Obituary of Mary Jo Polatas

Mary Jo Kraut Polatas, age 80, of Erie, passed away peacefully Monday, March 2, 2015 at St. Mary's at Asbury Ridge surrounded by her loving family after a courageous battle with ALS. She was born on December 6, 1934 the daughter of the late Adolf and Clara Katzenburger Kraut. She was employed as a telephone operator at GTE for over 20 years and retired from St. Vincent Hospital as a housekeeper. Mary Jo was a member of Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church, the Blessed Sacrament Bocce League, the Requiem Choir, and was a cafeteria volunteer. She enjoyed the friendship of her "Club Girls" for over 60 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Stephen Polatas, two sons; Gregory and Joseph Polatas, one sister, Adelaide Bosworth, three brothers: Richard, Jerome, and Robert Kraut, and one grandson, Christopher Kelly. She is survived by her children: Susan Kelly (Joseph), Michele Reams (Jeffrey), James Polatas (Heather Hertel), and six grandchildren: Nicholas, Jesse, Adam, Samuel, Alex, and Sofia. Friends may call at the Dusckas-Martin Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 4216 Sterrettania Rd. on Thursday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. and are invited there on Friday at 9:30 a.m. for prayers, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00a.m. at Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church, 1626 West 26th Street. Private interment Calvary Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern PA, 5031 West Ridge Rd., Erie, PA 16506 or to the VNA Hospice of Erie County, 2253 West Grandview Blvd., Erie, PA 16506.