Skook News Obituaries: June 21, 2023
Obituaries published from the Schuylkill County area.
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Born in Shenandoah, PA on December 18, 1944, Janet was a daughter of the late Francis and Patricia (Wayland) Guinan. A 1962 graduate of Mahanoy Area High School, she attended College Misericordia and was a member of the Foursquare Church, Frackville, PA. Janet was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. In caring for family and friends, she intrinsically knew how to ease and remedy any of life's unexpected situations. She instinctively provided comfort and applied a soothing hand to any household, health, or personal uneasiness. Entering Janny's home, you were immediately immersed in whatever season or holiday it happened to be; she loved decorating and had a talent for creating a welcoming, festive home for any and all. She was an avid cook and enjoyed gathering family for a meal and sing-along thereafter. Though she could rarely provide you with a precise recipe, you always knew you were sitting down to a delicious one-of-a-kind meal if it was a Janny creation. She was a lifelong lover of music and spent countless hours listening to, performing, or dancing to a good song. A natural musician, Janet had a beautiful voice and could add the right harmony to any song and so improve it. She leaves behind a legacy of many musicians in the family, many of whom have also been taught a smart dance step or two.
In addition to her husband, George, Janet is survived by son, Mark Cunningham and his wife, Samantha of Barnesville; daughters, Lisa Fedor and her husband Scott of Barnesville and Beth Schory of Wooster, OH; grandchildren, Hannah, Emily, Katherine, Eleanor, Abby, Daniel, Julia, Gwendolyn; sister, Nancy Guinan of Atlanta, GA; and brother-in-law, E. J. Lucyk of Barnesville.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Patricia Lucyk.
Services will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home, 500 East Broad Street, Tamaqua with Pastor Todd DeWire officiating. Interment in Sky View Memorial Park, Hometown will follow the services. Call 9-11 AM on Saturday at the funeral home.
Arrangements are being handled by the Zizelmann-Gulla Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., Tamaqua.
Ernest was born in Hegins on May 17, 1928, a son of the late Hannah (Kimmel) and Lawrence Artz.
He graduated from Pottsville High School in 1946. Following high school graduation, he was employed as a truck driver.
From 1950-1953 he served in the Air Force where he fought in the Korean War. In the war, he was a Gunner in the 17th Bomb Wing out of P’ohang, Korea and he was in control of all the weaponry in a Douglas B-26 Invader. After his time in the Air Force, he continued to be a life- long pilot.
Following an honorable discharge from the Air Force, Ernest drove for Interstate Transportation/System for 27 years and was recognized for driving over a million miles with no accidents.
Upon the closing of Interstate Transportation, Ernest was able to pursue his lifelong passion for aviation and earned his airplane mechanic and inspector's license. He then opened his own airplane inspection and repair business, A to Z Air Service, located at Farmers Pride Airport in Fredericksburg, PA. Ernest frequently shared his love of flying, and would gladly take people for rides in his plane. He was proud of the fact that he helped several young people learn to fly , and that they later went on to become pilots in the Air Force or airline pilots.
In 2004 at the age of 80, Ernest received the Federal Aviation Administration’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot award for his technical expertise and practicing safe flight operations continuously for 50 or more years during his aviation career. He was well respected in the aviation community for his mechanical skills, and aviation knowledge. Ernest was also a member of the Quiet Birdmen.
Ernest celebrated his 90th birthday by soloing his plane and continued to fly for several more years.
Ernest is survived by a daughter Connie Koch, wife of Terry; granddaughter Laura Rice, wife of Ken; grandson Warren Koch, husband of Ricki, two great-granddaughters Reagan Rice and Hannah Koch as well as his sister Linda Robinson, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his daughter Jacque Artz in 1971 and his brother Mahlon Artz in 2007.
The family would like to thank the staff at Luther Ridge and acknowledge the excellent care he received at Green Valley Skilled Nursing Facility. The family would also like to thank the Farmers Pride Airport pilots and their families for their life-long friendships with Ernest.
In leu of flowers, Ernest would have wanted donations be made to The Wounded Warrior Project or to St. Judes’s Children’s hospital.
Hamilton-Breiner Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc. Orwigsburg, has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Born Wednesday, September 28, 1966 in Allentown, Pennsylvania the son of the late Rose Marie Smith, and Arlington Christman. Richard was also predeceased by his sister, Joann Black
Surviving are; son, Ryan Smith; daughter, Kimberly Ann Nierer; brothers, Kenneth Smith, Michael Smith, George Smith, Joseph Smith; grandchildren, Kaiden, and Kailynn; companion and caregiver, Cindy Szacka.
Private arrangements entrusted to the E. Franklin Griffiths Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc. of 655 East Broad Street Tamaqua, Pennsylvania 18252. (570) 668-2550.
She was born on Friday, September 18, 1998, in Lebanon, a daughter of James M Witmer, Jr and Karen S (Dietz) Snyder.
Brandy was a 2017 graduate of Blue Mountain High School and received her associate degree from the University of Rio Grande of Ohio.
She was a welder for Steamfitters Union Local 420 of Philadelphia.
Brandy enjoyed riding dirt bike, camping, and spending time with her friends and family.
She is survived by her mother Karen Snyder and her companion Noel Snyder of Pottsville; father James Witmer, Jr and his companion Jessica Holley of Pine Grove; maternal grandparents, James and Patricia (Spotts) Dietz of Klingerstown; paternal grandfather, James Witmer, Sr of Pine Grove; paternal grandmother, Kathleen Svrcek of Pottsville; two sisters, Janelle Witmer of Colonia, NJ and Addison Witmer of Pine Grove; three brothers, Andrew Trate of Pine Grove, Julian Trate of Pine Grove, and James Witmer, III of Pine Grove.
Funeral services will be held at the Buffington-Reed Funeral Home, Inc, Valley View, on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at 12:00 pm, with Rev. Eugene Eckroth officiating.
Visitation will be held from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm on Saturday at the funeral home.
Buffington-Reed Funeral Home, Inc., Valley View, is in charge of arrangements.
Mary Prokop, R.N. aged 92 years of Llewellyn Road, Branch twp., passed away unexpectedly at Lehigh Valley East, Pottsville.
