First Posted: 1/8/2014

HEIST

WEST WYOMING — Elizabeth Ann “Betty” Heist, 81, of West Wyoming, passed on Jan. 8, 2014, at her home. She had family in Dallas. Elizabeth selflessly donated her body to science to help find cures to diseases that trouble our society as a whole, and no memorial services will be held.

WEBER

NOXEN — Donald E. Weber, 66, of Noxen, passed away Dec. 19, 2013, at his home. He had family in Tunkhannock and Lake Township. A celebration of Donald’s life was held Jan. 5 at the Nulton-Kopcza Funeral Home, State Route 309, Beaumont, Monroe Township.

BURKEL

WEST PITTSTON — Theodore D. Burkel, 86, of West Pittston, passed away Jan. 1, 2014, in ManorCare-Kingston. He had family in Dallas. Funeral services were held Jan. 6 at the Howell-Lussi Funeral Home, 509 Wyoming Ave., West Pittston.

BURD

HARVEYS LAKE — Ray Edward Burd, 63, of Harveys Lake, passed away Jan. 1, 2014. A burial service took place Jan. 5 at the Dean K. Wetzler Funeral Home, 201 Spring St., Milesburg, Pa. A Mass was held in St. Therese’s Catholic Church, 64 Davis St., Shavertown.

BLISS

EAST LEMON — Roderick T. “RT” Bliss, 61, of East Lemon, went home with the Lord on Jan. 2, 2014, at his residence. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Debra Faux Bliss. He had family in Tunkhannock. Funeral services were held Jan. 5 at the Sheldon-Kukuchka Funeral Home Inc., 73 W. Tioga St., Tunkhannock.

WELSKO

BEAUMONT — Andrew J. Welsko, 95, of Beaumont, passed away Jan. 2, 2014, in the Golden Living Center, Wilkes-Barre. His wife of 56 years was the late Margie “Gee” Bartkiewicz Welsko. He had family in Dallas. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Jan. 7 at the Gate of Heaven Church, 40 Machell Ave., Dallas, with arrangements by the Simon S. Russin Funeral Home, Plains Township.

WATKINS

EDWARDSVILLE — Anna J. Watkins, 75, of Edwardsville, earned her angel wings on Jan. 2, 2014, at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. She had family in Shavertown. A prayer service was held Jan. 4 from the Andrew Strish Funeral Home, 11 Wilson St., Larksville.

BALAVAGE

VERNON — Anna Balavage, 82, of Vernon, passed into eternity with the Lord at Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, on Jan. 6, 2014. She had family in Tunkhannock. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Jan. 11 in the Church of the Nativity BVM in Tunkhannock.

PARKER

AVOCA — Gary L. Parker, 70, of Avoca, passed away Jan. 7, 2014, at the Commonwealth Hospice of NEPA, Scranton. He had family in Shavertown. Funeral services were held Jan. 11 at Kiesinger Funeral Services Inc., 255 McAlpine St., Duryea.

HUEY

SHAVERTOWN — Rennard “Huey” W. Huey, 69, of Shavertown, husband of Patricia Kelly Huey, passed away Jan. 9, 2014, at Manor Care Health Services, Kingston. Funeral services were held Jan. 13 from the Harold C. Snowdon Funeral Home Inc., 140 N. Main St., Shavertown.

WAJDA

WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Anna M. Wajda, 76, of Wilkes-Barre Township, passed away on Jan. 8, 2014, at the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Township. She had family in Shavertown. Funeral was held on Jan. 11 from the Nat & Gawlas Funeral Home, 89 Park Ave., Wilkes-Barre.

SHERRY

TUNKHANNOCK — Donald T. Sherry, of Tunkhannock, died Jan. 8, 2014, in Tyler Memorial Hospital in Tunkhannock. Funeral services were held Jan. 11 from the Sheldon-Kukuchka Funeral Home Inc., 73 W. Tioga St., Tunkhannock.

FINK

MOUNTAIN TOP — Ronald E. Fink Jr., 66, of Mountain Top, passed away at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville on Jan. 8, 2014. He had family in Shavertown. A funeral was held Jan. 13 from the Desiderio Funeral Home Inc., 436 S. Mountain Blvd., state Route 309.

JOSULEVICZ

WILKES-BARRE — Charles J. Josulevicz, 81, of Wilkes-Barre, passed away on Jan. 8, 2014, at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Plains Township. He had family in Shavertown. The funeral was held Jan. 11 from E. Blake Collins Funeral Home, 159 George Ave., Wilkes-Barre.

STRAIT

NOXEN — Dwayne “Sam” Strait, formerly of Noxen and Dallas, passed away Jan. 12, 2014, in St. Luke’s Villa, Wilkes-Barre. The funeral was held Jan. 15 from the Nulton-Kopcza Funeral Home, 5749 state Route 309 (Beaumont), Monroe Township.

CORCORAN

SHAVERTOWN — Patricia Corcoran, of Shavertown, passed away Jan. 10, 2014, at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. The funeral was held Jan. 16 from Lehman-Gregory Funeral Home Inc., 281 Chapel St. Swoyersville.

CHARLES

WEST WYOMING — Michaelene “Mikki” Charles, 55, of West Wyoming and formerly of Nanticoke and Hanover Township, passed away Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014, at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. She had family in Shavertown. Funeral service was held Jan. 16, 2014, from the Metcalfe-Shaver-Kopcza Funeral Home Inc., 504 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming.