Schuylkill County Obituaries for 02/26/19
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Ida B. Long, 95, of Pine Grove, passed away on Monday, February 25, 2019 at Seton Manor, Orwigsburg.
Born on July 1, 1923 in Ludlow, MA, she was a daughter of the late Albert and Pearl Goodell Hiersche.
She was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Pine Grove.
Ida was co-owner & manager for J.L. Long Co., a propane gas dealer in Pine Grove, and after retiring worked 14 1/2 years at Arby's in Pine Grove
She was a former member of the Pine Grove Area School Board.
Preceding her in death were her husband of 49 years Ralph Long, former Mayor of Pine Grove, on June 4, 1995; two brothers and wives, Dexter and Marty Hiersche, George and Lucille Hiersche; two sisters and husbands, Winnie and Larry Kiesman, Erna and Clifford Manchester.
Surviving are a sister-in-law Carrie "Betty" Long of Pine Grove, her extended family, Godson, Leroy Strubhar Jr., his wife Sheila and their children Jacob, Grayden and Allie, Betty and Leroy Strubhar, Sr., and their daughters Kim Pribilla and Patti Kreiser and their families, nieces and nephews.
Graveside Services and interment will be held at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville at the convenience of the family with Pastor Barry Spatz officiating.
Graveside Services and interment will be held at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville at the convenience of the family with Pastor Barry Spatz officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer contributions be made to the North End Fire Co., P. O. Box 118, Pine Grove, Pa. 17963, in her memory.
The H. L. Snyder Funeral Home, Inc., Pine Grove is in charge of arrangements. You may send condolences to the family online at www.hlsnyderfuneralhome.com
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Margaret H. Davidson, 86, of Pottsville passed away Tuesday morning at Orwigsburg Center.
Born in Mary D on July 20, 1932, she was the daughter of the late Andrew and Helen Yatsko.
She is survived by her son, Thomas Davidson "Smokey", Pottsville.
Private interment will be held in Schuylkill Memorial Park. Schlitzer Allen Pugh Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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Robert G. Fitzpatrick, 67, known to friends and family as Bobby or Growler, of Minersville, formerly of Branchdale died Monday February 25, 2019 surrounded by his loving family.
Born in Pottsville, July 3, 1951, He was a son of Mary R. (Ryan) Fitzpatrick of Branchdale and the late Thomas J. Fitzpatrick.
He was a graduate Minersville Area High School.
Robert Served in the US Army during the Vietnam War.
He worked in Security for LVHN-East Norwegian St., Pottsville.
He was a Lifetime member of Muddy Creek Sportsman Club, Branchdale.
In addition to his mother he is survived by a son Matthew Fitzpatrick and his wife Cher of Hamburg;
a daughter Mandy Fitzpatrick of Minersville; a brother Thomas J. Fitzpatrick and his wife Maureen of Branchdale; 3 sisters Maureen Fitzpatrick of Branchdale; Diane Ehlinger and her husband Bert of Minersville; Judith Culbert and her husband William of Pottsville; Step-Grandchildren Rose and
Alex Ward; Nieces and Nephews.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday at 8:00 PM from St. Mary Church of Branchdale, 70 State Road Branchdale, PA 17923 with. Rev. Christopher Zelonis officiating. Friends may call from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at the church. In lieu of flowers, The family asks that you honor Bobby by supporting older Pennsylvanians through his favorite pastime the purchasing of a PA Lottery ticket for yourself. Burial with military honors will be held at 10:00 AM Thursday at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville.
Bruce T. Hart Funeral Home, St. Clair, is in charge of
arrangements. Condolences can be sent to http://www.brucethartfuneralhome.com
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John J. "Babe" Heller, 84 , of Pottsville, passed away peacefully on Sunday surrounded by his family in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown.
Born in Palo Alto, on April 16, 1934, he was the son of the late John and Helen (Wassel) Heller.
He was a 1952 graduate of Pottsville High School; a 1953 graduate of Massanutten Military Academy, Woodstock, VA; and attended the University of Richmond.
John was a life member of St. John the Baptist Church, Pottsville.
He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Babe worked as a sales representative for Ligget & Myers Tobacco Co. for 10 years and then Capital Blue Cross for 19 years, retiring in 1994. In his retirement he worked at Lord Funeral Home, Inc. and then later at Lord-Bixler Funeral Home, Inc. as a funeral attendant. He enjoyed keeping busy playing golf, baseball, and softball.
John's memberships included: life membership of the St. Bernards Society and Yorkville Hose; 25 year member of the Pottsville Lion's Club and also a 25 year volunteer for the Lion's Ambulance as a night driver; member of the Catholic War Vets and the New Minersville Fire House. Through the years he served as a basketball, baseball, and football referee. Babe was inducted into the Pottsville High School Sports Hall of Fame for football.
He and his late wife, JoAnn, loved to dance and travel.
In addition to his parents, Babe was preceded in death by his wife, JoAnn F. (Foley) Heller, on December 24, 2012, to whom he was married 53 years; step-mothers: Alma (Smith) Heller and Mary (Cantwell) Heller; grandpop, Joseph Heller.
Babe is survived by three daughters, Karen Heller Wagner, wife of Robin, of Minersville; Janet Heller, wife of Terry Leininger Jr., of Exeter Township; Mary "Mimi", wife of Joe Modesto, of Pottsville; grandchildren: Dominique and Gina Fanelli; Paul and Maggie Platko; and Emma Cramer ; great-grandson, Mason Fanelli; and dear friends, Barb and Joe Wollyung.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 913 Mahantongo St., Pottsville, with Rev. David J. Loeper officiating. A viewing will be held on Thursday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Lord-Bixler Funeral Home, Inc., 1818 Mahantongo St., Pottsville and on Friday morning from 9:30 a.m. until the procession will leave for church.
Interment will follow in St. John #2 Cemetery, Pottsville.
The family request contributions in John's memory be sent to: St. John the Baptist Memorial Fund, 913 Mahantongo St., Pottsville, PA 17901 or Yorkville Hose Company, 20th and Norwegian Sts., Pottsville.
Lord-Bixler Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be expressed at lordbixler.com.
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Margaret H. Davidson, 86, of Pottsville passed away Tuesday morning at Orwigsburg Center.
Born in Mary D on July 20, 1932, she was the daughter of the late Andrew and Helen Yatsko.
She is survived by her son, Thomas Davidson "Smokey", Pottsville.
Private interment will be held in Schuylkill Memorial Park. Schlitzer Allen Pugh Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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Robert G. Fitzpatrick, 67, known to friends and family as Bobby or Growler, of Minersville, formerly of Branchdale died Monday February 25, 2019 surrounded by his loving family.
Born in Pottsville, July 3, 1951, He was a son of Mary R. (Ryan) Fitzpatrick of Branchdale and the late Thomas J. Fitzpatrick.
He was a graduate Minersville Area High School.
Robert Served in the US Army during the Vietnam War.
He worked in Security for LVHN-East Norwegian St., Pottsville.
He was a Lifetime member of Muddy Creek Sportsman Club, Branchdale.
In addition to his mother he is survived by a son Matthew Fitzpatrick and his wife Cher of Hamburg;
a daughter Mandy Fitzpatrick of Minersville; a brother Thomas J. Fitzpatrick and his wife Maureen of Branchdale; 3 sisters Maureen Fitzpatrick of Branchdale; Diane Ehlinger and her husband Bert of Minersville; Judith Culbert and her husband William of Pottsville; Step-Grandchildren Rose and
Alex Ward; Nieces and Nephews.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday at 8:00 PM from St. Mary Church of Branchdale, 70 State Road Branchdale, PA 17923 with. Rev. Christopher Zelonis officiating. Friends may call from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at the church. In lieu of flowers, The family asks that you honor Bobby by supporting older Pennsylvanians through his favorite pastime the purchasing of a PA Lottery ticket for yourself. Burial with military honors will be held at 10:00 AM Thursday at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville.
Bruce T. Hart Funeral Home, St. Clair, is in charge of
arrangements. Condolences can be sent to http://www.brucethartfuneralhome.com
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John J. "Babe" Heller, 84 , of Pottsville, passed away peacefully on Sunday surrounded by his family in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown.
Born in Palo Alto, on April 16, 1934, he was the son of the late John and Helen (Wassel) Heller.
He was a 1952 graduate of Pottsville High School; a 1953 graduate of Massanutten Military Academy, Woodstock, VA; and attended the University of Richmond.
John was a life member of St. John the Baptist Church, Pottsville.
He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Babe worked as a sales representative for Ligget & Myers Tobacco Co. for 10 years and then Capital Blue Cross for 19 years, retiring in 1994. In his retirement he worked at Lord Funeral Home, Inc. and then later at Lord-Bixler Funeral Home, Inc. as a funeral attendant. He enjoyed keeping busy playing golf, baseball, and softball.
John's memberships included: life membership of the St. Bernards Society and Yorkville Hose; 25 year member of the Pottsville Lion's Club and also a 25 year volunteer for the Lion's Ambulance as a night driver; member of the Catholic War Vets and the New Minersville Fire House. Through the years he served as a basketball, baseball, and football referee. Babe was inducted into the Pottsville High School Sports Hall of Fame for football.
He and his late wife, JoAnn, loved to dance and travel.
In addition to his parents, Babe was preceded in death by his wife, JoAnn F. (Foley) Heller, on December 24, 2012, to whom he was married 53 years; step-mothers: Alma (Smith) Heller and Mary (Cantwell) Heller; grandpop, Joseph Heller.
Babe is survived by three daughters, Karen Heller Wagner, wife of Robin, of Minersville; Janet Heller, wife of Terry Leininger Jr., of Exeter Township; Mary "Mimi", wife of Joe Modesto, of Pottsville; grandchildren: Dominique and Gina Fanelli; Paul and Maggie Platko; and Emma Cramer ; great-grandson, Mason Fanelli; and dear friends, Barb and Joe Wollyung.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 913 Mahantongo St., Pottsville, with Rev. David J. Loeper officiating. A viewing will be held on Thursday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Lord-Bixler Funeral Home, Inc., 1818 Mahantongo St., Pottsville and on Friday morning from 9:30 a.m. until the procession will leave for church.
Interment will follow in St. John #2 Cemetery, Pottsville.
The family request contributions in John's memory be sent to: St. John the Baptist Memorial Fund, 913 Mahantongo St., Pottsville, PA 17901 or Yorkville Hose Company, 20th and Norwegian Sts., Pottsville.
Lord-Bixler Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be expressed at lordbixler.com.
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Eleanor R. O’Brien, 94, of Minersville, died peacefully with family present on Monday at Tremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Born in Middle Creek, Blackwood, in Branch Township, she was a daughter of the late Gioele and Mary Donati Barbacovi. She attended Branch Township schools, and worked in the local garment industry. She was later employed at the former Degutis Pharmacy, Minersville.
She was a member of the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Minersville, and the parish Women’s Sodality.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Frank; six siblings, Eugene Barbacovi, Leo Barbacovi, Alice Farro, Pearl Kubich, Ida Casari and Helen Kerrick.
Eleanor is survived by three children, William Frank (spouse, Susan), Dover, Delaware, Elaine Mulqueen (companion, John Curran), Forestville, and Susan Minnichbach (spouse, John), Zerbe, Reilly Township; seven grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Dorothy Souchak, Branch Township, nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday at 11:00 A.M. in St. Michael the Archangel Church, 539 Sunbury Street, Minersville. Relatives and friends may call at the church from 9:0 A.M. until the time of Mass. Interment will be private in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery, Minersville. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, 542 Sunbury Street, Minersville, PA 17954.
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Roger Michael Donskow, 25, of Williamstown, passed away unexpectedly Monday, February 25th at his home from complications of diabetes.
He was born in Patterson, NJ on September 17, 1993.
He was a 2012 graduate of Williams Valley High School.
Roger was a devoted caretaker to his mother.
He enjoyed working on cars and being with family and friends.
Surviving are his mother and step-father Sonya Donskow Tifft and Eric Tifft, with whom he resided. He is also survived by serval aunts, uncles and cousins.
No services have been scheduled at this time. Dimon Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., has been entrusted with the arrangements. To sign the guest book visit www.dimonfuneralhome.com
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