Obituaries

Jun 8, 2019

Charles A. "Chucky" Welna, 32, of Shenandoah, passed away Saturday evening at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.

Born in Shenandoah, June 19, 1986, he was a son of Charles J. Welna, of Shenandoah, with whom he resided, and Valerie Besparis Reinmiller and her husband, David, of Shenandoah.

He was a 2004 graduate of Shenandoah Valley High...

Jun 2, 2019

Ruth E. (Thomas) Heffner, 70, of Mahanoy Elderly Apartments, Mahanoy City, formerly of Shenandoah, passed away unexpectedly Sunday at the home of her son, John, in Turkey Run, Shenandoah.

Born in Shenandoah, December 25, 1948, she was a daughter of the late Earl and Emily (Henninger) Thomas.

Prior to her retirement, she was employed as...

Jun 1, 2019

Joan D. (Seroka) Brutto, 85, of Shenandoah, passed away Saturday evening at Ridgeview Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, Shenandoah Heights.

Born in Shenandoah, September 15, 1933, she was a daughter of late Leo and Evelyn (Dunlap) Seroka.

Joan was a 1951 graduate of J.W. Cooper High School, Shenandoah.

Prior to her retirement, she was...

Jun 1, 2019

George E. "Pork Chop" Rittle, 85, of South West Street, Shenandoah, passed away peacefully with his daughter, Maria, at his side Saturday morning at Shenandoah Manor Nursing Center. He was a beloved husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather. Born in Shenandoah, March 25, 1934, he was a son of the late George and Elsie (Kowalchick) Rittle. He was a 1952...

May 30, 2019

Anna A. (Gergal) Staskel, 93, of Charlotte, N.C., a former resident of Shenandoah, passed away Thursday morning, May 30, 2019 at Levine & Dickson Hospice House, Hunterville, N.C.

Born in William Penn, Shenandoah, September 12, 1925, she was a daughter of the late Andrew and Mary (Demanchick) Gergal.

Anna was a graduate of the former...

May 29, 2019

R. Diane (Orlowsky) Butcher, RN, 74, of South Ferguson Street, Shenandoah, passed away Wednesday evening, May 29, 2019, at Ridgeview Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, Shenandoah Heights, after a courageous battle with breast cancer.

Born in Shenandoah, July 9, 1944, she was a daughter of the late Leo Peter and Rose (Lawnick) Orlowsky.

Diane was a...

May 25, 2019

Geraldine A. "Gerry" Sincavage, 63, of Shenandoah Village Apartments, Coal Street, Shenandoah, passed away unexpectedly Saturday evening at her residence.

Born in Shenandoah, June 27, 1955, she was a daughter of the late Albert Mulkusky and Elizabeth "Betty" (McGauley) Lewandowski.

She was a member of Divine Mercy Parish, Shenandoah, formerly St. Stephen's Church. Gerry enjoyed...

May 15, 2019

Dorothy F. Adamitis, RN, 96, of Mahanoy City, residing at Genesis Healthcare Schuylkill Center, Pottsville, passed away peacefully on Wednesday with her family by her side.

Born in Saint Clair on February 20, 1923, she was a daughter of the late Charles and Frances (Melevage) Adamitis.

She was a graduate of Saint Clair High School...

May 15, 2019

Thomas Schreppel, 82, of Barnesville, formerly of Shenandoah, died Wednesday, May 15, 2019, after a very short battle with cancer at St. Luke's Hospital-Miners Campus, Coaldale.

He was a son of the late Earl and Catherine (Lacey) Schreppel, of Raven Run.

He was the youngest and last of the Schreppel siblings, Joan, Ray, William and...

May 3, 2019

Michael E. "Micky" Cecchini Jr., 74, of Shenandoah, passed away on Friday evening at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill E. Norwegian Street.

Funeral services will be private.

Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, Shenandoah, is in charge of the arrangements.

Apr 30, 2019

Albert "Buddy" Besparis III, 60, of Shenandoah, passed away on Tuesday afternoon at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.

Born in Yatesville on April 21, 1959, he was a son of the late Albert Besparis Jr. and Lois (Wychulis) Besparis.

He was educated in the Mahanoy Area schools.

Buddy was a self-employed painter and carpenter....

Apr 25, 2019

Marie J. (Hoystrich) Kudlesky, 94, of Shenandoah, passed away Thursday at Winchester Medical Center, Winchester, Virginia.

Born in Sheppton on December 8, 1924, she was a daughter of the late Joseph and Anna (Kakaley) Hoystrich.

Prior to her retirement, she was employed in the dietary department at the former Rest Haven nursing home, Schuylkill Haven....

Apr 22, 2019

Jane A. "Janie" (Loughlin) Rupert, 66, of Shenandoah, passed away early Monday morning at Shenandoah Manor Nursing Center.

Born in Shenandoah, January 19, 1953, she was a daughter of the late John P. "Jack" and Pauline (Wandzilak) Loughlin.

Janie was a graduate of Shenandoah Valley High School and the Empire Beauty School, Pottsville.

...

Apr 18, 2019

Richard "Dick" Wassel, aka "Red," passed away April 18, 2019, at his home in Clermont, Florida, surrounded by his wife, Maggie, and brother-in-law, Mike, and sister-in-law, Kay.

Dick was born in Shenandoah, March 16, 1936, and was a son of the late Wanda Wassel.

He attended Annunciation Elementary School and then graduated from Shenandoah Catholic...

Apr 13, 2019

Joseph W. "Butch" Burke, 63, of Shenandoah, passed away Saturday at his residence.

Born in Shenandoah, July 24, 1955, he was a son of Elizabeth "Betty" Brennan Burke, of Shenandoah, and the late Victor L. Burke.

He was a graduate of Shenandoah Valley High School.

Joseph was a peacetime Army veteran.

...

Apr 10, 2019

Darrell Startzel, Jr., 30 of Barnesville passed away on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at St. Lukes Hospital, Miners Campus, Coaldale.

Born in Lehighton on October 9, 1988 he was the son of Ann (Miller) Startzel of Greeneville, Tennessee formerly of Barnesville and the late Darrell Startzel, Sr.

He was a graduate of Mahanoy Area High...

Apr 9, 2019

Daniel J. "Danny" Shelitsky, 74, of Frackville, passed away suddenly on Tuesday evening at his residence.

Born in Shenandoah on June 25, 1944, he was a son of the late John and Stella (Kacelowicz) Shelitsky.

He was a 1962 graduate of the former Shenandoah Catholic High School. He also graduated from Steven's Trade School, Lancaster,...

Apr 9, 2019

Evelyn Isabel (Viganouski) Sluzis, 93, of Mahanoy City, passed away peacefully on Tuesday afternoon at the Shenandoah Senior Living Community.

Born in Locust Valley on December 8, 1925, she was a daughter of the late Peter and Anna (Romanouskas) Viganouski.

She attended the former Mahanoy Township High School. She then worked at the former City...

Apr 4, 2019

Mary Beth (Hysock) Barlow, 59, of Shenandoah, passed away Thursday at her residence.

Born in Ashland, December 13, 1959, she was a daughter of the late John and Martha (Mehalick) Hysock.

She was a graduate of Shenandoah Valley High School.

Mary Beth loved the outdoors, especially picking mushrooms and berries. Her family enjoyed...

Mar 29, 2019

Gerald A. "Jerry" Flynn, 83, of Shenandoah, passed away Friday evening after a lengthy illness.

Born in Shenandoah, June 26, 1935, he was a son of the late James and Marie (Scanlan) Flynn.

He was a 1953 graduate of the former Shenandoah Catholic High School, the McCann School of Business and LaSalle College, Philadelphia.