Michael C. Petak

Michael C. Petak, 76, of Elizabethtown, died Sunday, November 17, 2024 at Penn State Medical Center, Lancaster.
On January, 1, 1948, he brought in the New Year as the first baby born in 1948 at the Berwick Hospital. He was the son of the late Frank, Sr. and Helen (Ligosh) Petak.
A graduate of Berwick High School, Class of 1965, he was a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, Men's Chorus and Choir.
Mr. Petak graduated from Penn State University in 1969. He was a member of the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity, Circle K International, and the Belle-Lettre Society. Mike was a lifetime member of the Penn State Alumni Association.
Earlier in his career, he taught in the Berwick Area School District and Kenard-Dale High School, Southeastern School District.
He retired from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue as a Tax Examiner after 30 years of service.
He was active in the Retired PA State Employees Association, the Retired AFSCME, PA, and was a longtime member of the Elks Club.
Mike was a lifelong member of Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church, Berwick, serving in the Altar Society.
In his retirement, he was a volunteer aide at the annual Senior Exposition at the Hershey Lodge, served as a judge at National History Day in the Junior Performance Category at Penn State, and served as a Senior Citizen Witness for the PA State Lottery.
He was well known for his skills in pysanky, the art of painting multi-colored ethnic Easter eggs. Among his hobbies were gardening, aerobics, dancing, and making fancy desserts.
Mike is survived by his brother Frank, Jr. and his wife, Ellen,of Cleveland, OH; his nephew, James V. Petak of Solon, OH; his niece, Donna Buday and her husband, Dan, of Medina, OH and their children, Emma and Alex.
A visitation will be held Friday, November 22, 2024 from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the Requiem Service at 11:00, at Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church, 1228 Second Avenue, Berwick, with the Rev. Michael Demko, his pastor, officiating.
Interment will be in the parish cemetery, Berwick.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Mayo Funeral Home, Inc., Berwick.
For additional information or to send online condolences, please visit www.mayofh.com.