Saturday, November 21, 2020

Skook News Obituaries: November 21st, 2020

  

Skook News Obituaries: November 21st, 2020

----------------------------------------------

Thomas J. Carragher, Jr., 72, Pottsville entered into eternal rest Friday afternoon at Lehigh Valley- East, Pottsville.

Born January 5, 1948 in Camden NJ, he was the son of the late Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Carragher, Sr.

He was employed by Indigo Uranium Chemical Compant, Gloucster NJ where he worked as a forklift operator and heavy machine operator for 40 years.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, a son Chales “Chuckie” and a daughter Mary.

Tom is survived by his wife of 30 years Marie (Stepler) Carragher, Pottsville; son Rick; daughters Sandra, Lorainne, Michele, Elizabeth and Sharon; three sisters; several grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and his faithful companion JoJo.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Schlitzer Allen Pugh Funeral Home 515 West Market Street Pottsville PA 17901. Services and interment will be private and at the convenience of the family. Please visit schlitzerallenpugh.com to leave a condolence for the Carragher family.

----------------------------------------------

June D. Camerini
, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, formerly of Orwigsburg Street Tamaqua, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 21, 2020, at Maple Shade Meadows Senior Living in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania at 89 years of age.

Born Sunday, June 21, 1931 in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania the daughter of the late Wilson T., and Eleanor (Smith) Feathers, She was also predeceased by her beloved husband, Joseph D. Camerini on April 16, 2010; son Joseph W. Camerini on June 28, 2016; brothers, James R. "Diddy" Feathers, Robert D. "Bunky" Feathers.

Surviving are daughters, Mary Ann Deeble wife of Daniel of Tamaqua, Patrice Kohan wife of Marlon of Palmerton; brother, William J. Feathers and Marlene; daughter-in-law, Adelpina Camerini; grandchildren, Joshua, Matthew, Phillip, Rebecca, Thomas, Tara, Drew; great grandchildren, Tyler, Alexandra, Madelyn, Sydney, Logan, Chase, Dylan, Isabella, Sofia, Elizabeth, Brooklyn, Aaron, Sarah, and her extended family in the Philippines.

A 1949 graduate of Tamaqua High School, June was a member of St. John XXIII R.C.C. of Tamaqua. June had worked as a telephone operator, for the former J. E. Morgan Knitting Mills, and at Sue Frocks for many years. Devoted to her family, June enjoyed tending to her home, spending time with her family, and looked forward to hosting the Camerini Christmas celebration each year..

Funeral arrangements entrusted to the E. Franklin Griffiths Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc. of 655 East Broad Street Tamaqua, Pennsylvania 18252. (570) 668-2550.

Interment will be in St. Jerome R.C.C. Cemetery Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.

Memorials in her honor to:
Ascend Hospice
108 Cowpath Road #3
Lansdale, Pennsylvania 19446

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.griffithsfuneralhomes.com

----------------------------------------------

David R. Linkchorst, 92, passed away on Wednesday, November 18, 2020.

He was born in Ashland to the late Howard and Thomasine (Adamson) Linkchorst.

He was raised in Maple Hill and later Frackville.

Dave attended Mahanoy Township High School, Class of ‘46, where he played football, basketball and baseball. He was a member of the 1944-45 North Schuylkill League Basketball Championship team. The Purple Larks went 21-2, losing only to the eventual Class A and Class B State Champions.

Dave spent almost two years in the United States Army before starting his college career, attending Bloomsburg State Teachers College on the GI Bill. He graduated in 1953 having played four years of football and basketball and three seasons of baseball. He earned 11 varsity letters. He was a teammate of NBA Hall of Famer, Chuck Daly. He started for the Huskies on the 1948 (cornerback) and 1951 (quarterback) undefeated football teams.

Dave met the love of his life, Mary Lou, at Bloomsburg. She was a cheerleader in Dave’s last two seasons. They would marry in 1956.  Having graduated but expecting to play his fourth year of baseball at Bloom, Dave received an offer to tour the world as a member of the Boston Whirlwinds, a barnstorming team that played against the Harlem Globetrotters. Mahanoy City’s own George Senesky, a member of the NBA’s Philadelphia Warriors at the time, arranged Dave’s tryout with the Whirlwinds.

Hardly a team of pushovers, his teammates included Bill Spivey, a First Team All American from the University of Kentucky, and Clarence “Bevo” Francis a record setting scorer from Rio Grande College.

He also played one season of Minor League Baseball in the Philadelphia Athletics organization and toured with the House of David.

In 1955, Dave received a call from the Superintendent of Schools at Mahanoy Township School District who offered him a job as teacher and coach. He left his job as a lifeguard at the Jersey shore to begin a long career in education. Dave coached basketball and football at Mahanoy Township High School and after the jointure of Mahanoy Township and Mahanoy City, Mahanoy Area High School.  His teams won 9 Schuylkill League Basketball Championships and the 1965 District 11 Class A Tournament. He had the privilege to coach players such as Stan Wlodarczyk, Joe Alansky, Bill Pilconis, and brothers Mickey and Dave Holland along with so many others whom he greatly admired. The 1964-65 team led by Wlodarczyk reached the semi-finals of the PIAA Class A State Tournament.

He was coach of the professional basketball team, Hazleton/Hamburg Bullets, of the Eastern Basketball Association for the '72-'73 season.

His recollection of games was incredible, and he always enjoyed running into his former players. Dave always had great stories to tell, and one of his favorites was meeting Joe DiMaggio, who was on a tour of the troops in Japan.

A skilled golfer, he won many tournaments including 8 Schuylkill County Amateurs.

He loved the “County Commissioners” tournament and participated for 50 consecutive years. In his final “County,” he aced the 17th hole at Hidden Valley. 

Dave recorded 10 holes in-one over his lifetime. He also won numerous partner tournaments with Jim Bohrman. Many people at initially White Birch Golf Course, then Mountain Valley Golf Course could attest to Dave’s dedication to practice.

In retirement, he enjoyed attending football and basketball games at his beloved Bloomsburg University where the Administration and Athletic Department treated him like royalty. Dave and his wife attended many alumni events, especially homecoming weekend, over the years to catch up with lifelong friends and former teammates.

Dave was inducted into the Bloomsburg University Athletic Hall of Fame, the Jerry Wolman Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and the Northeast Region of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

As much as he loved sports, family was most important to him. He looked forward to visits from his children and grandchildren. Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday, as the entire family would gather.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Thomasine, brother William, and son Douglas.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Louise, Barnesville, son David (Mary) Reading, PA, daughter Nancy Skurko (Michael) Valencia, PA, daughter Joanne Kinder (Stan) Haymarket, VA, and son Richard (Bette) Glen Mills, PA.

He was the proud grandfather to Michael, Jaclyn, Jake and Nick, great grandfather to Maxwell and Natalie, and uncle to several nieces and nephews.

At the request of the family, services are private but a public remembrance may be held in the future. Kindly omit flowers. If desired, athletic memorial contributions in Dave’s memory may be made to the Bloomsburg University Foundation, 50 East Main Street, 4th Floor, Greenly Center, Bloomsburg, PA 17815 or online at giving.bloomu.edu

----------------------------------------------