Mary Helen Kapec, age 96, died Wednesday evening November 30, 2022, at USC Arcadia Hospital with her loving daughter, Nancy, by her side.
Mary, the daughter of Andrew and Annie (Fraykor) Ohrin (Hurin or Ondrya) was born in Kelayres, Pennsylvania, on August 17, 1926. She grew up as a coal miner’s daughter in Audenried, Pennsylvania. Her mother immigrated from Usfalva, Austria. Mary was a graduate of Hazelton High School.
Mary met the love of her life, Joseph Edward Kapec, at St. Mary’s Slovak Roman Catholic Church in McAdoo, Pennsylvania. Their dating was interrupted for several years by World War II. After Joseph returned from Germany as a staff sergeant with the 3rd Armored Division, they were united in marriage on May 8, 1948. Joseph passed away on September 26, 2018, subsequent to their celebration of 70 years of marriage.
After getting married, Joseph and Mary moved to New Jersey. In 1959, they purchased a house in Rahway and raised their two daughters Karen Marie (born 5/30/1954) and Nancy Ann (born 5/31/1958). The family was a member of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Rahway, New Jersey, for over 30 years. Mary worked for 25 years as a manager at Pathmark Stores in Linden, New Jersey, retiring in September 1990.
Subsequent to retirement, Mary and Joseph moved to Spring Hill, Florida, where they lived for 27 years. In Florida, they continued to actively participate in square dancing, which took them all over the U.S. for national conventions. During their time in Spring Hill, they were active parishioners at Saint Theresa Catholic Church. After Joseph’s major auto accident, their daughter Nancy moved them to California in 2017. They spent their final years living at the Kensington in Sierra Madre, California.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents Andrew and Annie Ohrin; siblings Charles Ohrin, Louise Borchick, Eleanor Kourt, Rose Rzepiennik, Joseph Ohrin and Andrew S. Ohrin Jr.
Surviving are her two married daughters, Karen M. Larson (Gary) of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, and Nancy A. Kapec-Pittson (Glenn) of La Cañada, California; three grandchildren, Victoria A. Pittson-Trauben (Justin) of Silverlake, California, Melissa A. Pittson-Roberts (Boaz) of Montrose, California, and John O. Larson of Pennsylvania. Mary was blessed with four great-grandchildren with whom she spent her final Thanksgiving week, playing with Theodore J. Trauben, Matilda M. Trauben, Eleanor J. Roberts and Benedict R. Trauben. She is also survived by her brother, Emery Ohrin of Maryland.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, December 15, at 10 a.m. at St. Bede the Venerable, 215 Foothill Boulevard, La Cañada, California 91011. Internment will follow at Turner & Stevens Live Oak Memorial Park, 200 E. Duarte Road, Monrovia California 91016. Visitation will be at the Chapel at Turner & Stevens from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 14.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to St. Rita Catholic Parish, 50 E. Alegria Ave., Sierra Madre, California 91024-1230.
