Skook News Obituaries: August 23rd, 2025
Obituaries published from the Schuylkill County area.
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Ruth was born in Boyertown, PA on June 18, 1933, a daughter of the late Jonathan F. & Missouria M. (Gehris) Houck.
She was the widow of Richard S. Fretz who passed away in 2023. Ruth was also preceded in death by eight siblings: Lester, Leroy, Warren, Jonathan, Dorothy, Kathryn, Pearl, & Mary.
She was the former owner/operator of the Deutsch Haus, Orwigsburg from 1974-1989.
Ruth was a member of the Catholic faith.
She was a past Worthy Matron with the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter #424 and was a dual member of the Cressona Chapter. Ruth was a volunteer with the Good News Club and the Chip Program. She was a member of the Holy Rosary Club at Holy Cross Church, New Philadelphia. Ruth was the past President of Schuylkill Valley Restaurant Association and was Vice President of the State Board in Harrisburg.
Ruth is survived by two children: Theresa A. Haslam, widow of Robert, Port Carbon, & Paul J. Fretz, husband of Andrea, Birdsboro, grandchildren: Karin McCabe, wife of Jason, Kellie Garrett, wife of Geoff, Alex Fretz, & Sonia Rieger, great-grandchildren: Kayla Ege, Kevin Rhodes, & Emily McCabe, great-great-granddaughter, Kinsley Ege, and sister, Mae.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, August 27th at St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church, Schuylkill Haven. A viewing will be held in the church’s chapel from 9:15-10:15 AM on Wednesday.
Entombment will follow at St. Ambrose Mausoleum, Cressona.
The family prefers remembrances in the form of contributions to Make-A-Wish America, 1702 E. Highland Ave., Suite 400, Phoenix, AZ 85016.
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Born Tuesday, February 15,1938 in Summit Hill, the son of the late Walter J. and Stella (Fornagiel) Pogwist. Mike was also predeceased by; his beloved wife of 49 years Patricia A. (Heller) Pogwist; son Michael F. Pogwist; an infant sister Mary; brother Walter S. (Sonny) Pogwist.
Surviving are; daughter Lisa Filloy and her husband Rob with whom he resided; his grandchildren whom he adored, Zachary and Nathan Filloy, Ali Rose and Alex Pogwist.
He was a devout catholic and member of St. John XXIII parish.
Mike proudly served in the Army National Guard. Honorable discharge after 9 years of service achieving rank as SGT E-5.
Mike was employed as a skilled sewing machine mechanic. Learning his trade at Walter W. Moyer Co in Ephrata, PA and later at J. E Morgan Knitting Mill of Tamaqua/Hometown, where he retired, after 33.5 years of dedicated service.
After retirement Mike kept busy with part time employment with John Vanak Detective Agency at both Hart Metals Inc. and Miners Memorial Hospital. Most recently Mike worked as a part time custodian/“handyman” at the Tamaqua Elementary School. Mike was well known in the community as the guy who can fix any sewing machine or sharpen scissors.
Mike looked forward to Saturday morning coffee club with his close friends from Morgans. They would talk for hours and reminisce about the “old days”.
Mike loved hunting and fishing with his family. He enjoyed watching sports, especially the Philadelphia Phillies. Above all things Mike was a true family man. He was always there to show his love and support. His smile and sense of humor will be greatly missed.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the E. Franklin Griffiths Funeral Home & cremation Services, Inc. 655 East broad street Tamaqua, Pennsylvania 18252. (570) 668-2550
A Mass of Christian Burial in Mike's honor will be celebrated on Thursday morning August 28 2025 at 11 o'clock A.M. from St. John XXIII R.C.C. 307 Pine Street Tamaqua, Pennsylvania 18252
A visitation for family and friends will be held on Thursday morning from the funeral home from 9:00 A.M. until 10:30 A.M.
Interment will be in Sky - View Memorial Park , Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.
Memorials in Mike's name may be made in care of St. John XXIII R.C.C.
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Frank was a 1979 graduate of Marian High School, 1986 graduate of St. Luke's School of Nursing in Bethlehem and was a retired RN. He had worked as an Operating Room nurse at both Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown and Easton Hospital in Easton. He was a former member of the Association of Perioperative Room Nurses (AORN). Frank was a member and past president of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles in Bethlehem. He was a member of the St Peter and Paul Beneficiary Society Hungarian Hall in Northampton. He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed coaching his daughter's softball teams over the years. Frank was an avid New York Mets fan and loved history and politics. He loved spending time with his grandson Jacob. He was a long time member of the former St Ann's Roman Catholic in Lansford and active parishioner at Notre Dame of Bethlehem Roman Catholic Church in Bethlehem. He was a current member of St. Peters UCC of West Penn and a member of their Adult Sunday School.
He is survived by his mother Olga Rossi in Lansford. His daughter Elizabeth Marie "Liz" Potechko and her husband Andrew, Tamaqua. Brothers Ernest F. "Ernie" Rossi (wife of Sherry) in Xenia, OH, and Jimmy Rossi in Lansford; a grandson Jacob Xavier Potechko of Tamaqua; two nieces Lauren (wife of Joseph) Shelton and Amber Rossi all of Ohio, and many cousins and friends.
Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to the Robert S. Nester Funeral Home & Cremation Service 2066 West Penn Pike New Ringgold Pennsylvania 17960. (570) 386-5884
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday August 28, 2025 at 11 o'clock A.M. from St. Peter's Church West Penn 184 St. Peter's Church Road Tamaqua, Pennsylvania 18252, Rev. Cliffert Herring to officiate.
Friends and family can call in church from 9:30 A.M. until the time of services.
Interment Holy Savior Cemetery Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Monsignor Thomas Baddick to officiate at 2 o'clock P.M. Thursday August 28, 2025
Memorials in his name to:
St. Peter's Church West Penn.
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Born on the family farm in Walker Township, Randall was a son of the late Clarence and Ada (Leiby) Bensinger. A 1947 graduate of Tamaqua High School, he worked as a heavy machine operator for many years at Bethlehem Mines and was best known as the lifetime owner/operator of Bensinger Farms in Lewistown Valley.
Randall lived a full, active life, touching many people through his work, family, community service, and membership in numerous organizations. He was a former president of the United Mine Workers Local #1571 and served on the safety committee. A life member of the Lewistown Grange #1639, Randall had the gift of gab and enjoyed dancing, farming, and huckstering from a young age on his horse and buggy—a practice he continued on his market route through Coaldale, Tamaqua, Tuscarora, Mary-D, and Brockton up until the age of 85.
He was also a life member of both the New England Fire Company and the Tuscarora Sportsman Club, and a regular member of the New Ringgold Fire Company, the West Penn Rod and Gun Club, the Keystone Fishing and Hunting Club, and St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, Lansford. Randall was a former Walker Township Supervisor and a former Walker Township Constable.
Affectionately called “Pap” by his grandchildren, he loved going on vacations with his granddaughters who, along with his son, will deeply miss him.
The last member of his immediate family, Randall is survived by a son, David Bensinger and his wife Margaret; granddaughters Heather Patrick and her husband Rafe, Jennifer Schock and her husband Lamonte, and Jessica Halabura and her husband Travis; great-granddaughters Harleigh Patrick, Lyla and Teyla Halabura, and Emma and Mya Schock; daughters Jean Schoch, Marlene Boyle, and Helene Zeigler; grandchildren Josh Warne, Ashley Rodgers, and Naomi Zeigler; several great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; four brothers, Nelson, LeRoy, Daniel, and Donald; and two sisters, Stella Schock and Anna Shoener.
The Office of Christian Burial with Divine Liturgy will be held at 10 AM on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, in St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, 104 East Bertsch Street, Lansford, with The Rev. Gregory Hosler officiating. Interment in St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church Cemetery, Summit Hill, will immediately follow the liturgy.
Call 6-8 PM on Monday and 8-9 AM on Tuesday at Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home, 500 East Broad Street, Tamaqua. Memorial donations in Randall’s name may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73123 or at www.cancer.org.
Arrangements are being handled by the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 500 East Broad Street, Tamaqua, PA.
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Joseph R. Derr, 71, of Ashland, passed away with family by his side, August 20, 2025, at the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Schuylkill, East Norwegian Street, Pottsville.
At. Joe’s request, his funeral service will be private.
The Richard W. Fritz Funeral Home, Ashland, is in charge of funeral arrangements.
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These obituaries are being brought to by Mark J. Hummel Funeral Home, Frackville
