Skook News Obituaries: January 13th, 2026
Obituaries published from the Schuylkill County area.
Born in Pottsville, October 24, 1945, he was a son of the late William and Elizabeth (Pivnickas) Strokelitus.
After attending Pottsville schools, he served in the US Navy in the Vietnam War. He retired as a self-employed contractor where he worked for many years with his brother Jerry.
John was a member of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Pottsville and the former St. John RCC. American Legion Post 286, Cressona; Founder of Whitetailss Forever; and a life member of Mt. Carbon Fire Co.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers Robert Strokelitus; Jerome Strokelitus; Sisters Christine Urbanavage; Veronica Wentz; Dolores Strokelitus
Surviving are his wife of 45 years Barbara (Matta) Strokelitus; Daughter Jaime Lynn Allison and her husband Gerry of Port Carbon; Son John R. Strokelitus and his wife Angela of New Ringgold; 6 Grandchildren Tyler Madisin, Noah, Emma, Wayne and Sophie; Brother Vincent Kellit of Forestville; Nieces and Nephews.
Funeral Services will be held at 7:30 PM Thursday December 16, 2025 from Dutcavich Funeral Home and Cremation Care Inc 200 Sunbury St. Minersville, PA 17954. Friends may call from 6:30-7:30PM at the Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital 501 St. Jude Pl. Memphis, TN 38105. Burial will be held at a later date in Charles Baber Cemetery, Pottsville.
Estelle was born on October 13th, 1936, to John and Stella (Karlavage) Swingle. Shewas a graduate of J. W. Cooper High School in Shenandoah.
Estelle worked briefly with her mother in the Martin Shirt factory until just after her marriage to devoted husband, Joe. They were married on November 23rd, 1958, and spent 64 loving years together before his passing in 2022.
A devout catholic, Estelle belonged to Divine Mercy Parish, formerly St. Stanislaus Church. Both her and Joe were active workers in the parish’s annual block parties.
Estelle was preceded by her parents, her daughter, Joestelle Dunsavage in 2018, herhusband, and her nephew Neil DeLuca.
Estelle is survived by her granddaughter Dr. Angelica Dunsavage and her husband Joe Chouinard. Nieces, Kathy Molnar and Chuck Shaulis, Suzie Taylor and Bill, Barbara Carduff and Frank, Louise Bekisz and Dave, Donna Donchak and Rick, and Debbie Smith. Nephews, John Molnar and Mary, Bill Molnar and Sandra, along with a son-in-law, Ray Dunsavage, also Frankie, Matthew, Aaron, Dereck, Molly and Aubrey.
A visitation for family and friends will be held on Friday, January 16th from 8:30 to 10:00am at the Oravitz Home for Funerals Inc, Shenandoah. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 10:30am in Divine Mercy Parish, 218 W. Cherry St, Shenandoah and will be officiated by Msgr. Ronald Bocian. Burial will immediately follow in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Shenandoah Heights.
Bernie was a retired Master Sergeant who served in the United States Air Force for almost 22 years. He was an Aircraft Maintenance Technician and Airplane Inspector stationed in McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas; McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey; Clark Air Base in the Philippines; Torrejon Air Base in Spain and Homestead Air Force Base in Florida, where he was Chief of Weights & Balances for the State of Florida. While stationed in the Philippines he served in a rescue mission to pick up wounded in Vietnam and his plane was shot down; he was a POW for eight months before being rescued.
Bernie is survived by his beloved wife Barbara Ann Kawa (NeVertts) and one living sister Annette. He was pre-deceased by one brother Joseph and four sisters: Bertha, Stella, Mary and Rose Marie. He had 5 children with his first wife: Bernie Jr (deceased), Nancy, Mark (deceased), Dennis and Kelly; and 4 stepchildren: Barbara, Robert, Ann & Suzanne. He also had 11 grandchildren: Devyn, Jenna, Taylor, Chelsy, John, Cortney, Brandon, Winnetta, Angel, Anthony and Savana. He also had 4 great grandchildren.
Bernie will be laid to rest at Ft Indiantown Gap during private services which have been entrusted to the Stauffer-Breznik Funeral Home, RIngtown. You may leave an online condolence at www.ringtownfuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to St John's Lutheran Church in Brandonville, PA, where he was a member.
Born on October 22, 1946 in N. Manheim Twp., he was a son of the late Arthur and Margaret Korkie Eidem.
He was a 1965 graduate of Blue Mt. High School, and attended McCann School of Business prior to enlisting in the Army. After his service, he received a Diploma from EPI, Electronic Programming Institute, in Allentown.
John was a United States Army Veteran having served in Germany during the Vietnam Era.
He was a Computer Operator for the Liquor Control Board in Harrisburg.
He was a member of the Buck Ridge Hunting Club in Cameron Co. He loved fishing and hunting and was an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan.
Preceding him in death was a brother Carl Eidem.
Surviving are his wife of 54 years, MaryAnn Eidem; a son, John and wife Mary Ann Eidem of Pine Grove; a daughter, Julie and husband Stephen Spencer of Pottstown; four granddaughters, Rachael Eidem, Nichole Eidem, Natalie Spencer and Kate Spencer; two sisters, Pauline Holliday of Florida and Ann Eidem of Georgia; and his beloved cat, Lydia.
Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 1:30 P.M. at the H. L. Snyder Funeral Home, Inc., with SALM John Ziegler officiating. There will be a visitation on Saturday, January 17, 2026 from 12:30 P.M. until 1:30 P.M. at the Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer contributions be made to either American Heart Association, www.heart.org or Ruth Steinert Memorial SPCA, 18 Wertz Dr., Pine Grove, PA 17963 in his memory.
Born on January 17, 1933 in Pine Grove, she was the daughter of the late Charles Kintzel and Marie Brown Kintzel Holwig.
She was a 1951 graduate of Pine Grove High School.
Rose was a seamstress for the former Canoe Mfg., Pine Grove.
She was a member of St. John's United Methodist Church, Tremont.
Preceding her in death were her husband, William "Fritz" Hoy, a son, Timothy William Hoy; two sisters, Rebecca Yorty and Rhea Kutz; three brothers, Jeremiah, Thomas and Lawrence Kintzel; and 5 infant siblings.
Surviving are two daughters, Patricia Koshulsky of Camp Hill, Darlene and husband Kevin Miller of Englewood, FL; 5 grandchildren, Brian and wife Michelle Koshulsky, Amanda and husband Danny Houck, Gary Wertz, Matthew and wife Kira Wertz, Jadzia Hoy; 14 great grandchildren, Jacob, Jared, Jadon, Colleen, Liam, Logan, Lance, Brady, Bailey, Ian, Colton, Makaio, Malia, and Keanu; 3 great great grandchildren, Atley, Jase and Willow; two sisters, Mabel Motter, Grace and husband Jay Fenninger; many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, January 16, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. at the H. L. Snyder Funeral Home, Inc., Pine Grove, with Pastor David Botzer officiating. There will be a viewing on Friday, January 16, 2026 from 9:30 A.M. until 11:00 A.M. at the Funeral Home. Interment will follow in the German Reformed Cemetery, Tremont.
In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer contributions be made to St. John's United Methodist Church, 18 Clay St., Tremont, PA 17981 in her memory.
Born in Hazleton, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Antonia (Kolodzieczyk) Brezinski. She was a 1949 graduate of Tamaqua High School.
Bette was a member of All Saints Church, McAdoo, and a past member of St. Jerome’s Church, Tamaqua. She was also a life member of the New Ringgold Ladies Auxiliary and the McAdoo Prime Timers.
Preceding her in death, were her husband of 54 years, Joseph Smulligan; son, James; and siblings, Constance Minikel and Edward, Henry, Robert, Anthony, and Frank Brezinski.
Surviving are her sisters, Mary Gitz, of CA; and Jean Golba, of NY; brother, Thomas, of CA; daughter-in-law, Kathy Smulligan, of Coopersburg; and sister-in-law, Lottie Brezinski, of FL.
Bette was a wonderful wife, mother, sister and beloved aunt to many nieces and nephews. She was quiet but had a quick wit and will be greatly missed, especially by her niece and caretaker, Beverly Ogrodnick.
Her Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, January 17, at 10 a.m. in Church of All Saints, McAdoo. Interment in Sky-View Memorial Park, Hometown.
A calling hour will be held Saturday from 9 to 10 a.m. in the church.
The Damiano Funeral Home Inc., McAdoo, is assisting the family.
Condolences may be shared at www.damianofhinc.com.
The family extends a special thank you for the compassionate care given to Bette at Heritage Hills, Weatherly, where she had been a well-liked guest for the past two years.
She was born in Heckscherville, PA, on April 14, 1934. Mary was the daughter of the late James Kilcullen and Helen (Bergen) Kilcullen.
She was a member of the former Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, St. Clair, and was currently a member of St. Clare of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, St. Clair. Mary was a 1952 graduate of Pottsville Catholic School. She was a member of the Red Hat Society and the LAOH Club. Mary worked at the former Community Bank in St. Clair, where she was employed as a bank teller for many years.
In addition to her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph A. Frantz, Sr., who passed away in 2003; her two brothers, Donald and Thomas Kilcullen; and her two sisters, Betty Zelinsky and Helen Kilcullen. She was the last member of her immediate family.
Mary is survived by her son, Joseph A. Frantz, Jr., of St. Clair; her son, James J. Frantz, husband of Mary Beth, of Pottsville; two granddaughters, Tiffany Frantz and Madison Frantz; two great-grandsons, Liam and Maverick; a great-granddaughter on the way; and nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, January 16, 2026, at St. Clare of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, St. Clair, at 11 a.m., with Monsignor William Glosser officiating. Relatives and friends are invited to call from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Friday morning at the James H. Evans Funeral Home, Inc., St. Clair. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family in the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Cemetery, St. Clair.
James H. Evans Funeral Home, Inc., St. Clair, is entrusted with arrangements.
These obituaries are being brought to by Mark J. Hummel Funeral Home, Frackville
