Schuylkill County Obituaries for 01/24/2018
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Shannon Lee Mataka, age 45, of Pottsville, PA passed away Thursday, January 18th, 2018 at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Schuylkill, East in Pottsville.
Born in Pottsville, PA on July 27, 1972, he was the son of George K. and Margaret S. (McGuinness) Mataka of Pottsville, PA.
Shannon was a graduate of Pottsville Area High School, Class of 1990. He worked as a forklift operator afor the Walmart Distribution Center at Highridge, Gordon.
He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Pottsville and he was an avid Philadelphia Eagles, Flyers, and Phillies fan.
He was preceded in death by his God parents, William and Pauline McClure.
In addition to his parents, Shannon is survived by his brother Cameron Heath Mataka, Pottsville and uncles, aunts, and cousins.
Services and interment were held private.
The Robert A Evans Jr Funeral Home 208 pike St., Port Carbon was in charge of arrangements.
Please send condolences to www..robertaevansjrfh.com
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Amanda Marie Protivnak, age 29, of Cumbola, PA passed away at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.
Born in Pottsville, PA on October 21, 1988, she was the daughter of Joseph S. and Beth Ann (Sapp) Protivnak of Cumbola.
She worked as a certified nurse’s assistant at Bayada Home Health Care in Hazleton.
Amanda was a loving devoted Mother to Ava, who was her world and she also loved four wheeling and riding, camping, NASCAR and Dirt Track racing, music and going to concerts.
She was preceded in death by her maternal grandfather William Sapp and her paternal grandparents Joseph and LaRue Protivnak.
In addition to her parents, Amanda is survived by her daughter Ava LaRue Protivnak, Cumbola; a brother Cory S. Protivnak, Cumbola; maternal grandmother Loretta Sapp, Lebanon; 2 aunts: Diane Protivnak and fiance' Ed, Mary D; and Linda Jackson, Lebanon; and cousins, great aunts, and great uncles.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Robert A. Evans Jr. Funeral Home, 208 Pike St., Port Carbon at 7PM on Wednesday, January 31st, with Rev. Ronald Minner officiating.
Relatives and Friends are invited to visit with the family on Wednesday evening from 6-7PM at the Funeral Home.
Interment will be held private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Please send condolences to www.robertaevansjrfh.com
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Born in Lavelle, PA December 6,2018 the daughter of the late Walter and Omah S. (Paul) Hornberger. She attended Ashland High School and worked as a L.P.N.
Surviving are her daughter Gail wife of George Krahling, Harrisburg, PA and twograndsons : George Krahling and Dennis husband of Heather Krahling both of Harrisburg Area. Two great grand children Averie and Bryce.
Services will be held at the convenience of the family in Citizens Cemetery, Lavelle, PA. Kull-Heizenroth Funeral Home, Ashland is in charge. Charles Heizenroth III, Supervisor.
Charles J. “Herbie” Wood, 91, passed away at home Monday afternoon surrounded by his family.
He was born Nov. 27, 1926, in Raven Run to James Wood and Rose Dugan Wood. Herbie was a graduate of the West Mahanoy Township, Class of 1944, and McCann School of Business.
He served in the Marine Corps during World War II in the Pacific Division. Herbie married his high school sweetheart, Virginia Coyle, on July 31, 1954. Herbie was an amazing athlete, coach and humanitarian. After his service as a Marine, he continued his education at McCann School of Business. Before and after his time in the service, he played shortstop and second base for semi-professional baseball teams among the North Atlantic League, Hazleton Mountaineers, Lost Creek Rebels and Mahanoy City Brewers. In the 1960s he also shared his passion for the sport as a coach of the Shenandoah Heights Amvets’ Legion team securing the championship in 1965. Through his late 50s, he continued to display his athletic prowess playing fast pitch softball with Lost Creek, Babe’s and Vic’s. He was fiercely loyal to family and friends, choosing to spend his life in the Coal Region. For 25 years he served as a fireman at Valley Forge and Fort Indiantown Gap. Throughout his life he was also active as a volunteer fireman at the Citizen’s Fire Company of Lost Creek. In his “retirement,” he drove the school bus for Shenandoah Valley School District and Athletics Department, where he continued to influence local athletes. “Pap” was his favorite role, and he was his grandchildren’s biggest fan, always found in the stands or on the course closely watching, “coaching” and cheering. In any sporting event he was knowledgeable and could be found “commenting on the referees” while rooting for the underdog, and supporting local athletes. He was known as a mentor to many who offered a quick smile and a handshake that extended “a little something extra.”
Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents, were two brothers, Joseph and James Wood, and two sisters, Patricia Monaghan and Rosemary Hadesty.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Virginia M. Wood, and his five children, Tim Wood, Deer Lake, Jacki and Butch Keithan, Katy, Texas, Joe and Terri Wood, Ringtown, Betsy and Chris Quinn, Roxborough, and Jim Wood, Wilkes-Barre, and his 13 grandchildren, Colby Keithan, Chas Keithan, Alli Keithan, Megan Wood, Christopher Quinn, Lauren Wood, Michael Quinn, Tim Wood, Caitlin Wood, Ryan Wood, Brigid Wood, Connor Wood and Maggie Quinn; a sister-in-law, Joanne Wood, Havertown; nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.
Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday from Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, 132 S. Jardin St., Shenandoah. A Mass of Christian Burial will then be celebrated at 10 a.m. in Divine Mercy Church, 232 W. Cherry St., Shenandoah. Monsignor Edward Coyle will be the principal celebrant and homilist and Monsignor Ronald C. Bocian, pastor, as concelebrant. Interment with military honors will follow in Annunciation BVM Cemetery, Shenandoah Heights. A viewing will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
To honor him, please pay a kindness forward or contribute to the scholarship fund for a worthy graduate of Shenandoah Valley High School, c/o of M&T Bank, 2 S. Main St., Shenandoah, PA 17976.
Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, Shenandoah, is in charge of the arrangements.
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Virginia K. Williams, 82, of Hometown, Tamaqua, PA, died peacefully Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at home. She was under the care of her family and Compassus Hospice Care.
Virginia was the wife of Charles C. “Curt” Williams to whom she was married 61 years in September. Born in Coaldale, PA on October 28, 1935, she was a daughter of the late Arthur and Isabelle (nee Cunning) Main.
A 1953 graduate of Tamaqua High School and a 1956 graduate of the former Allentown Hospital School of Nursing, Virginia was a licensed registered nurse. She first was employed at the former Allentown General Hospital, Allentown, PA and then at the former Good Samaritan Hospital, Pottsville, PA where she worked from 1975 until her retirement in 1995. As a nurse, Virginia provided loving care to all her patients and for that it mattered that she was born and lived. She was a member of Hope of Christ Presbyterian Church, Summit Hill, PA.
In addition to her husband, Virginia is survived by three daughters, Shawn V. of Coatesville, PA, Tracy L. the wife of Ed Demyanovich of Hometown, Tamaqua, and Wendy K. the wife of Martin Andrefski of New Ringgold, PA; brother, Arthur Main of Hometown, Tamaqua; granddaughters, Caelee and Grace Andrefski plus several nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Lynn in 1985 and a sister, Isabelle Frantz in 2008.
Services will be held at 11AM on Saturday, January 27 at the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home, 500 East Broad Street, Tamaqua. Interment in Sky View Memorial Park, Hometown will follow the services. Call 9:30-11:00 AM, Saturday, at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.zgfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are being handled by the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., Tamaqua.
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Sandra A. Link, 61, of Hilltop Road, Barnesville, PA died on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at home. She was the wife of Curtis Link, Jr. to whom she was married 43 years.
Virginia K. Williams, 82, of Hometown, Tamaqua, PA, died peacefully Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at home. She was under the care of her family and Compassus Hospice Care.
Virginia was the wife of Charles C. “Curt” Williams to whom she was married 61 years in September. Born in Coaldale, PA on October 28, 1935, she was a daughter of the late Arthur and Isabelle (nee Cunning) Main.
A 1953 graduate of Tamaqua High School and a 1956 graduate of the former Allentown Hospital School of Nursing, Virginia was a licensed registered nurse. She first was employed at the former Allentown General Hospital, Allentown, PA and then at the former Good Samaritan Hospital, Pottsville, PA where she worked from 1975 until her retirement in 1995. As a nurse, Virginia provided loving care to all her patients and for that it mattered that she was born and lived. She was a member of Hope of Christ Presbyterian Church, Summit Hill, PA.
In addition to her husband, Virginia is survived by three daughters, Shawn V. of Coatesville, PA, Tracy L. the wife of Ed Demyanovich of Hometown, Tamaqua, and Wendy K. the wife of Martin Andrefski of New Ringgold, PA; brother, Arthur Main of Hometown, Tamaqua; granddaughters, Caelee and Grace Andrefski plus several nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Lynn in 1985 and a sister, Isabelle Frantz in 2008.
Services will be held at 11AM on Saturday, January 27 at the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home, 500 East Broad Street, Tamaqua. Interment in Sky View Memorial Park, Hometown will follow the services. Call 9:30-11:00 AM, Saturday, at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.zgfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are being handled by the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., Tamaqua.
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Sandra A. Link, 61, of Hilltop Road, Barnesville, PA died on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at home. She was the wife of Curtis Link, Jr. to whom she was married 43 years.
Born in Coaldale, PA on June 18, 1956, Sandra was a daughter of the late Richard C. and Violet N. (nee Seagel) Kehl. A 1974 graduate of Tamaqua High School, she was a homemaker. Sandra was a member of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Tamaqua.
In addition to her husband, Curtis, she is survived by daughters, Cara Eroh and her husband Edward of Tamaqua, Amy Wirts of Kentucky, and Katie Link of Indiana; son, John Link of Missouri; grandchildren, Cassie Eroh, Craig Eroh, Gabby Eroh, Abby Wirts, Dylan Woodruff, Emma Woodruff, Haley Crump, and Maddy Nale; brothers, Richard Kehl, Gary Kehl and his wife Cindy, Ronald Kehl and his wife Ruth Ann, Thomas Kehl and his wife Cheryl; sisters, Diane Matrician and her husband Ted, Debra Johnson and her husband Ed, and Melissa Martin and her husband, Jeff; and dozens of nephews and nieces.
Sandra was predeceased by brothers, George Kehl and Robert Kehl and sister-in-law, Rose Mary Kehl. Services will be held at 11 AM on Friday, January 26 at the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home, 500 East Broad Street, Tamaqua.
Interment in Sky View Memorial Park, Hometown, PA will follow the services. Call 10-11 AM Friday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.zgfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are being handled by the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., Tamaqua.
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Mary L. Anthony, 93, of Schuylkill Haven, passed away on Tuesday at Schuylkill Center.
Born in Minersville, she was a daughter of the late Anthony and Elizabeth Slekys Pukas. She attended Minersville schools, and worked in the restaurant industry.
She was a member of St. Patrick Church, Pottsville.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Michael J. Anthony, in 1989; a son, Michael; a grandson, James Bradley. The last of nine children, she was also preceded by four brothers, Vincent, Anthony, Joseph and Albert Pukas; four sisters, Belle Majestic, Helen White, Annie Morgalis and Marianne Stoud.
She is survived by five children, Maryanne Anthony, Port Chester, New York, Denis Anthony, Sinking Spring, Joel Anthony, Schuylkill Haven, and Robert Anthony, Schuylkill Haven, and Elizabeth Diviaio, Hamburg; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. on Monday at St. Patrick Church, 319 Mahantongo Street, Pottsville. Interment will be in Schuylkill Memorial Park, North Manheim Township.
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Mary L. Anthony, 93, of Schuylkill Haven, passed away on Tuesday at Schuylkill Center.
Born in Minersville, she was a daughter of the late Anthony and Elizabeth Slekys Pukas. She attended Minersville schools, and worked in the restaurant industry.
She was a member of St. Patrick Church, Pottsville.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Michael J. Anthony, in 1989; a son, Michael; a grandson, James Bradley. The last of nine children, she was also preceded by four brothers, Vincent, Anthony, Joseph and Albert Pukas; four sisters, Belle Majestic, Helen White, Annie Morgalis and Marianne Stoud.
She is survived by five children, Maryanne Anthony, Port Chester, New York, Denis Anthony, Sinking Spring, Joel Anthony, Schuylkill Haven, and Robert Anthony, Schuylkill Haven, and Elizabeth Diviaio, Hamburg; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. on Monday at St. Patrick Church, 319 Mahantongo Street, Pottsville. Interment will be in Schuylkill Memorial Park, North Manheim Township.
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Charles J. “Herbie” Wood, 91, passed away at home Monday afternoon surrounded by his family.
He was born Nov. 27, 1926, in Raven Run to James Wood and Rose Dugan Wood. Herbie was a graduate of the West Mahanoy Township, Class of 1944, and McCann School of Business.
He served in the Marine Corps during World War II in the Pacific Division. Herbie married his high school sweetheart, Virginia Coyle, on July 31, 1954. Herbie was an amazing athlete, coach and humanitarian. After his service as a Marine, he continued his education at McCann School of Business. Before and after his time in the service, he played shortstop and second base for semi-professional baseball teams among the North Atlantic League, Hazleton Mountaineers, Lost Creek Rebels and Mahanoy City Brewers. In the 1960s he also shared his passion for the sport as a coach of the Shenandoah Heights Amvets’ Legion team securing the championship in 1965. Through his late 50s, he continued to display his athletic prowess playing fast pitch softball with Lost Creek, Babe’s and Vic’s. He was fiercely loyal to family and friends, choosing to spend his life in the Coal Region. For 25 years he served as a fireman at Valley Forge and Fort Indiantown Gap. Throughout his life he was also active as a volunteer fireman at the Citizen’s Fire Company of Lost Creek. In his “retirement,” he drove the school bus for Shenandoah Valley School District and Athletics Department, where he continued to influence local athletes. “Pap” was his favorite role, and he was his grandchildren’s biggest fan, always found in the stands or on the course closely watching, “coaching” and cheering. In any sporting event he was knowledgeable and could be found “commenting on the referees” while rooting for the underdog, and supporting local athletes. He was known as a mentor to many who offered a quick smile and a handshake that extended “a little something extra.”
Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents, were two brothers, Joseph and James Wood, and two sisters, Patricia Monaghan and Rosemary Hadesty.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Virginia M. Wood, and his five children, Tim Wood, Deer Lake, Jacki and Butch Keithan, Katy, Texas, Joe and Terri Wood, Ringtown, Betsy and Chris Quinn, Roxborough, and Jim Wood, Wilkes-Barre, and his 13 grandchildren, Colby Keithan, Chas Keithan, Alli Keithan, Megan Wood, Christopher Quinn, Lauren Wood, Michael Quinn, Tim Wood, Caitlin Wood, Ryan Wood, Brigid Wood, Connor Wood and Maggie Quinn; a sister-in-law, Joanne Wood, Havertown; nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.
Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday from Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, 132 S. Jardin St., Shenandoah. A Mass of Christian Burial will then be celebrated at 10 a.m. in Divine Mercy Church, 232 W. Cherry St., Shenandoah. Monsignor Edward Coyle will be the principal celebrant and homilist and Monsignor Ronald C. Bocian, pastor, as concelebrant. Interment with military honors will follow in Annunciation BVM Cemetery, Shenandoah Heights. A viewing will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
To honor him, please pay a kindness forward or contribute to the scholarship fund for a worthy graduate of Shenandoah Valley High School, c/o of M&T Bank, 2 S. Main St., Shenandoah, PA 17976.
Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, Shenandoah, is in charge of the arrangements.
