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OBITUARIES

October 11

OBITUARIES

BAER - The Rev. Harold R. Jr., 71, pastor emeritus of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Dallas, died Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 at his home in Dallas.

Born on Jan. 17, 1938 in Mahanoy City, he was a graduate of Reading High School, Class of 1955. He received a B.A. degree from Muhlenberg College and his Master’s of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia.

He served the following churches: Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Reading, 1963 to 1964; St. John’s Lutheran Church, Sinking Spring, 1964 to 1984; St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Catasauqua, 1984 to 1988; St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Shavertown/Dallas, from 1988 to his retirement in 1996.

He was a board member of the Lutheran Inner Mission Society, president of Sinking Spring Bicentennial Committee, dean of West Berks District, member of the board of trustees of Topton Lutheran Home, board member of Ecumenical Enterprises Inc., member of the College Misericordia Choral Society Choir and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Adult Choir, liaison representative to Retired Persons of Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and supply pastor serving Lutheran churches in the NEPA Synod.

Surviving are his wife of 46 years, the former Alice Goldenberg; son, Jeffrey S., of Salisbury, Md.; daughter, Carolyn Luce, of Pottstown; five grandchildren; and a sister, Alice Rickenbach, of Enola.

Memorial donations to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 802, Dallas, PA 18612.

BAUER - Anna Tensa, 104, of Kunkle, Dallas Township, died Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009 at Lakeside Nursing Home, Harveys Lake.

Born in Larksville, she attended Larksville schools. Before retiring, she worked as a housekeeper and a nanny.

She was a member of St. Nicholas Church, Wilkes-Barre, and the Ladies Auxiliary of the D&H Railroad.

Surviving are her son, Charles J., Kunkle; brother, George Tensa, Detroit, Mich.; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to the Lakeside Nursing Home Patient Fund.

BIGGER - Rosemary “Taunti,” 85, of Sweet Valley, died Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009 at the Meadows Nursing Center, Dallas.

Born in Luzerne on June 12, 1924, she lived most of her life in Luzerne before moving to the Meadows Apartments, Dallas. She resided at Fernwood Manor, Sweet Valley, until April.

Prior to retiring, she was employed by the Leslie Fay and Carmen Dress factories. She was a member of the Bennett Presbyterian Church, Luzerne, and the Luzerne Volunteer Fire Company.

Surviving are her nieces and a nephew; great-nieces; and a sister-in-law; Dorothy Baines, of Luzerne.

CALADIE - Rose M., 63, of Shavertown, died on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009 at Hospice Care of the VNA, Heritage House, Wilkes-Barre.

Born in Luzerne on August 15, 1946, she was a graduate of Luzerne High School and Luzerne County Community College, Nanticoke. She was employed by the Luzerne County Courthouse since 1980. She worked in tax claim, data processing and, most recently, in Veterans Affairs.

Prior to working for Luzerne County, she owned and operated Rose Marie Ceramics in Luzerne.

Surviving are her husband, James, Shavertown; son, James Jr., at home; brothers, Raymond Zekas, Shavertown, and Michael Zekas, Florida; in-laws, nieces and nephews.

DASKALAKES - Dennis N., 68, of Harveys Lake, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009 while on a hunting trip in the state of Wyoming.

Born in Pottsville, he was a graduate of Allentown High School and an Army veteran. Prior to his retirement, he was employed by Bethlehem Steel.

Surviving are his wife of 23 years, Kathleen Zabresky Daskalakes; a daughter, Gina, of California; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations to the Luzerne County SPCA, Plains Township.

ENEBOE - Cleo I., 92, of Shavertown, died Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born in Springwater Township, Minn., she graduated from Garretson High School in South Dakota and the Nettleton School of Business in Sioux Falls, S.D.

She retired as a secretary from the Acme Market Real Estate and Engineering Department in 1979. She volunteered at the Back Mountain Memorial Library and was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Dallas.

Surviving are her children, Diane Bottoms, of Palo Alto, Calif.; Carole Moretti, of Lake Worth, Fla.; John, of Big Bear Lake, Calif.; Cathy Rahm, of Reno, Nev.; Robin Rogers, of Dallas; Joel, of Shavertown; 13 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; sisters, Betty Ann Newberg and Ellen Doese, both of Sioux Falls, S.D., numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, RR 4, Box 627A, Dallas Township, PA 18612; St. Vincent DePaul Kitchen, 39 E. Jackson St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702; or the Back Mountain Memorial Library, 96 Huntsville Rd., Dallas, PA 18612.

HILSTOLSKY - John W., 78, of Mount Olivet Road, Carverton, died Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009 in the Meadows Nursing Center, Dallas.

Born in Pittston, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army. Prior to his retirement, he was employed at Procter & Gamble of Mehoopany for 21 years as a line operator in the Bounty Division.

He was a member of St. Frances X. Cabrini Church of Carverton.

Surviving are his wife of 55 years, the former Lorraine Harris; daughter, Joan, Bethlehem; sisters, Celia Lawrence, Fort Pierce, Fla.; Irene Murry, Carverton; brothers, Frank and Edward, Carverton; nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Hospice Community Care, 601 Wyoming Ave., Kingston, PA 18704; St. Frances X. Cabrini Church, 585 Mount Olivet Rd., Kingston Township, PA 18644; The Meadows Nursing Center, 55 W. Center Hill Rd., Dallas, PA 18612; or The Alzheimer’s Association , 57 N. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701.

NEYHARD - Gertrude, 87, a lifetime resident of Dallas, died Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 in the Meadows Nursing Center, Dallas.

Born in Edwardsville, she was a longtime member of the East Dallas Methodist Church.

Surviving are her daughters, Carol Novajosky, Dallas; Linda Harrison, Endicott, N.Y.; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a brother, William Thomas.

Memorial donations to The Meadows Nursing Center, 55 W. Center Hill Rd., Dallas, PA 18612.

NICHOLSON - Eleanor A., of Dallas, died Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born in Edwardsville, she was a lifelong member of the Larksville United Methodist Church. She taught Sunday school for many years, served as trustee and as treasurer for the official board of the Larksville United Methodist Church where she was a member of the choir and of the Women’s United Methodist Church Society.

She graduated from Edwardsville High School in 1956 and attended the Dean’s School of Business at Wyoming Seminary. She was employed for a short time by Franconi Auto Parts in the accounting department. She joined Luzerne National Bank where she held several positions in the loan department for 42 years, retiring with the title of assistant vice president of the Loan Department.

She was active with the American Institute of Banking, was a member of the Eastern Star and was active with the Shrine Circus. She also volunteered at the Back Mountain Memorial Library Auctions over the years.

Surviving are her aunts, Leona Strutko, of Dallas, and Theresa Evans, of Edwardsville; and several cousins.

Memorial donations to Larksville United Methodist Church.

PETERS - Dr. Robert H. Jr., 93, of Kasko Road, Jackson Township, died Monday, Sept. 28, 2009 at his home.

Born in Mountain Top, he was a graduate of Ashley High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree from Muhlenberg College in 1937.

He earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 1941. He served his junior internship at the Norristown State Hospital and his senior internship at the Chester County Hospital. Dr. Peters received post-graduate training in general surgery from the Cook County Post-Graduate Medical College of Chicago.

During World War II, he spent four years in the Medical Corps of the Army with two years in New Guinea and the Philippine Theater. He was honorably discharged with the rank of major, then joined the medical staff of Nesbitt Memorial Hospital in 1946 and the surgical staff in 1949.

He was a member of the Luzerne County Medical Society, Pennsylvania Medical Society and the American Medical Society. Dr. Peters was the chief medical examiner of the Forty Fort public schools and on the civil service board of Forty Fort Borough.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge 395, Kingston; Caldwell Consistory of Bloomsburg and the Irem Temple and Forty Fort Presbyterian Church.

For many years, Dr. Peters operated his medical practice, which was located on Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort, with his wife, Celia.

Surviving are his wife of 67 years, the former Celia Davis; daughter, Mary Ann Watson, of Beaverton, Ore.; son, Dr. Robert H. III, of Orwigsburg, Pa.; seven grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

PURCELL - Mary M., 87, of the Meadows Apartments, Lake Street, Dallas, died Monday, Sept. 28, 2009 at her home.

Born May 1, 1922 in Wilkes-Barre, she was a graduate of St. Mary’s High School. For a short time, she worked as a real estate agent in the Wyoming Valley area.

Surviving are her daughters, Maureen, Dallas; Anne Anderko, West Chester; Suzanne Mohen, Snow Hill, Md.; Kathleen Wolcott, Tampa, Fla.; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; sisters, Claire Thomas, Springfield, Mass; Patricia McGowan, Kansas; several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Caring for Corey, 384 Overbrook Rd., Dallas, PA 18612 or the Back Mountain Memorial Library, 96 Huntsville Rd., Dallas, PA 18612.

SHEMANSKI - Chester J. Sr., 86, of Kingston Township, died Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born in Plymouth on May 11, 1923, he was a graduate of the former Plymouth High School, Class of 1941. He later went on to further his education at the former Bucknell College, Wilkes-Barre, and was a graduate of the Wentworth Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.

A U.S. Navy veteran, he honorably served his country during World War II and the Korean War. During World War II, he served aboard the USS Cogswell and the USS Ammen, participating in 18 battles with the Pacific Fleet.

During his time of service, he was decorated with the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars, the Pacific Theater Ribbon with 16 stars, the American Theater Ribbon, the American Area Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. Upon his honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, he had attained the rank of Machinist’s Mate 1st Class.

Prior to his retirement, he was employed as a master tool and die maker for the Ashley Machine and Tool Company, Wyoming. He was a member of Holy Trinity Church, Swoyersville. He was also a member of the American Legion, Andrew Lawrence Post 644, Swoyersville.

Surviving are his wife of 61 years, the former Florence Piczak; son, Chester J., Jr., Collegeville; daughters, Marilyn Pawlowski, Forty Fort; and Sharon O’Donnell, Harrisburg; and three grandchildren.

Memorial donations to the American Heart Association , 610 Community Way, Lancaster, PA.