Helen C. (Hungerman) Ehrlich died peacefully at home Tuesday evening October 28, 2014 at Lighthouse Pointe in Fox Chapel surrounded by her loved ones. Helen was the loving wife of the late Charles (Chuck) Ehrlich for 65 years.
Born in the Bloomfield area of Pittsburgh on September 30, 1921, she was the daughter of Frank and Mary (Brandenstein) Hungerman and sister to nine siblings, all of whom pre deceased her.
Helen was a graduate of St. Paul’s Cathedral High School and received her RN from St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing. She worked at St. Francis hospital until children came along when she put her nursing career on hold. Years later, with all of her children out of the nest, she returned to St. Francis to fulfill her desire to help and serve others.
Helen and Chuck moved from Bloomfield to Oakmont in 1951.
Her Catholic faith was central to everything in her life. She was an active member of St. Irenaeus Church in Oakmont for more than 50 years. Her pineapple upside down cakes were legendary among the parishioners at Annual Bazaar time.
She regularly worked the voting polls in Oakmont. And when she finally had some time to herself she loved to work jigsaw puzzles, teach others how to play solitaire, and she was a master at crosswords in the daily newspaper.
Her real joy was her family and extended family. Helen was first and foremost a warm, gentle, loving mother of eight, grandmother of 14 and great grandmother of 10. Her kitchen table was her canvas. There was always enough food for a few more friends or relatives to come to dinner at any time. More importantly, life and love were learned from her at that table.
Helen is survived by son Ted and his wife Lisa of Fort Myers, FL, daughter Mary Ann Speca and her husband Gerry of Somerville, MA, daughter Geraldine Frye and her husband Terry of Carlsbad, NM, son Bill and his wife Debbie of Clinton, PA, son Michael and his wife Sherry of Oakmont, PA, daughter Dorothy Scalise and husband Tony of O’Hara Twp., PA, and daughter Nancy VanOrsdale of Greensburg, PA. Daughter Helen Catherine died as an infant in 1956.
Helen is also survived by 14 grandchildren and their spouses: Brian (Sharon) Ehrlich, Kristin Schell, Matt (Amy Shillady) Frye, Meghan (Mike) Conley, Camilla (Steve) Breault, Scott (Crela Rector) Frye, Ryan (Lindsay) Ehrlich, Justin Frye, Alex (Sean Franklin) VanOrsdale, PJ (Keri) Ehrlich, Mike Scalise, Jake VanOrsdale, Danielle Scalise, Stephen Scalise; and 10 great grandchildren: Cameron & Cooper Ehrlich, Mackenzie, Annelyse and Declan Conley, Ella and Sienna Breault, Grayson & Emerson Ehrlich, and Tyler Ehrlich.
Family and friends will be received on Friday, October 31 from 2-4 pm and 6-9 pm at the Burket-Truby Funeral Home, 421 Allegheny Avenue, Oakmont, PA. Funeral services will be held on Saturday Nov. 1 at 9 am at the funeral home followed by a 10 am Mass of Christian Burial at St Irenaeus Church, 387 Maryland Avenue, Oakmont followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Seraphic Mass Association, In Memory of Helen C. Ehrlich, 3600 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201, or to a charity of your choice.