Luba (Kartaszow) Gerasimowicz

Luba Gerasimowicz, 94, of Phoenixville, PA, passed away Thursday, January 7, 2021 (Christmas Day as celebrated by the Orthodox Church).

She was born and raised in Byaroza, Brest District, Belarus. She was the first of five children born to Simon and Maria (Vilasevich) Kartaszow.  During the Second World War, her village was occupied by Soviet troops from 1939 until 1941. The residents of her village were scheduled to be deported to Siberia on June 22, 1941, but the German invasion of the Soviet Union that very day prevented the deportation from taking place. As the Germans were being pushed westward by Soviet forces, the family fled to Germany rather than remain under Soviet rule.  She and her family lived in West Germany after the conclusion of the war and emigrated to the United States in 1950. Originally destined for Chicago, the family was told of a change in plans and were directed to a sponsor in Charlestown Township. A month later, the family left the sponsor and established a home in Phoenixville. It was in Phoenixville that she met her husband, George Gerasimowicz.  They were married in 1951.

Luba worked as a Quality Inspector for the West Co., Phoenixville, PA, retiring after 20 years of service.  She was a member of the West Co. Retirees Association.

She was a parishioner of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church of Pottstown since 1950 and was a member of the church’s choir and the Holy Trinity Ladies’ Altar Society, where she participated in bake sales and pierogi making.  Luba was the recipient of a Hierarchical Gramota, which recognizes years of service to Holy Trinity Orthodox Church. 

Luba was a former member of the Phoenixville Senior Citizens Center.

She was predeceased by her husband, George Gerasimowicz who also reposed on the celebration of Orthodox Christmas on January 7,2012 – nine years to the day of Luba’s repose.

Luba was also predeceased by her siblings, Vladimir Kartaszow of Krasnodar, Russia and Tamara Buz of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.

She is survived by her sons, Dr. Walter V. Gerasimowicz of New York, NY, George Gerasimowicz, Jr. and his spouse Teresa of Pottstown, PA, Eugene Gerasimowicz and his spouse Christina Gerasimowicz of Stowe, PA, her sisters Vera Voorhees of Andover, Massachusetts and Marie Priest of Voorhees, NJ, grandchildren Nicholas Gerasimowicz, Katherine Ilyin, and Domenic Gerasimowicz and great grandchildren Nikolina Ilyin and Alexandra Ilyin. 

The family will receive relatives and friends on Saturday, January 16, 2021 from 9:00am until the funeral liturgy at 10:00am at St. Vladimir Memorial Church, 134 Perrineville Rd, Jackson, NJ.  Burial to follow at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church Cemetery, Mervine Street, Pottstown, PA.

Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funeral DeBow Chapel, 150 West Veterans Hwy, Jackson, NJ, is in charge of the arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.ryanfuneralhome.com.

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