Stella P. Lancaster

Stella P. Lancaster age 94 of Brockway, PA; our precious mom, grandma, and GG passed away on Tuesday August 30, 2022 at Highland View Health Care Center in Brockway. She was born on December 13, 1927 in Vestaburg, PA; the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Szmuc Ruszel. This is where Stella lived in her youngest years and eventually met and married her husband of 60 years Edward “Big Ed” Lancaster. Ed and Stella began to raise a family shortly afterwards and Stella left her position in the Company Store when the first child was born. Her life long devotion to her family had begun.  A career opportunity with the state of Pennsylvania  brought the family to Brockway in 1965 where they continued to raise their four girls. In 1970 she entered the workforce at Brockway Glass where she made many lifelong friends, and worked there for 19 years until her retirement.  Where there was Ed, there was Stella. She was known for her keen sense of humor, often sharing jokes and laughs with family and friends. She immediately lit up any room she entered with her beautiful smile and laugh. She was a joyful presence, with her generous heart and warm embrace. She was known for her positive attitude and was an excellent writer and speller, and will be remembered for the beautiful cards and letters she sent to people. Stella enjoyed cooking, especially Polish fare including cabbage rolls and pastries. Her house was known as the gathering place, with an endless kitchen table buffet, and long nights of board games and cinch matches. She enjoyed reading, keeping up with current events and the news, traveling with her husband Ed to Navy reunions, (USS Anthedon) and to Arizona, Florida and Nevada to get a break from the Pennsylvania winters. In her younger days she was an avid bowler, member of the St. Tobias Rosary Society, and a CCD Teacher. She is survived by 4 daughters: Mary Ann Mahaffey of Brockway; Linda (Joe) Flick of Brockway; Susan (Chuck) Provenzano of Pittsburgh, PA; Diane (Al) Gibes also of Brockway; 2 sisters: Louise Tosi of Mentor, Ohio; Josephine Stotka of Washington, PA; grandchildren: Regina (Terry) Neumann; Anthony (Inna) Petruzzi; Breanna Flick; Natalie (John) Carey; Sarah (Josh) Allen, Jason Provenzano, Michael Provenzano and Ellie Gibes. She is also survived by great grandchildren: Maia, Dominic, Rosalie, Tyler, Cecelia, Angelo and many nieces and nephews. Stella loved her entire family. She worried about them, rooted for them, protected them and always kept on loving them. Stella will be deeply missed by all those she’s left behind. She was one of a kind and to be loved by her was to be truly blessed. In addition to her husband she is also preceded in death by 2 sisters Helen and Anne; two sons-in-law Anthony L. Petruzzi and Rolfe P. Mahaffey.  Friends are invited to say a final goodbye to Stella on Saturday September 3, 2022 from 10 AM to 11:30 AM in the Chapel at St. Tobias Church in Brockway.  Mass of Christian Burial will immediately follow at 11:30 AM also at St. Tobias with Fr. John Detisch presiding. Burial will follow in St. Tobias Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 or Cure JM Foundation (Juvenile Myositis) “Cure JM” P.O. Box 45768 Baltimore, MD 21297.  

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