Clara A. Popovchak, 89, of Granite City, Illinois passed away at 2:45 a.m. on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at Anderson Hospital in Maryville.
She was born July 28, 1931 in Madison, a daughter of the late Joseph and Frances (Fronczak) Konieczny. She was a graduate of Madison High School and has spent her last years at Cambridge House in Maryville.
She married William Popovchak on June 1, 1957 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Polish National Catholic Church in Madison and he passed away on September 10, 1995.
She had worked for Bell Telephone, later owned and operated Pop-O-Chek Tire in St. Louis with her husband and loved her years as a cook at St. Elizabeth Pre-school. Clara a was member of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Granite City and had also been a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Polish National Catholic Church and also Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church. She had been a member of the Society of the Myrrh Bearing Women, the “R” Club and the St. Louis Metro Polka Club. She loved Polka, attending dances, playing bingo and was an excellent cook and know for her exquisite Christmas cookies. Clara will be remembered for the love and special times shared with her family and friends.
She is survived by a daughter, Deborah “Debbie” Popovchak-Erickson of Granite City; grandchild, Jeremy “Te’a” Erickson of Tuscon, Arizona; sister, Juanita Hejmej of Glen Carbon; sister-in-law, Alice Konieczny of Troy; many nieces; nephews; other extended family and friends.
In addition to her beloved husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Mark Popovchak; eight siblings and their spouses, Stella and Frank Sellers, Walter and Leona Konieczny, Mary and Paul Miller, Helen Venarsky, Joseph and Christine Konieczny Jr., Edward Konieczny, Zigmund Konieczny and Stanley and Dorothy Konieczny and a brother-in-law, Edward Hejmej.
In celebration of her life, a visitation will be at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 207 Vandalia Street in Collinsville on Friday, March 5, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a 3:45 p.m. prayer service.
Visitation will continue at the church on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until time of a Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Fr. Stan Konieczny as celebrant and Fr. John Beveridge and Fr. Don Wolford as concelebrants.
Burial will follow at Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Cemetery in Edwardsville.
Memorials may be made to Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School, St. John Neumann Catholic School, Nativity of the Virgin Mary Cemetery fund or to a charity of one’s choice.
Irwin Chapel of Granite City in charge of arrangements. www.irwinchapel.com
