Josephine E. “Cookie” Salak, 79, of Lyndora passed away Saturday at the VNA Inpatient Hospice, Butler.

She was born on Jan. 3, 1935, in Butler, a daughter of the late John Jr. and Sophia Kozlowski Panko.

She was the director of music at the St. Fidelis Roman Catholic Church since Feb. 1, 1989, and at the Holy Sepulcher Roman Catholic Church from 1983 until 1989. She was also the music teacher for kindergarten to eighth grade at the Holy Sepulcher School and the director of the children's choir and head organist at the St. Paul Roman Catholic Church from 1973 until 1983. She was a choir director at the St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church for 20 years. She was a music teacher for St. Michael Catholic School for kindergarten to eighth grade.

She served as music consultant for various churches in the Butler, New Castle and greater Pittsburgh areas. She also gave various master classes and taught choral workshops in these areas.

She performed organ dedication concerts in the Butler and Pittsburgh areas and taught private piano lessons in the Butler area for 47 years, with many of her students now teaching in various parts of the country.

She received a music scholarship to the Sherwood Music School and also an associate teacher position on the faculty at the Sherwood Music School, Chicago, Ill. She had a certificate from the Juilliard School, New York City.

She was a member of the Pastoral Organists Guild, the Opus Music Society and the National Federation of Music Teachers. She was past festival chairperson and co-coordinator of the Northwest Region of Pennsylvania Music Festivals. She was also a member of the Croatian Sokol Society and the Christian Mothers guild of St. Fidelis.

Surviving are her husband, Michael Salak of Lyndora, who she married on Feb. 7, 1953, at the St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church, Lyndora; her daughter, Teresa (Ronald) Rivers of Chicora; her two grandchildren, Travis (Carla) Rivers and Jessica Shera; her two great-granddaughters, Natalie Renee and Camryn Elizabeth Rivers; and her brother, Robert (Kathleen) Panko of Meridian.

Salak — The family and friends of Josephine E. “Cookie” Salak, who passed away Saturday, July 26, 2014, will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Geibel Funeral Home, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the St. Fidelis Roman Catholic Church, 125 Buttercup Road, Meridian, with the Rev. James Murphy, pastor, officiating. Inurnment will take place at the Calvary Cemetery, Butler.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to VNA Inpatient Hospice, 115 Technology Drive, Butler, PA 16001.For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.geibelfuneralhome.com.