Catherine I. Kalo, 94, Loved Her Home and Family

She was born on November 16, 1925 at St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain to Andrew and Bertha (nee Endrizal) Repko. She graduated from Lorain High School with the Class of 1944-B and was a long-time and faithful parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Lorain

Kay married her husband, George, on May 29, 1948 and they celebrated fifty-three years of marriage prior to his passing in 2001. Together, they were active in their church, as well as members of the Paduan Travelers. They enjoyed ocean cruises as well as trips to New York, Nova Scotia, Branson, Missouri, Canada, California, and Lake Havasu City, Arizona. She and George also loved to play cards and dance on Sundays at various church picnics throughout the area. In addition, they assisted their parish in making pierogi during the Lenten season.

Kay was very involved in both her church and her community; she was a member of Branch 114 of the First Slovak Catholic Ladies Association where she served as secretary-treasurer of Junior Branch # 198 for twenty-five years; unfortunately, she was forced to relinquish that role due to illness. At St. Anthony Parish she was a member and Past President of the Senior Sociables, volunteered and cooked at numerous church functions, ran bingo, and was a money counter for the weekly offertory collection for many years. In 2013 she was honored as the Marian Guild’s Woman of the Year. Catherine was also active in the church’s prayer chain, faithfully praying for friends and strangers who were in need. She was a member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 20 Auxiliary where her husband, George, was very active and acknowledged as Veteran of the Year in 1997.

Kay loved being a homemaker and loved her home and family. She enjoyed playing bingo and cards as well as solving all types of crossword puzzles. She was also so grateful and happy to have spent her last few months residing with her grandson, Ryan and his fiancée, Courtney.

Survivors include her daughter Barbara Smith (Paul) of Lake Havasu City, Arizona and son George Kalo (fiance Sue Bowers) of Sheffield Village. She also leaves her grandson Ryan Kalo (fiancée Courtney Salazar) of Lorain along with many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband George in 2001, son Jeffrey at birth in 1955, daughter-in-law Kathie Kalo (nee Hamilton) in 2001, sister Marybelle Hyde in 2002, and sister Helen “Amy” Szombati in 2017.

Visitation will be Friday July 17th from 9:00 a.m. until the time of closing prayers at 10:30 a.m.in the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel – 3224 Broadway, Lorain. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. in St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church – 1305 East Erie Avenue, Lorain. Reverend Edward Smith, pastor of the parish will officiate. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery. Due to the current health crisis, Kay’s family requests that all attendees wear facial coverings at all locations and follow the prescribed protocol for social distancing and virus control etiquette as outlined be each venue.

Memorial contributions are encouraged to either Louis Paul Proy Chapter 20 of the Disabled American Veterans (1319 West Erie Avenue, Lorain, OH 44052) or to St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School (1339 East Erie Avenue, Lorain, OH 44052).

To share your memories and condolences with the Kalo Family, please visit www.gluvna.net.