TimesLeader.com

January 18

obituaries

ANDERSON - Miles N. Jr., 84, of Tunkhannock, died Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009.

Born April 19, 1924, he was a lifelong resident of Tunkhannock. He served stateside in the U.S. Army during World War II, then worked for more than two decades each at the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Factory in Tunkhannock and Procter & Gamble in Mehoopany.

He served as a church deacon, Sunday school teacher and Bible study leader.

Surviving are his children, William Anderson, Newark Valley, N.Y.; Jeannie Woodruff, Tunkhannock; Steve Anderson, Meshoppen; and Sandra Anderson, Wilkes-Barre; five brothers, John, Ralph and Lyle Anderson, all of Tunkhannock; Nelson Anderson, Easton; and Raymond Anderson, Meshoppen; three sisters, Lois Button, Dallas; Shirley Weaver, Huson, Mont.; and Thelma Anderson, Scranton; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations to the Tunkhannock Ambulance Association.

BATORY - Joan E., 81, of Harveys Lake, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 at home.

Born in Newlan, W.Va., she had resided at Harveys Lake for the past 28 years and was formerly employed as a paralegal by Hourigan, Kluger and Quinn Law Office. She was a member of Our Lady of Victory Church, Harveys Lake.

Surviving are her husband of 53 years, Daniel J.; daughters, Anne Moore, Whitehouse Station, N.J.; Ellen Pochekailo, Fairfax, Va.; and Jane Tinsley, Honey Brook, Pa.; eight grandchildren; brothers, Thomas and Terence Binns; sisters, Carmel Binns and Eleanor Sainato, all of Elkins, W.Va.; Geraldine Reynolds, Great Falls, Mont.; several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Our Lady of Victory Church for Sacred Heart Southern Mission.

CROCKER - Carl L., 97, formerly of Trucksville, died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009 in ManorCare Nursing Home, Camp Hill, Pa.

Born in St. Johnsville, N.Y., on May 12, 1911, he graduated from St. Johnsville High School.

Upon graduation, he started working for the Beech-Nut Life Savers Co. in Canajoharie, N.Y. He also played in a dance band and played semi-pro baseball. He retired as a district manager in Northeastern Pennsylvania. After that, he started Crocker Food Brokerage.

He served as a PFC in the 470th Ordinance Evacuation Company in Central Europe during World War II and was also in the company band. He was a member of both the VFW and American Legion.

Surviving are his daughter, Phyllis C. Edwards, of New Cumberland; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations to Baughman Memorial United Methodist Church, Third and Bridge Streets, New Cumberland, PA 17070

FRONCZEK - Emma, 86, of Falls, died Friday, Jan. 2, 2009 at the Meadows Nursing Center, Dallas, where she had been a resident.

Born March 25, 1922 in Nanticoke, she attended Dallas schools and, prior to her retirement, had been employed by Lori’s Dress Factory, Falls.

She was a choir member of Blessed Sacrament and St. Francis Cabrini churches as well as a communicant of Blessed Sacrament Church. She had been active in the Falls Volunteer Ambulance and Fire Department.

She was also an alternate for the Falls Senior Citizens Center and a RSVP for more than 15 years. She had served on the Wyoming County Board of Elections and had received an award for 50 consecutive years of voting.

Surviving are her daughter, Ruth Ann Trautwein, Estero, Fla.; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; sisters, Dorothy Mischel, Kingston; and Mildred Smith, Luzerne.

Memorial donations to the American Diabetes Association.

GOBLE - Lois Jane, 57, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 at Tyler Memorial Hospital, Tunkhannock.

Born in Meshoppen on October 12, 1951, she was employed at the Tunkhannock Area Middle School as an assistant to the librarian. She was a pillar of the Eatonville United Methodist Church.

Surviving are her mother, Myra Keithline; her husband, Ronald; daughter, Erin Goble Goodling; sons, Brent and Ryan Goble; sisters, Carol Corby and Susan Keeney; brothers, Samuel Keithline and Harry Keithline; numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 300 Mulberry St., Suite 305 Scranton, PA, 18503; Tunkhannock Ambulance Association; or the Eatonville United Methodist Church.

HENNING - F. Owen, of Mehoopany, died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009 at home.

Born on the family farm in Mehoopany on September 23, 1914, he was a graduate of Tunkhannock High School, Class of 1932, and worked and lived on his dairy farm for more than 62 years. He served as a school board director of the Mehoopany School District and later as a board member of the Tunkhannock Area School District after their merger.

He was a member of the Dairymen’s League and Eastern Milk Producers and a director of the Tunkhannock GLF and Vaughn Cemetery Association. He attended the Mehoopany United Methodist Church.

Surviving are sons, Owen S., Laceyville; Clarence W. “Skip,” Mehoopany; daughter, Christine Grogan, Plano, Texas; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations to Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund, PO Box 10086, Toledo, OH 43699.

KELLY - Lisa A. Vozniak, 35, of Dallas, died Friday, Jan. 9, 2009 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born in Wilkes-Barre, she was a 1991 graduate of Dallas High School and a 1995 graduate of King’s College. She was employed as an accountant for Thomas’ Family Markets Inc.

She was a member of Gate of Heaven Church, Dallas, and of the Dallas P.T.O.

Surviving are her parents, John J. and Linda Parry Vozniak, Dallas; children, James P. and Lauren L., at home; father of Lisa’s children, James P. Kelly, West Pittston; brother, Michael, Philadelphia; one nephew; aunts and uncles; numerous cousins.

Memorial donations to the Lisa A. Vozniak Kelly Education Fund for the Kelly Children, c/o M&T Bank, 15 S. Franklin St., Wilkes Barre, PA, 18711.

LEWIS - Mary E., 84, of Dallas, formerly of Reading, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009 at the Mercy Center, Dallas.

Born in Wilkes-Barre, she was a graduate of St. Nicholas High School, Class of 1942. Before retiring, she was an executive secretary for General Public Utilities, Reading.

She served as a WAVE with the Navy Reserves, Kingston. While a resident of Reading, she was active in church and community affairs. Mary worshipped at the Mercy Center Chapel, Dallas.

Surviving are her siblings, Ruth Jurish, Peg Thomas and Frank Rollman, all of Dallas; Catherine Monroe, Wernersville; Helen Rollman, Wilkes-Barre; Betty McGuigan, Laurel, Md.; Charles Rollman, Shavertown; Joan Hofmann, Mt. Airy, Md.; Claire Kotula, Camillus, N.Y.; numerous nieces and nephews.

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

NIEDZWIECKI - Leo R. Bear, 58, of SR 118, Benton, died Monday, Jan. 12, 2009 at Bloomsburg Hospital.

Born on October 25, 1950 in Kingston. he owned and operated Bear Fuel and Excavating Service Inc., Leo Bear Trucking Inc. and H20 To Go Inc., of Benton. He was a graduate of Lake-Lehman High School and was a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Lake Silkworth.

Surviving are his parents, Peter and Antoinette Bear Niedzwiecki, of Benton; his wife, Barbara J. (Rosencrans) Niedzwiecki; children, Tracy L., Peter John and Leanne N., all of Benton; two granddaughters; and a brother, Edward Bear Niedzwiecki, of Kudu, Calif.

Memorial donations to the American Diabetes Association, 65 East Elizabeth Ave., Bethlehem, PA 18018.

PIATT - Dolores Jean, 82, of Pikes Creek, died Friday, Jan. 9, 2009 at the Bonham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Stillwater.

Born March 27, 1926 in Harmerville, she was a member of the Maple Grove United Methodist Church, Pikes Creek, for over 50 years where she sang in the choir.

She was an honorary member and past president of the Harveys Lake Women’s Service Club, T.O.P.S, the Lake-Lehman Band Sponsors and served as the judge of elections for Lake Township for several years. She was a long-time employee of the former Ruggles General Store, Pikes Creek.

Surviving are her sons, Howard Jr., of Loyalville; Lonnie and Thomas, both of Pikes Creek; and Bob, of Falls; daughters, Alice Jean Martin, of Pikes Creek; Linda Brown, of Cleveland, Ohio; Virginia Ide, of Dallas; Nancy Piatt, of Corvallis, Mont.; Deborah Piatt, of Mountain Top; brothers, David Earl Vann, of Ocala, Fla.; and Robert Croup Vann, of Springfield, Vt.; sisters, Mildred Janet Vosburg, of Berwick; and Mary Lou Goyne, of Exeter; 22 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Maple Grove United Methodist Church, 5876 Main Rd., Hunlock Creek, PA 18621.

SHALATA - Joseph T., 74, of Evans Falls, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 at home.

Born in Noxen on March 2, 1934, he attended Lake-Noxen High School and was employed for 44 years at the Bendix plant. He attended the Bowman’s Creek Free Methodist Church.

Surviving are his wife of 55 years, Janet Traver Shalata; children, Lambert “Dutch” Shalata, of Tunkhannock; JoAnn Williams, of Morris, Pa.; and Nancy B. Shalata, of Sweet Valley; brothers, William Shalata, of Noxen; and Thomas Shalata, of Dallas; sisters, Annette Koutnik, of Harveys Lake; Judith Fields, of Jamestown, N.Y.; and Joyce Thomas, of Hunlock Creek; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations to Bowman’s Creek Free Methodist Church, 10 SR 309 S, Tunkhannock PA 18657 or WMI Missionary Society, 10 SR 309 S, Tunkhannock, PA 18657.

SPENCE - Vivienne E., 92, formerly of Tunkhannock, died Friday, Jan. 9, 2009 at Wesley Village, Jenkins Township.

Born on August 18, 1916 in Twickenham, Middlesex, England, she moved to London after graduating from St. Catherine’s Convent School and was employed by Elizabeth Arden prior to the start of World War II. With the outbreak of the war, she became a decoder for the War Department and was injured during the blitz.

Subsequent to the war, she relocated for a time to what was then the Belgian Congo, eventually settling in Durban, South Africa, where she worked as an events coordinator in the public relations department of the Royal Dutch Shell Company for 20 years.

Mrs. Spence emigrated to America in1974 and became a United States citizen in 1987. She was a member of the Tunkhannock United Methodist Church, The Wyoming County Historical Society and the Tunkhannock Women’s Club. She also served as a volunteer for many years at Tyler Memorial Hospital as a member of the auxiliary.

Surviving are her brother, Edgerton Carleton-Walker, Yorkshire, England; four nephews and one niece; several great-nieces and great-nephews, all of England.

Memorial donations to the Wyoming County Historical Society.

SUTHERLAND - Robert Cobb, 79, of Dallas, formerly of State College, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008 at the Fairways at Brookline Village.

Born in Wilkes-Barre on September 30, 1929, he was a 1947 graduate of Kingston High School and received his Bachelor of Education degree from Wilkes College in 1958. He received his master’s in secondary education from Penn State University in 1961.

He taught social studies at State College Area High School from 1958 until his retirement in 1991. He also served as assistant wrestling coach and girls golf coach. He started the dance marathon at State College High School.

A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he served on the USS Aludra AF-55 in China and Korea and with the U.N. Forces and National Defense. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Seaman.

He was a former member of Grace Lutheran Church in State College and presently a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Dallas. He was a member of BPOE Elks Lodge 1600 in State College and served as exalted ruler from 1981 to 1982. He was a member of Kingston Lodge 395, F&AM, Irem Shriners Temple, Dallas, and a lifetime member of VFW Post 283, Kingston. He was a past Republican precinct chairman in Boalsburg and president of State College Coin Collectors Club from 1968 to 1972. He was a leader with Boy Scout Troop 380 in Boalsburg.

Surviving are his wife, Jean Nordstrom Sutherland; children, Susan, State College; Robert Scott, Boalsburg; and Donald Bruce, North Tonawanda, N.Y.; five grandchildren.

Memorial donations to Shriners Hospital for Children, 3551 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19140, or www.shrinershq.org.