Patricia M. Bjelica

March 17, 1932 - November 10, 2019

Patricia M. Bjelica, age 87, of Johnstown, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 10, 2019 at Wells Nursing Home. She was born in Johnstown on March 17, 1932, a daughter of the late Augustine and Terezia Burda Zayicek of Unin, Slovakia. She was very proud of and loved her Slovak heritage, polka music, and Slovak foods, but she also claimed to be a little Irish, especially around her St. Patrick’s Day birthday. Her favorite color was Kelly green, her favorite gemstones were emeralds and jade, and she frequently found 4-leaf clovers. She attended Johnstown schools where she was in the Ski Club and the Glee Club and was a loving homemaker to her family. Patricia was of the Catholic faith, a communicant of the former St. Anthony’s Church, St. Patrick’s Church and the current Holy Trinity Church in Johnstown. In her early years, she and her siblings assisted her father with the maintenance activities at St. Anthony’s. With St. Patrick’s Church, she was an active member of the choir and sang in the annual Minstrel Shows, participated in the weekly Arts and Crafts and was a contributor to the annual Bazaar, and was also a Rosary Society member. Mrs. Bjelica is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Maria and Joe Hetzel of Atlanta, GA, her son Peter D. Bjelica of Mayfield, her beloved grandchildren Trek Marcus Bjelica and Tatjana Bjelica of Mayfield, step-grandson Christopher Hetzel, many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. She was predeceased by her husband Petar Vidoje Bjelica whom she married on March 10, 1965 and whom passed on December 24, 2016; her brothers Frank, William, Rudolph, Augustine and Andrew Zayicek and her sisters Helen Zayicek, Margaret Guzzo, Lucy Campbell, Sister M. Christopher V.S.C (Elsie Zayicek), and Agnes Sahut. Patricia was a very generous and kind person and was a regular volunteer for the American Heart Association, volunteer visitor at the Wells Nursing Home as well as a volunteer for elections at her nearby polling location. Visitation for friends and family will be held on Friday, November 15 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the A.G. Cole Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. on Friday following the visitation also at the A.G. Cole Funeral Home, Inc., 215 East Main Street, Johnstown, NY 12095 with Rev. Matthew Wetsel officiating. Interment will be in St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Johnstown. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or to the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Condolences to the family may be made online by visiting our website at www.agcolefuneralhome.com