Schuylkill County Obituaries for
Obituaries published for the Schuylkill County area include William A. Bradford, Francis E. Monroe, the Honorable Judge John E. Domalakes and Brian J. Belletz.
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William A. Bradford
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William A. Bradford, 94, of West Penn Township, formerly of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, went home to be with his Lord on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at home, surrounded by his beloved wife of 31 years, Judith I. (Klotz) Bradford, and the family he cherished.
Born on October 2, 1931, in Coopersburg, William was the son of the late Charles D. and Mildred (Beidler) Bradford. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Ethel (Steiger) Bradford, in 1993; a daughter, Sheryl Marshall; and a brother, John Bradford.
William leaves behind his wife, Judith; sons William C. Bradford, John Bradford and his wife, Geraldine, and Jeffrey Bradford and his wife, Kelly, with whom he resided; daughter Judy D. Yost and her husband, Robert; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
A graduate of Coopersburg High School, William proudly served his country in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Throughout his life, he remained active, hardworking and passionate about the things he loved.
Athletics held a special place in his heart. In his younger years, William was a standout semi-professional basketball player, and he remained a loyal fan of the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles throughout his life. He was also an avid golfer and took great pride in sharing the story of his memorable hole-in-one with friends and family.
William was an exceptionally skilled cabinetmaker who retired from Oberholtzer Custom Cabinetry in Quakertown. His talent for woodworking was remarkable. The works he created with his own hands reflected his extraordinary craftsmanship and the pride and care he put into everything he did.
William was a man of deep faith and strong community ties. He was a member of Christ Evangelical Free Church in Lehighton and a longtime, active member of East Swamp Mennonite Church in Quakertown, where he and Judith frequently volunteered. He was also a member of the American Legion, West Penn Fire Company No. 1 and the Quakertown Seniors.
To his family, he was simply Pop—a name spoken with love across generations. He was Pop to his sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and the memories they shared with him will remain a lasting part of their lives. William leaves behind a legacy of faith, hard work, craftsmanship and family that will continue through the generations.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Robert S. Nester Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc., 2066 West Penn Pike, New Ringgold, PA 17960, 570-386-5884.
A Celebration of William’s Life will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Christ Evangelical Free Church, 2420 Blakeslee Blvd., West Lehighton, PA 18235. Military honors will be accorded before the service. A visitation will be held at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.
Private interment will take place at East Swamp Mennonite Cemetery in Quakertown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in William’s name to Lehigh Valley Hospice Office of Philanthropy, P.O. Box 1883, Allentown, PA 18105.
Francis E. Monroe
Francis E. Monroe, 90, of Minersville, passed away at The Gardens at York Terrace.
Born in Ashland, he was the son of Francis P. and Margaret Fishburn Monroe.
He was a retired supervisor for AT&T/Lucent Technologies of Reading. He was a former volunteer for the Berks County Prison Society and received the “Paul Hoh” award presented by the Prison Society.
He was an extraordinary minister of the Catholic faith who administered the Eucharist to shut-ins and nursing home residents in Reading and Minersville for many years.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, John “Jack” Monroe, and a sister, Rita (Monroe) Wilusz.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Patricia (Weaver) Monroe, whom he married on April 11, 1959; a son, Steven W. Monroe and his wife, Michelle, of Salem, Oregon; a daughter, Margaret Trexler and her husband, Richard, of Reading; five grandchildren, Noah and his wife, Brooke, Nathanael and Macie Monroe, and Jarrett and Jessica Trexler; four great-grandchildren, Easton, Hudson, Emery and Alayna; and 13 nieces and nephews.
Arrangements will be announced by the Donald J. Butler Funeral Home, Minersville.
The Honorable Judge John E. Domalakes
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The Honorable Judge John E. Domalakes passed away September 19, 2026, after living with Parkinson’s disease since his retirement—and did he ever live.
As the disease progressed, he continued to attend his beloved Penn State games, first with a walker and then in a wheelchair. He traveled to Ohio and Pittsburgh to celebrate his grandchildren’s sacraments. Most recently, he rode in Frackville’s 150th anniversary parade and went to see the Big Boy train with help from friends and his devoted wife.
He leaves behind his wife of 56 years, Suzanne L. Domalakes, née Peters, who tirelessly supported him during their marriage. He is also survived by his four children, Karen L. Domalakes, Esq. and Joseph A. Walters Jr.; Janet Rodenkirchen and her husband, Kurt; Victoria Bray and her husband, Shawn; and John Ross Domalakes and his wife, Katie.
He had seven grandchildren: Rayna and Adam Rodenkirchen; Riley, Sydney and Michael Bray; and John and Nicholas Domalakes. He is also survived by his brothers, Paul and Lawrence, and sister, Gail.
John was a popular and well-known jurist whose devotion to family and community stood above all. He was a graduate of Immaculate Heart High School and a member of the first graduating class of Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales, where he was class president and instrumental in choosing the original mascot, the Centaur.
He then attended the Dickinson School of Law. He married his wife while still a student and eventually moved back to Frackville in 1972. There, he founded the law firm of Rubright, Domalakes, Troy and Miller, which produced Judge Rubright, Judge Domalakes and Judge Miller.
John was elected judge of the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas in 1993.
His activities and community service included:
- Fourth Degree member of the Schuylkill Assembly, Knights of Columbus
- Fourth Degree recipient of Knights of Lithuania, Council No. 144 Anthracite Council
- Member of Frackville Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks No. 1533
- Board member and member of the Schuylkill County Historical Society
- Member of the Frackville Historical Society
- Member and two-time past president of the Frackville Rotary Club
- Member of the President’s Advisory Council at DeSales University
- Lector and Eucharistic minister at Annunciation Church, Frackville, now St. Joseph the Worker Parish
- Member and president of the Holy Name Society
- Hike leader for Schuylkill On The Move
- Historical writer for Schuylkill Plus magazine
- Volunteer at SCI Mahanoy
Some may also remember him coaching his son’s Little League team, telling ghost stories at clubs and schools, or admiring and collecting classic cars.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, September 25, at St. Joseph the Worker Church, 49 N. Line St., Frackville, with the Rev. Christopher Zelonis, pastor, as celebrant.
Family and friends are invited to John’s viewing at the church from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, September 24, and again from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday. Interment will follow the Mass at Annunciation BVM Catholic Cemetery, Frackville.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the John and Jane Memorial Library, also known as the Frackville Free Public Library, 56 N. Lehigh Ave., Frackville, or Lithuanian Days, 156 S. Center St., Frackville.
To sign the guestbook, leave condolences or obtain additional information, visit www.thomasmsullivanfuneralhome.com.
Thomas M. Sullivan Funeral Home Inc., Frackville, is in charge of the arrangements.
Brian J. Belletz
Brian J. Belletz, 68, of Kelayres, passed away suddenly Friday at his residence.
Services will be held privately at the convenience of the family. Damiano Funeral Home Inc., McAdoo, is assisting the family.