Stephania Amelia Geriak Kowadla, age 97, formerly of Ansonia entered into her final rest on Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Decatur, Georgia.
Stephania was the devoted wife of the late Samuel Kowadla. She was born in Derby on March 26, 1927, daughter of the late Daniel and Amelia (Horoshchak) Geriak. Stephania grew up in Ansonia before becoming a longtime resident of Teaneck, New Jersey.
The last several years she resided in Owings, Maryland and Decatur, Georgia. She was an educator for the Teaneck, New Jersey Public School System for many years. Stephania was indeed a child of the Great Depression and a member of America’s Greatest Generation. As a child, she shook hands with FDR and attended the 1939 World’s Fair.
During her high school years, she raised vegetables with her mother and collected rubber tires and scrap metal for the war effort. She also started a newsletter composed of war news, event information and local gossip that she distributed at home and overseas to Ansonia families and servicemen.
Later in the war, she worked in a factory alongside her father, emerging from these early experiences a life-long student of the value of learning and the need for a broadened global consciousness. Stephania worked in a war factory in 1945 installing heater cables in aircraft flight suits. In 1947, she graduated first in her class from Stone’s Business College in New Haven and worked for many years at Michael’s Jewelers as an office manager and bookkeeper.
In 1971, she graduated first in her class, Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Stephania, with her husband Sam, sent both of their children through college, with their daughter graduating from Indiana University in 1977, and their son from the United States Naval Academy in 1978.
She was wickedly funny, sang like an angel, and could cook any cuisine for any number of people. She also was an unfailingly generous person and loving spirit, a scrupulously honest Christian lady, and a truly proud, loving, and thankful daughter of her first-generation Ukrainian parents.
Stephania was the beloved mother of Sandra (Kowadla) Nichols and her husband Stephen D. Nichols, and Allan Samuel Kowadla and his wife Christine (Coppinger) Kowadla, and the loving grandmother of Alexandra Ann Nichols and Andrew Allan Nichols. She also was the aunt of Ignatius Preneta, Henry Preneta, Amy Geriak Russell, John Geriak and his wife Eileen, Dan Geriak and his wife Joann, Mark Geriak and his wife Karen, Dan Guerton and his wife Lorraine, and Karen Kowadla Dupcak and her husband Ed.
Stephania was predeceased by three brothers, John Geriak, Harry Geriak and Bill Geriak, and two sisters, Ann Preneta and Sandra Guerton.
On Thursday, 20 June, friends may call between 6:00 — 7:00 pm at the Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home, 253 Elizabeth St., Derby. Stephania’s Panahida Service will be at 7:00 pm in the parlor.
On Friday, June 21st, her funeral procession will leave Adzima’s at 9:30 am for a 10:00 funeral service at St. Peter and St. Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ansonia. Her burial will follow at St. Peter and St. Paul Cemetery.
The family requests that contributions may be made to any charity supporting the fight for Ukrainian freedom. Friends may leave condolences at www.adzimafh.com.
