LeRoy A. Steckel
LeRoy A. Steckel, 78, of Hellertown, formerly of Bethlehem, died Aug. 5, 2003 at his home.
He was the husband of the late Jane Joan (Trautman) Steckel.
Born in Easton, he was the son of the late Theophilus and Laura (Albert) Steckel, and foster son of the late Raymond and Edith Siegfried.
He was a steelworker in the beam yard of the former Bethlehem Steel Company for 35 years,
Mr. Steckel was an Army veteran.
He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church of Lower Saucon.
He is survived by one son, Ben Trautman of Northampton; one daughter, Brenda Steckel of Bethlehem; one brother, Charles of N.J.; one sister-in-law, June of N.Y.; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services were held Aug. 9.
Arrangements: The Falk Funeral Home, 1418 Main Street, Hellertown, PA 18055
Christopher A. ‘Chris’ Mahmod
Christopher A. “Chris” Mahmod, 39, Crawfordsville, Fla., a former resident of Lower Shaft, Shenandoah, died Saturday in Crawfordsville, Fla.
Born in Shenandoah, April 25, 1963, he was the son of Raymond K. and Ruth (Shistel) Mahmod, Lower Shaft, Shenandoah, and of the Protestant faith.
A 1980 graduate of Shenandoah Valley High School, he attended Schuylkill County Vocational Technical Institute and was a self-employed computer technician, based in Florida.
Preceding him in death were his maternal grandfather, Christian Shistel; paternal grandparents, Alex and Violet (Forner) Mahmod; and a brother, John Allen Mahmod.
Surviving, in addition to his parents, are his maternal grandmother, Alice Shistel, Lower Shaft, Shenandoah; a brother, Stephen Mahmod, also of Lower Shaft, Shenandoah; and his fiancee, Lorraine Schlauch, Florida. Aunts, uncles, one niece and cousins also survive.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service, to be held Saturday at 11:30 a.m., in the chapel at Odd Fellows cemetery, Shenandoah Heights. The Rev. David Seymour, William Penn United Methodist Church, Lower Shaft, Shenandoah, will officiate.
Interment will follow, at the completion of the service, in Odd Fellows cemetery, Shenandoah Heights.
The Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, 132 S. Jardin St., Shenandoah, is in charge of the arrangements.
(Dated Friday, October 04, 2002)
Rose Mariano
Rose Mariano, of 554 N. Vine St., Hazleton, died Wednesday at the Saint Luke Pavilion, Hazleton.
Born in Hazleton, she was the daughter of the late Dominic and Carmela (Garone) Defina.
She was a member of Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church and of the Ladies of Charity.
Preceding her in death, in addition to her parents, were brothers, Frank, Dominic, Charles and Anthony Defina.
Surviving are here husband of 62 years, Albert Mariano; a son, Robert Mariano, Boynton Beach, Fla.; a daughter, Mrs. Myron (Rosemary) Erdossy, Kingston, N.Y.; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a brother, Harry Defina, Santa Maria, Calif.; a sister, Mrs. Lawrence (Adeline) Joyce, Enola; nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be held Saturday at 9 a.m. from the Joseph A. Moran Funeral Home, 229 W. 12th St., Hazleton. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. in Our Lady of Grace R.C. Church, Hazleton.
Burial will be in Calvary cemetery, Drums.
Friends may call at the funeral home Friday from 7 to 9 p.m.
(Dated Friday, October 04, 2002)
Eugene J. Ballick
Eugene J. Ballick, 60, 7 N. Butler St., McAdoo, died Thursday morning at his home.
Born in McAdoo, he was the son of the late Michael and Helen (Dykoskie) Ballick, a member of St. Michael’s Byzantine Catholic Church, McAdoo; and an avid golfer.
Prior to retiring in 2001, he had been employed for 37 years by Dorr-Oliver Corp., Hazleton; was past secretary for the International Association of Machinists and had served as secretary for the credit union.
Mr. Ballick was past exhalted ruler of the Hazleton Elks Lodge.
The last surviving member of his immediate family, he was preceded in death, in addition to his parents, by his brother, Bernard Ballick.
Surviving are his wife, the former Anna Marie Kokinda, with whom he celebrated the couple’s 30th wedding anniversary July 22. Also surviving are nieces and nephews.
His funeral will be held Saturday at 9:30 a.m. from the Damiano Funeral Home, Blaine and Cleveland streets, McAdoo; followed by Divine Liturgy with Office of Christian Burial, to be celebrated at 10 a.m. in St. Michael’s B.C. Church. The Rev. George Bujnak will be the celebrant.
Burial will follow in the parish cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home today from 2 to 4 and 7 and 9 p.m. A Parastas service will be held at 7 p.m.
(Dated Friday, October 04, 2002)
Ardene H. Dudash
Ardene H. Dudash, 78, a registered nurse, and a resident of 313 S. Lehigh Ave., Frackville, died unexpectedly Wednesday evening at Broad Mountain Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Frackville, where she had been a patient the past five weeks.
Prior to retiring, she had been a private duty nurse, and had been on the staffs at (former) Warne Hospital, Pottsville; and Rest Haven Nursing Home, Schuylkill Haven.
Born in Brandonville, she was the daughter of the late Henry and Bessie (Mensinger) Herring, and a member of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, Frackville. She lived in Frackville the greater part of her life.
Mrs. Dudash was a 1942 graduate of (former) Frackville High School and a graduate of (former) Ashland School of Nursing.
Preceding her in death, in addition to her parents, were her first husband, William A. Brobst, 1963; her second husband, Fred Dudash, 1996; a son, Dennis Brobst, 1952; and a brother, Charles Herring.
Surviving are her son, William A. Brobst Jr., Aliquippa; a daughter, Susan Wylie, at home; a sister, Margaret Zimmerman, Frackville; a brother, John W. Herring, Ebervale; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Nieces and nephews also survive.
Her funeral will be held Monday at 10 a.m. from the Nice Funeral Home, 9-11 N. Lehigh Ave., Frackville. The Rev. W. Keith Bowie, her pastor, will officiate.
Interment will take place in Sky-View Memorial Park, Hometown.
Friends may call at the funeral home Sunday evening from 7 to 9 p.m.
Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 512 N. Centre St., Suite 1B, Pottsville, Pa. 17901, or the American Heart and Lung Association, 1020 Ash St., Kulpmont, Pa. 17834.
(Dated Friday, October 04, 2002)
Todd David Thomas
Todd David Thomas, 37, Sheppton, died Thursday afternoon at Heritage House, Wilkes-Barre.
Born in Follawsbee, W. Va., Dec. 17, 1964, he was the son of Florence (Moore) Thomas, and the late Fred Thomas.
He was a 1983 graduate of Brook High School, West Virginia; and a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Shenandoah Congregation.
He had been employed as a dairy manager at Goulds IGA, Conyngham.
Surviving, in addition to his mother, are his wife, Lisa (Roth) Thomas, Sheppton; daughters, Heather and Candice, both at home; and a brother, Robert C. Thomas, Wellsburg, W. Va. Nieces and nephews also survive.
A service will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at the Stauffer-Heizenroth Funeral Home, 412 W. Main St., Ringtown.
Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Monday from 10 to 11 a.m.
Interment will take place at the convenience of the family.
(Dated Friday, October 04, 2002)
Emmeline S. Gazan
Emmeline S. Gazan, 85, a retired educator, 11 Iron Circle, Reading, formerly a resident of Mahanoy City, died Wednesday evening at Reading Hospital and Medical Center.
A graduate of Reading High School, she received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Kutztown University, 1941, taught elementary school in Reading and Frackville and retired from the North Schuylkill School District. In addition, she served as camp director at Pine Forest Girls’ Camp, Hawley. She retired in 1990 and moved to Reading.
A resident of Mahanoy City for 25 years, she was born in Reading, the daughter of the late John and Esther (Weidner) Schilling, a member of Beth Israel Congregation, prior to relocating to the Pottsville area, and was a former member of Puritan Chapter 126 Order of Eastern Star, Mahanoy City.
Preceding her in death, in addition to her parents, were her husband, Bernard A. Gazan, 1990; and three sisters.
Surviving are her sons, Philip, Lansdale; and William, York; brothers, John Schilling, Reading; and Robert Schilling, Perkasie; sisters, Magdalena Rusnack, North Carolina; Beatrice Ramsay, New York; Gretna Schilling, Reading, with whom she resided; Esther Carpousis, Reading; and Dorcas Klima, Maryland; and four grandchildren. Nieces and nephews also survive.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend graveside services, to be held Sunday at 2 p.m., in Beth Israel cemetery, Hometown. Rabbi Jacob Malki, spiritual advisor for Agudas Israel Congregation, Hazleton, will officiate.
Contributions to the Reading Public Museum, 500 Museum Road, Reading, Pa. 19611, would be appreciated.
Condolences may be e-mailed at jarrettfuneralhome@hotmail.com.
Professional services have been entrusted to the David D. Jarrett Funeral Home, Second and Pine streets, Mahanoy City.
(Dated Friday, October 04, 2002)
Vincent E. Koncsler
Vincent E. Koncsler, 46, 409 W. Centre St., Shenandoah, died Monday evening at his home.
Born in Shenandoah, he was the son of Mary Koncsler, Shenandoah; and the late Robert Koncsler, and a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Frackville.
He had been employed by Office Max.
Surviving, in addition to his mother, are his wife, the former Sherry Price; sons, Keith, Matthew, Joshua and Vincent, and daughters, Tanya and Tiffany, all of Shenandoah; and sisters, Marian and Gail, both of Shenandoah; Tracy, Frackville; and Mary, New Philadelphia. Grandchildren, nieces and nephews also survive.
Services were held Thursday morning from the Oravitz Home for Funerals Inc., 40 N. Jardin St., Shenandoah.
Burial will take place at the convenience of the family.
(Dated Friday, October 04, 2002)
