Carol Ann Trebunak, age 78, a devoted mother, grandmother, and cherished friend, passed away peacefully at her home in Plains Township on Saturday, December 27, 2025.

Carol was born on December 15, 1947, in Wilkes-Barre, the beloved daughter of the late Leon and Irene Poplawski Baran. She spent her childhood on Dingwall Street and attended Saints Peter and Paul Elementary School. Carol went on to graduate from Marymount High School as part of the class of 1966. After completing cosmetology school, she began her professional career at Lazar’s Department Store.

After several years at Lazar’s, Carol transitioned to new roles, working at Weis Markets in Edwardsville and the Gruen Watch Company in Exeter. She concluded her career at TJ Maxx, where she worked until her retirement in 2010.

On September 20, 1969, Carol married Michael J. Trebunak. The couple first lived in Dallas for a short period before returning to the family home in May 1975. Together, they raised two daughters, Leah and Melissa. The Trebunak home was known as a welcoming place for their daughters’ friends, who often referred to themselves as “stepdaughters” of the family.

Carol’s life was centered around her family. She was a loving sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, always prioritizing her loved ones. Carol maintained family traditions during the holidays and delighted in preparing ancestral meals. Her baking, especially her delicious cookies, became a source of comfort for her husband Mike and his fellow sailors while he served in the Navy. Becoming a grandmother was a highlight in Carol’s life, and her grandson Konnor became her greatest joy. She cherished listening to him play the saxophone and spending quality time with him, always placing him first in her heart.

Carol enjoyed her leisure time at Mount Airy Casino, where she would have breakfast, savor a Bloody Mary, or share an afternoon with her lifelong best friend, Ann Stark, whom she loved like a sister. On Sundays, Carol was a familiar face at Saints Peter and Paul Church, where she was a dedicated parishioner.

The family mourns the loss of their matriarch, friend, and guiding light. Carol was the essence of their lives, just as they were of hers. Her family and friends will continue to love and remember her always.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Leon and Irene, her beloved husband of forty-five years, Michael J. Trebunak, her brother Robert Baran, and her aunt Stacia Beldowicz.

Carol’s legacy lives on through her loving daughters, Leah Gordon and her husband James of Plains, and Melissa and her significant other Joseph Panaway, also of Plains; her cherished grandson, Konnor Jacob Gordon; niece, Deborah Baran of Plains; sister in law Diana Baran, Plains; nephew, Robert Baran and his children, great niece Ava Baran and great nephew Beau Baran, all of Lehman; her lifelong friend Ann Stark of Plains; and her faithful pet, Bruiser.

Family and friends are invited to a memorial visitation on Friday, January 2, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Saints Peter and Paul Church, 13 Hudson Road, Plains Township. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 a.m., officiated by Rev. John C. Lambert. Interment will be held privately by the family.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Yanaitis Funeral Home Inc., Plains.