Skook News Obituaries: February 14th, 2024
Obituaries published from the Schuylkill County area.
---------------------------------------------------
Born in Baltimore, MD on July 20, 1938, she was the daughter of George and Mary Holland.
Mary attended Maryland schools until she met the love of her life, Melvin, in Pottsville. They got engaged and married, celebrating 61 years of unconditional love with Christ as the center of their union and bringing 12 children into the world. They set the example of what true love and commitment should be.
Along with their children, they produced an army of 30 grandchildren, 61 great grandchildren, and 7 great-great grandchildren, whom she loved equally and without favoritism.
Mary was a faithful and active member of the Salvation Army Church her entire life and raised all of her children there as well. Her first role was the Cradle Role Sgt. which gave her the opportunity to touch the lives of young children and keep them involved in church activities, hoping families as well would get involved.
She volunteered whenever needed and enjoyed going to the nursing homes to visit the elderly with League of Mercy, collecting and distributing our War Cry magazine in bar rooms in hopes they would know Jesus, putting hours in on the Christmas Kettle, and anything else required of her.
She was an active member of the Ladies Home League program and enjoyed attending Camp Ladore with the ladies where she always made an enjoyable time for all.
Mary was known to some as "Cutie Pututie" and to many as "Mama Kull" and was loved and adored by everyone she met. She had a smile that could light up a room and her very presence was a joy to be around. When she did have spare time, she enjoyed crafting, game night with her daughters, traveling to visit family in California, taking road trips with her family and friends, and just enjoying life. But above all, she loved spending time with family.
Mary will be sorely missed as the Matriarch of the "Kulls" but her legacy of love will live on through her children and their families, which include, Theresa Nebistinsky; Cheryl Kelly; Mary Ann Orndorff (Elwood), all of Pottsville; Raymond Kull (Barbara), Waverly, PA; Major Kim Harris (Duane), Levittown, PA; Richard Kull , Pottsville; Darin Kull (Lois), Hellertown, PA; Ronald Kull (Cheryl), Orwigsburg; James Kull, Schuylkill Haven; and Christopher Kull, Pottsville.
In addition to her parents, Mary is preceded in death by her loving husband Melvin, in June of 2018; daughters, Lisa and Debra; her sister, Vivian; and brothers, William, Charles (Shine), and David.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Celebration of Life at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, February 20th, at the Salvation Army in Pottsville, 400 Sanderson St. with Majors Fon and Dorine Forenan officiating. A visitation period will be held from 11:00 AM until the time of services.
The family requests memorials in the form of contributions to The Salvation Army, 400 Sanderson St. Pottsville, PA 17901.
---------------------------------------
Jean E. Zimmerman, 84, of Cressona, passed away Monday, February 12th, at Geisinger St. Luke's Hospital, Orwigsburg.
Born in Lavelle on February 24, 1939, she was a daughter of the late William H. & Florence (Mattern) Smith.
Jean was a member of St. Mark's United Church of Christ, Cressona.
She attended Schuylkill Haven schools.
Jean had worked as a waitress at the former Hubert Inn, Cressona.
She is survived by three daughters: Debra Miller, of Cressona; Diane Miller, of Temple; & Robin, wife of Jared Novitsky, of Pottsville; three sons: David, husband of Shirl Zimmerman, of Schuylkill Haven; Randy, husband of Tracey Zimmerman, of Mohnton; & Richard C., husband of June Ann Zimmerman, of Cressona. Jean is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, one brother, Ronald Smith, of Clifton Park, NY, and nieces & nephews.
In addition to her parents, she is also preceded in death by her former husband, Clair Zimmerman (2003), daughter, Donna Ulrich (2015), & brother, William C. Smith (2020).
A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held at St. Mark's UCC on Saturday, February 24th at 11:00 AM with Rev. Kevin Fruchtl officiating. A visitation will be held at the church from 10:00 AM until the time of service.
Interment will be privately held at the family's convenience.
At the family's request, memorial donations may be forwarded to St. Mark's UCC, 30 W. Pottsville St., Cressona PA 17929.
----------------------------------------
Born in Pottsville, PA on July 15, 1957, she was the daughter of the late John E. "Jack" and Elizabeth M. "Betty" (Foley) Lurwick.
Judy was a graduate of Pottsville Area High School, Class of 1975.
Judy was a successful real estate broker for over 40 years. She was a passionate volunteer for Make- A-Wish Foundation's local chapter since its inception in the 1980's. She worked tirelessly during that time, assisting hundreds of families by arranging wishes for their children with life-threatening illnesses. She served as a board member for the Hamels Foundation, traveling to Malawi, Africa to better the education for local children. Judy volunteered her time to hospitals and charities in Schuylkill and Cape May Counties. She was an avid Sixers and Phillies fan, active skier and tennis player, loved the beach, all things Disney, and held a special place in her heart for pets. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt, and a caring friend to all, Judy had the ability to touch everyone she met in ways they will never forget. She took pride in becoming a best friend to everyone. Judy was a true staple in the community, and will be deeply missed.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister Patricia McGuire.
Judy is survived by her husband of 40 years, Robert C. (Bob) Green; daughter Kyrsten Green; son Jordan Green; granddaughter Judith James "JJ"; sisters: Jacqueline Toomey and her husband John and Colleen Jackson and her husband Jay; brothers: Jake Lurwick and his wife Michelle and John Lurwick and his wife Mary; brother-in-law Tom McGuire; and many nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Pottsville at 10AM on Friday, February 16th, with Rev. Phillip Rogers officiating.
Relatives and Friends are invited to a viewing on Thursday evening from 5-8PM and Friday morning from 8:30-10AM at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church.
Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Make-A-Wish Foundation.
----------------------------------------
Born in Palo Alto, PA on January 29, 1942, she was the daughter of the late Victor and Alberta (Swavley) Kocher.
Esther was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church in Port Carbon, where she was a very active volunteer and past President of the Women's Board.
Esther was the last surviving member of her immediate family, being preceded in death by her parents, five brothers, and two sisters.
Esther is survived by her husband of 65 years, Vernon W. "Bud" Kleckner, Palo Alto; sons: Vernon Kleckner and his wife Elizabeth, Palo Alto and David Kleckner and his wife Lenore, Pottsville; daughters: Karen Daniels and her husband Danny, Schuylkill Haven, Denise Fanelli and her husband Marty, Palo Alto, and Sue Carr, Indiana; 16 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.
A Religious Service will be held at the Grace United Methodist Church in Port Carbon on Saturday February 17th at 3PM, with Pastor Marge Kropp officiating.
Relatives and Friends are invited to visit with the family on Saturday afternoon from 2-3PM at the church.
Interment will be held private.
The Robert A Evans Jr Funeral Home in Port Carbon is in charge of arrangements.
----------------------------------------
Born in Pottsville, PA on May 5, 1941, Janice graduated from Saint Clair Area High School in 1959. She worked as a floral assistant at Grassa Florist, Saint Clair, and All Occasion Florist, Port Carbon, PA.
A life-long member of the First Primitive Methodist Church, Saint Clair, she served on the Trustee Board, sang in the choir and was an assistant Sunday School teacher.
Janice is survived by brother, Kenneth (Phyllis) Zimmerman, Lancaster; nephew -K. Todd (Laura Hatton) Zimmerman, Lancaster; niece-Kimberly (Peter) Pernal, Mount Joy, 3 grand nieces, 2 great-grandnieces and 2 great-grandnephews.
A Religious Service will be held at 11AM at the Robert A. Evans Funeral Home, 208 Pike St., Port Carbon, PA on Saturday, February 17,2024.
Relatives and Friends are invited to a viewing on Saturday morning from 10-11AM at the Funeral Home.
Janice's Interment will be held private at Schuylkill Memorial Park Cemetery, Schuylkill Haven.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 13770 Noel Road, Suite 801889, Dallas, TX 75380.
----------------------------------------
Thomas B. O'Reilly, age 81, of Pottsville, PA passed away Monday, February 12th, 2024 at Providence Place in Pottsville.
Born in Pottsville, PA on March 21, 1942, he was the son of the late Thomas B. and Catherine A. (Duffy) O'Reilly.
Tom was a graduate of Nativity B.V.M. High School, Class of 1960. He then served in the U.S. Air Force from 10/14/1960 till 5/24/1964. Tom was the owner of the Club 18 in Pottsville for over 50 years.
He was a member of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Pottsville, an avid storyteller, and a hall of fame Uncle to all his nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by sisters: Anne Wolfe and Jane Marie O'Reilly and brothers: Bernard and William O'Reilly
Tom is survived by a sister Kathleen M McGowan and her husband Hugh, Port Carbon; two brothers: John A. O'Reilly, and Edward O'Reilly and his wife Lesle, all of Pottsville; and many nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Pottsville at 11AM on Monday, February 19th, with Rev. Phillip Rogers officiating.
Relatives and Friends are invited to visit with the family Monday morning from 9-11AM at the Church.
Interment with Military Honors will be held at the Our Lady of Calvary Cemetery in Pottsville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church 319 Mahantongo Street Pottsville, PA 17901.
Tom's family would like to thank Compassus Hospice and the Staff at Providence Place for the great care and compassion they gave to Tom.
The Robert A Evans Jr Funeral Home in Port Carbon is in charge of arrangements.
----------------------------------------
Born in Gratz, August 27, 1942, a daughter of the late Lincoln and Ellen Bohner Leffler. Janet was raised on a farm in Gratz, one of eleven children.
Janet was employed as a CNA at the former Kepler Nursing Home for 12 years. Following working at Kepler's she was a tool and die maker at Brubaker Tool & Die. Her last place of employment was in the home health industry where she was a CNA.
She was a member of Hetzel's Lutheran Church.
Surviving are her husband, Clarence Heberling, to whom she would have been married to for 50 years in September; a son, Scott Deibler, Gratz; a daughter, Shari Kanause, Jonestown; three grandchildren, Daniel Thomas, Heather Lenker, and Lindsay Abayaskera; five great grandchildren.
Following Janet's wishes, she will be privately laid to rest in Hetzel's Cemetery, Pine Grove.
The Dimon Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc. is honored to serve the Heberling family.
----------------------------------------
Originally from Shamokin, he was the son of the late Anna and Edward Tarcheski.
Although he didn’t talk much about his faith, he firmly believed in his “God Box” and passed along many prayer requests by using it. The prominent portrait of Jesus in his living room was dear to him and he especially asked his former wife Janis to leave it behind when she moved out. A few of us were told about a time when his cat Lucy had been to the vet but was still very sick. He held her face in his hands and begged God to heal her and not take her yet. She began to get better the very next day.
Rich (Uncle Rich) loved his family and especially looked forward to his yearly visits to Connecticut and the road trip with his niece Lorraine. It was surprising to see how everyone had grown each year. Sampling his daughter’s cooking was a treat only surpassed by Sunday and holiday dinners at his sister Jean’s. He looked forward to the annual Fourth of July picnics there too for the food and fellowship.
His love of music was in his blood, and he started playing guitar at the age of fifteen. Each new ship and duty station found him joining other musicians to entertain their shipmates. In his 21-year career in the U.S. Navy, he traveled extensively around the world including three tours of duty in Vietnam. Several years living in Italy provided happy memories.
Upon discharge, he returned to this area in 1980 and joined Georgia Dee and the Country Gentlemen followed by Cheyenne. He then played lead guitar in his own band Southern Comfort. The last gigs were with his dear friend Glenn Roberts in the Muddy Sneakers group. In later years, he taught himself banjo and keyboards. His extensive vinyl and CD collections brought him hours of enjoyment. Mastering many video games and playing Words with Friends kept him busy in retirement.
There were several local jobs before retiring, including being the steward of the American Legion Post 286 in Cressona and driving for the Pottsville Republican. His health challenges were many, including the removal of a tumor inside his heart on Valentine’s Day in 1990 which was discovered by Dr. Soli F. Tavaria. Several years after quitting smoking, he survived throat cancer. A positive attitude through these times amazed many.
The last 29 years of his life were beyond his wildest dreams as he helped others to comprehend the meaning of serenity and know peace. His whole attitude and outlook on life changed. His sometimes gruff exterior belied his caring heart.
His legacy will live on not only in those people he helped, but also in the hearts and minds of his sister Jean (Dan) Shingara of Shamokin, his daughter Deborah (Neal) Pasay and son Bryan Charles “Charlie” Innes, both of Connecticut; grandchildren Paige (Donald) Ross, Nicole Talbot and Hailey Pasay, and Charles Ian “Chucky” Innes, all of CT, plus 6 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his former wife Bernice. Among his survivors are also his former wife Katherine Johnson of CT and his dear friend and former wife Janis Wise (Robin Swartz) of Schuylkill Haven. He will be greatly missed by these and his nieces, nephews, and many friends.
A visitation for family and friends will be held on Saturday, February 17th from 9 to 11am at the Oravitz Home for Funerals Inc, 40 N. Jardin St, Shenandoah. Services will be held at 11am. Burial will be conducted privately.
Donations in his name can be made to either: Hillside SPCA, 51 SPCA Rd, Pottsville, PA 17901 or Disabled American Veterans, 500 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144.
----------------------------------------
Born in Shenandoah, on August 1, 1931, she was a daughter of the late James and Mary (Dombrowsky) Gobster.
Theresa was a graduate of Shenandoah Catholic High School and The Reading Hospital School of Nursing, where she obtained her degree as a registered nurse. She was employed by the Good Samaritan Hospital, Pottsville and worked as a private duty nurse. She was a member of the Catholic Nurses Guild.
Preceding her in death, in addition to her parents, were her husband, George Labosky; daughter, Karen Perrong; son-in-law, Dr. Thomas Dittman; sister, Dorothy Kowalonek; brothers, James “Jr.” and Paul Gobster.
Surviving are her daughter, Denise M. Dittman of Hazle Township; son, Michael and wife Beverly of Shenandoah Heights; son-in-law, Dean Perrong of Ringtown; grandchildren, Jason Burke and his girlfriend Rebecca Faust of Ashland, Lindsay Dittman and her fiancée John Giovanelli of Shavertown, Sean Dittman and his wife Alexa Rodriguez of Philadelphia and Nathan, Sydney and Morgan Labosky, of Shenandoah; and one sister, Marlene Kline, of Charlotte, NC; nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Theresa was the most loving, caring, and compassionate person. Her quick wit and humor were her greatest attributes. She always had a smile on her face despite many of life’s challenges. She brought joy and laughter to those around her. She loved spending time with her family, weekly casino trips, playing cards with close friends and family, and always enjoyed a good game of Bingo. She spent many of her days watching sports especially football and baseball, Go Phillies!
Even as we say goodbye, we lift up your life as an inspiration of love, grace, and wisdom. You'll be forever missed. Your footsteps can never be filled, nor your love ever forgotten.
Theresa was a member of St. Michael’s Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. A Burial Service will be held on Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 10:30 am at Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, 132 S. Jardin St., Shenandoah with Monsignor Myron Grabowski, officiating. Interment will follow in St. Michael’s Ukrainian Greek Catholic Cemetery, Shenandoah Heights. A visitation will be held on Thursday morning, February 22, 2024 from 9:00 am until 10:30 am at the funeral home.
Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, Shenandoah is in care of the arrangements.
----------------------------------------
