Catherine M. Butkewich

On July 5, 2024 at the age of 97, Catherine M. Butkewich of Sykesville, PA, passed away surrounded by her four children and daughter-in-law.

She was born August 11, 1926, to the late Mike Sackash Sr. and Anna (Bodner) Sackash in Hastings, PA and grew up in Kramer, PA.

Her family and her faith were of utmost importance to her. She belonged to Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Church for her whole life and was an active member of the Rosary Society. She came from a large family and took on the role of caregiver at the age of 17 when her mother had passed away and she had to care for her 8 younger siblings with the youngest being just three weeks old.

She remained close with 11 brothers and sisters, through cookouts, playing cards, and making everyone's birthday special.

She loved to start her days early, waking up by 4am most days to read her prayer book, pray the rosary, go for a walk and then start cooking and baking. She looked forward to cooking for her family every Sunday until a few months ago. Catherine would make a feast for her four children, 9 grandchildren and now her 4 great grandchildren. All of her meals were made from scratch and usually to the sounds of Big Moose's Polka Party. Catherine was a member of the Happy People Polka Club in DuBois and was an active participant in the Sykesville Run/Walk for Someone Special for 30 years.

She was an amazing woman and showed her love in many ways but often through baking. She baked for the DuBois Area School District and retired in 1988. She really enjoyed baking pagach for 200 people at the annual Sackash family reunion, and was known the "Pagach Queen," making over 95 pagach each year. At Easter, she made sure that her extended family received Easter Paskas and was known for her pierogi and raisin filled cookies, often gifting homemade cookies at her doctor's appointments. Her love of cooking and caring for others will live on through the memories and recipes passed on to her children, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. To quote one of her favorite songs, "Ei Ei Ei O."

On July 21, 1951, she married her husband of 51 years, Theodore "Leo" Butkewich. He preceded her in death on May 17, 2003.

Catherine is survived by her four children (Robert Butkewich and his wife Pat of Sykesville, PA, Kathy "Kitty" Greiner and her husband Dana of DuBois, PA, Diane Reiter and her David of Sykesville, PA, and Lynn Gregory and her husband Russ of Luthersburg, PA), nine grandchildren (Therese (Corey) Bukousky, Brett Butkewich, Jesselyn (Dave) Garrisi, Dane Greiner, Amie Reiter, Leah (Adam) Wilson, Drew Reiter, and Hunter and Cate Gregory), and four great grandchildren (Melia Bukousky, Dean and Leo Garrisi, and Vera Wilson).

She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.

Catherine was preceded in death by her siblings (Anna Foradori, Dorothy Rimer, Sophie Kennis, Mike Sackash, Verna Minns, George Sackash, Mary Gresock, Dolly Pindrock, Lillian Gilga, Henry "Sonny" Sackash, and Eugene "Butch" Sackash).

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Baronick Funeral Home & Crematorium, Inc.

A Parasatas will be prayed on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. prior to the visitation.

A Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 10 a.m. from Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Church in Sykesville, PA with Fr. Vasyl Banyk as celebrant.

Burial will follow in Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Cemetery.