Jennie Pograis

Jennie Pograis, age 103, of Euclid, Ohio. Passed away December 22, 2017. Beloved wife of Edward (deceased). Devoted mother of Margaret Pograis Bennish (husband William), Carolyn Pratt (husband Gary) and Jacqueline Rusnik (husband Dale). Loving grandmother of Jenny Van Hyning, Anna Allender, Andrew Pratt, Kristin Retallick, Sarah Bennish, John (deceased) and Thomas Rusnik (deceased); great-grandmother of Taylor, Olivia, William, Riley, Allison, Jakob and Eliza.

Jennie will be remembered for the aroma of strudel and potica that filled her kitchen, but most importantly for the love of family and faith that filled her life for more than a century.

She was born May 5, 1914, to Jacob and Margaret (Podgorsek) Zajc in Pleasant Valley, Pennsylvania, east of Pittsburgh. When she was about 5, the family moved to Neffs, Ohio, and then to Powhatan Point along the Ohio River, where her dad worked in the nearby coal mines.

In the mid-1930s, Jennie moved briefly to Pittsburgh, where she and younger sister Mary worked in the nurses’ dining room at St. Francis Hospital. In 1939, she moved to Cleveland, followed by her parents, brother Tom and sisters Mary and Margaret.

Before World War II, an acquaintance introduced Jennie to Edward Pograis, a fellow Slovenian. Many of their dates were at dances at Cleveland’s popular Euclid Beach Park. After the war, Jennie and Ed married and raised three daughters – Margaret, Carolyn and Jackie. Jennie worked at Addressograph-Multigraph and Curtis Industries before retiring in 1980.

Jennie was a member of the Slovene National Benefit Society (SNPJ) for 87 years and a long-time parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Cleveland’s Collinwood neighborhood.

Mass of Christian Burial Wednesday, December 27, 2017 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 15519 Holmes Ave., Cleveland, OH 44110 at 10 AM (PLEASE MEET AT CHURCH). Burial following at All Souls Cemetery. Family will receive friends at the ZEVNIK-COSIC FUNERAL HOME, 28890 CHARDON ROAD (between Bishop Rd. and Rt. 91) Tuesday 3-7 PM.