Patricia Kruppa

Patricia "Pat" Kruppa, of Richmond, Texas, died Dec. 20 at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. She was 73.

Born Dec. 27, 1938, in Sellersville, Pa., she was the youngest of 13 children of Francis "Frank" Donahue and Susan Ferry Donahue.

She graduated from Lansdale Catholic High School in Lansdale, Pa. in 1956. Later that year, on Sept. 8, 1956, she married Bernard "Bernie" Kruppa in Jenkintown, Pa. and the couple moved to Kruppa's home state of Texas.

Her professional career included working at Polly Ryan Memorial Hospital in Richmond, Texas; Liberty House Department Store Distribution Center in Dublin, Calif.; LLNL; Cal-State Fullerton in Fullerton, Calif.; Kruppa and Associate, Inc., in Orange, Calif.; and Wharton County Junior College in Wharton, Texas, from where she retired in 2000.

She volunteered as a mentor for the H.O.S.T.S. (Help One Student to Succeed) program at Stephen F. Austin Elementary in Richmond, Texas and participated in various booster activities in support of her children's and grandchildren's sports activities. She enjoyed her role as a chaperone when her daughter, Sue, traveled to various high school marching band competitions as a member of Pleasanton's Foothill High School marching band. She enjoyed her travels to the Caribbean and several countries in Europe including her parents' homeland of Ireland. She was an avid reader of mystery novels and also liked to knit, crochet, cross stitch and bake, especially during the holidays.

Kruppa was preceded in death by both of her parents; her sister, Peggy; brothers Frank, Jimmie, Jackie, Eddie, Tommy, Danny, Harry and Joe.

She is survived by her husband, Bernie of Richmond, Texas; her sons, Gene Kruppa and wife, Virginia of Manor, Texas and Rich Kruppa of Manor, Texas; her daughter, Sue Bromberg of Richmond, Texas; brother, Michael Donahue and wife, Alta of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; sisters, Sarah-Helen O'Connell of Jenkintown, Pa. and Mary Bartimoccia and husband, Don of Ormond Beach, Fla.; sisters-in-law, Anne Donahue of Dana Point, Calif. and Edith Donahue of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and friends.

Kruppa will be cremated and her ashes interred at National Cemetery in Houston, Texas. A memorial service will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the chapel Jan. 9 at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation in her name be given to a local no-kill animal shelter, Catholic charity or women's shelter.