Jun 29, 2018

Virginia Koval Gural, 103, passed away peacefully Friday, June 22, 2018, surrounded by family singing spiritual songs and praying the Lord’s Prayer, in her daughter’s home in Woodway, Texas.

Visitation was held Wednesday, June 27, in OakCrest Funeral Home, Waco, Texas.

Mrs. Gural was born in 1914 in Ellsworth, a daughter of the late John and Anna Morosky Koval. She was the oldest of three children.

Virginia was a 1932 graduate of East High School in Erie. She then relocated to Detroit, Mich., where she thoroughly enjoyed creating pastries in a local bakery. She was pursued there by the love of her life, Joseph Gural.

After marrying Joe July 21, 1941, she moved to Cokeburg, where she resided in the same house for 69 years. In this home, she raised her two children, Bob and Jo-Ann, and had her grandchildren, Bob, Tim, B.J. and Paul visit often. She cooked many meals for family and friends, including pierogies, stuffed cabbage and blackberry pies that you could pick up a slice to eat. Her culinary talents extended beyond the home. Virginia was a cook for Century Inn, a historic establishment located on National Road in Scenery Hill.

After the death of her husband, Joe, in 1991, Virginia was able to live by herself in Cokeburg due to services provided by Bentleyville Senior Citizens, including transportation, meals, fellowship and another place to help serve others food.

In 2010, she moved to Woodway to live with her daughter and husband, Jim. Virginia contributed to the lives of her daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for many years. The great-grandchildren include Garrett, Abbie, Zachary and Zoe.

At the age of 97, Virginia became active in Harrison Senior Center, where she served food to the younger members for eight years. She was constantly on the move; cleaning the kitchen, doing her laundry and helping others up to days before her passing. Virginia Gural embodied the ideal of a strong work ethic, conservation of resources, using wealth wisely and always making something productive of the day.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, Anna and John Koval; brother Joseph Koval; sister Florence Swasko; and her husband, Joseph Gural.

She is survived by a son, Robert and wife Cheryl Gural; daughter Jo-Ann and husband Jim Williams; grandsons Bob Gural, Tim Gural, B.J. Williams and Paul and wife Caryn Williams; in addition to all her great-grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to a graveside service at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 5, in Beallsville Cemetery.

The family suggests memorial contributions to Bentworth Senior Citizens, 913 Main Street, Bentleyville, PA 15314; or Providence Hospice, 6700 Sanger Avenue, Waco, TX 76710.

Local arrangements are entrusted to John B. Greenlee Funeral Home Ltd., 2830 Main Street, Beallsville.

A guest book and personal condolences may be accessed at www.GreenleeFuneralHome.com.