Obituary of Gertrude E. Cherpak

Gertrude Elizabeth (Baran) Cherpak, born December 13, 1920, of New Britain, died Wednesday, June 1, 2011, at the Jerome Home. Born in Rockville, CT, Trudy was the daughter of the late Joseph and Kathryn (Masajada) Baran. Trudy attended St. Joseph's Catholic School in Rockville, CT. She served in different positions at Fafnir Bearing in New Britain, retiring in 1982 after 30 years of service. Trudy was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother and will be missed by all who knew her. She was especially fond of her twin granddaughters Tammy Drachenberg Carlson and Tracey Drachenberg Kinney who have visited and been a constant source of joy to Trudy. Every Wednesday since she has been in Jerome Home, which dates back to 2002, Tammy and Tracey have been devoted to making their grandmother's life comfortable. Trudy enjoyed her grandchildren, great grandchildren, bowling, bingo, going to the casino when able, and traveling. Trudy's travels included a trip to Europe to visit with her sister Betty and husband Richard, to Hawaii and traveling with the Fafnir's Girls's Club on a variety of adventures. She is survived by a daughter Patricia Drachenberg of Plainville, CT, and a daughter Gail and her husband Richard Krause of East Berlin, CT, a sister Betty and her husband Richard Barcinski of Spring Hill, FL, seven grandchildren, Tracey and her husband Shane Kinney of Rocky Hill, CT, Tammy and her husband Richard Carlson of Berlin, CT, Todd Drachenberg and his wife Sonja of Southington, CT, Sean Lassen and his fiance' Nancy Medina of Burlington, CT, Eric Lassen and his wife Laura of Manchester, CT, Lori Lassen of Newington, CT, and Craig Lassen and his wife Lisa of Newington, CT, four great grand children Erica and Aaron Lassen, Faith Drachenberg and Ethan Lassen-Crawford. She was predeceased by her former husband Michael Cherpak who died May 23, 1993, her twin brother Joseph Baran, her sister Adeline Yanke and her sister Helen Courtwright. Funeral services will be held Friday with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00 A.M. at St. John the Evangelist Church (corner of East St. and Newington Ave.) New Britain. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery, New Britain. Visitation will be Friday from 8:00 A.M. until the time of the mass at the Farrell Funeral Home 110 Franklin Sq. New Britain. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John the Evangelist Church 655 East St. New Britain, CT 06051.