Mary A. Osilka

Mary A. Osilka, age 86, of Mahanoy City, died peacefully Saturday morning in the comfort of her home. Born in Mahanoy City, she was the daughter of the late Stephen and Anna (Panko) Gavula and was a 1952 graduate of Mahanoy City High School. Mary was a home maker and enjoyed cooking, gardening and sewing. Uniquely gifted with the use of needle and thread she could create anything practical or beautiful from a raw bolt of any given fabric. A woman of deep and unwavering faith she was a life member of St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church in Mahanoy City and sang with the former St. Mary's Byzantine choir.

She also attend Mass at St. Teresa of Calcutta Church in Mahanoy City and spent countless hours in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel in quiet prayer and reflection. Be it three O'clock in the afternoon or three O'clock in the morning if Mary was no where to be found one need look no further than "chapel". Mary was truly honored and humbled when she was personally invited by the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity to meet a woman destined for Sainthood when Mother Teresa of Calcutta visited Mahanoy City in 1995. Preceding her in death in addition to her parents were her husband Bernard, two brothers George and Stephen Gavula and a niece Lori Ann Gavula. Survivors include two daughters Mary Ann Jarrett and her husband David of Mahanoy City, Kathleen Marcavage and her husband Daniel of Tower City, three sons Bernard and his wife Sandy of Warrenton, VA, David and his wife Barbara of Pattersonville and Jonathan and his wife Kimberly of Frackville, and her twin sister Anna Markey and her husband Bernard of Summit Hill.  She was Baba to her grandchildren Timothy Fegley, Rebecca Jarrett Dillman, Matthew Jarrett, Andrew and Sara Osilka , Emily and Megan Osilka and Mary Claire and Benjamin Osilka and Baba O to her great grandchildren Kaitlain Jarrett, Jacob Dillman and Morgan Fegley. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Divine Liturgy with Office of Christian Burial to be celebrated by the Rev. James Carroll on Friday morning at 11 AM from St. Mary's Byzantine Church, 620 W. Pine St. Mahanoy City. Interment will follow in the new parish cemetery in Mahanoy Township. Friends may call at the church on Thursday evening from 6 to 8 PM and again on Friday morning from 9:30 AM until time of Liturgy. Masks will be required to attend. Contributions in Mary's name to St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church, St. Teresa of Calcutta Church or St. Teresa of Calcutta Church Memo: Perpetual Adoration Chapel would be appreciated by the family. David D. Jarrett Funeral Home of Mahanoy City is in charge of arrangements. Please visit www.jarrettfuneralhome.com for more information or to sign the guest book.

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