Schuylkill County Obituaries for
Obituaries published for the Schuylkill County area on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
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Thomas Lamar Wertz
Thomas Lamar Wertz, 75, of Keefer Road, Pine Grove, passed away at home on .
Born in Pottsville on , he was a son of the late Harvey and Betty Ann Lehman Wertz.
Thomas was a 1969 graduate of Pine Grove Area High School.
He worked at Guilford Mills in Pine Grove and later served as a shift supervisor at Hershey Chocolate for more than 20 years.
Thomas was a member of Jacob’s Lutheran Church in Pine Grove.
Tom loved baking and was known for his cheesecake and “Tom’s Tea” at family picnics. He also enjoyed crocheting.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Elmer Wertz and Allan Wertz.
Surviving are three brothers, Charles Wertz and his wife, Mary; Ronald Wertz; and Timothy Wertz and his friend, Tammy; three sisters, Jean Abrams and her husband, David; Judy Wertz; and J. Lynn Sites and her companion, Gary Ditzler, all of Pine Grove; two sisters-in-law, Karen Wertz of Snow Camp, North Carolina, and Linda Wertz of Pine Grove; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
At Tom’s request, no services will be held.
H. L. Snyder Funeral Home Inc., Pine Grove, is in charge of arrangements.
Frank Mocciola
Frank Mocciola, 90, of New Ringgold, passed away on , in Allentown following a brief illness.
Born on , Frank was defined throughout his life by his devotion to family, church, friends, work, food and planning for the future.
He loved spending time with his grandchildren, gardening, living in his dream home, working in his garage, shopping for good food and gathering around the dinner table. His favorite moments were holiday dinners filled with laughter, love and great food.
Frank is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Elizabeth, née Peretti; his children, Ralph Mocciola and his wife, Josephine, and Maria Elena Velez and her husband, Wilfredo; and his grandchildren, Julia, Nicky, Laura, Frankie and Nicholas.
Born in Sant’Agata di Puglia, Italy, he was a son of the late Raffaele and Maria Cavaliere Mocciola.
Frank came to the United States at age 19 with his 15-year-old brother, Tony. Through great hardship, he became the owner of Villa of Beauty in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and raised a family in Belleville, New Jersey, where he lived for 40 years.
In 2003, Frank moved to New Ringgold, where he enjoyed a long-awaited retirement with his best friend, greatest love and personal chef—his loving wife, Lisa.
Funeral Arrangements
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on , at St. John XXIII Catholic Church, 307 Pine Street, Tamaqua.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on , at Hartman Funeral Home, 1791 West Penn Pike, New Ringgold.
Mausoleum entombment will be held at 10:30 a.m. on , at Hollywood Memorial Park, 1500 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union, New Jersey.
Richard Shawn Lafey
Richard Shawn Lafey, 53, of Pottsville, passed away on , at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill E. Norwegian Street in Pottsville.
He was born in Pottsville on , and was a son of the late James E. Lafey Sr. and Amanda Flail Lafey.
Rich was a graduate of North Schuylkill High School and was of the Protestant faith.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Irene Gonda, who passed away in 2025.
Rich is survived by his daughters, Tori Lafey, Bethany Lafey and Shannon Lafey, all of Pottsville; his brothers, James E. Lafey Jr. and his wife, Cathy, of Weatherly; Arthur Lafey and his wife, Jackie, of New York; and Robert J. Lafey of Lavelle; and nieces and nephews.
Memorial Arrangements
A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. on , at James H. Evans Funeral Home Inc., St. Clair.
Relatives and friends may call from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family.
James H. Evans Funeral Home Inc., St. Clair, is entrusted with arrangements.