Thursday, January 2, 2020

Schuylkill County Obituaries for 01/02/2020


Schuylkill County Obituaries for 01/02/20

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Edward E. Pogera , 86, of St. Clair, died Tuesday December 31, 2019 at Schuylkill Center, Pottsville.

Born in Port Carbon, March 3, 1933, He was a son of the late John P. and Anna M. (Stankavage) Pogera.

He was a 1951 graduate of Soldiers Memorial High School, Port Carbon and received his associate degree in 1966 from Pennsylvania State University, Schuylkill Haven.

Ed was drafted into the U.S. Army on March 3, 1953 and sent to Camp Atterbury, IN where he completed 8 weeks of basic Infantry training and 9 weeks of heavy weapons Infantry training. After training he was sent to Germany and assigned to HQ & Service Company, 82nd Recon Battalion, 2nd Armored Division (Hell On Wheels), Baumholder, Germany. His first assignment was a Payroll and Records clerk, where he was promoted to PFC and Corporal. He was again promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant and assigned to the duties of battalion personnel section leader.

Ed was relieved from active duty in 1955 and joined the active Army Reserve in 1957. He served with the 404th Engineer Battalion which was later designated as the 365th Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy duty station, Robert E. Roeder U.S. Army Reserve Center, Schuylkill Haven.

He was promoted to Sergeant First Class with duty as the Personnel Section Leader. Later he was promoted to the rank of Master sergeant and assigned the duty OAS Battalion Sergeant Major. Later he was commission as Warrant Officer WO1 and served as the Battalion Personnel Officer, then obtaining the ranks of Chief Warrant Officer (CWO 2, 3 and 4). His last duty assignment was Battalion Logistic and Supply Officer. Ed performed duties at: Ft. Meade, MD; Camp Atterbury, IN; Fort Indiantown Gap, PA; Ft Ritchie, MD; Camp Dawson, WV; Camp Pickett; Camp AP Hill, Fort lee, VA; Camp Perry, OH; and Fort Drum, NY. He completed 40 years of Active and Reserve U.S. Army Service.

He received the following award and decoration: National Defense Medal; Occupation of Germany Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; M1 rifle, M1 Carbine, M14, BAR Rifle and .45 Automatic Pistol Expert Badge.

Ed’s last place of employment was at the Robert Roeder U.S. Army Reserve Center, Schuylkill Haven. His duties were Supervisory Staff Administrator, Assistant to the Battalion Commander, Supervisor to all assigned personnel and Facility Manager.

Ed was a member of St. Michal Orthodox Church, St. Clair, where he served as trustee. He was a member and President of the Citizens Club Several times. He was a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees; St. Clair American Legion and Frackville Elks Lodge #1533.

Ed’s hobbies were fishing, hunting, going to the casinos, traveling in his Alaskan Camper and motor home with his wife and dog Yazmin Laso Apso on trips to Quebec, Canada, on many fishing trips and sight-seeing across the USA including Alaska. He and his wife traveled to the Slovak Republic.

The last member of his immediate family, he was preceded in death by brothers, John V. and Joseph M. Pogera.

Surviving are his wife of 64 years Violet (Prohanik) Pogera. Nieces and Nephews John Pogera, Pottsville; John Mestishen of Mechanicsville; Robert M. Mestishen of Cumbola; Ann Pogera Reeves of St. Clair and Donna Pogera Callaghan of Williamstown, NJ;

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday from St. Michael’s Orthodox Church, 109 North Nichols Street St. Clair with Rev. Jeff Zias officiating. Friends may call from 9:00-10:30AM at the Bruce T. Hart Funeral Home 110 N. Second St. Saint Clair, PA 17970. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Michael Church Memorial fund at the above address. Burial with military honors will be in St. Michael’s Cemetery, St. Clair.

Bruce T. Hart Funeral Home, St. Clair, is in charge of arrangements. Condolences can be sent to http://www.brucethartfuneralhome.com

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Carol Anne Conville, 50, of Palo Alto, passed away in the presence of her family on Wednesday at home.

Born in Pottsville, she was a daughter of John T. Horan, Sr. and Sarah Anne O’Connor Horan, both of Heckscherville, Cass Township. She was a 1987 graduate of Minersville High School and also studied cosmetology at the South Campus of Schuylkill Technology Center. She worked in sales at the former ALCOA/Cressona Aluminum; and later was employed as a manager with a local home health care agency.

She was a member of St. Patrick Church, Pottsville.

In addition to her parents, Carol is survived by her husband, Shawn M. Conville, Sr.; two sons, Luke Blankenhorn and Shawn M. Conville, Jr., both of Palo Alto; two siblings, Margaret “Peggy” Bernetskie, RN (spouse, Andrew), Norwegian Township, and John T. Horan, Jr. (spouse, Holly), Jonestown, Cass Township; a nephew, Connor Horan; a niece, Brenna Horan. She is also survived by her parents-in-law, James and Janet Conville, Port Carbon, two brothers-in-law, James Conville, Esq. (spouse, Lisa), Port Carbon, and Daniel Conville (spouse, Barbara), Pottsville; her loving canine fur babies, Chewy and Heela.

Arrangements are incomplete.  Dutcavich Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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Barbara A. Wood, RN, 73, Frackville passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning at Chamberspoint Healthcare Center surrounded by her two loving daughters.

Born in Ashland, she was a daughter of the late George and Rose Swaldi Bracey. Barb worked as a Registered Nurse at the former Good Samaritan Hospital, Pottsville for 21 years before retiring.

Barb was a member of St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Frackville. She was a 1964 graduate of the former Immaculate Heart Academy, Fountain Springs and a 1967 graduate of Sacred Heart School of Nursing.

Barb enjoyed her time outdoors doing yard work but most of all with spending time with her loving children and grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Joseph Wood; her two sons, Dominic and Joseph Wood Jr.

Barb is survived by her two daughters: Michelle and her husband David Kline, Greencastle and Angela Balicki, Frackville; her brother, George “Deuce” Bracey, Frackville; her sister, Rosalie and her husband William Garrity, Minersville; her grandchildren: Darren and Morgan Kline and Ayden and Addisyn Balicki; also by several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 6th at 11 a.m. from the Thomas M. Sullivan Funeral Home, Frackville with Rev. Brian Miller officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday evening from 6 to 8 pm and again on Monday morning from 10 am until the time of service. Interment will follow in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, Englewood, Frackville.

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Lucille “Lucy” (Connor) Maloney, 89, of Shenandoah, passed away peacefully Tuesday morning, December 31, 2019 at her residence.

Born April 29, 1930, in Connerton, she was a daughter of the late William Vincent and Margaret (Moran) Connor.

Lucy was a 1947 graduate of the former Butler Township High School. She then continued her education in cosmetology and, upon being licensed, worked in the Harrisburg area in her early life. Above all and for the greatest part of her life, she was a homemaker.

She was a member of Divine Mercy Parish, Shenandoah, formerly Annunciation BVM Church. Lucy was a kind, loving and gentle mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend to all. She took great pleasure in listening to the music of Daniel O’Donnell.

Surviving are two sons, Joseph R. Maloney Jr. and his wife, Sheryl, of Frackville, and John J. Maloney, of Shenandoah; one daughter, Mary Velousky, of Shenandoah; four grandchildren, Jennifer, Joseph, Angelina and Alicia; one great-granddaughter, Dianna; nieces; nephews; cousins and friends.

She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Preceding her in death in addition to her parents were her husband, Joseph R. Maloney Sr., on Jan. 31, 1982; her daughter, Margaret “Margie” Maloney, on March 10, 2016; four brothers, John and William Connor and two infant brothers at birth.

Funeral services will be held at 9:45 a.m. Monday at Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, 132 S. Jardin St., Shenandoah. A Mass of Christian Burial will then be celebrated at 10 a.m. at Divine Mercy Church, 232 W. Cherry St., Shenandoah, with Monsignor Ronald C. Bocian, pastor, as the celebrant. Interment will follow in Annunciation BVM Cemetery, Shenandoah Heights. A viewing will be held from 8 until 9:45 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
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Barbara J. Holmes, 50, of Pottsville, PA passed away Monday, December 30, 2019 at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, PA.
Born in Pottsville, PA July 10, 1969 the daughter of Edwin Andrews, Frackville, PA and the late Jean Burger Andrews.
She graduated from North Schuylkill High School and was last employed at Shenandoah Manor Nursing Home until becoming ill.
In addition to her father, surviving are her husband Stephen Holmes, Pottsville, PA. Two sons and a daughter: John Russen, Frackville; Devin Holmes, Pottsville; and Kaitlyn Holmes, Shenandoah. Two brothers and a sister: Edwin Andrews, Frackville; Charles Andrews, Ft. Springs; and Sherry Holmes, Ashland. Two grandsons: Mason Kepp and Bryce Russen. Nieces and nephews.
A time for visitation will be held Wednesday, January 8, 2020 from the Kull-Heizenroth Funeral Home, 901 Centre St. Ashland from 5:30-7:00 PM.
Kull-Heizenroth Funeral Home Inc., Ashland is in charge of the arrangements. Charles Heizenroth III, Supervisor.

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Dolores M. “Dolly” Steigerwalt, 81, of New Ringgold, died Wednesday, January 1, 2020, in her home. She was the wife of Curtis C. Steigerwalt. They were married on June 9, 1956 and celebrated 63 years of marriage. 

Dolly was a loving wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great grandmother. She enjoyed spending time with her family, traveling and camping. Prior to retiring, she was a secretary for the Tamaqua School District at Rush Elementary, Hometown. 

Born in South Tamaqua, she was the daughter of the late Walter C. and Esther L. (Dreisbach) Knepper. She was a member of Zion’s Stone Church of West Penn Township. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Dalphon and Carlton Knepper and two sisters, Kathryn Klingaman and Beatrice Schaeffer. 

Surviving in addition to her husband, are two sons, Bruce L. and his wife Sue, and Alan and his wife Marlene, both of Schnecksville; four sisters, Barbara, wife of Raymond Kramer, of Lancaster, Janice Knepper, of Allentown, Phyllis, wife of Paul Greene, of New Ringgold, and Rhoday Walper, of Allentown; five grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren and one on the way, nieces and nephews. 

Contributions may be made in her name to the West Penn Fire Co. #1, 21 Municipal Rd., New Ringgold, PA 17960. 

Services will be private at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are being handled by the Hartman Funeral Home, 1791 West Penn Pike, Rte. 309, New Ringgold. 

Online condolences may be made at www.hartmanfuneralhomeinc.com
These Obituaries are brought to you by

Louis D. Truskowsky Funeral Home & Crematory INC.