Recent  Obituaries

Daniel T. Hooper, 67, of Shavertown passed away Monday, March 24^th, 2025 at his home after a short, but courageous battle with kidney cancer. He fought valiantly to the very end, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Kingston, he was the son of the late Pierce and Natalie (Leonard) Hooper, who always loved her “Danny Boy”.

Dan was a member of the Wyoming Valley West Class of 1975. He served proudly for 20 years in the Army Reserves, serving two tours in Iraq, Persian Gulf and Desert Storm. He spent the last 35 years working as a Biomedical Engineer for Geisinger ISS Solutions, with a specialty in Radiology.

Dan enjoyed volunteering his time to youth sports. His dedication to his children was proven through the endless hours he spent coaching their sports teams as an assistant coach for Kingston Softball and as a head coach for the Kingston Huskies, where he proudly won many “HooperBowls” with his players.

Dan was such a hardworking man, creating a life in which he could give endlessly and provide selflessly to his loving family. He was such a dedicated and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. He was always the life of the party, who did his best to always make everyone smile, laugh and have a good time. He was tough as nails with a heart of gold and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for the people he loved. Dan lived his life to the fullest and always on his own terms, reminding us the importance of the time we have. He has left us with so much love, laughter and unforgettable memories that he will always be remembered, missed, and thought of fondly.

Surviving is his wife of 42 years, the former Marsha Huntsinger whom he loved beyond measure and together built a life filled with love, laughter and happy memories, doing everything for their children. Left to carry on his legacy are his children, his daughter Desiree Munzing and her husband Michael, and his son Daniel M. Hooper. Dan is also survived by the loves of his life, his granddaughters, Harper and Scarlett Munzing. He will be sadly missed by his loving brothers, Pierce Hooper and his wife Judy, and Ron Hooper and his companion Robyn and his nieces Nikki, Kristianne, and Kaiti. 

In Dan’s honor and memory, raise a glass with friends and loved ones, share a funny story and keep his beautiful spirit alive.

Dan’s family would like to thank Dr. Mauer Biscotti and the staff at Penn Medicine, his Hospice Nurse Joyce at Compassus, and Dina at Homebound Health Services.

Friends may call Saturday, March 29^th from 2pm to 4pm at Harold C. Snowdon Funeral Home, Inc., 140 N. Main St., Shavertown. A Prayer service will be held toward the beginning of the calling hours.



Memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

Helen Patricia Dukas, 104, of Kingston, passed away on Sunday, 23 March 2025, at Allied Services Hospice, Meade Street, Wilkes-Barre surrounded by Family members.

Helen was born on 19 November 1920 in Kingston, PA to Mollie Zielinski Cizeski and Xavier Cizeski.

She attended both public and parochial elementary schools before graduating as an honor student from Kingston High School in 1938.

She got married in September 1941, about three months prior to the start of US involvement in World War II. While her husband was overseas fighting in Europe, Helen moved in with her in-laws, and like many other people of that time, she put her life on-hold until the end of the war in 1945. After the war, she and her husband moved to Kingston where they successfully raised three children.

Helen's children were always amazed that she seemed to know everyone in town, until she explained that it was due to a combination of two reasons: (1) various family moves as a child resulted in her living next-door to a lot of different people, and (2) selling tickets at her in-laws' movie theater, the Grand Theatre in Edwardsville, enabled her to meet a lot of the townspeople! 

During her daughters' pre-teen years, Helen was the leader of a Brownie scout troop. And all of her children still have fond memories of those days, because many people would order Girl Scout cookies but fail to pick them up and pay for them; so, Helen had to eat the cost of those cookies, and her children "had to" eat the actual cookies!

Helen was extremely empathetic, and as such, was a great listener and "sounding board", especially for her children and their friends, who to this day still refer to her as "Mom"!

Helen had an eclectic job experience which included working in the Duplan Silk Mill before marriage. During the war, she did office work for the Selective Service System, and later, for various dress factories, and she was also the ticket seller in her in-laws' movie theater. After the war, she continued with the dress factory and movie jobs, then worked part-time in the Post Office during Christmas rush, and finally secured an office management job with Nationwide Tire Company in Wilkes-Barre, her last place of employment before retiring.

Helen had many interests, foremost among them was spending time with family members to just idly visit or to play cards or board games. She was a huge fan of murder mystery stories in novels, on TV, and in movies. She was a voracious reader well into her early 100s, and she especially liked the novels of Robert Ludlum, James Patterson, and Jonathan Kellerman. She also loved the British mysteries on PBS Masterpiece Theatre, and various police procedure shows on Network TV.

Helen also loved to travel, especially on cruises with her husband. Travel locations included the contiguous USA, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Panama Canal, and Europe.

On being an octogenarian: When asked how she got to be over 100 years old, Helen would always say it was because of her "Junk Food" diet! For her 100th Birthday celebration, her children held a Zoom meeting with family members across the country; during the meeting, one cousin asked her what was the most incredible thing she remembers from her first 100 years. She said that it was being let out of her schoolroom as a child to watch an airplane fly overhead for the first time, thus witnessing the beginning of a new era! Many years later, on a trip to visit her son at Edwards AFB, she got to sit in the cockpit of a prototype YF-16 jet aircraft, and witness the beginning of yet another new era!

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Louis J. Dukas, her daughter Diane Dukas Coleman, and her grandson Brian James Coleman.

She is survived by her son James L. Dukas, daughter Dena (Ron) Buckley, grandson Charles (Danielle) Coleman, great granddaughters Chelsea and Katelyn Coleman, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, 28 March 2025 at 10am from St. Ignatius Loyola Church, 339 N. Maple Ave., Kingston. Msgr. David Tressler will serve as officiant. Friends may call Thursday 27 March 2025 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Harold C. Snowdon Home for Funerals, Inc., 420 Wyoming Ave., Kingston. All are asked to go directly to church on the day of funeral.

Memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

Helen was blessed with good genes, and a photographic memory, which was extremely helpful  when compiling a genealogical family tree! She was intelligent, smart, witty, and inquisitive. She was empathetic, loving, and caring. She was also beautiful on the inside and outside. And she was a lot of fun to be around! In fact, we are biased enough to think that she was the best Mom in the world! We love you and will miss you tremendously, Mom! And when you reach your final destination, maybe you'll finally discover the answer to the mystery of who really stole the cookies in the cookie jar! MWAH!

RUTH ANN BOMBICK

Ruth Ann Bombick, a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, passed away peacefully on March 18, 2025, in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 92. Born on July 14, 1932, in Shavertown, Ruth carried the warmth of her early years into every aspect of her life, leaving a lasting impact on those she met.

A graduate of Lehman High School, class of 1950, Ruth embodied a spirit of kindness and generosity throughout her life. She was known for her caring and loving personality, which made her not only a wonderful mother and grandmother but also a treasured friend to many.

Ruth’s talents extended into her baking, where she delighted her loved ones with her exquisite cookie trays during the Christmas season. Her passion for crafting and gardening shone brightly, especially in her beautiful flower gardens, where she spent countless hours tending to the blooms that mirrored her vibrant spirit.

In her 57 years of marriage, Ruth stood by her husband, Donald A. Bombick, who predeceased her, wrapping her family in warmth and love. Together they raised their children, nurturing a home filled with laughter and cherished memories. She was the wife of a United Stated Air Force veteran and she stood by her husband as they traveled the world for his military service. She was particularly devoted to her son, Daniel Bombick, who she cared for in his battle against a progressive disease, displaying a remarkable strength and compassion that characterized her entire life.

Ruth is survived by her son, David (Betsy) Bombick; her granddaughter, Celeste (Will) Bombick; her great-grandson, Samuel Oliver; and her great-granddaughter, Evelyn Ruth, who will carry on her legacy of love. She is also survived by her sister, Mildred Scruitsky, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and friends who have been touched by her generous spirit.

As we gather to remember Ruth Ann Bombick, let us celebrate her extraordinary quiet life, a life marked by love, nurturing, and a profound commitment to family. She has left an indelible mark on the hearts of those who knew her, and her memory will continue to blossom through the generations she has inspired.

Funeral Services were held in Ohio, by Newcomer Funeral Home in Beavercreek. She will be laid to rest next to her husband at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Wyoming in a private ceremony. A Memorial Service in Pennsylvania will be scheduled for a future date. Local arrangements by Harold C. Snowdon Funeral Home, Inc., Shavertown. 



In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Amyloidosis Foundation or to St. Helen's Parish in Riverside, Ohio

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