Erina Zluchowski

  • Erina Zluchowski

Erina Zluchowski

Erina Zluchowski fondly known by many as Irene, Renee, or Noni, of Wilkes-Barre Township, died peacefully at Smith Healthcare in Mountaintop, Pa on Monday, November 14, 2022. Her children gathered at her side. 


She lived a life of selfless love and devotion to her family. Her Story began in the Keystone area of Plains, a baby of Eight siblings. There was never a lack of stories to tell from those days. 


Renee met and married the love of her life, Michael J. Zluchowski. Their love story began as a blind date, the girl from Keystone and a boy from Blackmans Patch in Wilkes-Barre Township. They fell in love and that love survived WWII and The Korean Conflict with many many love letters sent back and forth during her Mickey's Tours of Duty. They were married on October 11,1952. Renee was very fond of the way that her and Mickey's friends joked that you could take the girl out of “Keystone” but you couldn’t take the “Keystone” out of the girl. 


They raised their children in the Zluchowski family homestead on Nicholson Street. Four children, Michael, Julianne, Matthew, and Mark. Renee was a stay-at-home mom for many years happily caring for her family. Helping at the church and the children’s school as well as the Nicholson Street playground Association. She loved to cook the old Italian dishes such as gnocchi, cappelletti, Pasta, Risotto, Italian chicken soup, and bischu. Even better than that, she taught any of her children and grandchildren who were interested how to make these dishes. Including her loving daughter in law Lauren Zluchowski who fondly refers to her as “Her Queen”.


She later worked at The Woodlands Inn and Resort for many years. She enjoyed working for the Kornfeld family and sharing her “war stories” of life in the catering business.


After she retired, she took up gardening and it became clear as to just how “green” her thumb was. Her flowers were amazing and everything she planted flourished. 


Irene was always full of pride for her grandchildren, April Zluchowski, Adam Zluchowski. Matthew Hopkins, Amy Zluchowski, Aaron Zluchowski, Mark Zluchowski, Patrick Zluchowski. Great grandchildren, Tyler Gulick, Zander Feist, Brooklyn Zluchowski, and Ben & Ollie Zluchowski. Irene was also blessed with more grandchildren when her son Mark married the love of his life; Michelle and her daughters Erica, Daria, and Lara joined our family. 


Her last great accomplishment was building a new life after losing her Mickey. She spent the last 7 years at Smith health care, getting back on her feet, making new friends, and having a new kind of fun. The Staff and Management at Smith have always gone above and beyond in caring for Renee and making her last years also great years! The Zluchowski family cannot thank you all enough. 


Funeral services will be held Monday at 9:00am from the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home, 21 North Meade Street, Wilkes-Barre, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30am at Our Lady of Hope Parish, 40 Park Avenue, Wilkes-Barre. The Reverend John S. Terry, Pastor, will be Celebrant. Interment will follow in St. Mary's Maternity Cemetery, West Wyoming. Friends may call Sunday evening from 4:00 to 7:00pm at the funeral home.

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.