Ronald Hudak

With profound sadness we announce the passing of Ronald Daniel Hudak, 72, of West Newton, Saturday, July 20, 2019. Ron battled for months to recover from a heart surgery infection. He departed from this world and into God's hands while sleeping peacefully at Twin Lakes Rehabilitation Center. Born Dec. 12, 1946, in Latrobe, to the late Marie (Kapura) and John Hudak, Ron was raised in the small coal mining town of Marguerite, where he attended St. Benedict Church and school. He graduated from Greensburg Salem High School in 1964 and from Penn State University in 1968. After college, Ron worked as an industrial engineer at Robertshaw Controls, in New Stanton. In the latter half of his working years, he was a physics and mathematics teacher at Connellsville Area High School. Ron was a devoted husband to Yvonne (Houser) Hudak for 49 years, having just celebrated their wedding anniversary together July 17, 2019. They were longtime members of St. Edward Catholic Church, in Herminie. He was a doting father to his two girls, Jocelyn Hudak Sandstrom, of Greensburg, and Jessica Hudak Melhorn, of York, Pa. Through their marriages, he gained two loving sons-in-law, John Sandstrom and Christopher Melhorn. Ron was a proud grandfather to six grandchildren who adored their "Pap-Pap", Justin Melhorn (age 14), Sean Melhorn (age 10), Brandt Sandstrom (age 9), Linnea Sandstrom (age 7), Lukas Sandstrom (age 6) and Jonas Sandstrom (age 3). Throughout Ron's life, he remained close to his sister, Lorraine Hudak, of Denver, Colo., and his brother, Bernard Hudak, of Weirton, W.Va. In addition to his parents and his in-laws, Fred T. Sr. and Charlotte (Kohl) Houser, he was preceded in death by his brother, Regis Hudak. Along with his wife, daughters and grandchildren, Ron leaves behind many nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, cousins and extended family. Ron was an intelligent, quiet man who loved to tinker with his tools in the garage to the sound of the oldies or Penn State football on the radio. He could take on any building project with ease, enjoying the process of putting something together from scratch (slowly). Most of all, Ron loved his family immensely. You could always find "Ronnie" in the back of the room, teasing and listening to banter from afar. He will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts. Family and friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 26, 2019, at the KEPPLE-GRAFT FUNERAL HOME, 524 N. Main St., Greensburg. Prayers of transfer will be held at 9:15 a.m. Saturday, July 27, 2019, in the funeral home. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 27, 2019, in St. Benedict Catholic Church, in Marguerite, with interment to follow in St. Vincent Cemetery, in Latrobe. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests Catholic Masses be offered in memoriam for the repose of Ron's soul in the tradition of his faith. Online condolences may be expressed through www.kepplegraft.com.