Raya Szelest

Raya Szelest, beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother, passed away on December 12, 2021 surrounded by her loved ones. Raya was born on June 10, 1940 in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine to Serge Tkachenko and Maria Savran. She was a resident of Manchester Township for almost 50 years where she lived in the house that she helped build with her brother, passionately growing vegetables in her garden and flowers in her yard. Raya was spirited with a positive outlook, a very generous and giving person always keeping her family’s needs first. She loved cooking, listening to music, playing games, dancing, and watching old movies. Above all, she cherished time with family and friends.

She was a fighter and persevered through chronic illness to continue to be the core of the family, the glue that held the family together in good and bad times. She had a passion for travel and went on many trips across the world after retirement at the age of 62. The trip that was most meaningful to her was Israel, as she was deeply rooted in faith and wanted to walk where Jesus walked in the Holy Land. Her faith was strong and she was a believer in miracles. She loved going to church to worship and be with her church family. She is now at peace in heaven with the Lord and her loved ones who passed before her.

Affectionately called “Grammy” by her grandchildren, she is survived by her daughter Lala, grandchildren, Brittany, Geza III, Ethan, and Hailey, and great grandchildren Geza IV and Adrianna, and brother George.