Obituary of Catherine P. Charuk

  Catherine P. Charuk,  (Katy Podhiny), of Chalfont, Pa., formerly a 60-year resident of Hatboro, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at the home of her daughter, Donna. She was 94.
     Catherine was born in the coal-mining hamlet of Elkhorn, W.Va. to the late Dmytro and Mary Pawlyczyn Podhiny on March 19, 1923. After the death of her mother, she spent seven years in the farm-based orphanage of the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great in Fox Chase, where she had a favorite cow. On leaving the orphanage at age 14, she attended school for a while and worked as a cook in private homes before doing war work in a hand grenade factory.
     Catherine served in the United States Navy as a member of the WAVES from August 1944 through April 1946. She worked as a PBX operator in Washington, D.C. and later worked for Bell Telephone in Philadelphia for several years.
     On Sept. 10, 1949, she married William Charuk, who preceded her in death in 1995.
     She was a member for over 50 years at St. Anne's Ukranian Catholic Church in Warrington, Pa.
     Her interests later in life were watching the Philadelphia Phillies, no matter how they played, gardening and raising and eating as many tomatoes as she could. She always found things to keep herself busy, which including cleaning, laundry, dishes, and constantly straightening up around, no matter where she was. Anyone who knew her would understand.
     She is survived by her three children, Catherine Charuk (Anthony Motti), William Charuk (Deborah), and Donna Lebiedzinski (Paul). She was the grandmother of David Lebiedzinski (Rebecca) and Stephen Lebiedzinski, and also is survived by her "adopted" daughters, Denise Smith, Sandra DeLuca, and Cynthia Murphy.
     She was preceded in death  by her brothers and sisters, John, Mary, George, Walter, Jean and Anna.
     Relatives and friends may call from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral service at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, at the Louis Swift Plunkett Funeral Home, 529 N. York Road, Hatboro. Interment will be held in Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Horsham.
     In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Doylestown Hospice or to a charity of the donor's choice.