Patrice Hudak Erkman Crowe

Patrice Hudak Erkman Crowe, 91, of Butler, went to meet her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at Butler Memorial Hospital following a brief illness.
Born July 20, 1934, in Butler, she was a daughter of the late Steven Hudak and Anna Bonyak Hudak.
Patrice was an artist at heart and by profession. Although she was employed as an administrative assistant at Butler Memorial Hospital, she also helped to design hospital rooms, bringing warmth, beauty, and humanity into spaces meant for healing. Her work reflected who she was – thoughtful, creative, and deeply attentive to the comfort of others.
She found joy in the simple, everyday moments of life: shopping trips, conversations about favorite reality television shows, and the routines that make a life feel full and familiar. Patrice had a way of making ordinary moments feel special, simply by being present.
Patrice is remembered throughout Butler as the woman, often wearing beautiful hats, who walked with quiet grace. Many recall her as a familiar presence at Friedman’s Supermarket or Boscov’s — places that became part of her daily rhythm.
Above all else, Patrice was a devoted mother and grandmother. Her love was steady, generous and enduring. She gave of herself fully, always placing the needs of those she loved before her own. Her strength, kindness, and quiet wisdom will continue to live on through her family.
Patrice will be remembered not only for what she did, but for how she made people feel – seen, comforted, and cared for. Her absence leaves a profound emptiness, but her spirit remains woven into the lives she touched and the places she loved.
The family thanks and acknowledges the high level of care that Patrice received from the staff of Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and the staff of Butler Memorial Hospital Sixth Floor Tower.
Patrice is survived by her daughter, Kathleen (“Chip”) Cooper, of Hartsville, S.C.; four sons, Joseph (Amy) Erkman, Jr., of Butler, Patrick (Tammy) Erkman, of Ellwood City, Daniel (Truman) Erkman, of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Christopher Erkman, of Butler; a bonus son, Greg Kovalchick; and her longtime companion, Norman Peters.
She is also survived by eight grandchildren, Desiree, Andrea, Elizabeth, Erica and her husband, Josh, Derek, Cierra, Lyndsay and her husband, Brian, and Jewel and her husband, Travis; and eight great-grandchildren, Darion, Donovan, William, Emilia, Giulia, Ruby, Michael, and Wylder.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Erkman, Sr., who passed away May 30, 2019, and her brothers and sisters.
Friends will be received in the Martin Funeral Home Downtown, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler, on Sunday, Jan. 18, from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, Jan. 19, at 10 a.m. at All Saints Parish, St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St., Butler.
For those unable to attend, the funeral Mass on Monday will be livestreamed at 10 a.m. via https://www.hvproductions.net/live
Burial will take place in Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Community Care Connections, Butler (where two of Patrice’s sons worked for many years), or the Musical Theatre Guild of Butler or New Castle Playhouse (theater and arts organizations where Patrice enjoyed performances by four of her children.)