Mary Catharine Kunkle

M. Catharine "Cathy" Kunkle, of New Alexandria, died Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. She was born March 7, 1936, a daughter of William M. and Catharine McJunkin Chicka, from Lycippus. Cathy served as executive director of the Greenburg YWCA from 1974 to 1981, then opened her boutique, A Woman's Fancy, in Greensburg. She served on the Board of Directors of the Central Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce; the Mental Health Association of Westmoreland County; the Greensburg Association of Business People; Greensburg BPW (Business and Professional Women); the county CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) program; the Westmoreland County Health and Welfare Council; and the Westmoreland Regional Hospital Auxiliary Unit 10, also serving as its president. She was a founding member of the Westmoreland County Arts and Heritage Festival board of directors. A registered nurse who graduated from Presbyterian Hospital's school of nursing and earned her Bachelor of Science in education/school nursing from IUP cum laude, she was assistant director and director of nursing in several area nursing homes and for the past 19 years was a substitute school nurse for the Apollo Ridge School District. Cathy sang for many years with the St. Vincent Camerata and in the choir at Trinity Lutheran Church, Latrobe; she also performed with New Alexandria's Community Choir and under Mary Stynchula's direction during Latrobe Fourth of July celebrations. During her husband's years of military service, she was a member of JANGO (Junior Army-Navy Guild Organization) at Fort George G. Meade. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Marlene J. Chicka. She is survived by her husband, Alexander J. Kunkle; a daughter, Kimberly Kunkle; sister, Judy Chicka, of Summit, N.J.; aunt, Virginia Bell, of Blairsville; and cousins. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29, 2016, in the P. DAVID NEWHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, 215 Church St., New Alexandria. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016, in the funeral home, with Pastor Jeffrey Shock officiating. Interment will follow in St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Trauger. www.newhousefuneralhome.com. Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society.

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