Leapoldine “Leah” Gulas, 91, passed away at her Purchase Line home on Good Friday, April 18th, 2025; surrounded by her loving family.
Leah was born on June 24th, 1933, in Smorze, Poland (now Ukraine), the daughter of Johann and Agnes (Fuchs) Schatko. Her childhood was defined by war. Being born of a German mother and a Polish father, the family had to conceal this fact from the German army. Ultimately, Leah’s family, lost their farm to the German army, and spent the last years of the War in a German refugee camp living in a Polish lager. A post-War memory was her mother doing laundry for the American soldiers at the camp for extra rations.
In 1951, Leah came to America on board the ship “Harry S. Taylor,” alone, the first of her family to do so. She was sponsored by a Catholic charity and relatives she had in Creekside – the Klein family. As a testament to her character, she helped take care of children on the ship during her journey. After arriving at Ellis Island, she settled in with the Klien family. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen on November 6th, 1959.
Leah enjoyed the polka and square dances at the Meadowbrook Lounge. She always laughed when talking about dancing to “Here Comes the Hula” at a dance in Pittsburgh. It was at a dance in Sagamore that she met her future husband, John Gulas. They were married in 1953 and shared 56 years of marriage until John’s death in 2009. Leah was employed by Doud’s of Plumville and worked there for many years while forging strong familial connections before retiring in the mid-1990’s.
Leah was known for her strong work ethic, overcoming the privations of War and its aftermath to raise a good family with John at their home in Sagamore where they lived until moving to Purchase Line in 1990. She could speak several languages yet never lost her German accent. She was also known for her ability to make people laugh, and her good heart. Leah sang in church and often entertained family and friends with her vocal talent. She cared deeply about her family – even working for a time at a potato farm so she and John would be able to have extra money for Christmas gifts. Leah was the glue for her family and friends, lived a life that all should strive to emulate, and will be missed more than words can express.
In addition to her parents, Leah was preceded in death by her husband and her siblings Frank, Joseph and an infant sister.
Surviving Leah are her children: Ted (Judy) Gulas of Apollo, Deborah (Jeff) Witmer of Purchase Line, John (Linda) Gulas of Dafuskie Island, SC, Marianne (Aris) Mardirossian of Venice, FL; 13 grandchildren David, Ted Jr., Christina, Marissa, Carolyn, John, Stephen, Eric, Matthew, Karis, Tammy, Toni, and Tracy, and 13 great-grandchildren Noah, Weston, Ellison, Madeline, Jack, Margaux, Alexandra, Rafe, Leah, Andrew, Alex, Molly, and Lilly, and siblings Wanda Kush of Greensburg and Anna Marie Watson of Hillsdale.
Friends and family will be received on Friday, April 25th from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Bowser Minich Funeral Home, Indiana. A Funeral Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Saturday, April 26th at 10:00 AM at St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer City. Burial will follow at St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Indiana.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church, 279 Yellow Creek Street, Homer City, PA 15748, for the needy in the area.
