Patricia L. “Trish” Gmerek entered into her eternal rest Friday, March 29, 2013, at her home in Houtzdale. She was 63 years old.
She was born Feb. 16, 1950 in Philipsburg, the daughter of Lewis and Florence (Henschel) Liptak. In 1968, she graduated from West Branch High School.
On Feb. 20, 1971, at St. Agnes Church in Morrisdale, she wed Alvin G. Gmerek and they resided in Houtzdale.
She was a devoted wife and mother and spent 42 years surrounded by the love of her family. She enjoyed working in her many beautiful flower gardens and sharing flowers with her family and friends. She loved to play canasta and visit with her brothers and sisters at her parent’s cabin. Most of all, in her later years, she and her husband simply enjoyed each other’s company and would sit for hours on the porch, talking and reminiscing.
In addition to her husband and her father, she’s survived by four children, Sheila Clancy and her husband, Kerry; Kevin and his wife, Tracy and Teresa Young and her husband, Elliott, all of Ramey and Eric, at home. She had two grandsons, Logan Clancy and Mason Young, who were the lights of her life. She embraced her role as “Grammy” and loved them with all her heart.
She is also survived by her father and her brothers and sisters, Donna Abell and her husband, William of Eldorado, IL; Edward Liptak of Morrisdale; Catherine Lowder of Woodland; Jeffrey Liptak and his wife, Vicki of Green River, WY; Michael Liptak and his wife, Tammy of Morrisdale; Lisa Mayers and her husband, Mike of
Clearfield; Robert Liptak and his wife, Valerie and Richard Liptak and his wife Barbara, all of Morrisdale; two aunts, Eleanor Pastryk of Chicago, IL and Lucille Diehl and her husband, Gerald of Boalsburg; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her mother; her brother, Gregory Liptak; and her sister, Luanne Preece.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, at the Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Houtzdale, with Father Stanley J. Swacha as celebrant. Burial will be at Immaculate Conception cemetery in Madera.
Friends will be received from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Monday from 8 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Kruise Funeral Home Inc. in Ramey.