TimesLeader.com

January 25

obituaries

BARANOUSKY - Irene “Dolly,” 87, of Falls, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born in Wilkes-Barre, she was a graduate of St. Nicholas High School and had resided in Wilkes-Barre until moving to Falls over 20 years ago.

She was a former member of St. Nicholas Church, Wilkes-Barre, and presently was a member of Holy Redeemer Church, Harding. She was also associated with the Falls Senior Citizens Club, Falls Lions Club and the Falls-Lake Winola Fire Company Auxiliary.

Surviving are her son, Jack, Mountain Top; brothers, John, of New York; and Francis, of New Jersey; a sister, Ruth May, Wilkes-Barre; several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to the Lake Winola Ambulance Association.

BISCONTINI - Victoria D., 94, of Kingston and Dallas, died Monday, Jan. 12, 2009 at Keystone Garden Estates, Larksville.

Born in Sheatown, she was a graduate of Newport Township High School, Class of 1932, having been awarded the American Legion Medal for High Academic Achievement. She was a member of Gate of Heaven Church, Dallas.

Surviving are her children, Richard J. and Rita J. O’Donnell, both of Dallas; four grandchildren; five great- grandchildren; a brother, Edward Paulson, Kalamazoo, Mich.; nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations or Masses to Gate of Heaven Church, Machell Avenue, Dallas, PA 18612 or Saint Ignatius Church, North Maple Avenue, Kingston, PA 18704.

COOPER - Eleanor C. (Marty), 92, formerly of Dallas and most recently, a resident of Keystone Garden Estates, Larksville, died Friday, Jan. 16, 2009 at the facility.

Born May 14, 1916 in Detroit, Mich., she was educated in the Pottsville schools and was a member of the 1935 graduating class of Pottsville High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in teaching from Hood College, Frederick, Md. and did post-graduate studies in education at both College Misericordia and Wilkes College.

Until her retirement from teaching, she was employed by both the Dallas and Lake-Lehman School Districts. She was a charter member of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Dallas, and was very active with the Irem Shriners and the Order of the Eastern Star.

Surviving are her sons, William G., of West Chester; and Harry, of Dallas; two granddaughters, a sister, Doris M. Hamilton, of New Jersey; several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Trinity Presbyterian Church Ladies Group, 105 Irem Temple Rd., Dallas, PA 18612 or to Hospice of the Sacred Heart, 600 Baltimore Dr., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18705.

DAVIS - Sadie M., 87, of Sweet Valley, died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009 at home.

Born in Harnett Township, N.C., on Nov. 24, 1921, she graduated from Hanover High School, Wilmington, N.C. She lived in Union City, N.J., and Wayne, N.J., before moving to Sweet Valley 30 years ago.

Prior to retirement, she was employed by the Lipton Tea Co., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., for 37 years. She was a member of the Town Hill United Methodist Church and also served as past matron and past grand officer of the Order of the Eastern Star of New Jersey and a past matron of Harmony Chapter 58, Order of the Eastern Star, Wyoming.

Surviving are her daughter, Patricia Lee, Wayne, N.J.; two grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

HEADMAN - Beatrice L., 96, of Jackson Township, died Friday, Jan. 16, 2009 at Mercy Center, Dallas.

Born in Bloomsburg, she was educated in the Jackson Township schools and was a member of the Huntsville United Methodist Church.

Surviving are a son, John A., of Jackson Township; six grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, 10 great-great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations to the Huntsville United Methodist Church.

SIMCHESKI - John M., 101, of Dallas, died Friday, Jan, 16, 2009 at home.

Born in Plymouth in 1907, he lived on Avondale Hill in Plymouth until 1930 when he moved to Brooklyn, N.Y. and worked for over 35 years as a longshoreman on the piers in Brooklyn.

After his retirement, he returned to Pennsylvania where he was a parishioner of St. Ignatius Church, Kingston, and a member of the St. Ignatius Senior Citizens Club.

Surviving are his daughters, Loretta Jones, of Dallas; Mary Ann Britton, of Brick, N.J.; Toni Johnson, of Red Bank, N.J.; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brothers, Leo Semcheski, of Nanticoke; and Stanley Semcheski, of Wilkes-Barre; nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Hospice Community Care, 601 Wyoming Ave, Kingston.

THOMAS - Sister Mary Helene, the former Mary Catherine Thomas, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009 at the Mercy Center, Dallas.

Born in Kincaid, Ill., she was a graduate of Holy Rosary High School, Scranton Lackawanna Business School and attended College Misericordia. She was an accredited record technician.

Formerly, she resided in Scranton for many years and was employed by Scranton Electric Co. prior to entering the Sisters of Mercy in 1960. She ministered at Mercy Hospital, Wilkes-Barre, in the medical records department for 32 years and served as Director of Medical Records for most of this time.

She then became a member of the Finance Support Staff at the Sisters of Mercy Dallas Administrative Office. She retired to the prayer ministry at Mercy Center, Dallas, in 2005.

Surviving are her sister, Lucille Thomas Farry, of Scranton; several nieces and nephews; and the Sisters of Mercy of the Mid-Atlantic Community.

Memorial donations to the Retirement Fund of the Sisters of Mercy of the Mid-Atlantic Community, P.O. Box 369, Dallas, PA 18612.

WILLIAMS - Pearl M., 88, of Trucksville, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009 at the Meadows Nursing Center, Dallas.

Born Jan. 6, 1921 in Carbondale, she had resided in Trucksville for most of her life and was a member of the Trucksville United Methodist Church. She was a former member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Red Hat Lady Association.

Surviving are her daughter, Karen Olshefski, of Kingston; son, Barry H., of Kingston; four grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Trucksville United Methodist Church.