Obituaries published from the Schuylkill County area.
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Bob enjoyed watching and attending sporting events with his family and friends. He was a huge fan of all Philly sports teams. On Sundays without football, you would catch him watching golf all day. His joys in life were getting to watch his son and daughter both pursue their dreams. He was a man who would do anything for anybody, and he knew everybody.
Survived By:
Son: Brandon M. Harris, Gordon
Daughter: Nicolette and her wife Jodie Harris, Bath
Sister: Christine wife of Jason Sutton, Frackville
Former Spouse: Julia Harris, Gordon
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life Service, Friday, December 17, 2021, at 3 PM in the Richard W. Fritz Funeral Home, 1323 Centre St., Ashland. Officiating will be Rev. Jeremy Smallwood, pastor of the Lavelle Church of the Nazarene. A visitation will begin in the funeral home at 1 PM until service. Graveside service will be held at the convenience of the family. Memorials may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 1123 Brick Hill Rd. Orwigsburg, PA 17961. Visit www.Fritzfunweralhome.com.
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Lori Anne Moritz, 61, of Coaldale, PA, died on Sunday, December 12, 2021 at home. She and her husband, Peter, were married 26 years.
Born in Manhattan, NY on January 11, 1960, Lori Anne was the daughter of the late George and Valerie (nee Miller) Cisneros. She grew up in Clark, New Jersey and was a graduate of Kane University located in New Jersey. Lori Anne was of the Christian faith.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by daughters, Peggy and Holly of Tamaqua, PA; grandchildren, Peter, Elijah, Evaliz, Essance, and Ezekiel; brother, George of New Jersey; and sister, Nancy of New Jersey.
Memorials in Lori Anne’s name may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123 or at https://www.cancer.org.
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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Eva “Effie” Benek, 96, of Lewes, DE and formerly of Lake Hauto, PA, died on Thursday, December 9, 2021, at Christiana Care Seasons Hospice, Wilmington, DE. She was the wife of the late Robert Benek to whom she was married 58 years at that the time of his death in 2005.
Born in Coaldale, PA on November 25, 1925, Eva was a daughter of the late Andrew and Anna (nee Dancho) Kidda. A 1943 graduate of Coaldale High School, Eva worked as a stenographer at the Pentagon. Returning to the area, she and her husband owned and operated Benek’s Market in Lansford, PA until 1966. After the closing of the market, Eva was employed in the office of the former J.E. Morgan Knitting Mill for 27 years. She was a member of St. John XXIII Catholic Church, Tamaqua, PA.
Effie always enjoyed the beauty of nature, gardening, and always had a special place in her heart for pets. She loved and appreciated her caring neighbors, spending time at the lake and ocean beaches.
She is survived by daughter, Anne Marie Raynic and her husband, Richard of Lewes, DE; granddaughters, Kristin Creel of Yorktown, VA and Karen Henkel of Laurel, MD; great grandchildren, Marissa, Joshua, Andrea, and Matthew; sisters, Julia Rubel of Indiana and Margaret Stafford of Kennett Square, PA; and brother Bernard Kidda of Coaldale. Eva was predeceased by brothers, Andrew Kidda, Michael Kidda, John Kidda, Joseph Kidda and sisters, Mary Stetz, Anna Fisher, Irene Momrock, Helen Smith, Elizabeth Sherbin.
Services will be held at 11 AM on Monday, December 20 at the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home, 500 East Broad Street, Tamaqua, PA with The Rev. Robert T. Finlan officiating.
Interment in Sky View Memorial Park, Hometown, PA . Private viewing will be 10-11 AM on Monday. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in her name may be made to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia through: give2.chop.edu
COVID-19 protocols will be followed. 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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Janice R. Mars, 77, of Stanhope Rd., Pine Grove, passed away on Friday, December 10, 2021 in the Tremont Health & Rehab Center.
Born on August 15, 1944 in Pottsville, she was a daughter of the late Paul Sr. and Naomi Bixler Swartzlander.
Janice had worked at Gold Mills as a Fabricator.
She loved spending time with her family and was an avid knick knack collector.
Preceding her in death were her husband of 44 years, Glen A. Mars, Sr.; three brothers, Lester, Larry, and Norman Swartzlander; and two sisters Patty Mindy and Gloria Ditzler.
Surviving are two sons, Glen A. Mars, Jr. and John and wife Kris Mars; two grandsons, Trent and Brett Mars, all of Pine Grove; a brother Paul Jr. and wife Mildred Swartzlander of Tremont; nieces and nephews.
All Services will be held at the convenience of the family with Pastor Norman Dixon officiating. Interment will follow in the Hetzel's Cemetery, Pine Grove.
The H. L. Snyder Funeral Home, Inc., Pine Grove is in charge of arrangements.
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Born in Saint Mary's County, Maryland, she was a daughter of the late John and Margaret King Wathen. She attended schools in Washington, and was a 1963 graduate of the former Washington D.C. Beauty Academy. She was later employed by Giant Food Stores in the delicatessen of the former Pottsville location.
She was preceded in death by a son, Michael Carroll, in 2016; two brothers, Walter Wayne Wathen and John Frank Wathen.
Mary is survived by her remaining son, Gerald D. Carroll, Minersville; two grandsons, Philip Michael Carroll and Zachary Alexander Carroll; three granddaughters, Nikole Carroll (companion, Shawn Cardinal), Brooke Carroll and Kamryn Carroll; three great grandchildren, Annabella, Jaxson and Makenna Cardinal. She is also survived by four siblings, George Wathen (spouse, Betty), Virginia, Ellen Wathen, Maryland, Joyce Wathen, Delaware, and Ann DiFillipo, Maryland; nieces and nephews.
The family will accept visitors at Dutcavich Funeral Home 200 Sunbury Street Minersville, on Thursday, December 16, from 2:00 P.M. with services at 4:00 P.M. Contributions will be accepted to be used in accordance with the wishes of the family. Interment will be private in Mount Peace Cemetery, Branch Township.
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Born in Shenandoah on January 28, 1935, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Margaret (McGill) McHale.
She was a 1952 graduate of the former J.W. Cooper High School, Shenandoah.
Earlier in life, she was employed as a bookkeeper at the former Siswein’s Furniture Store, Shenandoah. She retired from the Schuylkill County Register of Wills at the Schuylkill County Court House, Pottsville.
Margie was a member of Divine Mercy Parish, Shenandoah and the former Annunciation BVM Church.
Preceding her in death in addition to her parents were her husband, Albert J. “Al” Robel in 2008; her sister, Helen McHale; and her niece, Sharon Madison.
Surviving are her sister, Ann Tull and her husband Charles of Atlanta, Georgia; two nephews, Robert Loucks and his wife Eliza of Brazil and Bryan Loucks and his wife Kristy of Atlanta, Georgia; great-nephew, Tyler Madison of Atlanta, Georgia; step-daughter, Patricia “Pat” Kershitsky and her husband Jack of Frackville; two step-grandsons, John Kershitsky, Jr. and his fiancé Lorena Rakowsky of Camp Hill and Christopher Koles of Jeffersonville. She was cared for tirelessly by her friends and neighbors, Lisa and Jack Rooney and Alex Victor Curran who are all greatly appreciated by the family.
Expressions of sympathy can be made to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.
Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, 132 South Jardin Street, Shenandoah is in charge of the arrangements.
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Born in Portland, TN, December 14, 1939, a daughter of the late John and Edith Cowan Hall.
Wilma and her late husband Dean were the retired owners of the former Uhler's Flower Shop, Tower City.
She enjoyed spending time with family, doing puzzles and playing cards with her friends at the Tower View Apartments.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Dean Uhler, 1986 and an infant son, William.
Surviving are her three daughters; Melody Reifsnyder, Arizona, Brenda Talhelm and her husband Jon, Allentown and Carol Lenker and her husband Mike, Williamstown. Her nine grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren who were the loves of her life. Wilma is also survived by Kim Tran, Tower City, whom she and Dean considered a son.
Wilma will be laid to rest privately in the St. Peter's Cemetery, Orwin. Memorial donations in her name can be made to the Tower City EMS, P.O. Box 33, Tower City, PA 17980.
The Dimon Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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Harry E. Artz, 90, of Girardville, passed away Sunday, December 12, 2021, at the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Norwegian St., Pottsville. Visit www.Fritzfuneralhome.com. The Richard W. Fritz Funeral Home, Ashland, will announce funeral arrangements.
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Bernard was born in Coaldale, PA on April 11, 1971, a son of Evelyn (Romig) Willing and the late James Hannon.
Services are private at the convenience of the family.
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