Zachary John Skwarlo Jr
February 10, 1919 – April 9, 2011
Zachary John Skwarlo Jr., 92, of Hanover Township, died Saturday, April 9, 2011, at Mountain Top Senior Care, where he had been a resident for the past two months.
Born in Warrior Run, on February 10, 1919, he was a son of the late Zachary and Anna Stoshak Skwarlo.
Zachary graduated from Warrior Run High School, class of 1937. He was a veteran of World War II, serving as a sergeant in the Army Air Corps with the 95th Bomb Group, stationed in England.
He graduated from Latter Day Saints Business College, Salt Lake City, Utah. He was also a graduate of Empire Beauty College in 1950, and attended classes at Wilkes College.
Zach resided in Askam, Hanover Township, for most of his life. He was employed by the Trane Co., Dunmore, until his retirement.
He was a member of the United Association of Journeymen, and Apprentices of Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, and was also a member of American Legion Post 176, Warrior Run.
Zach was a loving husband and devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Always willing to put his family first, Zachary helped to watch his grandchildren, taking them to and from school, and never missed a sporting event or performance.
He enjoyed playing golf in his younger years, and attended many professional golf tournaments to see his favorite pro golfers. He played on the championship basketball team, the Gallopers, and baseball teams while serving in the Army Air Corps. He enjoyed watching his favorite baseball teams, the Phillies and the Yankees.
Zach was a member of St. Francis Church, Nanticoke, now St. Faustina Parish, where he and his wife, Bernadyne, were married on July 14, 1945, by the Rev. Joseph Madden.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his infant brother, John; and sisters Irene and Helen Williams Koval.
Zach is survived by his loving wife, the former Bernadyne Jean Hodick; daughter, Karen Holodick, and fiancee Robert Brocki, Mountain Top; granddaughter, Jocelyn Holodick-Reed, and husband, Brian, Nanticoke; grandson, Jared Holodick, Hanover Township, his two precious great- granddaughters, Grace Ann and Kate Olivia Reed, Nanticoke; and his sister Arlene Geiger, New Jersey; as well as nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff of Mountain Top Senior Care for the excellent care he received during his stay.
Funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday from Kearney Funeral Home Inc., 173 E. Green St., Nanticoke, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. in St. Faustina Parish, 520 S. Hanover St., Nanticoke. Entombment will be at St. Mary's Cemetery, Hanover Township. Friends and family may call from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to American Heart Assoc. of NEPA, 71 N. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701.</
Copyright (c) 2011 The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA)