Donna J. Cocalis

Donna Jean Cocalis, 77, of Point Marion, Pa., passed away Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at the Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. Born in Oshkosh, WI on Jan. 23, 1944, she was the first of three children to the late George and Harriet (Getlinger) Fuhs. Also deceased is a brother, Darrel Fuhs. She is survived by her husband, Joseph C. Cocalis; two sons and their wives, Dwight and Stephany (Moody) Sisk and their children, Noah and Kiley Sisk, of Sykesville, MD, and Travis and Janelle (Barnhart) Sisk and their children Garrett and Peyton Sisk of Chesapeake, VA. Also surviving is a brother, Rich Fuhs of Beaverton, OR; sisters-in-law, Mardy Fuhs of Mason, WI, Susan Cocalis of Northampton, MA, Michele (Keith) Sharkin of Summit, NJ, brothers-in-law, Guy (Marge) Cocalis of West Allenhurst, NJ and Ralph (Kelly) Cocalis of Neptune, NJ; and a number of nieces and nephews. After graduating from Oshkosh High School, she attended Lindenwood College in St. Charles, MO, and Stout State College (now University) in Menonomie, WI. Donna met her husband Joe when they worked in the same office at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in Denver, CO, where she was a civilian employee and he was in the Army. In 1980, the Cocalis/Sisk family moved to Point Marion from Colorado when Joe accepted a Public Health Service Position at NIOSH in Morgantown. Donna transferred her years of government employment to the U.S. Department of Energy in Morgantown. She was one of eight compilers of the book, “Point Marion – from the Beginning” which was published in 1999. Locally, she was a member of the Point Marion Progress Club, Uniontown Flower Club, the Friendship Hill Association, and a staunch supporter of the activities of the Point Marion Rotary and the Rotary Foundation, where she is a Paul Harris Fellow. In the past, she was a member of the United Methodist Women, Country Roads Cyclist, and a volunteer at the Point Marion Library. She was very proud of her German heritage. An avid genealogist, she was a long-time member of several German genealogical societies. Donna was a collector of many things, a skilled rug braider, sewer and quilter. A talented cook, Donna excelled in the kitchen, and she received a number of awards from her recipes being published during the Herald-Standard contests. She and Joe rode road and off-road tandem bicycles and spent many enjoyable hours in the tandem kayak in this area and in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota and in Algonquin in Canada, as well as working on jigsaw puzzles in the evenings at home. Donna had a quiet, pleasant manner about her, always willing to help in any way she could, but never seeking the spotlight. She will be dearly missed by her loving family, and by all who have had the privilege of calling her a friend. A private service for her immediate family will be held at the Richard R. Herod Funeral Home, Philip S. Rishel, Director, on Saturday, April 3, 2021, with Pastor George Relic officiating. Interment will be in Evergreen Memorial Park, Point Marion. A public ceremony will be held at a later date when it is safer to do so. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be offered to: Point Marion Public Library, 399 Ontario Avenue, Point Marion, PA 15474 for use in community projects.

Donna J. Cocalis

January 23, 1944 - March 30, 2021