Patricia Jean Zapka Gracey, 84, of Wheeling, WV, passed away on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Born on October 13, 1941, in Wheeling, she was the daughter of the late Stephen Zapka Jr. and Anna Celia Sparks.
Raised in a coal mining home, Patricia was nurtured by parents who prioritized her formal education in piano and the arts, enabling her to transcend her modest beginnings. She earned a B.A. in Music Education from West Liberty State Teachers College (now West Liberty University), where she was honored as an Outstanding Senior Scholar, and later received a Master’s degree in Religious Education from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
Though her early professional path in music was redirected by health challenges, Patricia found her true calling as a champion for children and families. She dedicated 35 years to federally-funded Head Start programs in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. As the Executive Director of the Northern Panhandle Head Start Program, she oversaw the expansion of services to hundreds of families, advocated for the federal Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and established the Maternal-Infant Outreach Worker (MIHOW) program in Ohio County. Throughout her career, she staunchly defended the principle that parents are the first and best teachers of their children, and that supporting the family unit is essential for children’s wellbeing. Patricia possessed a unique ability to feel equally at home in formal settings as she did while visiting the families served by the Head Start program. Her kindness and empathy enabled her to connect with people authentically.
An ordained Elder who served on the Sessions of both Stone Presbyterian Church in Elm Grove, WV, and Union First Presbyterian Church in Cowansville, PA, Patricia integrated her profound faith with a tireless pursuit of justice, voting rights, and support for the poor. Her insatiable curiosity and concern for the world led her to travel extensively through Europe, Asia, and New Zealand. As a cultural ambassador through the “People to People” program, she visited schools, hospitals, and child-wellbeing institutions in Russia, Poland, China, and Cuba.
Her boundless creativity built a beautiful home filled with her family’s artwork, travel mementos, sumptuous décor, and heirlooms. Her love for her family was evident on every wall, on every shelf, and in every corner.
Patricia is survived by her husband of 61 years, Robert W. Gracey; her sons, R. Stephen Gracey (and spouse, the Rev. David M. Bargetzi) and Jonathan B. Gracey (and spouse, Jane Renner Gracey); and her granddaughter, Alaina B. Gracey.
Family and friends will be received on Friday, June 5, 2026, at Kepner Funeral Homes, 166 Kruger Street (Elm Grove), Wheeling, WV (304-242-2311) from 3:00–7:00 PM and on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Stone Presbyterian Church, 25 East Cove Avenue, Wheeling, WV, from 12:30 PM until the time of the service at 1:30 PM. Interment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery, and a full luncheon will be offered upon returning to Stone Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that memorial donations be made to the West Liberty University Foundation, Patricia Zapka Gracey Music Scholarship.
