Helen Gergas Yanez

Strifflers Family Funeral Homes

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | September 27, 2016

Helen Gergas Yanez died on Friday, September 23, 2016. She was born on October 18, 1924 in Peterson Plan, PA, which was part of Eden Park Boro. Many of the Lodge 146 pioneer families settled there and many still remain. It is now part of McKeesport, PA. 
Helen’s parents were the late Julia Babinec and John Gergas. Helen was married to John G. Yanez and they were the proud parents of six children, namely: Frank (Connie) Yanez, Rosemarie (Fred) Donahoe, Mary (Dave) Amaditz, Christine (Dave) Lieberum, David (Kim) Yanez, Elena Yanez; 21 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
Helen was educated at Duff’s Business College and McKeesport High School. She worked for the Hunter-Edmundson-Striffler Funeral Home for six months, at Bell Telephone Company for ten years, five as a supervisor, for 14 years as a tax advisor for USS Steel Local 1408, for 17 years as an income tax preparer and for 19 years on her local election board in McKeesport, PA. 
In Lodge 146 Helen was a member for 65 years and has been the financial secretary for 19 years. She served on the Lodge Executive Board, the Historical and Cultural Committees, the Wage and Policy Committee and the Humanitarian Fund in all respects, collecting food and clothing and the DORA Fund.
She was a delegate to four national conventions, serving on various committees. She was the President and Vice President of the Croatian Women’s Club of Versailles and former officer in the Croatian Pensioneer’s Club of Lodge 146. 
A delegate from Lodge 146 to the Four Countries Conferences, she served on the Four Countries Board of Trustees and was their 1996 “Woman of the Year”. 
Other affiliations are as follows: she was a current member of St. Angela Merici Church, she was a member of St. Martin de Porres R.C. Church, its Christian Mothers and Altar Society, and the Young Ladies Sodality. She was a life member of Amvets Post 8, McKeesport, PA, and was president of their auxiliary for two years, a member of White Oak American Legion Post 701, was convention chairman for the Amvets at their convention in Monroeville, PA, an Amvets representative for visitations to Veteran’s Hospitals for the past 14 years.
Helen was a member of the Board of Directors of the Parkview Community Federal Credit Union. She was also an active member of Versailles AARP Chapter 2911. She served on the Community Affairs Committee and participated in their visits to veteran’s homes and to personal care and nursing homes in the Mon-Yough area.
She was active in the local democratic party and found time to aid any lodge member or friend in any way she could, such as taking them to church or shopping, helping with letter writing or visiting and comforting them. She was always there for everyone and anyone. 
The officers and members of “Sveto Trojstvo” CFU Lodge 146 thank the United Croatian Fraternal Union Lodges of Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland Counties for honoring sis Helen Gergas Yanez, a wonderful mother, grandmother, wife, sister, neighbor and friend as the 1996 “Woman of the Year”.
Thank you Jesus for sharing her with us for almost 92 years. She will be deeply missed by all who were blessed to know her.
Friends and family will be received on Friday, September 30th from 2-8pm at Striffler’s of White Oak Cremation and Mortuary Services, Inc., 1100 Lincoln Way, White Oak, PA 15131 (Sue Striffler Galaski, Supervisor, 412-678-6177). Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 1st at 10 am in St. Angela Merici Church with Father Kevin Dominik officiating. Burial will follow. Condolences may be made at www.strifflerfuneralhomes.com

Helen Gergas Yanez died on Friday, September 23, 2016. She was born on October 18, 1924 in Peterson Plan, PA, which was part of Eden Park Boro. Many of the Lodge 146 pioneer families settled there and many still remain. It is now part of McKeesport, PA. 
Helen’s parents were the late Julia Babinec and John Gergas. Helen was married to John G. Yanez and they were the proud parents of six children, namely: Frank (Connie) Yanez, Rosemarie (Fred) Donahoe, Mary (Dave) Amaditz, Christine (Dave) Lieberum, David (Kim) Yanez, Elena Yanez; 21 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
Helen was educated at Duff’s Business College and McKeesport High School. She worked for the Hunter-Edmundson-Striffler Funeral Home for six months, at Bell Telephone Company for ten years, five as a supervisor, for 14 years as a tax advisor for USS Steel Local 1408, for 17 years as an income tax preparer and for 19 years on her local election board in McKeesport, PA. 
In Lodge 146 Helen was a member for 65 years and has been the financial secretary for 19 years. She served on the Lodge Executive Board, the Historical and Cultural Committees, the Wage and Policy Committee and the Humanitarian Fund in all respects, collecting food and clothing and the DORA Fund.
She was a delegate to four national conventions, serving on various committees. She was the President and Vice President of the Croatian Women’s Club of Versailles and former officer in the Croatian Pensioneer’s Club of Lodge 146. 
A delegate from Lodge 146 to the Four Countries Conferences, she served on the Four Countries Board of Trustees and was their 1996 “Woman of the Year”. 
Other affiliations are as follows: she was a current member of St. Angela Merici Church, she was a member of St. Martin de Porres R.C. Church, its Christian Mothers and Altar Society, and the Young Ladies Sodality. She was a life member of Amvets Post 8, McKeesport, PA, and was president of their auxiliary for two years, a member of White Oak American Legion Post 701, was convention chairman for the Amvets at their convention in Monroeville, PA, an Amvets representative for visitations to Veteran’s Hospitals for the past 14 years.
Helen was a member of the Board of Directors of the Parkview Community Federal Credit Union. She was also an active member of Versailles AARP Chapter 2911. She served on the Community Affairs Committee and participated in their visits to veteran’s homes and to personal care and nursing homes in the Mon-Yough area.
She was active in the local democratic party and found time to aid any lodge member or friend in any way she could, such as taking them to church or shopping, helping with letter writing or visiting and comforting them. She was always there for everyone and anyone. 
The officers and members of “Sveto Trojstvo” CFU Lodge 146 thank the United Croatian Fraternal Union Lodges of Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland Counties for honoring sis Helen Gergas Yanez, a wonderful mother, grandmother, wife, sister, neighbor and friend as the 1996 “Woman of the Year”.
Thank you Jesus for sharing her with us for almost 92 years. She will be deeply missed by all who were blessed to know her.
Friends and family will be received on Friday, September 30th from 2-8pm at Striffler’s of White Oak Cremation and Mortuary Services, Inc., 1100 Lincoln Way, White Oak, PA 15131 (Sue Striffler Galaski, Supervisor, 412-678-6177). Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 1st at 10 am in St. Angela Merici Church with Father Kevin Dominik officiating. Burial will follow. Condolences may be made at www.strifflerfuneralhomes.com

Originally published September 27, 2016.

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