SALLY LOU KOLESAR

1947 - 2024

STATE COLEGE - Sally Lou Kolesar, 77, of State College, died Friday, June 14, 2024, at Brookline Manor, Mifflintown.

Born March 17, 1947, in East Pittsburgh, she was the daughter of the late Mark and Ruth Elizabeth (George) Kolesar.

She is survived by her brother, David Kolesar and his wife La Donna of Pennsylvania Furnace; her nieces, Kristine Kolesar of State College, Courtney Kohl of Houston, Texas and Dr. Katheryn Kolesar of Portland, Ore.; two grand nieces, one grand-nephew and surrogate daughter Rorie Leibensberger.

Sally was a 1965 graduate of Norwin High School in North Huntingdon. She received a Bachelor's degree in education from Westminster College and a Master's degree from Moravian University in religious education.

Sally considered herself an educator and spent her whole life teaching and helping people. She started her career as a high school English teacher and theater advisor at Palisades High school in Bucks County. She taught theater classes and either performed in or directed productions in local community theaters. She retired early from teaching to pursue her Master's degree. Sally then spent several years as an education coordinator at several large churches around Allentown. During this time, she became a counselor at Turning Point, a Women's Resource Center and helped abused and homeless women and children get back on their feet.

She left Allentown and came to State College to care for her elderly parents. After her parents' passing, she took a position at CareerLink, helping retired and displaced workers gain new skills and find employment. During this time in Sally's life she also was the director and a tutor at the Dyslexia Reading Center of Centre County and was instrumental in revitalizing the center and tutoring kids and adults who had difficulty reading. Sally's final job was working as an advisor at Penn State World Campus, helping veterans and unemployed adults navigate the application processes to go back to school and learn a new profession.

She was an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pine Grove Mills, serving on the church council, leading bible study classes and serving on the steering committee for the Pine Grove Mills Farmers Market.

Sally's final education position was leading bible study classes at the Stonebridge Senior apartment where she lived until her passing.

Sally loved sewing, making her own clothes and making puppets used in her teaching activities. Sally loved to read and collected numerous books.

Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m., on Saturday, June 29, 2024 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 277 West Pine Grove Rd., Pine Grove Mills.

Memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at the church, with Pastor Paul Tomkiel officiating.

A private burial will be at Pine Grove Mills Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Dyslexia Reading Center of Central Pennsylvania, https://dyslexiareadingcenter.org/give

Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com