TimesLeader.com

OBITUARIES

November 8

OBITUARIES

ALEXANDER - James I., 89, of Shavertown, died on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Township.

Born in Wilkes-Barre, he was a graduate of Forty Fort High School, Class of 1938, and attended the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business Extension. Before retiring, he was employed as a food broker by Charles Terry, J.C. Riley and Paul Daniels.

He served in the U.S. Coast Guard for five years during World War II. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Wilkes-Barre, where he served as clerk of session for 10 years; member of George M. Dallas Lodge 531 F&AM; Chapter 182, Commandry 45 and Council 34, Wilkes-Barre; Irem Temple Shrine, Dallas, and the Irem Golf Association.

He was a member of the advisory board of the Salvation Army, an honorary member of the board of the Wyoming Valley Children’s Association, a member of the board of Sutton Home, Wilkes-Barre and a member of the Dallas American Legion.

He was an active member of the Dallas Rotary Club for more than 50 years, where he was a past president and a Paul Harris Fellow.

Surviving are his wife of 64 years, Jean Rau Alexander; son, Scott I., Sweet Valley; daughter, Leslie Jean Drayer, Pasadena, Md.; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations to the Wyoming Valley Children’s Association, 1133 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort, PA 18704

BALUTIS - James P., 43, of Falls, died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born on Nov. 27, 1965 in Wilkes-Barre, he was a self-employed truck driver.

Surviving are his wife, Arlene Kudrako Balutis; brothers, Daniel, Kingston; and Keith, Dallas; sisters, Lee Ann Tressa, of Ashley; Stacey Redmond, of Florida; and Danielle Kenney Coates, Florida; five grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.

BLAINE - Jean M., 78, of Shavertown, died on Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne.

A resident of Shavertown before moving to Morrisville a year ago to live near her nephew, she was employed as a seamstress at Ann-Will Co. in Kingston for more than 40 years before her retirement.

Surviving are sisters, Theodosia Wilmont, Florence Peters, Beverly Honeywell and Margie Sullivan; nieces, nephews and an adopted granddaughter.

Memorial donations to the Morrisville United Methodist Church, 501 W. Maple Ave., Morrisville.

BURKE - Ernest Jr., 43, of Wapwallopen, died Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Born in Perth Amboy, N.J., he was a 1984 graduate of Lake-Lehman High School and served in the U.S. Army.

He was currently working for the Bridon Corporation in Hanover Township and was very active in the Mountain Top Little League as a coach and volunteer.

Surviving are his parents, Ernest Sr., Swoyersville; and Betty Jane Eckrote Davidson, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; his wife, the former Diane Sheraski; sons, Adam, Jared, Jason and Cory, all at home; maternal grandmother, Grace Eckrote, Dorrance; step-parents Mary Jo Burke, Swoyersville; Ron Davidson, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; a brother, Michael, Scranton; sisters, Jodiann Burgit, Shavertown; and Lisa Nevolas, West Wyoming.

DIETZ - Job M., 94, of Kunkle, died Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009 at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Township.

Born in Beaumont, he was a graduate of Beaumont High School Class of 1933. Prior to his retirement, he was employed as a machinist for Penn Auto Parts of Wilkes-Barre.

Surviving are a son, Gary, Conyngham; daughter, Cheryl Vanderhoff, Chase; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; sisters, Thelma Belles and Doris Balewski, both of Beaumont; nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Kunkle Fire Department, RR1 Box 301A, Dallas, PA 18612.

McGOUGH - Michael J., of Dallas, died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 at the Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Va.

Born on April 4, 1947 in Wilkes-Barre, he was a graduate of GAR High School and received an associate’s degree from Penn State University in electronic engineering technology.

He retired from Techneglas in Pittston after 35 years as an electronics specialist. He served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea for part of that service.

Surviving are his brothers, James, of Auburn, Mass.; Thomas, of Boston, Mass.; sisters, Patricia Papson, of Greensboro, N.C.; and Maryclaire Warren, of Richmond, Va.

Memorial donations to the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, 100 N. Charles St., Suite 234, Baltimore MD 21201, or online at www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org.

MICHAEL - Special Agent Chad L., 30, of Dallas, and formerly of Hughesville, died Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 as a result of injuries he sustained in a helicopter crash while on assignment in Afghanistan.

Born on February 22, 1979 in Muncy, he was a graduate of Hughesville High School, Class of 1997. In 2001, he graduated from St. Leo University, Fla. with a degree in criminology.

Prior to his career with the DEA, he had served as a Deputy Sheriff for Hillsborough County in Tampa, Fla. He was a former member of the Hughesville Fire Department .

Surviving are his mother and stepfather, Debra A. and Dr. Leo M. Hartz, of Dallas; maternal grandparents, Stanley and Millie Hill, of Montoursville, and Dorothy and Richard Day, of Hughesville; five brothers, Eric, of Muncy; Russell Hartz, Exton; Edward Hartz, of Portland, Ore.; Leo Hartz II, of Healdsburg, Calif., and Justin Hartz, of Williamsport; a sister, Cara Hartz of Seattle, Wash.; several aunts; uncles; nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to the DEA Survivors Benefit Fund, 2020 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Postal Mailbox 659, Washington, D.C. 20006.

MURRAY - Jane A., 83, of the Meadows Apartments, Dallas, formerly of Bradley Street, Plymouth, died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 in Hospice of the V.N.A. at the Heritage House, Wilkes-Barre.

She was born on April 9, 1926 in Kunkle.

Surviving are her brothers, Donald Ide, of Beaumont; Dale Ide, of Hunlock Creek; Carl Ide, of Carverton; several nieces and nephews.

TODD - Henry W. III, 78, of Shavertown and formerly of Philipsburg, died Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 at the Hospice Care of the Visiting Nurses Association, Wilkes-Barre.

Born on March 13, 1931 in Pottsville, he was a 1949 graduate of the Philipsburg High School, Philipsburg.

He was a Marine Corp. veteran of the Korean War and a member of the B.P.O. Elks #1773, Philipsburg. He was an agent with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board until his retirement.

He was a member of the George M. Dallas Lodge #531 and the Free & Accepted Masons, Dallas, the Chapter, Council and Consistory in the valley of Bloomsburg and of Irem Temple, Wilkes-Barre, where he was a member of the Legion of Honor.

Surviving are his wife, the former Beverly Wriglesworth; daughters, Cheryl Smiljic, of Philadelphia; Lyn Merchant, of New York, N.Y.; son, Michael Todd, of Dallas; one grandchild.

Memorial donations to Shriners Hospitals for Children, Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.

YONCHIUK - Eugene Cornelius Yonchiuk, 74, of Prospect Hill, Tunkhannock, died on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 at the Golden Living Center, Tunkhannock.

Born in Tunkhannock on March 4, 1935, he was a graduate of Tunkhannock High School and was employed by the Lehigh Valley and Conrail Railroads until his retirement. He was the founder and owner of the Tunkhannock Monument Company, which he operated for 46 years.

He was an active member of the Nativity BVM, caretaker of the Pieta Cemetery and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He also remained an active member of the Alphonsus Retreat League and was a volunteer fireman with the Triton Hose Company.

Surviving are his son, Gerard, of Harrisburg; daughters, Mary Annk, of Tunkhannock; Margaret “Peggy” Fortese, of Hagerstown, Md.; and Barbara Toczko-Maculloch, of Wyoming; seven grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Memorial donations to Nativity BVM or Tunkhannock Ambulance Association.