Johanna K. Herr, 88

Johanna K. Herr, 88, of 192 Buch Avenue, Lancaster, died peacefully at home on Wednesday February 21, 2007 surrounded by family and friends.

Born in Ford City, PA, she was the daughter of the late Frank Kubovich and Johana Mikulasek Kubovich.  Along with her sister and two brothers, she was raised as an orphan by the Jednota, a Slovak social organization. 

Johanna was the wife of the late T.N. “Woody” Herr; they were married for 59 years. 

Johanna is survived by two daughters, Johanna, wife of Ron Green, Reading, PA; Cecilia of Lancaster; and four sons, Dennis, husband of Sandy, Lancaster; Timothy of Lancaster;  Christopher, husband of Deborah, Lancaster; and Thomas, husband of Mary Ann, Lancaster.   Johanna is also survived by eleven grandchildren: Duane, Daryl, Troi, Ann, Gregory, Andrew, Rebecca, John, Johanna, Rachel, and Jillian; and thirteen great grand-children. She is survived by one sister, Leopoldina Silverthorn, Wilmington, DE and was preceded in death by two brothers, Frank Kubovich and Paul Kubovich.

She was a devout member of St. John Neumann parish, and before that St. Anne’s Catholic Church. After she was no longer able to attend mass regularly, she enjoyed watching services on TV and looked forward to receiving communion each Sunday in her home.  

Johanna’s hobbies included traveling, baking, sewing, knitting, and crocheting. She traveled to Israel, Ireland, Spain, Austria and Czechoslovakia.

She was busy year-round sewing hand-made Christmas and birthday presents for her children, grand-children, and great grand-children, all of whom are the proud owners of at least one warm stocking hat. Regardless of her health, Johanna was never content to sit idly, and enjoyed planning her next sewing project, and her next…

Johanna took great pride in the fact that her creative talents were inherited by her children and grand-children. She taught them to appreciate art and color, and instilled in each family member the ability to create with their hands, whether it was by building a home, designing a kitchen, sewing a dress, cooking, or drawing a blueprint.

She was a 15-year cancer survivor who inspired her family and friends with her resiliency and good humor. Raised as an orphan during the Depression, Johanna inherited (and passed on) a stubborn streak typical of Slovaks. However as a result of her upbringing she believed strongly that we should not waste resources, and should be thankful for all the blessings that we have. In this way and many others she was and will always be an inspiration to her loving family.

Friends will be received at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, 929 N. Duke St., Lancaster, on Saturday from 10:30AM until 11AM, with a Mass to follow at 11AM. Interment in the Neffsville Brethren Cemetery. Please omit flowers, making contributions in Johanna’a memory to the Dominican Sisters of The Perpetual Rosary, 1834 Lititz Pike, Lancaster, PA 17601. Arrangements by the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home and Chapel, Lititz, PA.