Eva Margaret (Opalka) Karpenko

Eva Margaret (Opalka) Karpenko, 85, of Franklin, Tennessee, formerly of Camillus, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 10, 2010, following complications from a stroke. Eva was born on Sunday, December 21, 1924 in Herrings, New York, the daughter of John and Mary Opalka, and lived most of her adult life in Camillus. She was a graduate of Cathedral High School and worked as a waitress for several of Syracuse's best restaurants, retiring as a union banquet waitress. Eva was preceded in death by her husband, John, on August 23, 1976, and continued to raise their four children on her own. Eva was devoted to her church and was a former communicant of St. Joseph's Church and Holy Family Church. Her children remember her reading her books when they went camping at many of New York's state parks, especially enjoying Kring Point in the Thousand Islands Region. In the summer, she drove them to the Jordan swimming pool in her 1969 Chevrolet Impala convertible with the top down, never passing up a yard sale. She loved to go to auctions and estate sales and play cards. She was always up for a rousing game of Pay the Man, Pinochle or Canasta. Her sisters and families were regular visitors to the family home in Camillus. She taught her children the value of a dollar and insisted chores be done. She encouraged and assisted them in being employed, wearing out station wagons in the process. She continued to live on her own terms in Orchard Village after her kids moved out and was thankful for her helpful neighbors. Eva loved Wegmans and Sunday trips to Harrison Bakery. It was unusual if she didn’t have a ring of kielbasa or a roast cooking. When her health declined, Eva moved to Franklin to be near her son, Michael, his wife, Nancy and their children. Eva is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, John and Alison Karpenko of Hauser, Idaho, Michael and Nancy Karpenko of Franklin, Tennessee, and Chris and Kim Karpenko of Salinas, California; daughter, Mary Ann Karpenko of Monterey, California; grandchildren, Ali, Stephen and Katie Karpenko; sisters, Helen Opalka, Martha Koral and Clara Button. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Karpenko; and brother, Joe Opalka. Relatives and friends may call Friday, November 19 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Buranich Funeral Home, 5431 W. Genesee St., Camillus. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, November 20 at 9 a.m. in Holy Family Church. Eva will be laid to rest at Greenlawn Cemetery, Warners. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Save the Children, 54 Wilton Rd., Westport, CT 06880 (www.savethechildren.org) or to the SPCA, 5878 E. Molloy Rd., Mattydale, NY 13211. (www.cnyspca.org)