Josephine (LaPatka) Teck

Josephine LaPatka was born in the small town of Chewton, Wayne Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, September 6, 1922. She was the thirteenth child born to John and Mary (Brinczko) LaPatka, both of whom had immigrated to the United States in the 1890’s from the Hungarian portion of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (an area now in modern day Slovakia).

The family name had traditionally been LoPatka, but sometime after 1914, the Reverend Frances A. Maloney, the pastor of St. Monica’s Catholic Church in Wampum, apparently convinced patriarch John LoPatka to change the spelling to the more Americanized form of “LaPatka.” This was probably suggested as a way to distance the family from their native Austro-Hungarian homeland, which was aligned with Imperial Germany during the Great War (World War I). The more traditional LoPatka spelling could still be seen on occasion in the years to come.

When Josephine, also known as Josie or Jay, was born the LaPatka family was living on a sixteen-acre farm on the outskirts of Chewton (on Tony Dytko Road). They had relocated to the farm back in the summer of 1917 after having lived in center of the small village for many years. After Josie was born the LaPatka’s had several more kids. Irene was born in November 1923 and twins Pauline and Paul were born in October 1926 (though Paul died soon after). The LaPatka family, with thirteen children (of a total of sixteen) that survived infancy, ended up being the largest family in Chewton.

Josie and her brothers and sisters attended the Chewton Independent School district, comprised of three wooden schoolhouses located where the Chewton playground stands today. During the 1928-1929 school term Josie was in the first grade and had Mary M. Moore as her teacher. Among her fellow first graders were Josephine Sbarro, Joseph Powell, Margaret Goatley, Lewis Tomon, and Mary Novaleski.

Josie, at age fourteen, probably completed the eighth grade in 1936. In the midst of the Great Depression she probably wasted no time in getting a job to help support her large family. Within a few years she found steady employment making steel tubes for Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) at the Wallace Run plant in nearby Beaver Falls. During World War II, as most men were inducted into the military, the factory hired many women from the local area and Josie’s sister Irene joined her there. They had to walk the seven miles to and from work every day.

Josie ended up meeting a local man named George Teck, a U.S. Army veteran and police officer with Perry Township, and they were married at St. Nicholas Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in New Castle on Monday, September 18, 1944. They took up residence in the Connor House on Oswald Street in Chewton, not far from the LaPatka family farm. They rented the back of the house, while Josie’s brother Steve LaPatka and his wife Stella lived in the front portion. For a time George worked in Chewton as a bartender at the Slovak Club, a social hall managed by Josie’s rugged brother Joe LaPatka.

While residing in the Connor House their only son, Ronald George (“Ronnie”) Teck, was born on May 9, 1946. While growing up Ronnie attended the Chewton Public School for grades 1-2, and then went to St. Teresa’s Catholic School in nearby Koppel for grades 3-8.

Josie soon lost both of her parents, as her father John died in July 1949 and her mother Mary passed away a few years later in February 1952. They were both laid to rest at the St. Nicholas Orthodox Greek Catholic Cemetery in Slippery Rock Township just outside New Castle.

In 1957, the Teck’s moved to Koppel and into a house formerly owned by George’s parents. They fixed up the house, located at #120 3rd Avenue, and made many improvements to it. Josie loved to cook and they often hosted parties in the large banquet room in the back of the house.

Josie began working as a cook at St. Teresa’s Catholic School and was in charge of the cafeteria staff for many years. George and a fellow officer resigned from the Perry Township police force in late 1958 due to differences of opinion with the township officials. He may have found subsequent employment with the new Babcock & Wilcox steel plant in Koppel (which opened in 1959).

After finishing the eighth grade soon Ronnie attended Lincoln Junior-Senior High School in Ellwood City, and not long as graduating in June 1964 he joined the ranks of the U.S. Air Force. Ronnie was soon married and after a tour of duty with the Air Force he took up residence in the New Castle area. He eventually provided Josie with two grandchildren.

Josie and George lived in Koppel for many years until they separated and divorced in the late 1980’s. Josie took up residence in the Westwind Village Trailer Court in Ellwood City. She lived alone but had the support of friends and her close sister Kay LaPatka Migut, who lived nearby in Ellport. George remained living in the nearby area and later (in about 2008) moved in with his son Ronnie in Canfield, Ohio.

Josie lived out her days in Ellwood City. Eventually, her health deteriorated and she collapsed at home in late October 2009. She was admitted to the Ellwood City Hospital on Saturday, November 1, and was in pretty good spirits. However, sometime on the night of November 2 she took a turn for the worse and apparently suffered a stroke. She lost movement on her right side, could barely talk, and stopped eating. There was little the doctors could do for her. On Friday she was transferred from the Intensive Care Unit to a regular room (Room #315) to make her more comfortable. She passed away on the evening of Saturday, November 7. She was eighty-seven years old. With her passing only her sisters Kay and Pauline remain of the sixteen children of John and Mary LaPatka.

Marshall Funeral Home in Ellwood City handled the arrangements. Josie was cremated and her remains were interred in a mausoleum at Holy Redeemer (St. Agatha’s) Cemetery in Ellwood City on Saturday, November 21. She had intended to be buried with her parents at St. Nicholas Cemetery, but unknown to all the Orthodox Church does not allow cremated remains to be interred at that location. She is not alone at St. Agatha’s as the cemetery is also the final resting place of her brothers Steve and John. A small, private ceremony, presided over by Father Mark L. Thomas of the Holy Redeemer Parish, was held at the cemetery chapel on November 21 as close family members said their goodbyes to Josie.