Julia
“Julie” Virginia Pockalny Pettit
Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and sister
Julie Virginia Pettit, 92, of Cuba, passed peacefully on Monday, January 29, 2024, at her daughter’s (Diana Nicols) home in Ocala, Florida. She had suffered from dementia and rapidly declined after complications from a recent illness and a fall. Hospice of Marion County, Ocala, FL assisted her family during her last days.
The daughter of John and Mary Kryzwa Pockalny, “Julianna” was born at home on February 15, 1931. She was the twelfth of fourteen children. She attended Bedford Corners and Portville Central Schools.
She married Donald Richard Pettit, son of Lewis and Hazel Jordan Pettit, on July 22, 1950 at the Sacred Heart Parish in Portville. They had six children, all surviving: daughters, Terry, Diana, Deborah and Denise, and two sons, Donald and Mark. She dearly loved every one of her grandchildren (13), great grandchildren (18), and great, great grandchild (1), and several nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her sister, Estella Olkosky Wood.
For many years, the family lived on 58 Milton Street where they raised their children. In the early 1970s, Julia was employed by Friendship Dairy where she worked until her retirement in the early 1990s. In 1993, they built their retirement home on the top of North Branch Road, Friendship, New York, where she lived prior to her passing.
While raising her children, Julie worked several part-time jobs in retail, waitressing, and selling Copperware. In the early 1970s, she became employed by Friendship Dairy where she worked until her retirement in the early 1990s.
With her husband, Don, they enjoyed camping and traveling to visit family. She enjoyed keeping her home spic-n-span, decorating, and cooking and baking lots of goodies for her family. She loved crocheting and was a master at reading complex patterns. She made many beautiful afghans, scarfs and hats for her children and grandchildren. Gardening was another passion she found great pleasure in. She loved music and dancing and family gatherings.
For many years, she attended St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Belmont, with her children, and Our Lady of Angels Roman Catholic Church, Cuba.
She is predeceased by her husband, Donald and granddaughter Rebecca Jane (daughter of Donald and Tammy Pettit), and sisters, Rose Olkosky, Helen Little, Anna Balacki, Katheryn Smith, Caroline Fairbanks, Mary Carlson and brothers, Michael, Andrew, Peter, Creighton, Joseph, and Stephen Pockalny.
Visitation is Monday, February 5, 2024 from 3 to 6 P.M. at the Mark F. Rinker Funeral Home & Memorial Service, Inc., 9 Bull Street, Cuba, New York. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, February 6, 10:00 A.M. at Our Lady of Angels Roman Catholic Church, 50 South Street, Cuba. Fr. John Cullen will be the celebrant.
Burial following: St. Mary’s Cemetery, Belmont.
