Helen Martinko

Helen B. Martinko, 89, of Poland, passed away on Sunday, January 19, 2020 in Youngstown.  She was born April 12, 1930, in Youngstown to Michael Puhala and Helen (Kalay) Puhala.  She grew up in Smokey Hollow and lived in Youngstown and Poland all of her life.  She was a member of Christ Our Savior Parish at St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church in Struthers for over sixty years.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Stephen A. Martinko whom she married on October 11, 1952, four sisters, Ann (Pat) O’Neill, Mary Ann Puhala, Margaret (James) Harris, and Josephine (James) Krasinski, and three brothers, Michael Puhala, and infants Joseph Puhala and John Puhala.
Helen was a 1949 graduate of Rayen High School and worked at Republic Steel and General Electric.  She was an accomplished homemaker and enjoyed spending time with her husband and family.  She enjoyed music and dancing with her husband, and spent many evenings with him at the Avon Oaks Ballroom and other local venues of the era.
She is survived by her four children, Margaret (Jeff) Proch of Canfield, Janet (Steve) Planey of Canfield, Steve (Teresa) Martinko of Southport, North Carolina, and Dr. Karen (Dave) Lehtinen of Cary, North Carolina, and six grandchildren, Jonathan Proch of Independence, Ohio, Kathryn Proch of Washington, DC, Megan Martinko of Seattle, Washington, Sara Martinko, of Dayton, Ohio, David Lehtinen of Cary, North Carolina, and Lily Lehtinen of Cary, North Carolina.
Family and friends will be received at a funeral mass for Helen at St. Nicholas Church in Struthers on Monday, January 27, 2020, at 10:00 AM.   Interment will be at Poland Riverside Cemetery following the mass.
Arrangements are being handled by the Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home in Poland.