Patricia Jupena

Patricia Ruth Jupena, 92, of Greensburg (Unity Township), died Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at her home.  She was born April 25, 1928 in Jeannette, a daughter of the late William Beckner and Eleanor Lavelle Beckner. She was the last surviving member of fifty two first cousins on the Lavelle side of the family.  She was a member of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral.  Pat graduated from Jeannette High School in 1945 where she was a member of the cheerleading squad. She and Donald Jupena had their first dance at a junior high school event and continued dancing for the next seventy six years until Donald’s passing in 2017. Dancing became a hobby that they both excelled at and they particularly enjoyed the big band tunes of their era.  Pat and Don were married in Jeannette in December of 1950.  Pat started her working career in a secretarial role at Westmoreland Glass in Jeannette after high school graduation in 1945. She continued to work over the years in bookkeeping and accounting roles at various businesses. In a departure from office work, she also worked for a time at a job that she particularly enjoyed - the Coach House women’s fashion store Greensburg where she served as a model for their seasonal shows. Above all, Pat was a devoted wife, mother and homemaker to her family. She scaled back on her working career through her childrens' school years to make sure she was available to support them. The entire family has many fond memories of annual summer vacations at the Jersey shore. She was an accomplished bridge player who enjoyed playing with friends in multiple bridge groups throughout the years.  Pat was proud of the fact that she was an honorary, lifetime member of the Pennsylvania State University Alumni Association. She attended PSU home football games and an occasional bowl game with family and friends for many years – especially in the thirteen year span that her four children attended and graduated from the University.  She was a former member of Wildwood Country Club, Pittsburgh and Ligonier Country Club. She considered herself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit Italy with Donald to connect with his relatives and in later years, to enjoy a girls trip to Ireland with daughters, daughter-in-law and friends where she was able to visit towns of her ancestors.   In retirement, she and Donald spent quite a bit of time at their property in Hilton Head, SC.  They enjoyed many extended road trips throughout the lower 48 states in the winter months with stops along the way to visit with their children, old neighbors and friends from Don’s Air Force years. Before coming back to Greensburg and Unity Township in 1964, they lived in Texas, Missouri, Ohio and Pittsburgh’s North Hills.   In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Donald G. Jupena; her brother, Walter “Sonny” Beckner; sister, Valarie Blaze and her husband Tom; sister-in-law, Joann Carr; 2 sons-in-law, Rick Beggs and Joseph Romano; and an infant granddaughter, Theresa Romano.  She is survived by her children, Nancy Mitchell (Bernard) of Scottsdale, AZ, Carol Romano of Hilton Head SC, Patricia “Patsy” Beggs of Greensburg and Stephen D. Jupena (Terese) of Greensburg; her grandchildren, Carla and Paul Mitchell, Julia Scholz (Jason), Rachael and John Romano, Anne and John Jupena; 2 great granddaughters, Eleanor and Margaret Jude Scholz; also, a number of nieces and nephews.  A funeral mass for Patricia will be held on Saturday at 9:30 am in Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, 300 North Main Street, Greensburg.  Everyone is asked to go directly to the church.  Also, everyone is asked to wear a mask and social distance.  In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation in Pat's memory to Laurel Faith in Action https://laurelfia.org or a charity or cause that is important to you.
Arrangements are being handled by Kepple-Graft Funeral Home, Greensburg.  For online condolences, please visit www.kepplegraft.com.