Margaret Ida Koch, formerly of Baldwin Ave., Sharon, passed away peacefully at 3:40 p.m. Monday (2-7-11) in Clepper Manor, also Sharon, where she was a resident for the past four years. She was 99.
Mrs. Koch was born March 13, 1911 in Sewickley, PA a daughter of Frank and Theresa Caesar Schwartz.
She moved to the area as a young girl and attended the former Battle Row School in West Middlesex.
A homemaker, she was a charter member of Church of the Good Shepherd, West Middlesex, where she was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society; assisted with funeral and wedding meals; and was the rectory caretaker for twelve years.
Mrs. Koch enjoyed crocheting and made many afghans for her family and friends during her lifetime.
Mrs. Koch is a member of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Sharon; and a former member of Church of the Good Shepherd and the Church of Notre Dame, Hermitage.
Her husband, Frank J. Koch, whom she married October 27, 1928, passed away June 18, 1976.
Surviving are: two sons, Frank J. Koch and his wife Jeanne; and Rudolph E. Koch and his wife Nancy, all of Sharon; a sister, Josephine Supple, Buffalo, NY; eight grandchildren, Debra Sharpe, Douglas Koch, Greg Koch, Hea the r Miccozi, Jason Koch, Keith Koch, Mark Koch and Lisa Kimpan; seven great grandchildren, Geoffrey Koch, Melissa Koch, Jarrett Koch, Gabriella Koch, Paige Cornman, Abbiegail Koch and Amelia Kimpan.
Besides her parents and husband, Mrs. Koch was preceded in death by four brothers, Frank, Henry, William and Edward Harry Schwartz; and three sisters, one who died in infancy; Theresa Popfinger; and Martha R. Spathling.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Church of the Good Shepherd, 3613 Sharon-New Castle Rd. , West Middlesex, PA 16159.
Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday (2-10-11) in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon.
Friends may email condolences by visiting www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com.
Mass of Christian burial will be 10 a.m. Friday (2-11-11) in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Sharon, with the Rev. Stanley Swacha, pastor, as celebrant.
Interment: St. Rose Cemetery, Hermitage. 11027
Paul V. Kocis, Farrell, PA passed away surrounded by his loving family on Monday, January 24, 2011 at Sharon Regional Hospital following an extended illness. He was 80.
Mr. Kocis was born on Wednesday, July 16, 1930 in Buhl Hospital, Sharon, PA, a son of Steve and Anna Buynak Kocis.
He graduated in 1944 from St. Ann's Parochial grade school and was a 1948 alumnus of Farrell Area High School.
Following high school he served in the United States Navy.
Mr. Kocis earned the Westinghouse machinist apprentice certificate and retired from Westinghouse in 1985 after 36 years of service as a tool and die machinist. He was a member of the AFL-CIO-617 and a section steward at Westinghouse. After early retirement in 1984, Paul was employed at D.G. and Associates in Warren, Ohio as well as operated his own machine shop, P. V. Kocis Machining.
A devout Catholic, Paul was a member of the Church of Notre Dame. He was involved with Special Activities Group (SAG) and also was a member of the original Notre Dame School Board in the mid 1970's. Until recently Paul was leader of the Wednesday Rosary group at Notre Dame and an hourly coordinator of Notre Dame adoration. Paul also volunteered with the Notre Dame funeral catering group. For the last twenty years he attended morning Mass at St. Stanislaus Church in Sharon. He was a former member of Kennedy Christian High School Booster Club, member of the Knights of Columbus #684, and volunteered for the Keystone Blind Association where he read the newspaper each morning to the blind. Following retirement he enjoyed bowling and golfing in various senior leagues in the area. He loved high school basketball and was an avid fan of the Kennedy Catholic Golden Eagles basketball team for over 30 years. Paul loved ethnic music, especially music of his childhood friend, John Krizanc!
ic, dancing on Saturday evenings and playing his keyboard.
A gentle, loving and devoted husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather he leaves his wife of 47 years, the former Virginia A. (Ginny) Krzysiek, who he married on November 30, 1963 in St. Ann's Church in Farrell, with the now deceased Rev. Emmanuel B. Krzysiek, uncle of the bride, officiating.
Also surviving are his son, Paul T. Kocis, Hummelstown, PA and his daughter, Marianne V. Iyer and her husband, Nataraj Iyer, Cincinnati, Ohio and grand-son Justin T. Kocis and three grand-daughters, Lata Iyer, Sonu Iyer, and Pooja Iyer. Also surviving are his uncle Andrew Buynyak and wife, Rosalie, Hermitage and a sister-in-law Sophie Kocis, West Middlesex, his wife's extended family, and many nieces and nephews and their families.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, his twin infant sons, Kevin Gerard and Kenneth Gerard Kocis in 1968, his brothers George, Joseph and Stevan and sister, Mary B. White.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942 or the Keystone Blind Association, 1230 Stambaugh Avenue, Sharon, PA 16146.
Calling hours: 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday (1-26-11) and from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. on Thursday (1-27-11) in the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. 1090 E. State St. Sharon.
Friends can send condolences by visiting the web site www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com
Services: Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Thursday (1-27-11) at 10:30 a.m. in Church of the Notre Dame 2325 Highland Road, Hermitage with Jeffrey J. Noble, pastor as celebrant. A brief prayer service will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the funeral home prior to leaving for the church.
Interment: St. Ann's Cemetery, Hermitage.