Betty Ann Porzuczek

  • Betty Ann Porzuczek

Betty Ann Porzuczek

Betty Ann Porzuczek, age 78, of Wilkes-Barre Township, passed away peacefully at home on April 7, 2022. Betty was born on Aug. 22, 1943, in Benton, Iowa, where she lived on her family farm until college. Betty was a music major at the University of Iowa where she earned her Bachelor and Master of Arts.


Betty realized her lifelong dream of pursuing music and teaching professionally upon starting her first teaching position at University of Nebraska following graduation. While teaching at University of Nebraska, she met the love of her life, Edward Porzuczek, and moved to Wilkes-Barre to get married and continue her music teaching and performing career at Misericordia University. Betty was a talented musician (piano and organ) and a dedicated, hard-working, and compassionate teacher who encouraged all her students to achieve their full creative and artistic potential. Betty was a beloved professor at Misericordia who served as a teacher, performer, accompanist, mentor, leader, friend and colleague. Betty taught and developed courses ranging from music performance to music theory to world fine arts. She touched the lives of hundreds of students throughout her career. Upon retirement from her 46-year career at Misericordia, Betty was bestowed with the honor and rank of Professor Emerita.


In addition to her role as professor, Betty had numerous musical accomplishments and awards. Her passion and dedication to the fields of music and fine arts was demonstrated through her membership and leadership roles in the Pennsylvania Music Federation, the Mozart Club, American Guild of Organists, Misericordia Chorale Society, organist and choir director at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, as well as performing as a soloist and accompanist locally and regionally. One of Betty's fondest memories of her teaching years is her annual trips to New York City to perform with her choral group at St. Patrick's Cathedral.


Aside from her love of music and arts, Betty's greatest love was her husband Edward of 53 years, her three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Betty will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a gentle, kind, loving and funny woman who loved to lead family singalongs and share childhood stories of growing up on her family farm with her parents and six siblings. Most of all, Betty will be remembered as a wife, mother, sister and friend who could always be counted on to be there for her loved ones' joys and sorrows, highs and lows, and successes and failures. Betty had a significant positive impact on many, many lives and will be deeply missed.


Betty is survived by her husband of 53 years, Edward Porzuczek; children MaryEllen (Mike) Mennett, Michael Porzuczek, and David Porzuczek; grandchildren Alyssa, Ariel, Makenzie, Mikayla, Madeleine and Matthew; great-grandchildren Caydence, Jonah and Levi. She is preceded in death by her parents Doris (née Anderson) and Chester Wallace.


Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. from the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home, 21 N. Meade St., Wilkes-Barre, with a Mass of Christian Burial at noon in St. Nicholas Church, 226 S. Washington St., Wilkes-Barre. Family and friends may call Monday evening at the funeral home from 5 to 8 p.m.

At the family's request, please consider a donation to Shriner's Hospital in Betty Porzuczek's name in lieu of flowers.

Kathleen D. Yanchunas

By Joseph Jendrzejewski • May 10, 2025
Kathleen D. Yanchunas passed away swinging like a prizefighter in the early hours of Friday morning, May 9, 2025, after a one-two punch of complications following emergency surgery on Monday. Born the fourth child of six to Joseph and Helen Dorko of McCarragher Street in the heights of Wilkes-Barre, Pa, July 5, 1943. Kathy graduated from Marymount HS and Wilkes Barre Business College. She married Joseph Yanchunas of Luzerne Pa and together they raised a family at their home in Harvey’s Lake. Kathy was beloved by her friends, family and her extended families. She loved cooking and baseball and once had a furry green hug from the Phanatic on Mother’s Day at a Phillies game in Veterans Stadium. She shared her love by kneading, baking and giving bread, and making and sharing desserts like her famous brownies and whoopie pies. She taught us how to cook, clean, make a proper bed, and joke about life. She loved her Grandchildren and spoiled them rotten, as she would say. Kathleen is pre-deceased by her parents and brothers Joseph and Thomas Dorko. She is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, Joseph Yanchunas, siblings, Dr. Carl Dorko, William Dorko, and Helene Roccograndi; children, Joseph Yanchunas Jr. and Elisa (Lisa) Huncik; and grandchildren, Tobias and Sarah Yanchunas and Anastasia Huncik. She loved and was loved by her extended family, Bobby and Alex Wilson. Services will be held at Our Lady of Hope Church on Park Avenue in Wilkes-Barre on Thursday, May 15, with viewing at 10 am followed by Mass at 11. Lunch with family and friends will follow. We love you, Darling.

Lida Jean Gabriel

By Joseph Jendrzejewski • May 10, 2025
Lida Jean Gabriel, of Hanover Township, passed away Monday, May 5, 2025, at Allied Services Hospice, Meade Street, Wilkes-Barre. Born December 18, 1940, in Kingston, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Jessie Williams Hughes. Lida Jean was a 1958 graduate of Westmoreland Senior High School, Trucksville. She was most recently employed as a front office supervisor at Orthopedic Consultants in Kingston. Lida Jean was a devout Catholic, holding membership at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Wilkes-Barre, and served as Lector, choir member and CCD teacher. She enjoyed ice cream, music, and especially loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband and best friend, Gerald on October 24, 2020; her brother, Kenneth Hughes; granddaughter, Heather Long; and grandson, Zane Gabriel. Surviving are her sons, Brian Goode Sr. and his wife, Barbara of Plains, PA, and Mark Goode and his wife, Rachel of Cape Elizabeth, ME; daughters, Deborah Long of Kingston, PA, Jacqueline Yasenchak and her husband, Michael of Hanover Township, and Jennifer Gabriel of Hanover Township; stepchildren, Brian Gabriel and his wife, Michelle, Unknown, Kelly Gabriel of Swoyersville, PA, and Gerald Gabriel and his wife, Su of Philadelphia, PA; grandchildren, Brian Jr., Jesse, Courtney, Keira, Lucy, Julia, Quinn, Avery and Kali; great granddaughter, Braelyn; brother, Thomas Hughes of Plymouth, PA; sister-in-law Arlene Hughes of NY; and several nieces and nephews. A celebration of life will be held at a date to be determined. Services were provided by the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home, Wilkes-Barre.

Joseph E. Brazinski

By Joseph Jendrzejewski • April 21, 2025
Joseph Edmund Brazinski, 73, of Wilkes-Barre, passed away April 19, 2025, at Third Avenue Health Care, Kingston. Born March 24, 1952, in Wilkes-Barre, he was the son of the late Edmund and Josephine Starek Brazinski. Joseph was 1970 graduate of Marymount High School, Wilkes-Barre. Prior to retirement in 2011, he was employed by the Department of Environmental Protection on abandoned mine reclamation projects. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Theresa Cywinski in 2017. Surviving is his daughter, Miranda Brazinski; and nephews, Ryan and Scott Cywinski. Private funeral services will be held at the convenience of the family by the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home, Wilkes-Barre.