It is with great sadness that I inform the congregation of the passing of Emma Steranka, beloved mother of Brian Steranka and mother in law of Hope Stanger. Shiva at Brian and Hope's will be announced at a later date.

Below is Emma's obituary.

May God comfort the mourners among the mourners of ZIon and Jerusalem.

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman

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Emma was born in 1942 in Germany during wartime to Andze and Maria Puslacher. Her family was from Poland. After the war, her family emigrated to Brazil, as the US and Canada were not accepting larger families. As a result, she had a great fondness for both her Polish background and the Brazilian culture - most especially, the colors, the Papagayos and the rice and beans. That was her son Brian's absolute favorite meal!

When she was twenty one, she followed her siblings to Toronto, Canada, where all but two made their homes.

Emma met John Steranka, and they married in nineteen sixty four. They had two sons; Brian and Donny.

Emma was full of life and always open to new adventures. Her boys were everything to her, and the extended family gathered regularly to celebrate birthdays or have parties. She loved traveling to different parts of the world.

Emma worked at Christie's bakery, Campbell Soup and was head cashier at Price Chopper.

She always helped others and would bring her delicious Polish and Brazilian food to friends and family.

Over the four weeks that she was ill, people came all day each day to visit her; a testament to how loved she was.

Sadly, her younger son Donny died unexpectedly in 2013, and her husband in 2012.

She is survived by her son Brian Steranka and daughter-in-law Hope Stanger, her brother Mike Puslacher and her sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

The funeral will take place in Toronto, Canada.