Virginia Mary Kopchak

Virginia Mary “Ginny” Kopchak, 97, of Franklin passed away at The Caring Place on December 14, 2024.

Born in Franklin on February 22, 1926, she was the daughter of the late Myron and Tillie (O’Polka) Kopchak. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.

Ginny was a 1943 graduate of Franklin High School and later a graduate of Franklin Commercial College.

Following her graduation, she began her employment with Miles P. Brown Boiler Works as office secretary and later became the office manager. She remained with the company for 21 years. Her next employment was in the engineering department of Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co. She was also employed at the First Seneca Bank and Miller Equipment Co. and as a confidential secretary to attorney Robert Y. Daniels. She also worked as a bookkeeper for the Day Care Center and served as board secretary there. She retired from the Customer Training Center of Joy Manufacturing Co.

Ginny enjoyed traveling and live theater performances and also served as coordinator for a number of bus trips.

She was a member of St. Patrick Church and served on the Parish Council; member of the Altar Rosary Society; member, past regent, and past financial secretary of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court St. Thomas #1438; past state education chairman of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas; member of the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program of Venango County; past president, secretary, and treasurer of the American Red Cross Volunteer Nurse Aide Corp.; past president and membership chairman of the National Secretaries Association, Venango Chapter; member, program chairman, and past vice president of the Women’s Club of Franklin; and served on the Recreation Committee for the City of Franklin and Advisory Board of UCIP’s Faith in Action.

She volunteered for her church and St. Patrick School as well as the Northwest Medical Center (formerly Franklin Hospital); Visiting Nurses of Venango County; American Red Cross; American Heart Association; Community Services of Venango County; R. S. V. P.; UCIP’s Faith in Action; Northwest Legal Services; the Ration Board and various fund drives. During WW II, she volunteered over 1,000 hours as a Red Cross Volunteer Nurse Aide at Franklin Hospital. In 1995, she volunteered as recording secretary for the Economic Development Council of Venango County while in its early stages.

In December of 1993, the local newspaper conducted a survey on “People Who Make A Difference” where she and her sister, Jeraldine K. Kopchak, received recognition for their volunteer work in the community.

Left to cherish her memory are her various cousins and friends.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Jeraldine K. Kopchak and her aunts and uncles.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Patrick Catholic on Thursday, December 19th at 11:00 am with Father James Campbell as celebrant.

Ginny will be laid to rest at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery, Franklin.

Ginny requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the St. Patrick Church, Building Fund, 952 Buffalo Street, Franklin, PA 16323 and/or the Kopchak Family Charitable Fund c/o Bridge Builders Community Foundations, 1322 Elk Street, Franklin, PA 16323