Elizabeth "Betty" J. Kucharek

Angels carried Elizabeth J. Kucharek into the arms of the Lord on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
Betty was born September 29, 1925, in Forest City, PA to Joseph and Elizabeth Novak. Her family moved to Endicott when she was 4 years old. She spent her youth with the special friends and neighbors of Robble Avenue, the North Side, and St. Anthony of Padua Church, visits to Novak and Nick relatives in Forest City, and many summers at the family cottage on Deer Lake, Deposit.
Following high school, she worked for Endicott-Johnson then met William W. Kucharek shortly after he returned from service in WWII. They married in 1949 and built their life, home, and family together on Harpur Drive in Endwell.
After all her children entered grade school she worked in the nurse’s and main office at George H. Nichols Elementary school where she formed many special friendships. She was a member of the Endwell Garden Cub for many years and in the 1980s she took up her life-long desire of learning to play piano. Following her retirement, Betty and Bill did many activities with their IBMer friends. They also traveled throughout the US, Canada, and Europe but her favorite destinations were to see their grandchildren.
Betty is remembered for her devotion to her Catholic faith, as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, as a devoted friend, for her welcoming home, delicious meals, her creative talents with needle and thread, and especially for her baking.
She joins in heaven her loving husband Bill, and her eldest son, Billy, both who passed away in 2016. She is also predeceased by her parents, sisters Mary and Margret (as children), sister Josephine and brother-in-law John Bykonich, sister Irene and brother-in-law Felix Bucinell, and Kucharek family sisters- and brothers-in-law.
Betty is survived by her son Mark and wife Robin of Burlington, VT, daughter Kathy and husband Christopher/George of Albany, NY, daughter-in-law Rhea Heimstra of Colorado, grandchildren Alicia Kucharek, Renee and husband Chris Kemmesat, Jessica Bookwalter, Ralph Kucharek, James Doody, and Will Doody, great-grandchildren Emerson Kucharek, Parker Bookwalter, Connor Kemmesat, and Nolan Kemmesat, her sister Agnes and brother-in-law Mario Fabrizio, sister-in-law Wilma Kucharek, nephew Joseph Bykonich, niece Gina Kucharek, and all her dear nieces and nephews of the Bykonich, Bucinell, Fabrizio, and Kucharek families.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10 am, Monday, September 9 at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 300 Odell Avenue, Endicott. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. The family will receive friends at church, Monday, September 9 from 10 am until Mass time at 11 am.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in her memory may be made to a charity of your choice.