Cathy Ivanko, 88, Passes Away

Catherine R. Ivanko, 88 of Fairfield, died peacefully at home on September 27, 2018. She was the daughter of the late Andrew and Catherine Ruskay and was a lifelong Fairfield resident.

Cathy was a graduate of Roger Ludlowe High School, Class of 1948 where she was an athlete in basketball, field hockey, softball and soccer and a member of the National Honor’s Society. In 1951, she graduated Magna Cum Laude in the first class of Fones School of Dental Hygiene at the University of Bridgeport where she was also a cheerleader and a member of Phi Theta Kappa.

She eloped with her high school sweetheart, Ted, to St. Joseph Church in Bogota, NJ. Cathy began her career as a dental hygienist with the City of Bridgeport Dental Clinic and worked in private practice. After pausing to raise her children, she also worked at Teledyne Waterpik and then became a consultant at Palmero Dental Sales.

Cathy grew up as a parishioner of St. Emery’s Parish. Cathy was a founding member of St. Pius X Church when it formed at Loyola Hall at Fairfield University. Cathy was a Past President of the Ladies’
Guild. Cathy and Ted valued their longtime membership at the Patterson Club where they were equity members and Cathy was a Past President of the Women’s 9-Hole League. Recently, she was a member of Fayerweather Yacht Club.

Beyond work and social life, Cathy loved to bake and cook traditional Hungarian dishes. She relocated with Ted to Toledo, OH, Gainesville, GA and Coronado, CA but Fairfield was always home. She was a three-time cancer survivor, beating breast cancer twice and melanoma.

Catherine is survived by her daughter, Kathleen Karenko of Cape Vincent, NY and son, David Ivanko and his spouse, John Brannelly of Fairfield. She was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Theodore R. Ivanko. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her sister, Virginia
Stacy; her brother, Russell Ruskay: and her son-in-law, Alan M. Karenko.

Friends are invited to greet her family on Sunday, September 30, 2018 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home, 50 Reef Rd. in Fairfield Center. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, October 1, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. directly at St. Pius X Church. Interment will be private.

The family would like to thank Turtledove Home Care of Fairfield for their outstanding care for Cathy. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Women at Heart Program, St. Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation/Swim Across the Sound, 2800 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06606. To send an online condolence, please visit https://www.shaughnesseybanksf...