Joan J. (Jursa) Meleski

Joan J. Meleski, 97, of Springdale, passed away Thursday, April 18, 2019, at Concordia of Rebecca Residence. She was born Oct. 20, 1921, to Stephen and Mary Anna Hloznik Jursa in Springdale. A devout Catholic, Joan was a longtime parishioner of St. Alphonsus Church. She cherished and forever remembered her trips to the Holy Land during the 1960s. Joan was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and was well known for praying the rosary multiple times a day. She often received requests to say the rosary for individuals and always prayed for those who were sick. She was a graduate of Springdale High School and had part-time jobs at Winchel's Five and Ten and the local hardware store. Joan joined the Womans Army Corp (WAC) and served her country during World War II from 8/12/43 to 4/21/45. She worked in the capacity of stenographer with the Army Corps of Engineers for 20 years. She moved to the Food and Drug Administration, remaining for 10 years, then retired in 1978. Joan had a green thumb and enjoyed planting and growing flowers as well as vegetables. She liked baking cakes and cookies, including a few wedding cakes for family members. She was a bird listener and was very fond of cats and dogs. Joan had artistic talents and was a skilled seamstress, creating various garments, especially for her daughter, and others. Getting a driver's license later in life (at 50), Joan could be seen buzzing around town in her 1971 metallic green Chevy Malibu. On another form of transportation, photographs show Joan riding a camel in Egypt. She was described as a feisty individual and forged ahead at meeting challenges. Joan is survived by her daughter, Joyce T. Rocks; sister, Dolores (John) Domitrovic; sister-in-law, Marilyn Jursa; and a number of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sisters, Anna Pastorek, Mary Heban, and Margaret Corsi; and brother, Stephen Jursa; and son-in-law, John A. Rocks. Friends will be received from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 24, at the CHARLES B. JARVIE SPRINGDALE FUNERAL HOME INC., 801 Pittsburgh St. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. in St. Alphonsus Church, 750 Pittsburgh St., Springdale. Interment will follow at Lakewood Memorial Gardens, Indiana Township, with full military honors. Memorial contributions may be made to Animal Protectors, 533 Linden Ave., New Kensington, PA 15068 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.