George and Marie Gresko of Hermitage, passed away in their home on Sunday morning, April 12, 2015. George was 89. Marie was 85. Mr. Gresko was born Nov. 25, 1925, in Patton, Pa., to George and Mary Mayernick Gresko. He was one of 13 children and grew up in a three-bedroom home during the Depression. He never forgot this fact even as he became the only child to go to college thanks to the post-World War II GI Bill, having gone to St. Francis College, Loretto, Pa. George subsequently began a successful career in pharmaceutical sales. He would tell his children: "I never had two nickels to rub together and will always remember that" when they would question him about keeping things around and never throwing things away that they might have considered old or used. George served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II as a tail gunner on a B-29 and was stationed on Tinian Island in the South Pacific. Locally, he belonged to Veterans of Foreign Wars Hickory Post 6166, Hermitage. Marie Fedak Gresko was born Feb. 7, 1930, in Connemaugh, Pa., the youngest of six children born to the Rev. John Fedak and Matushka Julia Wanchisen Fedak. Marie earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing and worked for several years as a scrub nurse in the operating room at what is now Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC in Pittsburgh, as well as DC General in Washington, D.C., prior to her marriage. She loved her Pitt Panthers and continued to sing the school fight song whenever prompted, as recently as just a few days before her death. In fact, even though her son was a West Virginia University graduate, she said whenever Pitt played WVU, she had her loyalties. (smile) George and Marie met through their devout church-going in central Pennsylvania, since their respective hometowns were about 30 miles apart. They were married by Marie's father, an Orthodox priest, in her hometown of Connemaugh on July 20, 1957. Right after their marriage, George and Marie moved to Farrell, where George had already begun his working career. They bought their first home in Sharon a year later, then welcomed their first daughter, Mary Jane on Oct. 2, 1959. Their son, George Andrew followed on July 14, 1961, and third child, daughter Julianne, was born Feb. 21, 1966. George and Marie fulfilled their dream of building their own home in Hermitage; the family moved there in February 1968, where George and Marie resided until their deaths. George and Marie loved their Orthodox Christian faith and were active in their church community through the years. George served in the past as parish president and also was an ordained subdeacon. Marie sang in the choir and was also a first communion church school teacher for many years. She enjoyed baking with the church ladies for the Christmas and Easter fests for many years. They are survived by: their loving children, Mary Gresko, Toledo, Ohio; George and his wife Julie Gresko, Weirton, W.Va.; and Julianne Olmstead, Perrysburg, Ohio; and grandchildren, Nicholas James Olmstead, Rachael Marie Olmstead, Sarah Ann Olmstead, Andrew James Gresko and Julianna Rensi Gresko. George is also survived by sisters, Virginia Skebeck, Patton, Pa.; and Barbara Yarko, Millville, Pa.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Marie is also survived by a sister, Vera Campbell and her husband Don, Champion, Ohio, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church, 301 Struthers-Liberty Road, Campbell, OH 44405. Calling hours: 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday (4-15-15) in J. BRADLEY McGONIGLE FUNERAL HOME Inc., 1090 E. State St. Sharon, with a Panachida service at 7:30 p.m. Visitation will also take place from 10 a.m. to time of service Thursday (4-16-15) in St. John the Baptist Church, 305 Struthers-Liberty Road, Campbell, Ohio. Service: Funeral at 11 a.m. Thursday in the church with Bishop Paul Gassios and the Very Rev. Andrew D. Nelko, rector of St. John the Baptist Church, and other parish priests, concelebrating. Everyone is asked to go directly to the church Thursday. Interment: St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Campbell.