Obituaries

Jun 22, 2017

Haley Nicole Williams Wetzel, 19, of Pottsville died Thursday evening as a result of an automobile accident, which also took the life of beloved grandmother, Julia "Juge" (Gudinas) Williams.

Born February 6, 1998, she was the daughter Brian and Renée (Williams) Wetzel.

She graduated a year early in 2015 from PA Cyber School and graduated...

Jun 22, 2017

Julia "Juge" (Gudinas) Williams, 60, of Pottsville died Thursday evening as a result of an automobile accident, which also took the life of beloved granddaughter, Haley Nicole Williams Wetzel.

Born July 10, 1956, she was the daughter of the late Albert and Helen (Martin) Gudinas.

She was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist...

Jun 16, 2017

Elizabeth L. "Betty" Gustitis, 89, Pottsville, died Friday at Lehigh Valley Medical Center- East Norwegian Campus.

Born February 16, 1928, in Pottsville, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary (Goodman) Smith.

Betty was a lifelong member of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Pottsville.  She was a 1945 Graduate of Pottsville...

Jun 4, 2017

Josephine J. Kusiak, 97, Cumbola, died Sunday evening at Schuylkill Center Genesis Eldercare where she had been a guest.

Born July 4, 1919, in 5 Points, she was the daughter of the late Andrew and Mary (Kielbowicz) Urban.

She was a member of the former St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, Cumbola and a...

May 31, 2017

Joan Felsburg Andrews, 86, passed away Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at Lehigh Valley Hospital- Schuylkill East Norwegian.

Born in Pottsville on September 1, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Arthur "Scoop" and Margaret "Peg" Lesher Felsburg.

Joan was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Pottsville. She volunteered for over 40 years in church...

May 28, 2017

Barbara A. Siminitis, 84, of Llewellyn, died Sunday morning surrounded by her family in the comfort of her home.

Born September 19, 1932, in Llewellyn, she was the daughter of the late John and Helen (Swanter) Pothering.

She was a 1950 Graduate of the former Branch Twp. High School and a member of the former...

May 25, 2017

Nancy A. McMenemy, 62, Pottsville died Thursday at Lehigh Valley Medical Center- East.

Born April 30, 1955 in Brooklyn NY, she was the daughter of the late Andrew and Catherine (O'Brien) McMenemy.

She is survived by her companion, Lucila Lopez; siblings Andrew and Mary; nieces and nephews, Amy, James, Makenzie, and Sean.

Services...

May 20, 2017

Mark Daniel Seroka, 64, of Pottsville, passed away on Saturday, May 20, 2017 at Lehigh Valley Hospital- Cedar Crest.

Born in Shenandoah on January 2, 1953, he was the son of the late Leo and Sophie (Chesonis) Seroka.

He graduated from North Schuylkill High School in the class of 1971.

Mark was a...

May 8, 2017

Stephen W. Spleen, 76, of Pottsville, passed away Monday, May 8, 2017, at his residence.

Born in Pottsville, July 19, 1940, he was the son of the late Stephen F. and Mary K. Flannery Spleen.

Stephen was a graduate from Pottsville High School, from the class of 1958.

He proudly severed his country,...

May 7, 2017

Bernadette V. Kirk, 90, passed away peacefully Sunday evening, May 7, 2017 at Chapel Pointe, Carlisle, PA. Until recently, Bernadette was a lifelong resident of Spring Garden Street, Pottsville, and Providence Place Retirement Community, Pottsville.

Born in Pottsville, January 24, 1927, she was the daughter of the late James Dempsey and Anna (MacNamara) Dempsey.

Bernadette...

May 6, 2017

Peter John LaBarbera, 70, of Pottsville, passed away on Saturday, May 6, 2017, at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Born in Pottsville, July 21, 1946, he was the son of the late Joseph and Nancy (Giovinco) LaBarbera.

Peter was a graduate of Pottsville High School, from the class of 1965. He loved his...

May 1, 2017

Lucius D. Haag, 50, of Pottsville passed away Monday at Lehigh Valley Hospital- Cedar Crest, Allentown.

Born May 3, 1966, in Reading he was the son of Phyllis (Haag) Alvarez, Pine Grove.

Lucius was the head of maintenance for HD Motors, a division of Ed's USA Auto, Pottsville.  He was also a drummer for many...

Apr 21, 2017

Norman T. "Stormin' Norman" Leahy, 71, of Pottsville, passed away on Friday, April 21, 2017, at Lehigh Valley Hospital- Cedar Crest, Allentown.

Born in Pottsville, on February 20, 1946, he was the son of the late John Leahy and Marylouise Ball Sullivan.

Norm was a graduate of Pottsville High School. He retired in 2000 from...

Mar 26, 2017

Joseph J. Root, 53, of Pottsville passed away Sunday at Lehigh Valley Hospital- 17th Street.

Born November 22, 1963 in Binghamton, NY he was the son of the late Margaret Root.

He is survived by his wife, Annmarie (Zelinsky) Root, daughter, Melissa Levasseur wife of John, granddaughter, Tiffanie Mikoski, great granddaughter, Isabella Mikoski, sister, Mary...

Mar 24, 2017

Mary H. Charkaway Cuchara, 87, of Orwigsburg passed away Friday evening at Seton Manor, Orwigsburg.

Born on May 2, 1929 in Pottsville, she was the daughter of the late Michael and Irene Rita Schmidt Charkaway.

She was a graduate of St. John School, Class of 1943 and Pottsville Catholic High School Class of 1947.

Mar 13, 2017

Tina M. Smith Tice, 61, of Pottsville passed away Monday at Lehigh Valley Hospital Schuylkill- East.

Born January 15, 1956 in Lehighton, she was the daughter of the late Franklin and Jean Schneck Smith.

Tina was a 1974 graduate of Lehighton High School.

She was a member of the Palo Alto Mennonite Church,...

Mar 7, 2017

Veronica Ferenchick, 87, of Minersville, died Tuesday morning at The Gardens at York Terrace, Pottsville.

Born May 11, 1929, in Coal Castle, she was the daughter of the late George and Mary (Ratz) Ferenchick.

She was a graduate of the former Cass Township High School; a member of the former St. Kieran's RC Church, Heckcherville;...

Mar 4, 2017

Jeffrey Steven Ward, 59, of Schuylkill Haven passed away Saturday morning at his residence

Born in Calumet City, IN on March 6, 1957, he was the son of the late Leslie J. and Alberta M. (Ford) Ward.

He enjoyed cruising around in his Ford Mustang GT on warm, sunny spring days and watching his children...

Feb 21, 2017

William J. Grustas, 55, of Minersville passed away Tuesday morning at his residence.

Born in Pottsville on January 8, 1962 he was the son of the late Edward and Joann (Stoffregen) Grustas.

He is survived by three sons, Chris, William, and Micahel; a brother, Edward; sisters, Deb Long and Linda Steele.

Funeral services...

Feb 20, 2017

Janet L. (Frie) Becker, 67, of Pottsville passed away Monday at Schuylkill Center, Pottsville.

Born in Pottsville on August 18, 1949, she was the daughter of Lillian (Losch) Frie and the late Albert E. Frie, Sr.

She was a member of St. Patrick RC Church, Pottsville and a former member of St. Francis De Sales,...