Family patriarch, Josef Galetka (1881-1928), Slovak immigrant and early member of Jednota FCSU Branch 484, Coral, PA, was honored recently in a unique way. Grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, spouses and friends gathered at his burial site at St. Francis Cemetery for the culmination of a year-long headstone restoration effort on the one hundred eighteenth wedding anniversary of Josef and his wife Agnes (Monka).
The original headstone, made of unpolished marble, became weathered and cracked with age. To preserve the historical value, the family entrusted Shoemaker’s Monuments, Blairsville, PA, to repair, clean, and refurbish the headstone.
To celebrate the completion of the project, the family came together for a Rededication Service. The para liturgy included an opening prayer, scripture reading, responsorial psalm, prayer petitions, a musical interlude performed by a guest vocalist and guitarist, and a final blessing. Group singing of “Amazing Grace” and placement of pink carnations symbolizing gratitude and eternal remembrance of the deceased concluded the service.
Afterwards the group enjoyed lunch together in Indiana, PA, and attended evening Mass at St. Louis Church, Lucernmines, PA.
Mark Geletka, grandson of Josef, said, “Beyond the satisfaction of restoring a family headstone, I was overwhelmed by the sense of family unity that this effort promoted. I not only enjoyed our ceremony but the whole day we spent together.”
Elizabeth (Kort) Von Bargen, great granddaughter, reflected that she was proud to be a part of the gathering and also proud to be able to share the event with her husband and young son. For her, the special day strengthened the bond between ancestors and cousins.
Theresa (Kort) Moran, great granddaughter, remarked, “It was a beautiful event and I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to embrace my Slovak heritage with family members I haven’t seen in years.”
Joseph Geletka, grandson, writes, “When we were first informed about how badly Grandpa’s headstone had become deteriorated, I was so impressed by the immediate willingness of all the cousins to participate in its restoration. Restoring the headstone became a way for us to show our gratitude to him and Grandma for the sacrifices they made so that we could have a better life. None of us ever knew or met him. And yet, he and Grandma had fourteen children and twenty-four grandchildren. Their sons fought in WWII and then their grandchildren served in the military all down through the years. The grandchildren excelled in the fields of science, medicine, business, engineering, aviation, and education. It’s a common story repeated everywhere all over this country – the tremendous contributions made by immigrant families to our nation. And this re-dedication was our way of saying thanks.”
Anyone interested in obtaining information on how this family project was planned or to obtain a copy of the rededication service can contact Joseph Geletka at geletka1950@gmail.com.
Submitted by Joan (Galetka) Kort, Branch 484
