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John P. Frketich

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | October 12, 2016

John P. Frketich, age 88 of McKeesport, passed away at home on Tuesday, October 11, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. Born March 31, 1928 in McKeesport, he was a son of the late Paul and Barbara (Gargat) Frketich. John married his high school sweetheart, the late Katherine (Loncaric) Frketich, and together they had three children.

A First Generation American, John was proud of his Croatian heritage and valued its customs and traditions. Above all else, he valued the love of family, friends, faith, the simple pleasures in life, and a strong work ethic. As a child of the Depression, John re-used, re-purposed and recycled long before it was fashionable and much to both the delight and consternation of his family. He never met a person he didn't like and no one ever left his table hungry. He was a "can-do" kind of guy, and his guiding principal -- one that he instilled in his children -- was that, "There's no shame in not knowing how to do something, but shame on you for not trying." He was a worker all his life, employed as a Truck Garage Superintendent for Potter McCune, Co. until its closure after 33 years of his working there. Afterwards, John worked as a truck mechanic for Avis, a building supervisor at the Median School of Allied Health Careers, and even into his late 70s, until Parkinson's Disease led him to fully retire from PenSew, inc. A parishioner of Corpus Christi in McKeesport and formerly of Sacred Heart Parish, John was a member of the Teamsters Union, CFU Lodge #146, and the CCU of McKeesport. John was preceded in death by his aforementioned first wife, the late Katherine (Loncaric) Frketich who passed away August 29, 1974, a daughter Karen O. Bowers, and his sisters: Mildred Nagy and Dorothy Zalac. He leaves to cherish his memory is survived by his wife Catherine (Barnish) Frketich; his children Richard Frketich of East McKeesport and Kate (Wayne) Simco of McKeesport; his grandchildren Kellianne and Joshua Frketich and Taylor Bowers; his great-grandson Quinten Mullen; his cousins Betty Oeler, Helen Ferketic, and Katie Fagan; nieces; nephews; and his ever present and faithful companion: his dog "Shammy." Friends will be received in the Daniel F. Bekavac Funeral home and Crematory, 4504 Walnut St., Versailles Borough, McKeesport, PA 15132 (412-678-3454), October 14, 2016 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 11:30 AM in Corpus Christi Church with Fr. Steven Palsa officiating. Procession and burial to follow to Sacred Heart Cemetery, Port Vue. Afterwards, John's family asks that all attend a repast to celebrate a wonderful man and a life well spent. www.bekavacfuneralhome.com

Originally published October 12, 2016.

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