Skook News Obituaries: November 14th, 2023
Obituaries published from the Schuylkill County area.
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Barbara A. Zaylskus, RN, 73, Mount Carmel, former Frackville and Hazleton resident, passed away peacefully Saturday at Geisinger- Shamokin Hospital, Coal Township.Born in Shamokin, she was a daughter of the late Michael J. and Rita M. Shuda Semicek.
She was a graduate of St. John the Baptist grade school, Mt. Carmel, 1967 graduate of Mt. Carmel High School where she excelled in academics and was a majorette. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Bloomsburg State University. She enjoyed music, dancing and working at her computer.
Barb worked as an LPN at the former Pottsville Hospital, Lab Tech at former Ashland State Hospital, an RN Supervisor at St. Luke’s Hospital, Hazleton, RN Supervisor at Mountain View Nursing Home, Shamokin and RN Supervisor at Mt. Carmel Nursing Home, Mt. Carmel, until her retirement. Barb was also a Legal Nurse Consultant. Barb’s goal in life was to always help others.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Maria Zalskus.
Barb is survived by her husband of 52 years John “Jack” Zaylskus; her daughter Shannon wife of Mark Sodl; her brother Michael Semicek and her grandson Zachary Gerber all of Mt. Carmel.
Services will be announced upon completion
Thomas M. Sullivan Funeral Home, Frackville, is in charge of arrangements.
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William “Bill” Manning, 83, Frackville, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, November 13th with his family by his side.Born in West Chester, Bill was a son of the late Earl J. and Vera (Saunders) Manning. Bill worked as an industrial painter belonging to the Local 2011 Painters Union before retiring.
Bill was a member of Tri-Valley Bible Church, where he was a devout parishioner. He enjoyed painting, creating artwork, cooking, fishing, gardening and was always there to lend a helping hand to his family and friends.
Bill was a United States Navy Veteran serving from 1958 to 1961.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings: Jerome, Earl Jr., Dorothy, Patrick and Wally.
Bill is survived by his wife of 10 years, Charina (Bocol) Manning of Frackville; his sons: Mark Manning Sr. and Ronald Manning; his daughters: Raponzel Bocol, Gabriella and Earlina Manning; his brothers: John and Thomas Manning; his sisters: Sarah Roman, Shirley Curran and Ann Meyer; many grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Services will be announced upon completion.
Thomas M. Sullivan Funeral Home, Frackville, is in charge of arrangements.
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Lynda Pollack Schiffer passed away on November 14, 2023, two months after being diagnosed with lung cancer. She is survived by her son, Adam, his wife Elizabeth, their two sons, Walter and Parker, and their spouses, Nell and Nichole; her brother David Pollack; and her nephews and niece, Bryan, Amee and Brett Pollack, among other extended family. She is predeceased by her father and mother, Bernard and Jean Pollack.A native of Pottsville, Lynda attended boarding school at Penn Hall, graduating in 1959. A talented artist, she was accepted to the Philadelphia Art Institute; however, word has it she never attended a class, opting instead to marry at 19 years old. Although the union was short-lived, her son is grateful for it having occurred at all.
Following her divorce, Lynda came back to Schuylkill County for dinner with her parents and stayed for the rest of her life. She was active socially, and I remember some very raucous pool parties. She had many jobs and careers, most notably she was the owner of Pottsville’s first (and perhaps only ever) health food store, “the Honey Bee,” located at 3rd and Norwegian Street.
Lynda loved horses and dogs, with which our home abounded (with dogs, that is, not the horses). The family pets over my lifetime included a dalmatian with one-brown eye and one-blue eye; several large Great Danes; a Doberman mix falsely advertised as a Great Dane; several rescue dogs; and a Bichon Frise.
She was a devoted and loving mother. She was always in the stands for Adam's events, and she called Adam every early Sunday morning when he was in college. This meant that every Sunday, one his fraternity brothers would have to listen to the pay phone in the hall ring for what seemed an eternity (there were no cell phones or answering machines) before he answered the phone and walked to the far end of house to get Adam. He pleaded with her to stop every Sunday, but … Mom was Mom.
For those of you who knew Lynda, we can all agree she was a person of many facets. What her family will remember with pride is her toughness; she was a fighter in all things, a trait her son has tried to emulate. She was also fiercely proud of her work ethic; she never stopped working until her declining health made it physically impossible.
Many thanks to her dear friends, Deb Cooper, Peter Cieslukowski, Mick Stefanek, Dolly Stefanek and Mike Madden for supporting her and being wonderful friends during the past few months.
A remembrance will be held at Fighter’s Heaven located at 58 Sculps Hill Road, Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, December 15, 2023. Arrangements are under the care of James E. Humphrey Funeral Home, Pottsville.
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Beverly Ann Trumbo, 83, of Summit Station, passed away Sunday, November 12th, at home.Born in Summit Station on August 26, 1940, she was a daughter of the late Robert E. Fessler & Margaret M. Frey (Rhine).
She was the widow of Kenneth L. Trumbo, who passed away on August 15th, 2017.
In addition to her parents and husband, Beverly is also preceded in death by her brother, Lynwood Fessler.
Beverly was a 1958 graduate of Cressona High School.
She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Summer Hill, Auburn.
Beverly worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare at Hamburg Center as a nurse's aide and program coordinator.
She is survived by her beloved canine companion, Maggie Mae, daughter, Kimberly, wife of Phillip Moore, of New Braunfels, TX; grandsons: Zachary, Mitchell, & Tanner Moore, sister, Pansy, wife of Jim Strickland, of Pottsville, sister-in-law, Elona Fromm, wife of George, Summit Station, and nieces & nephews.
A Celebration of Life Funeral Service will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, November 18th at St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Summer Hill, Auburn, conducted by Rev. Ken McDowell, assisted by Rev. Curtis Zemencik. A viewing will be held at the church from 9 AM until the time of service. Interment will follow at Summer Hill Cemetery, Auburn.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Beverly's name may be made to Meals on Wheels. Checks should be made payable to Diakon Community Services, 2020 W. Norwegian St., Pottsville PA 17901.
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Bobby C. Donofrio, 86, of Beuchler Lane, Pine Grove, passed away on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at home.Born on July 11, 1937 in Pine Grove, he was a son of the late Tony Sr. and Lucille Hoy Donofrio.
Bobby was an Independent Coal Miner and worked in construction at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation.
He was a life member of the Oak Grove Sportsmans Club. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, his family and friends.
Preceding him in death were two brothers, Richard Donofrio, and Tony Donofrio, Jr.; and two sisters, Betty Dischler and Josephine Schulbaugh.
Surviving are his wife of 67 years, Gladys Schaeffer Donofrio; two daughters, Tracy and husband Heath Machamer of Pine Grove, Teena and husband Charles "Bob" Wicker of Shinglehouse, Pa.; four grandchildren, Chad Schwartz, Justin Wicker, Jordan Wicker, and Cherish Inman; two great grandchildren, Elliott and Gideon Inman.
Per Bobby's request, there will be no services.
The H. L. Snyder Funeral Home, Inc., Pine Grove is in charge of arrangements.
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Matthew R. “Matt” Coughlin, 63 of Shenandoah and a former resident of Raven Run where he resided most of his life passed away on Sunday, November 12, 2023 at his residence.
Born on August 9, 1960, he was a son of the late George Edward and Jeannette (Fadule) Coughlin.
He was a 1978 graduate of Shenandoah Valley High School.
Prior to his retirement, he was a manager for Trailways Bus Company.
Surviving are his brother, George J. Coughlin and his wife Bonnie of Dover, PA.
Private services with interment in Our Lady of Dawn Cemetery, Shenandoah Heights will be held at the convenience of the family.
Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, 132 South Jardin Street, Shenandoah is in care of the arrangements.
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Ray Melusky, 92, formerly of Brier City, passed away peacefully in Rochester, NY. with his partner Mary Lou Runciman at his bedside.Born in New Minersville the youngest of seven children of Alexander and Eva (Wenskus) Milauskas. He was a 1948 graduate of Minersville High School. Joined the U.S. Navy as an aircraft mechanic and became a plane captain during the Korean Conflict.
After his time in the service Ray worked at Bethlehem Steel in Allentown and then Allied Chemical in Mar-Lin. He was active in the Jaycees and the Minersville city council. He and the family moved to Knoxville, TN when he was promoted to be the Corporate Safety Coordinator for Allied Chemical. Following retirement he worked a few years for BF Goodrich in Akron, OH before settling back in Schuylkill County at “the farm” in Brier City. There he lived happily with his wife of 56 years, Jeannette (Reilly) Melusky, family, and friends.
In addition to his parents, Ray was preceded in death by all of his siblings, Jeannette and daughter Patricia Melusky. He is survived by his children: Jane Milauskas; Annette Melusky; Ray Melusky jr (wife Irina); Eric (wife Donna); nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Ray will be laid to rest at Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville.
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Elizabeth Pancavage, 95 of Marlin passed away Sunday, November 5, 2023 at Schulkill Center Nursing Home, Pottsville, PA.
Born in Marlin July 13, 1928 she was a daughter of the late Frank and Elizabeth (Borinsky) Bagucansky.
Elizabeth was a graduate of Marlin High School. She was a member of St. Matthew the Evangelist Church of Holy Family Parish, Minersville and was a an avid of Penn State Football and the Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Frank Pancavage in 2022, an infant son Michael, 3
sisters Isabel Rhodes, Alma Weinus and MaryAnn Salem, 2 brothers Adolph Bagucansky and Frank Bugajinsky.
She is survived by son Frank Pancavage and his companion
Cheryl Price, MarLin; 2 daughters Linda Charlesworth, MarLin and Bonnie Phillips and her husband Glenn, Pottsville; 5 grandchildren, Jennifer, Kelly, Kacy, Abbey and Eric and 1 great grandchild Lukas; 2 sisters Theresa Clay, California and Patricia Pretti, Marlin, nieces and nephews.
Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 AM, Monday November 13, 2023 from the Donald J. Butler Funeral Home, 328
Sunbury St., Minersville. Relatives and friends can call at the Funeral Home from 8:00 AM until the time of the service.
Interment will be in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville, Pa.
The family would prefer remembrances in the form of contributions in memory of Elizabeth to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas.
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