Therese ‘Ann’ Bender

Ann graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in 1972, beginning a lifelong dedication to health care and caring for others. She went on to earn her BSN and master’s degree in health care administration from Penn State University.

In 1999, she founded Private Care Resources, a home health care agency, where she combined her clinical expertise with her passion for helping people receive quality care in their own homes. She was active in local business organizations for several years, including Kiwanis. She retired in 2017 after 18 successful years of serving her community.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ann cherished time spent with her family. She was an avid reader, enjoyed cross-stitching, and was a devoted fan of every variation of CSI. She loved recapping the latest Young and the Restless episode with her sister, Mary, a pastime they shared for decades. She also relished beating her nephew, Timmy, at Scrabble — although the methods and winner were often disputed. Her IT concerns were addressed by her grandson, Gaige, and she enjoyed playing games with her granddaughter, Ali.

Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Therese (Hankinson) Petyak, both of Altoona; her beloved pets: Spencer, Sienna and Seraphina; and her favorite musician, Tom Petty.

She is survived by her loving husband of 41 years, John Bender; her three daughters: Michelle (BJ) of Rostraver Township, Pa., Buffy (Zach) of Langhorne, Pa., and Kathleen (Zach) of Columbus, Ohio; her siblings, Andy (Lori) Petyak and Mary Neal; her grandchildren: Gaige, Aliana and Shiloh; and her nieces and nephews: Timmy, Travis, Nicole, Melissa, Andrew, Sam, Alex and Shawn.

Per Ann’s wishes, no services will be held. Contributions in her memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or Shriners Hospitals for Children, c/o Jaffa Shriners, 2200 Broad Ave., Altoona PA 16601.