Olive Wilma Tartalone

Olive (Whitcher) Tartalone, of Homer City, passed away Saturday, September 28th, 2013 at Indiana Regional Medical Center. The daughter of Dorothy and Charles Kunkle, she was born in Detroit, Michigan on February 4th, 1933. Ollie was still very close with her classmates of the class of 1950 at Homer City high school, where she was a cheerleader. Following her high school graduation, she took a job at Homer City Elementary as the school secretary. Generations of children who grew up in Homer City will remember Mrs. Tartalone at the elementary school, either when buying lunch tickets or being sent to the principal's office.Parents will remember her answering the phone with, "Homer City Elementary school, where everybody is somebody!". She began the position in 1950, took a short break to raise her children, and then returned in 1965 to continue working during the move to the new elementary school. She retired on June 30th, 1993. Following retirement, Ollie remained a very active member of the community through volunteering at the Homer City library, Meals on Wheels, and the Kwanis Club of Homer City. Ollie also served as secretary for both the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees (PASR), and the AARP Indiana Chapter for several years. She was also a regular attendee of the Area on Aging Indiana site for weekly exercise and luncheons. Ollie was also actively involved in the Our Lady of Assumption Parish. There she was a member of the Lucernemines Altar Rosary Society, chairing many committees throughout the years, and contributed to the annual church festival each year. She was also involved in the Visitation Ministries, providing communion for those who could not attend church, and as a regular lector at daily mass. Ollie is survived by her two children, daughter Hope Gendron of Nova Scotia, Canada, son Anthony (Tony) Tartalone, and wife Joni Tartalone of Homer City; four grandchildren, Melissa and Marc Gendron of Nova Scotia, Canada; Jason Tartalone of Pittsburgh; and Nick Tartalone of Altoona; and one great-grandchild Vincent (Vinnie) Tartalone. She is also survived by her sister, Mrs. Sue Block of Maryland, and many nieces and nephews who have enjoyed her company as well as her cards filled with confetti through the years. Ollie was preceded in death by her husband, Casper ("Cappy") Tartalone, who passed in 2010, as well as her parents and younger brother, Charles. As per her wishes, there will be no viewing. A prayer service will be held Wednesday morning at 9:30a.m. at the C. Fredrick Bowser funeral home in Homer City. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Lucernemines site, with Father Ron Cyktor celebrant, and then interment will follow in the St. Louis Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the Lupus Foundation of America Inc.; PO Box 418629, Boston, MA 02241-8629, or to a charity of your choice.