Obituaries
Obituaries for Lawrence A. Gabriel Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc.and Hudak-O'Shea & Gabriel Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc.
Rocco Louis DePietro
Mar 20, 2017
Rocco L. DePietro, 81, Olyphant, died on Monday morning at Regional Hospital of Scranton. His wife of 57 years is the former Rose Mary Polito. Born in Carbondale, he was the son of the late Nicholas and Antoinette Morano DePietro. He was a graduate of Olyphant High School, Class of 1953 and attended Penn State College. Rocco was very proud...
Stanley Walter Kennedy
Jan 16, 2017
Stanley W. Kennedy, Archbald, died on Monday evening at Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton. His wife is the former Elizabeth Byron Reeves. Born in Olyphant on Oct. 6, 1936, he was the son of the late Stanley and Catherine O’Malley Kennedy. He was a graduate of St. Patrick’s High School in Olyphant and a 1958 graduate of the University of...
Frank J. Van Nort
Nov 22, 2016
Frank J. Van Nort, 85, of Olyphant, died Tuesday at home. His wife is the former Jeanne Shanley. The couple had been married for 61 years. Born in Carbondale, son of the late Frances Flederbach and Frank Van Nort, he was a graduate of Archbald High School and was a member of Holy Cross Parish, Olyphant. A machine operator and...
Kathryn "Kashie" McDevitt
Nov 12, 2016
Kathryn “Kashie” McDevitt, 89, a lifelong resident of Olyphant, died Saturday morning at St. Mary’s Villa, Elmhurst. Her husband, John J. “Jack” McDevitt died in 2009. They were married for 59 years. Born in Olyphant, she was the daughter of the late Paul and Julia Klachaney. A graduate of Olyphant High School Class of 1944 and The Scranton State General...
Patrick J. O'Shea
Oct 28, 2016
Patrick J. O'Shea, 80, of Mt. Cobb, PA and Vero Beach, FL died on Friday, October 28th at the home of his sister in Vero Beach, FL surrounded by his family. He was the loving husband of the late Winifred "Wini" M. Canny O'Shea for 52 years who died in 2009. They were married on June 29, 1957. Born in...
John George Glinsky
Oct 26, 2016
John George Glinsky, 80, of Mount Cobb, died Wednesday at the Jewish Home of Eastern Pa., Scranton. His wife is the former Helen M. Spillar. They would have celebrated their 60th anniversary on Dec. 1. Born in Throop, son of the late Pauline Solywoda and John Glinsky Jr., he was a graduate of Throop High School and Johnson School and...
Donna Marie Novak
Oct 25, 2016
Donna Marie Novak, 63, of Dickson City died on Tuesday at home. Her parents were the late Harry & Elizabeth “Betty” Cucura Taylor. Born in Olyphant, she resided in Dickson City most of her life. She was a 1971 graduate of Mid Valley High School and was most recently employed at St. Joseph’s Center as a caregiver and prior to...
Violet M. Spillar
Sep 23, 2016
Violet M. Spillar, 88, a lifelong resident of Olyphant, died on Friday night at Mountain View Care Center, Scranton. Her parents were the late Paul and Mary Grudzlovitch Spillar. Born in Olyphant, she was a lifelong member of Holy Cross Parish at St. Patrick’s Church, formerly Holy Ghost Church and was a graduate of Holy Ghost School and Olyphant High...
John S. "Butch" Syryla
Aug 23, 2016
John “Butch” Syryla, 80, of Olyphant, died on Tuesday night, surrounded by his family, at Hospice of the Sacred Heart, Dunmore after a long illness. He and his wife, the former Ann M. Ksiazek celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary June 14th. Born in Blakely, he resided in Olyphant most of his life. The son of the late Stanley and Helen...
Audrey Durkin
Jul 19, 2016
Audrey Durkin, 91, of Olyphant, died on Tuesday night at Moses Taylor Hospital, Commonwealth Health, Scranton. Her first husband, Robert Lance, and her husband of 29 years, Joseph Durkin, who died in 1989, preceded her in death. Born in Olyphant, she was a lifelong resident, and was the daughter of the late Leo and Mary C. Collins Tully. A very...
Anthony "Lil" Naro
Jul 7, 2016
Anthony “Lil” Naro, 85, of Olyphant, died on Thursday evening at Gino Merli Veterans Center, Scranton. His wife, Dolores, died on March 15, 1993. Born in Dunmore, he resided in Olyphant, for the last 50 years. He was the son of the late Louis and Grace Giannoni Naro, and was a graduate of Dunmore High School, class of 1948. Before...
Gene "Geno" Comonie
Jun 25, 2016
Gene “Geno” Comonie, 59, of Olyphant and Browndale, died on Saturday morning. His wife was the late Maria L. Bruno Comonie, who died in 2009. They were married for 24 years. Born in Peckville, he resided in Olyphant for most of his life and was the son of the late Leonard and Eleanor Plocha Comonie, Sr. He attended Mid Valley...
John Pisanchyn
Jun 19, 2016
John Pisanchyn, 89, of Olyphant, died Sunday.Born in Olyphant in 1927, he was the son of the late Dmytro and Sofia Pisanchyn. A graduate of Olyphant High School, class of 1944, and of the University of Scranton, class of 1952, he earned a Bachelor of Science, Magna Cum Laude. He was retired from the Allied Chemical Corp., where he was...
Ida "Tiny" Ilacqua
Jun 10, 2016
Ida “Tiny” Ricciardi Ilacqua, 94, of Olyphant, died peacefully on Friday at Green Ridge Health Care Center, Scranton, surrounded by her family. Her husband was the late Norman Ilacqua. Born in Scranton, she resided in Syracuse, N.Y., before moving back to the Mid Valley. She was the daughter of the late Salvatore and Margaret Ricciardi. She graduated from Olyphant High...
Michael Anthony Gulbin
May 25, 2016
Michael A. Gulbin, 65, of Olyphant, died unexpectedly on Wednesday at Geisinger-Community Medical Center, Scranton. His wife is the former Mary Grace Schofield. They would have celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary on July 24th. Born in Scranton, he resided in Olyphant for over 30 years. He was the son of the late John F. and Genevieve J. Gulbin and...
Irene "Lil" Straka
May 6, 2016
Irene “Lil” Straka, 86, of Olyphant, died Friday evening at Lackawanna Health and Rehab. Her husband, Michael J., died in 1984. Born in Peckville, daughter of the late Andrew and Agnes March Bieszczad, she resided in Olyphant all of her life and was a graduate of Olyphant High School. She worked in the local garment industry as a seamstress and...
Aria Grace LaChance
May 5, 2016
Aria Grace LaChance, infant daughter of Danielle A. Araneo and Brian LaChance, Olyphant, died Thursday at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Allentown. She was born on April 23. She is also survived by her maternal grandfather, Donald Araneo; maternal grandmother and stepgrandfather, Farrin and Michael Barbato; paternal grandparents, Pat and Kathi LaChance; aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death...
Joann Jessica Syryla
May 1, 2016
Joann J. Syryla (Guida), 49, of Olyphant, died on Sunday. Her parents are John S. and Ann M. Ksiazek Syryla. Born in Peckville, she resided in Olyphant most of her life. She was a 1984 graduate of Mid Valley High School. A beautiful woman inside and out, Joann was a great mother, a loving daughter, sister, aunt and niece. She...
Don Hancock
Apr 4, 2016
Don Hancock, 64, of Olyphant died Monday at Geisinger-CMC, Scranton due to an illness. His wife is the former Teri Lukasik. They were married for 38 this past March. Born in Carbondale, he was the son of Ervin and Leona Hughes Hancock. He was a graduate of Mt. View High School, Kingsley and was employed by Lackawanna River Basin Sewer...
Kay Toth
Apr 3, 2016
Kay Toth, 83, a lifelong resident of Olyphant died Sunday at home after battling cancer for 2 years. Her husband of 59 years is Anthony Toth. Born in Olyphant, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Drop Glinsky and was a graduate of Holy Ghost Grade School and St. Patrick’s High School, Olyphant. She retired in 1995 from...
Rocco Louis DePietro
Mar 20, 2017
Rocco L. DePietro, 81, Olyphant, died on Monday morning at Regional Hospital of Scranton. His wife of 57 years is the former Rose Mary Polito. Born in Carbondale, he was the son of the late Nicholas and Antoinette Morano DePietro. He was a graduate of Olyphant High School, Class of 1953 and attended Penn State College. Rocco was very proud...
Stanley Walter Kennedy
Jan 16, 2017
Stanley W. Kennedy, Archbald, died on Monday evening at Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton. His wife is the former Elizabeth Byron Reeves. Born in Olyphant on Oct. 6, 1936, he was the son of the late Stanley and Catherine O’Malley Kennedy. He was a graduate of St. Patrick’s High School in Olyphant and a 1958 graduate of the University of...
Frank J. Van Nort
Nov 22, 2016
Frank J. Van Nort, 85, of Olyphant, died Tuesday at home. His wife is the former Jeanne Shanley. The couple had been married for 61 years. Born in Carbondale, son of the late Frances Flederbach and Frank Van Nort, he was a graduate of Archbald High School and was a member of Holy Cross Parish, Olyphant. A machine operator and...
Kathryn "Kashie" McDevitt
Nov 12, 2016
Kathryn “Kashie” McDevitt, 89, a lifelong resident of Olyphant, died Saturday morning at St. Mary’s Villa, Elmhurst. Her husband, John J. “Jack” McDevitt died in 2009. They were married for 59 years. Born in Olyphant, she was the daughter of the late Paul and Julia Klachaney. A graduate of Olyphant High School Class of 1944 and The Scranton State General...
Patrick J. O'Shea
Oct 28, 2016
Patrick J. O'Shea, 80, of Mt. Cobb, PA and Vero Beach, FL died on Friday, October 28th at the home of his sister in Vero Beach, FL surrounded by his family. He was the loving husband of the late Winifred "Wini" M. Canny O'Shea for 52 years who died in 2009. They were married on June 29, 1957. Born in...
John George Glinsky
Oct 26, 2016
John George Glinsky, 80, of Mount Cobb, died Wednesday at the Jewish Home of Eastern Pa., Scranton. His wife is the former Helen M. Spillar. They would have celebrated their 60th anniversary on Dec. 1. Born in Throop, son of the late Pauline Solywoda and John Glinsky Jr., he was a graduate of Throop High School and Johnson School and...
Donna Marie Novak
Oct 25, 2016
Donna Marie Novak, 63, of Dickson City died on Tuesday at home. Her parents were the late Harry & Elizabeth “Betty” Cucura Taylor. Born in Olyphant, she resided in Dickson City most of her life. She was a 1971 graduate of Mid Valley High School and was most recently employed at St. Joseph’s Center as a caregiver and prior to...
Violet M. Spillar
Sep 23, 2016
Violet M. Spillar, 88, a lifelong resident of Olyphant, died on Friday night at Mountain View Care Center, Scranton. Her parents were the late Paul and Mary Grudzlovitch Spillar. Born in Olyphant, she was a lifelong member of Holy Cross Parish at St. Patrick’s Church, formerly Holy Ghost Church and was a graduate of Holy Ghost School and Olyphant High...
John S. "Butch" Syryla
Aug 23, 2016
John “Butch” Syryla, 80, of Olyphant, died on Tuesday night, surrounded by his family, at Hospice of the Sacred Heart, Dunmore after a long illness. He and his wife, the former Ann M. Ksiazek celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary June 14th. Born in Blakely, he resided in Olyphant most of his life. The son of the late Stanley and Helen...
Audrey Durkin
Jul 19, 2016
Audrey Durkin, 91, of Olyphant, died on Tuesday night at Moses Taylor Hospital, Commonwealth Health, Scranton. Her first husband, Robert Lance, and her husband of 29 years, Joseph Durkin, who died in 1989, preceded her in death. Born in Olyphant, she was a lifelong resident, and was the daughter of the late Leo and Mary C. Collins Tully. A very...
Anthony "Lil" Naro
Jul 7, 2016
Anthony “Lil” Naro, 85, of Olyphant, died on Thursday evening at Gino Merli Veterans Center, Scranton. His wife, Dolores, died on March 15, 1993. Born in Dunmore, he resided in Olyphant, for the last 50 years. He was the son of the late Louis and Grace Giannoni Naro, and was a graduate of Dunmore High School, class of 1948. Before...
Gene "Geno" Comonie
Jun 25, 2016
Gene “Geno” Comonie, 59, of Olyphant and Browndale, died on Saturday morning. His wife was the late Maria L. Bruno Comonie, who died in 2009. They were married for 24 years. Born in Peckville, he resided in Olyphant for most of his life and was the son of the late Leonard and Eleanor Plocha Comonie, Sr. He attended Mid Valley...
John Pisanchyn
Jun 19, 2016
John Pisanchyn, 89, of Olyphant, died Sunday.Born in Olyphant in 1927, he was the son of the late Dmytro and Sofia Pisanchyn. A graduate of Olyphant High School, class of 1944, and of the University of Scranton, class of 1952, he earned a Bachelor of Science, Magna Cum Laude. He was retired from the Allied Chemical Corp., where he was...
Ida "Tiny" Ilacqua
Jun 10, 2016
Ida “Tiny” Ricciardi Ilacqua, 94, of Olyphant, died peacefully on Friday at Green Ridge Health Care Center, Scranton, surrounded by her family. Her husband was the late Norman Ilacqua. Born in Scranton, she resided in Syracuse, N.Y., before moving back to the Mid Valley. She was the daughter of the late Salvatore and Margaret Ricciardi. She graduated from Olyphant High...
Michael Anthony Gulbin
May 25, 2016
Michael A. Gulbin, 65, of Olyphant, died unexpectedly on Wednesday at Geisinger-Community Medical Center, Scranton. His wife is the former Mary Grace Schofield. They would have celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary on July 24th. Born in Scranton, he resided in Olyphant for over 30 years. He was the son of the late John F. and Genevieve J. Gulbin and...
Irene "Lil" Straka
May 6, 2016
Irene “Lil” Straka, 86, of Olyphant, died Friday evening at Lackawanna Health and Rehab. Her husband, Michael J., died in 1984. Born in Peckville, daughter of the late Andrew and Agnes March Bieszczad, she resided in Olyphant all of her life and was a graduate of Olyphant High School. She worked in the local garment industry as a seamstress and...
Aria Grace LaChance
May 5, 2016
Aria Grace LaChance, infant daughter of Danielle A. Araneo and Brian LaChance, Olyphant, died Thursday at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Allentown. She was born on April 23. She is also survived by her maternal grandfather, Donald Araneo; maternal grandmother and stepgrandfather, Farrin and Michael Barbato; paternal grandparents, Pat and Kathi LaChance; aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death...
Joann Jessica Syryla
May 1, 2016
Joann J. Syryla (Guida), 49, of Olyphant, died on Sunday. Her parents are John S. and Ann M. Ksiazek Syryla. Born in Peckville, she resided in Olyphant most of her life. She was a 1984 graduate of Mid Valley High School. A beautiful woman inside and out, Joann was a great mother, a loving daughter, sister, aunt and niece. She...
Don Hancock
Apr 4, 2016
Don Hancock, 64, of Olyphant died Monday at Geisinger-CMC, Scranton due to an illness. His wife is the former Teri Lukasik. They were married for 38 this past March. Born in Carbondale, he was the son of Ervin and Leona Hughes Hancock. He was a graduate of Mt. View High School, Kingsley and was employed by Lackawanna River Basin Sewer...
Kay Toth
Apr 3, 2016
Kay Toth, 83, a lifelong resident of Olyphant died Sunday at home after battling cancer for 2 years. Her husband of 59 years is Anthony Toth. Born in Olyphant, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Drop Glinsky and was a graduate of Holy Ghost Grade School and St. Patrick’s High School, Olyphant. She retired in 1995 from...
