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Obituaries

Irene H. Baran
Died: Oct 15, 2016
Irene H. Baran
 

Irene H. Baran, 92, widow of Walter A. Baran and a resident of Providence Place, Pottsville, died Saturday, October 15 at her residence.   Born in Mount Carmel, she was the daughter of the late George and Edna Rogowski Saukaitis.

She attended local schools, graduating from Mount Carmel High School in 1941. During World War II she worked in the secretarial pool of the U.S. Department of Treasury, in Washington, D.C. Upon returning home after the war she was employed in the office of the Mount Carmel Dress Factory, where she met Wally Baran, the love of her life. They married in June 1949. Irene and Wally celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary in June 2016, and Wally passed away suddenly about five weeks later.

Irene was a wonderful wife, mother, and homemaker. She was a gracious hostess and organizer of many parties and social events held at their home in Frackville, PA. She often joked that Wally’s contribution to these affairs was saying “Irene, let’s have a party”, and she was responsible for the other “half” of the project.

She was a devout member of St. Ann’s Church in Frackville, where she was a member of Saint Ann’s Guild and for many years was a loyal participant in making pierogies as a fundraiser for the church. She was president of the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary during the years that Wally served as Grand Knight.

Irene and Wally were accomplished world travelers. In addition to making many trips to Poland to visit relatives, they traveled extensively throughout Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, China, Australia, Japan and Central and South America.

She is survived by her son Anthony and his wife Sandy, daughter-in-law Marie Baran, grandchildren Amy Band, Stacy Curran, Bridget Baran, Joshua Baran, Matthew Baran, and John Baran. She is also survived by 9 great-grandchildren and two sisters, Ann Heiser and Sister Mary Pulcheria, nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son Joseph W. Baran in 2011, and siblings Edward Saukaitis, Joseph Saukaitis, and Sister Mary Dorothy.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in St. Ann’s R. C. Church, North Line Street, Frackville.  A visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until the start of Mass on Friday at Saint Ann’s R. C. Church.  Interment will be in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Shenandoah Heights.

Memorials may be sent to St. Ann’s Church, c/o Saint Joseph Parish, 7 South Broad Mountain Avenue, Frackville, PA 17921, or to the Sr. Mary Pulcheria Saukaitis Scholarship Fund, c/o Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 1504 Woodcrest Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108.

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