Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Records, 1947-2010
Wilson, Raymond
May 7, 2000
Raymond "Hack" Wilson, 63, of Edwardsville, died Sunday at the home of his mother and brother.
Born April 7, 1937, in Edwardsville, he was a son of Ruth (Kresge) Wilson, Edwardsville, and the late Joseph Wilson.
He was a graduate of Edwardsville High School.
He was a regional manager with Kinder Manufacturing, Forty Fort.
He was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, Edwardsville, and the Irem Temple Shriners.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Sgt. James Wilson.
Surviving in addition to his mother are his daughters , Bonny Ray Hanlon, Kingston; Wendy Barberio, Dallas; and Kerry Beth Wilson, Harveys Lake; three grandchildren; brother, William, Edwardsville; sisters , Jean Silvetti, Edwardsville; Marilyn Angecola, Florida; and Carol Kline, Exeter; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Private funeral services will be at the convenience of the family, with the Rev. Loren Swartz officiating.
Interment will be in Denison Cemetery, Swoyersville.
There will be no calling hours.
Memorial donations may be made to Mercy Hospice, 25 Church St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18702.
WINIARCZYK, ANDREW
December 17, 1999
Lt. Col. Andrew W. Winiarczyk (USA-Ret.), 81, of East Grand Street, Nanticoke, passed away Friday at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Wilkes-Barre. Born in Warrior Run on July 2, 1918, he was the son of the late Andrew and Victoria Winiarczyk. He was a graduate of Nanticoke High School, class of 1938. He served in the Civilian Conservation Corps and attended Bucknell University Junior College (now Wilkes University) and the Washington University of St. Louis. He also attended and graduated from the Armor School at Fort Knox and several other military schools.
He began his 22-year military career by enlisting in the U.S. Army on March 3, 1941, and was assigned to the elite "Gold Guard" at Fort Knox, Ky. He was commissioned through the OCS program into the Armored Corps in 1942. During World War II, then Captain Winiarczyk, commanded Company "C" 25th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored (Liberators) Division, landing in Marseilles and fighting alongside the Free French Forces. He fought at Hatten-Rittershoffen, where his division stopped Hitler's last offensive of the war. He then commanded a tank company under Gen. George S. Patton Jr., crossing the Rhine River into Bavaria. He was part of the force that liberated over 200,000 allied prisoners at the camps at Hammelburg and Moosburg. Capt. Winiarczyk then was appointed military Governor of an area of Germany the size of Luzerne County.
Col. Winiarczyk's awards and decorations include the Gliderman's Badge; the Bronze Star Medal, with "V" device for valor in combat with two Oak Leaf Clusters; the Purple Heart; the Army Commendation Medal; the American Defense Service Medal; the American Campaign Medal; the EAME Medal with three Battle Stars for the Rhineland Ardennes-Alsace and Central European Campaigns; the Victory Medal; the Occupation Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal.
He served with the Judge Advocate General's Office with the Occupation Forces in Korea. Col. Winiarczyk was the professor of military science and tactics at Christian brothers College in St. Louis. He then commanded the 894th Tank Battalion at Fort Knox.
After his retirement, Col. Winiarczyk founded the 14th Armored Division Association, which represents 30,000 officers and men who served in the division. He was selected as their honorary president along with Gen. Albert C. Smith, who commanded the division during World War II.
Col. Winiarczyk delivered the memorial address at the dedication of the Division's Memorial at Fort Chaffee and has delivered the address at Lincoln's Tomb and also participated in a ceremonial signing of the Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall -- one of only three times this had been done in the past century. He also conceived and presented the Award of Honor to the Unknown Soldiers of World War II and placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
He was active in civic and cultural affairs and was a prominent member of Nanticoke's Bicentennial Committee and organized the largest parade in the city's history. He was commended by the National Bicentennial Commission. He founded the Nanticoke Cultural and Historic Committee.
Prior to his military career, he was employed as a carrier for the then Wilkes-Barre Record and worked for the Liberty Silk Mill. Following retirement from the Army, he was employed by the General Cigar Corp., the United Way Fund of Wyoming Valley, the Luzerne County Tourist Promotion Agency and was the public relations director for the city of Nanticoke.
Col. Winiarczyk was a member of St. Mary of Czestochowa Church, Nanticoke, and its Holy Name Society, the VFW Post 290, the Retired Officers Association and was the founder and first commander of the AMVETS Post 42.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, the former Stasia Pieszak, on March 15, 1998; and two brothers and a sister.
Surviving are his son, Andrew Jr., of Williamsport; nieces, Sandy Miklaszewicz and Lisa Toth.
military funeral services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday from the Stanley S. Stegura Funeral Home, 614 S. Hanover St., Nanticoke, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9 a.m. in St. Mary of Czestochowa Church, Nanticoke, with the Rev. John S. Krafchak, pastor of St. Mary of Czestochowa, officiating. Interment will be in the parish Cemetery, Nanticoke. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. this evening. Memorial donations, if desired, may be made to the World War II Memorial American Battle Monuments Commission, PO Box 96766, Washington , D.C., 20090-6766, in Col. Winiarczyk's memory.
Wisnewski, James
March 13, 2000
James J. Wisnewski, 56, of Dallas, died Monday at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.
Born Dec. 19, 1943, in Edwardsville, he was a son of the late Anthony and Helen (Bulholtz) Wisnewski. He was a graduate of the former Central Catholic High School, Kingston, and a 1966 graduate of University of South Florida. In 1968, he earned his masters of business degree from Xavier University. He was involved in the home building business for the past 25 years. He owned and operated Wyndtree Oaks, Dallas. He was a member of Gate of Heaven Church, Dallas, and was a president of the Home Builders Association.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Anthony, Jr.
Surviving are his wife of 28 years, the former Geraldine Belgio; daughters , Amy, Valhalla, N.Y.; Jane, Dallas; sisters , Antoinette Purcell, Flemington, N.J.; and Christine Shiber, Dallas; nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 9:30 a.m. Friday from the Harold C. Snowdon Funeral Home, 140 N. Main St., Shavertown, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at Gate of Heaven Church, with the Rev. John C. Lambert officiating. Interment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Carverton. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday.
WISNIEWSKI, JOHN
September 29, 1999
John S. Wisniewski, 86, of Boland Avenue in the Lee Park section of Hanover Township, died Wednesday at Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre after an illness.
Born in Wilkes-Barre, he was a son of the late Alexander and Josephine Stefanowski.
Before retirement, he was self-employed in the coal industry.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.
He was a member of St. Mary's-St. Stephen's Parish Community Church of Plymouth, and a 63-year member of Franklin Hose Co. No. 4 in Lee Park.
He was preceded in death by his sisters , Steffie Rokus and Nellie Wisniewski; and brother Theodere.
Surviving are his wife, the former Elizabeth Wilkes; daughter, Rita, at home; son, John, Alexandria, Va.; brother, Frank, Baltimore; and nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 8:30 a.m. Saturday from the Piszczek Funeral Home, 70 E. Main St., Plymouth, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9 a.m. in St. Mary's Church on Willow Street in Plymouth. Interment will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Hanover Township.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. Rosary services will be conducted Friday.
Julius Witczak
May 20, 1998
Julius Witczak, 84, of Neshanic Station, N.J., formerly of Wilkes-Barre, died Wednesday at the Centra State Hospital, Freehold, N.J.
Born in Wilkes-Barre, he resided in Kearney, N.J., for many years. He resided in Parlin, N.J., for seven years before moving to Neshanic Station in February.
He was a machinist for Englehardt Industries in East Newark, N.J., for 23 years.
Surviving are his wife, the former Lottie Partyka, Neshanic Station; sons , Jerome J., Jackson, N.J.; Anthony, Wellsville, N.Y.; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; sisters , Victoria Dalgarno, Mount Arlington, N.J.; Cecilia Yatko, Hanover, York county.
A funeral Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in St. Stephen's Church, Kearney, N.J.
Interment will be in Arlington Cemetery, Kearney, N.J.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Wilfred Armitage Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearney, N.J.
Witinski, Stephen
March 9, 2000
Stephen F. Witinski Jr., 28, of Railroad Street, Newport Township, died Thursday from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident.
Born in Nanticoke, he was the son of Stephen and Alma (Niedzwiecki) Witinski. He was a 1989 graduate of Crestwood High School. He worked for Ed's Electrical and was a member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 163.
Surviving, in addition to his parents, are his wife, the former Nicole Blaso; sisters , Sue Kosko, Wapwallopen; Amie Witinski, Lake Nuangola; and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 9:15 a.m. from the Earl W. Lohman Funeral Home, 14 W. Green St., Nanticoke, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Jude's Church, Mountaintop. Interment will be in convenience of the family. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Luzerne County, 524 E. Main St., Fox Hill Road, Wilkes-Barre, 18702.
