to Wayne with her husband 52 years ago and has lived there ever since.
Family was everything to her, especially the love she shared with her husband Albert for fifty years of a “devoted, loving, and inseparable” marriage until his passing in 2003. The two had met at a local dance in Spring Lake, PA. Their children describe their parent's marriage as “an everlasting fun time”. They did everything together and simply enjoyed being with one another all the time. They were also a very giving couple, as their son Al explains that at the holidays, they never knew who would be coming over for dinner because their parents would invite anyone they knew who did not have a place to go that day. Being a large family, they also enjoyed spectacular parties in their yard with many relatives and friends in attendance. Many of you may recall when Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus would visit Great Eastern Mills stores, arriving in a helicopter to take photos with kids; Helen was Mrs. Claus, and her husband was Santa. They were always very giving of themselves, and would do anything they could for anyone.
Helen was an amazing grandmother who devoted much of her life to her grandchildren. She believed in each one of them and supported them in all that they did. She never missed a chance to turn a frown into a smile and made the most delicious eggplant parmesan. She will forever be remembered for her generous heart, her gentle touch, unwavering support and amazing grandma hugs. Not only did she love her own grandchildren, but she valued her time spent in the Wayne school system, as the "cafeteria lady" who touched the hearts of many Wayne children. (Newman Prep, Lafayette Elementary, Wayne Valley HS, and more recently Anthony Wayne Middle School).
Helen leaves behind two children; Cindy Knapp and her husband Lenny of Wayne, and Albert J. and his wife Patti of Wayne, six grandchildren; Heather Hoch and her husband Duane of Ithaca, NY, Megan Knapp of Wayne, and Kimberly, Allison, and Jeremy Hreha all of Wayne. Helen leaves three sisters; Mary Borich of Clifton, NJ, Ina Nemitz of Wayne, NJ, and Olga Link of Rochelle Park, NJ, and two brothers; Steve and John Barna of Jermyn, Pennsylvania. She was predeceased by 6 brothers and sisters.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Helen’s name are asked to consider sending donations to support pancreatic cancer research at www.pancreatic.org or www.lustgarten.org The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714.
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