Ellen Kovalchick Yakopec, 93, of Westminster, MD, formerly of Harmar Township, passed away on June 15, 2021. Born on December 15, 1927 in Sagamore, PA (Armstrong County), she was the daughter of the late Andrew and Susan (Slencak) Kovalchick. She worked as a beautician at Merriman's Beauty Salon in Oakmont, PA. Ellen married her grammar school sweetheart, Louis "Sonny" Yakopec on October 19, 1946 and they shared life together for almost 50 years until his passing in June 1996. Ellen was a resident of Harmar Township, PA from 1936 until 2017, when she moved to Westminster, MD to be close to her daughter.

Ellen enjoyed going out to eat and playing bingo with her family and friends, dancing, and traveling all over the world to Canada, Italy, Croatia, Slovakia, Alaska, Eritrea, Qatar, and the Panama Canal, just to name a few. Above all things, family was most important in her life. Ellen loved family gatherings, especially the ones that were held over the holidays. She was a life-long sports fan of the Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates and almost never missed their games.

A beloved mother, she is survived by her four children Ellen (William) Young of Plum Boro, PA, Judith (Barclay) Collins of Annapolis, MD, Louis "Skip" (Rhonda) Yakopec of Raleigh, NC, and Lauree (Michael) Kunz of Hampstead, MD. She was also a wonderful grandmother to her eight grandchildren Adam Siemianowski, Scott (Katie Sorenson) Siemianowski, Natalie Yakopec, Ashley Yakopec, Brittany Collins, Bayleigh Collins, Eric Kunz, and Amy (Matthew) Heisey. Ellen was a proud great-grandmother to Michael Siemianowski, Carly Siemianowski, Amelia Siemianowski, and Connor Heisey. She is also survived by her sister Marie (Thomas) Puzniak of Sarasota, FL and several nieces and nephews.

Ellen is preceded in death by her parents Andrew and Susan Kovalchick, her husband Louis "Sonny" Yakopec, her two brothers Andrew Kovalchick and William Kovalchick, and infant son Charlie who died at birth.

She belonged to the first Catholic-Slovak Union, branch 831-K and was also a member of St. Pio Parish (Formerly St. Francis) in Harmarville, PA. Ellen was a devout Catholic and her faith was very important to her. Even after moving to Westminster, Ellen continued to support St. Vincent De Paul Society through charitable contributions.

Friends and relatives will be received from 2-4 and 6-8 PM, Monday, June 21, 2021, at the Adam Siemianowski Funeral Home, 179 Starr Road, Russellton, PA, 15076. A Christian Funeral Mass will be celebrated, 10 AM, Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at Our Lady of the Lakes, Transfiguration Campus, 100 McKrell Road, Russellton, PA, 15076, with Rev. James P. Holland.  Ellen will be laid to rest next to her husband, Sonny, in Deer Creek Cemetery in Harmar Township, PA. In lieu of flowers, Ellen requested that contributions be made to the St. Vincent De Paul Society.