Helen Irene Popovich Cordelli, 82, of Peckville, Pa., died Saturday, January 31, 2015 at Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Peter Cordelli.
Born in Montdale, daughter of the late Michael and Anna Gnall Popovich. She was a 1951 graduate of Scott Township High School. She was a loving homemaker and nursing home administrator at Mayo Nursing Center, Philadelphia, and at Lackawanna County Health Care Center, Sturges.
Her devotion to her family and friends was her true passion. She fed the entire Neshaminy High School football team for many years, as well as cadets at West Point and many neighborhood friends in Langhorne.
Her civic-minded nature led her to participate in BPW, Genealogy, Rotary and Kiwanis. She lived her Catholic faith with an easy everyday grace that was available to anyone in need. Helen loved her Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish family and always participated in their many activities. Her sense of adventure and travel took her to many places, but her favorites were always where her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews were. And, most fondly, at Montdale Dairy.
She is survived by her children, Peter and wife, Lorri Gillock Cordelli, Memphis, Tenn.; Lisa Cordelli Reilly and husband, Dr. Patrick, Oakmont, Pa.; Colonel (Ret.) Bruce Cordelli and wife, Deborah LeBlanc Cordelli, St. Louis, Mo.; Mark Cordelli and wife, Teresa Pascucci Cordelli, Scranton, Pa.; grandchildren, Katie Cordelli Myers (Dan), Kelly Cordelli Hoover (Bert), Michelle Helen Reilly, Sean Patrick Reilly, Bruce Cordelli Jr., Cassidy Cordelli; great-grandchildren, Samuel Henry Myers, Ephraim Herbert Hoover V; four sisters, Pauline (Pinky) Wiorkowski, Dr. Irene Hassett; Theresa Rolka and husband, John; a sister-in-law, Marie Popovich; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by siblings, Anthony Popovich, Anna Gnall, Josephine Berkowski, Margie York, Mary Gnall, William Popovich, Michael Popovich, Pauline Choberka and Raymond Krisinowski.
The family extends their deepest gratitude to the staff at Geisinger Community Medical Center for their compassionate care of Helen. She will be greatly missed.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Peckville, Pa. Friends are invited to celebrate Helen's life on Friday from 4-8 p.m. in the Michael P. Glinsky Funeral Home Inc., 129 Grant Street, Olyphant.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Breast Cancer Research, Wounded Warriors or the Arts for Autism Foundation of Pittsburgh, PA.