Mob History of the Wyoming Valley

In a previous posting I wrote about books covering Wyoming Valley history, the book 'Fighting for the Union Label' talks about the growth of the garment industry and the efforts to unionize the dress shops. Some of the most difficult obstacles that union organizer Min Matheson had had to deal with were related to the mafia-owned shops on Main Street in Pittston. Russel Bufalino, our fellow Kingston resident, was a common sight in those days and he and his crew were not averse to bullying the union people. Min would actually walk up to Russell and tell him off.

The mob and the unions have a tense an interconnected history and a lot of it is covered in detail in the excellent book, "I Heard You Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt. I read the book prior to the release of the movie called "The Irishman" by Martin Scorcese which was based on the book. The movie was slow, plodding, and disappointing compared to the book. Many of the best side stories were missing in the movie, such as the mob's involvement in the Bay of Pigs disaster and the JFK assassination. I was hoping they'd include the story of how the Teamsters helped a 29 year-old Joe Biden win his first Senate election against a highly favored career politician/incumbent. These stories were at least as compelling as the main story line about who killed Jimmy Hoffa, yet in this slow-moving 3.5 hour movie there was enough extraneous material added that would have better been spent by including more the original stories in the book. It took me 3 separate sittings to watch it all.

And you want to know more about the quiet don, I recommend the book 'The Quiet Don' by Matt Birkbeck.

Growing up in Coal Country

I have been doing research on my family's history for several years. I have an account on Ancestry.com and with the resources available there as well as some helpful people in that community, I've been able to trace my mother's family (the Kennedy's) back to the 1700's in Ireland. My mother immigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s so I have to rely mostly on Irish records for information on her side. I can also trace my father's side of the family back to Ireland on the Devlin side and to Lithuania on his mother's side. My dad's Irish ancestors arrived in this country in 1872 and settled in Plains, and his mother's parents (Simonitis) settled in Pringle sometime around 1892, according to a ship's manifest I found in the Ellis Island database.

I was able to piece most of my family tree together with census records. On both sides of his family, my father's earliest relatives were employed in the coal mines. It made me curious about the conditions of working in the mines around the turn of the century so I found a book from a local author that I thought you might enjoy reading, particularly if your ancestors were involved in coal mining. It's called 'Growing up in Coal Country' by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. Her husband's family is from NEPA so she had the benefit of interviewing many family members directly. She did a great job in describing the conditions of the mines when many of our ancestors settled in Wyoming Valley.

I also noticed that the author also wrote a book on the Irish potato famine called Black Potatoes, and since I am 3/4 Irish, I have been quite curious about how the famine affected Ireland and its people and why it happened. I've visited Ireland several times and so I've gotten some indication that the prevailing attitude among the Irish is that the famine was the fault of the British who had seized land from the Irish and worked them like sharecroppers, allowing them only enough land for their own use that they had no choice but to grow a crop like the potato, which has much larger caloric yield per acre than cash crops like wheat and barley. Those grain crops were grown on the majority of the property and then harvested by the tenant farmers only to be shipped off to England to pay the rent for the small portion of land they were allotted on which grow their own crops.

I think the author did an excellent job describing all the conditions that made for this disaster and gave a fair assessment of how the blights started and what the effects were on the population of Ireland during the years 1845-1850. I highly recommend both of these books.

Catching the Reading Bug

This blog got its start 18 years ago, just before our 25th reunion. Granted, it's not always been very active, but if anything important happens, it generally gets mentioned here. All of our classmate's passings in that time have been covered in this blog along with their obituaries. Sometimes that makes me feel a bit sad so I've tried occasionally to add some articles to entertain you. And Mr. Lynch has contributed some articles too. And if any of you feel like sharing a story you think might be of interest, you're always welcome to contribute.

In this blog in 2003, I wrote about a book that I had read as a youth. It was the first 'real' book I can recall finishing (not counting Dr. Seuss books :-) and I loved it. It was on a bookshelf in the back of our 4th grade classroom at St. John's and was entitled 'The Mystery of the Great Swamp' by Marjorie Zapf. I just re-read it AGAIN and still enjoyed it after all these years.

I often wished I could have shared with the author how it changed my life. Prior to reading that book, I had no interest in reading. After I read it, it turned me into a life-long reader. I still read a lot of books every year, although some of them I actually listen to while I take walks. I understand I'm in a minority. Some people, upon graduating from high school or college never read another book again, ever. And it is not a minority, it is around 80% of the population. So if you read books, count yourself among the minority. As Mark Twain once said, "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."

I recently did a search on the Marjorie Zapf's name and found that she lived only an hour from my home in Colorado down near Boulder. What are the odds of that? Unfortunately, she passed away 18 years ago. In her husband's obituary, I found a tribute from someone who had a personal connection with both of them. I decided to reach out to him to see how writing that book had affected her life. It turns out that Mrs. Zapf was an elementary school teacher and the book was very successful, causing a ton of mail from students expressing their appreciation with fan letters. She had a 3-drawer filing cabinet full of correspondence with readers from around the country. The time and expense in keeping up with all of the correspondence made her feel that writing any more books would not be a good use of her time!

It made me feel a bit relieved that I never did track her down to express my appreciation. I guess fame comes at a cost.

Speaking of cost, has anyone noticed that Amazon has some ridiculous prices on "new" old books? Take a gander at this:

I have a hard cover copy of this book that looks new, and it cost me about $4 with shipping so I'm feeling rich ;-). If you buy it through the link below you can get a used version of the book at a much better price.

Wyoming Valley Garment Industry

I was searching on the string 'United Pants Company Swoyersville' to see if I could find out more about it and it took me into an amazing rabbit hole of information about the garment industry in NE Pennsylvania. My mother worked in dress factories while I was growing up on Slocum Street in Swoyersville. The most amazing part of it is that she worked at no fewer than 5 factories and she never had a driver's license. They were all within walking distance of our house! And this wasn't uncommon in the Valley in the 1960s. Main Street in Pittston at one time had 40 dress factories!

I found that one of the best sources of information on this topic was from Robert Wolensky, a retired history professor who lives in Steven's Point, Wisconsin. How would someone from Wisconsin know so much about NEPA? Well, it's because he grew up in Wyoming Valley. Not only that, he graduated from West Side Central Catholic High School. He's also a Penn State graduate. He and his brother, Ken and his daughter Nicole have written several books on NEPA history that cover the coal industry as well as the garment industry. I read a few of these books recently and they were really well researched with lots of personal stories from people who were from our area who contributed to the books.

I just finished his book on the Knox Mine Disaster, which I was always curious about. That event took place the year most of us were born. If you want to learn more about NEPA history, I highly recommend both of these books.

I found out a lot of other interesting information about Mr. Wolensky's family that I will share in other postings.

Covid haircuts

As I was getting my hair trimmed yesterday by someone who is not a trained barber or beautician, i.e., my wife, I was reminded of a gentleman I used to work with who invented the product shown in the Wayne's World clip shown above. His product was called the RoboCut and he filed a patent on it in 1984. The product was quickly copied by a company that sold it under the name Flowbee which successfully sold millions of them using infomercials. I was surprised to find out that both companies are still in business and products are available on their websites. You can read about the inventor's fascinating history at haircut.com. In reading through the timeline of events, I would imagine that there must have been some legal issues over the patent but I don't know the outcome.

You can read about Flowbee's history at Wikipedia.

I can't speak about the efficacy of either product as I've never used one, but I think that the pandemic was good for both companies. As my mom used to say, "It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good."

The image above is from one of my favorite Leave It To Beaver episodes where he loses his haircut money and decides to do the job himself, and later gets some help from Wally who really messes things up! (The Haircut Season 1 episode 4). I've always been reluctant to trim my own hair after watching that as a young boy.

Making your own PPE masks

I sewed these masks for Terri and me using the procedure I found in the youtube video:

I would encourage you do the same. Just because you're a dude, it doesn't mean you can't learn to sew, especially with these excellent instructions. (Actually, that video is very funny and not very instructive, but anyone who has learned how to sew will be able to relate to it :-).)

Sheltering in Place

My mother liked to tell me that I was no trouble as a kid.  Give me a toy, put me in a corner and you'd not hear a peep out of me for hours.  I guess you can say I am an introvert's introvert.  I do not enjoy mingling in large crowds.  Being alone doesn't bother me at all.  So this sheltering in place is not a sacrifice for me.

Not everyone feels the same way.  For some people, lack of social interaction drives them batty.  They're not a lot of fun to be around if they can't talk to someone, preferably a lot of someones.  So if you're in that category, or trapped in a small space with someone who is not getting a sufficient dose of social interaction, my heart goes out to you.

Hopefully, this won't last too much longer.  Maybe we'll look back to it as a learning experience.  Until then, find something to do that lends itself to this kind of existence.  Long form reading is one of them.  Read actual books... yes, consume whole books again, not just news articles since the news likely to be rather tilted toward a single, scary, hard-to-look-away from topic.  And besides, news is just a way of delivering your eyeballs to advertisers.  That's right, it's a medium controlled by sneaky people trying to help charlatans sell you products you don't really need.

If you have a Kindle, familiarize yourself with it.  Do you have a favorite book you always wanted to re-read?  Now's the time to do it.  

And if you really want to interact socially, that's what the comments section of this blog is for is for.  I will not be holding my breath.  I'm going to find a toy, or maybe even a book, and sit in the corner for a while.

Joseph C. Jarski

Joseph C. Jarski Sr., 60, of Berwick, died Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, at his home.

Born July 13, 1959, in Kingston, he was the son of the late Charles Joseph and Helen Golias Jarski.

Joseph was a graduate of Bishop O'Reilly High School, Kingston, Class of 1977, and King's College, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in accounting in 1988.

Mr. Jarski was employed as CFO for C & D Waterproofing and was owner and operator of Joseph C. Jarski Accounting.

Joseph was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Berwick, and a past member of Beyond Violence. He served as chief auditor for Salem Twp. and also served on the financial committee for Holy Family School. An avid sports fan, he was a coach for Swoyersville football and Little League and was a member of the Booster Club for the Wyoming Valley West Spartans. He trained altar boys at Holy Trinity Church, Swoyersville.

Among his interests were gardening, vacationing at the beach, spending time with his children and his dogs, Bear and Ivy.

Surviving are his wife of 40 years, the former Kathleen Coleman; two sons, Joseph C. Jarski Jr., Fredericksburg, Va.; and Matthew J. Jarski and his wife, Amanda, Montandon; and his sister, Donna, wife of Mark Ontko, Swoyersville.

A visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m. Friday in St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1730 Fowler Ave., Berwick, with the Very Rev. Francis J. Tamburro, V.F., his pastor, officiating as celebrant.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The University of Pennsylvania Hospital Department of Neurology, giving.apps.upenn.edu; or to Haven to Home, P.O. Box 851, Berwick, PA 18603.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mayo Funeral Home Inc., Berwick.

For information or to send condolences, please visit www.mayofh.com.

Published in Citizens' Voice on Jan. 29, 2020

Dear Graduates -- A Real Commencement Speech

The following is a guest post by our favorite English teacher, Jim Lynch

To all of you sitting before me, waiting for the pomp and circumstance, the speeches and distribution of degrees to be over, and celebratory parties to begin, I know exactly how you feel. Besides my own high school, college and master’s degree graduations, I’ve sat through forty high school graduation ceremonies as a teacher, and several high school, undergraduate and graduate ceremonies of my children. The speakers at all those graduations ranged from the mediocre to the bad and the ugly, and offered a mishmash of all the usual platitudes about changing the world you are about to enter. None of them addressed reality you now face.

What is it then that I know about what you are really feeling as you sit there restlessly in those uncomfortable chairs? First, I know that you feel a vague, existential unease about your life from now on. Although in high school you railed about being subjected to “totally unnecessary” rules that made you sometimes call your alma mater a prison, and although your college years seemed to swamp you with endless academic activity (unless of course you were on a four-year booze cruise with a beer-pong major), you lived for many years in a comfortable and protective womb with few real-world concerns – your rapidly approaching or accrued debt notwithstanding.

Now things look different. If you are an accounting major, for example, do you really look forward to sitting at a desk for twelve mind-numbing hours a day during income tax season, adding up columns of numbers and trying to decipher thousands of pages of the tax code? If you are leaving med school, do you look forward to years of the back breaking and sleep-deprived schedules of internship and residency? If you are graduating law school, does working 80 hours a week at a high-end law firm feel worth the prestige and financial reward? If you have a degree in such areas as the rapidly proliferating number of gender, ethnic or identity “studies,” do you wonder how flipping burgers at McDonalds will provide you with a living wage, along with the ability to pay back that crippling tuition debt?

This I know: The world can be and is often a cold and uncaring place. It simply doesn’t care about you or your wellbeing. You are not special; you are not entitled to anything; you are not guaranteed anything. You may die early via accident or disease, or you may die in your sleep at 100. That diploma or degree you receive means nothing to life. Life is one, big crapshoot, and life rolls your dice without preference or mercy. You will randomly encounter health or sickness, fortune or misfortune, love or loss. Life is only what you do with it, how you respond to whatever happens during it.

Somewhere in your life, however, fate will show you an alternative to whatever you are doing to provide for yourself. You must decide at that point, however, whether the opportunity that beckons is offering an inspiring or evil alternative. You can choose the path of Winston Churchill, or Hitler (who was an altar boy) and Stalin (who once studied for the priesthood). Fate may offer cruel power and riches, or an opportunity to facilitate peace and justice. You alone must decide. Our flawed nature, as described in every early mythological story and religious text, can lure us into dangerous territory.

Here’s the real truth. Except in rare cases (even in the medical or legal fields) you will not anticipate either option. Hell, if you are typical you’ve probably changed majors three or four times while in college. If you are headed for college next year, you will likely change majors that many times yourself – and take more than four years to graduate as a result. You may even drop out and not graduate at all. The old saying that if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans has never been more appropriate.

No, the truth known to those who have sat in these seats before you is that your careers will choose you. And if you resist being beckoned by fate into a virtuous occupation, for financial of any other reasons, you will likely lead a miserable and unsatisfactory life. That decision will be yours alone. You may drive a Lamborghini and live in an exclusive and gated community, but you will die unhappy. Your tombstone will read, “He had the most toys, but died an unfulfilled human being.” Unless you consciously direct your talents and abilities toward a foreordained and rewarding purpose, your life will be wasted, and society will lose your unrealized contributions.

Before they met and pursued their appointed destinies, Walt Disney was a newspaper editor (fired for lacking imagination), Neil Armstrong drove a tomato truck for a local cannery and sold kitchen knives door-to-door, Julia Child was a CIA intelligence officer, Harrison Ford was a carpenter, Elvis Costello was a computer programmer, Allen Ginsberg was a dishwasher, Andrea Bocelli was a lawyer, Brad Pitt was a limo driver, Sylvester Stallone worked in a deli, Paul Newman sold encyclopedias from door-to-door, and Whoopi Goldberg worked at a funeral parlor applying makeup to corpses. Their transitions were certainly not easy, or without sacrifice and struggle, but a leap of faith – a belief in fate and oneself – made their lives meaningful and their contributions to society manifold.

Fate tapped me on the shoulder early in life, but doubt and uncertainty kept me from my appointed profession until a combination of circumstances shook me by those shoulders, looked me in the eye and told me that I could either spend my life as a miserable salesman (or in any other occupation really), or accept my calling as an educator. Fate had her work cut out for her, as I was absolutely terrified of public speaking, and convinced that no one would be interested in my opinions. Time, circumstance and a good number of patient mentors eventually led me to my personal leap of faith.

After four decades in education, I look back on a career filled with pride and satisfaction. I was once petrified at the thought of standing before students and attempting to provide information pertinent to their lives. That job, I told myself, was for people much more intellectual and erudite. It took two attempts to finally get it right, to feel the vibe that only teachers know when instructor and students interact in the harmony of sharing the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. When teacher and student understand their interdependence in that process, there exists a connection like no other.

So be patient my dear graduates. Test the waters of various occupations and pay attention, not to the monetary, material or social aspects of the job, but to how it makes you feel at the end of the day. Are you simply drained from exertion, or are you also experiencing an equivalent personal satisfaction? Are you happy? When your appointed fate beckons with a good life, you will know it. Lady fate may frighten you with challenging odds, daunting logistics and numerous what ifs, but she will know you better than you know yourself. Trust her, believe her, and take her by the hand. You will never look back on the choice without a smile and an understanding that your life has meaning.

When you meet her, say hello for me, and tell her I’m grateful.

Congratulations and good luck in your future endeavors.

Jim Lynch
Fleetwood, PA
————–
If you’d like to provide any feedback to Mr. Lynch, he can be reached at jimadalynch(at)gmail.com. You’ll need to fix that email to use it, by substituting the @ symbol for the (at) characters

Kathleen M. Schultz

WILKES-BARRE — Kathleen M. Schultz, 59, of Wilkes-Barre, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019, at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

She was born Jan. 7, 1960, a daughter of the late Dr. John G. Schultz and Shirley Steckroat Schultz. A graduate of Bishop O'Reilly High School and the University of Scranton, she was employed for many years by the Gallery of Sound. Kathleen provided loving care for her parents in their later years.

Surviving are her brother, John G. Schultz, Jr. and his husband, Phillip Burgess, New York, New York; sister Kimberly Schultz; brother-in-law Carlo Florio; niece Violet Florio; nephew Roman Florio; all of Collingswood, New Jersey; aunt Rosemary Thompson; cousin Sharon Keen.

Friends may call 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday and 1 to 3 p.m. Monday at the E. Blake Collins Funeral Home, 159 George Ave., Wilkes-Barre. Private interment will be held in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York, New York.

Condolences can be sent to the family at www.eblakecollins.com.

Published in Times Leader from Nov. 29 to Nov. 30, 2019

Robert Frank Crofchick

Robert Frank Crofchick, 60, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his loved ones on Sunday afternoon, November 3, 2019, at the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. 

His loving and supportive wife is Mary Anne (Shampack) Crofchick. Together, they just celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary on August 07, 2019.

Born on May 31, 1959, in Kingston, Bob was the son of the late Frank and Julia (Galletti) Crofchick, and the grandson of the late Frank and Elizabeth (Lawrence) Crofchick.

Bob was a graduate of Holy Trinity Grade School and Bishop O’Reilly High School, Class of 1977.

Bob was a volunteer firefighter, and then became a police officer for the Borough of Swoyersville. He was a District Manager for Jack Williams Tire Co. prior to following his dream of purchasing Owen Street Bakery, which he ran with his family for 16 years up until his illness took over. 

Bob was a lifelong member of the former Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, Swoyersville, where he served as an altar boy in his youth. With the consolidation of the church, Bob became a member of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Parish, Swoyersville. 

Bob was a true family man who would consistently boast that his family was his main purpose in life. He loved to wake everyone up early and talk over coffee, have cigars on the back deck with the boys, celebrating birthdays and holidays at the house, and having cookouts and family dinner on Sunday’s. Bob cherished every moment he had with his family and his main focus was to make sure they were all close to one another. He will forever be loved and missed, but never forgotten, and his light will continue to shine on through all the people he touched throughout his life. 

In addition to his parents, Frank and Julia Crofchick, Bob was preceded in death by his beloved grandparents, Frank and Elizabeth Crofchick; his mother-in-law, Marie Shampack; and his niece, Jennifer (Shampack) Durako.

In addition to his wife, Mary Anne, Bob is survived by his three children, Kimberly (Crofchick) Johnson and her husband, Michael; Erin Crofchick and her fiancé, Anthony Grzyboski; and Matthew Crofchick; his grandson, Ryan Johnson; his brother, Frank Crofchick and his wife, Karen; his father-in-law, Michael Shampack; his niece, Stephanie (Crofchick) McDermott; his nephew, Frank Crofchick; and countless friends.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral which will be conducted on Thursday, November 07, 2019, and 9:30 AM from the Wroblewski Funeral Home, Inc., 1442 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:00 AM in Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 116 Hughes Street, Swoyersville, with the Reverend Joseph J. Pisaneschi, his Pastor, officiating. 

Interment with the Rite of Committal will follow in Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Cemetery, Swoyersville.

Family and friends are invited to Bob’s viewing which will be held on Wednesday, November 06, 2019, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, at the funeral home. 

For additional information or to send the Crofchick family an online message of condolence, you may visit the funeral home’s website, www.wroblewskifuneralhome.com, or Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored if you would consider making a memorial contribution at the funeral home to assist with final expenses, or make a memorial donation in Bob’s memory to Saint Jude School, 422 South Mountain Boulevard, Mountain Top, Pennsylvania 18707. 

Service Date

Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 10:00am

Services

A viewing for Bob will be held on Wednesday, November 06, 2019, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, at the Wroblewski Funeral Home, Inc., 1442 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort.

The funeral service will begin on Thursday, November 07, 2019, at 9:30 AM at the funeral home. Those relatives and friends who will be joining in the funeral procession are asked to assemble at the funeral home between 8:45 and 9:00 AM on Thursday morning.

A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 AM at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 116 Hughes Street, Swoyersville. The Reverend Joseph J. Pisaneschi, her Pastor, will serve as celebrant.

Interment with the Rite of Committal will follow in Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Cemetery, Swoyersville.

Janet Klimchok Rule

 Ann Klimchok Rule, 59, died on June 28, 2019, after a fierce battle with rectal cancer. She was surrounded by her family and the compassionate and devoted nurses of the Hospice of the Sacred Heart.

Janet was born Jan. 17, 1960, in Plymouth. She attended Saint Vincent's School and was a 1977 graduate of Bishop O'Reilly High School. She was a loyal employee of Weis Markets for 40 years.

Janet loved thunderstorms, the beach and ice cream. She excelled in math and could complete a crossword puzzle in record time. She adored her grandchildren, and they have been forever blessed by her loving presence in their lives.

Janet was preceded in death by her mother, Ann Carole (Dvoroznak) Klimchok and brother-in-law, Joe McLaughlin. She is survived by her father, Michael Klimchok, daughter, Lisa (Eric) Peterson, grandchildren Cooper and Carter, siblings Danny, Michael (Marquene) Diane, Donald (Sue), and Karen (Carl), her former husband, Stephen Rule, and her loving companion of 26 years, Mike Harenza, along with cousins, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Janet's family kindly asks you get a colonoscopy. Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in this country. If you'd like to do more: Donations can be made in Janet's name to The Hospice of the Sacred Heart or Candy's Place. Please also consider volunteering your time as a driver for the American Cancer Society.

Friends may call from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, July 8, 2019, at S. J. Grontkowski Funeral Home, 530 W. Main St., Plymouth. Family and friends are invited to meet at All Saint's Parish, Plymouth, for Mass of Christian Burial, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 9, 2019.

Interment will be in St. Vincent's Cemetery, Larksville.

To submit online condolences to Janet's family, please visit www.sjgrontkowskifuneralhome.com.

Published in Times Leader from June 30 to July 1, 2019

Carrol's Club Burger

Growing up near Kingston, many of us had our first fast food experience at Carrol's restaurant on Wyoming Avenue.  I guess you might count Stop-n-Go as a predecessor, but my fondest memories are of Carrol's.  Their most famous offering was the Club Burger.   Here's an ad from back in the 1960's:

In 1968, the club burger would set you back $.49.  Along with $.10 for fries and another $.15 for a coke, you'd have a meal for under a dollar.  Just to put it in perspective, that's about $5.50 today.

The most memorable part of the burger was the 'special sauce' called Crisbo Royal (CR) sauce.  I researched  the recipe for the sauce they used and here are some of the comments I found on various message boards:

“I worked at the Carrols in Peekskill back in the late 60's as a teen. I recall running out of their "Royal sauce" which we made ourself to replenish the supply, it was nothing but Mayo, ketchup and relish all mixed together. “

or, from another message board: “the assembly for Club Burgers goes like this: (1)bottom bun level, (2)onions and pickles, (3)bottom hamburger patty, (4)a small dob of C.R. Sauce, (5)central bun buffer level, (6)a small pad of lettuce, (7)a slice of American cheese, (8)top hamburger patty, (9)a slightly more generous dob of C.R. Sauce, and finally (10)the sesame-seeded bun top level.

From yet another message board, here’s a Crisbo Royal Sauce recipe:
“45% mayonnaise, 45% ketchup, and 10% relish.”

We're having burgers tonight... and the sauce we're using will be our own version CR sauce.  I'll have to let you know the results...

Father Boles

The Rev. Joseph M. Boles passed away peacefully on April 15, 2018, at Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton.

Father Boles was born in Scranton, Pa., on June 7, 1939. He was the son of the late James W. and Margaret (Miller) Boles. Father Boles received his early education at St. Paul's Grammar School and St. Paul's High School, Scranton. He attended St. Charles College, Catonsville and entered St. Mary's Roland Park Seminary, Maryland, where he studied for the priesthood and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and a Bachelor of sacred theology. He also received his Master of Arts in education from the University of Notre Dame. Father Boles was ordained to the priesthood on June 12, 1965, in St. Peter's Cathedral, Scranton, by the Most Rev. Jerome D. Hannan, D.D., late bishop of Scranton. Father Boles served as assistant pastor at St. John the Evangelist, Pittston from 1965 to 1970 and St. Ignatius, Kingston from 1970 to 1972. During his time as assistant pastor at St. Ignatius, Father also served as director of religious formation and catechist at Central Catholic High School, Kingston. Father was appointed in residence at St. Cecelia, Exeter in 1970 and administrator pro tem in 1972. He was appointed in residence at College Misericordia, Dallas in 1973 and served as acting chaplain from 1975 to 1980. Father Boles received his first pastorate in 1980 at Holy Cross Church, Scranton. He was then appointed pastor of Our Lady of the Abingtons, Dalton in 1983 where he remained until his retirement and appointment as pastor emeritus in 2001. In addition, Father Boles also served as outside confessor/spiritual director at St. Pius X Seminary, Dalton from 1988 to 1989 and again from 1990 to 1993; and dean of the Abington Deanery from 1995 to 2000. While residing at the Villa of St. Joseph, he devoted much of his time assisting and caring for his brother priests, in spite of his own physical limitations, resulting from a five decade battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Through his life, his faith never wavered; to the end, he carried on his calling as a parish priest, providing spiritual guidance, advice, encouragement and clarity to his many parishioners, friends and family. He will truly be missed by those whose lives he touched.

Father Boles is survived by his sister-in-law, Mrs. James P. Boles; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews from the Breslin, Mitchell, Tolan and Boles families.

In addition to his parents, Father Boles was preceded in death by his four sisters, Catherine Boles; Mary Breslin and husband, Cyril; Anne Mitchell and husband, Patrick; Loretta Tolan and husband, Leonard; and his brother, James P. Boles.

A Pontifical Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., bishop of Scranton, on Friday, April 20, 2018, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul Church, 1510 Penn Ave., Scranton. Interment will be in Cathedral Cemetery, Scranton.

Friends may call at the Church, on Thursday, April 19, 2018, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Solemn Vespers will be celebrated at 7 p.m. following the viewing. An additional viewing hour will take place on Friday at the church at 10 a.m. prior to the funeral Mass.

Published in Scranton Times on Apr. 18, 2018

Joseph Lynch

FORTY FORT — Joseph E. (Joey) Lynch Jr., 58, of Murray Street, Forty Fort, died on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, at Celtic Hospice in Wilkes-Barre, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Scranton, he was the son of the late Joseph Sr. and Elizabeth Ward Lynch. He graduated from Bishop O'Reilly High School, class of 1977. Joseph resided in Forty Fort his entire life and was very active in the community. He served on Forty Fort Council, was an EMT, paramedic and an active volunteer on both Forty Fort and Swoyersville ambulances. He was a member of the Forty Fort Fire Police and Hanover Medic 9. Joe was co-owner of Corner Hair Fashions. He worked at Luzerne County 911, Transcare Ambulance Service and as a Blended Case Manager at Community Counselling.
Joe was a natural and accomplished musician, entertaining local audiences with his distinctive voice and seemingly limitless gifts for the majority of his life. He played with and formed many bands over the years, but his lasting legacy and his greatest joy was his folk rock trio "Just Us", where he was joined by his wife, Mary, and best friend, Paul Reinert, which in time grew to include lifelong friend, Jay Tobias. He was very active in the Forty Fort Presbyterian Church. He served as a church elder, instrumentalist, vocalist and choir director. He was instrumental in starting a Sunday evening Praise Band worship. He also worshipped at the Trucksville United Methodist Church.

Preceding him in death are his brothers, John and Michael Lynch.

Surviving are his loving, devoted wife of 33 years, Mary Denn Lynch; daughters, Casey Lynch, of New York City, N.Y., Emily Lynch, of Kingston, and her fiancé, George Brady, Clara Lynch, of Forty Fort; son, Christian Lynch, of Wyoming; sisters, Kathleen Washko and her husband, John, of Forty Fort, Jeanne Habblett, and her husband, James, of Newmanstown, Mary Alice Nice and her husband, Jack, of Florida, Susan Ziller and her husband, Buddy, of Shavertown; brother, Ned Lynch, and his wife, Maureen, of Dallas; many nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers and sisters in-law, and his German mother-in-law, Heidi Denn.

A Memorial Service will be held at noon on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, at the Forty Fort Presbyterian Church, 1224 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort, with the Rev. William Lukesh, Rev. Richard Williams and Rev. Ian Hastings, officiating.

Family and friends may call at the church from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 10 a.m. until service time on Saturday.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions, can be made to Forty Fort Presbyterian, 1224 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort, Trucksville United Methodist Church, 40 Knob Hill Road, Trucksville, or Miles for Michael, 9 N. Main St., Pittston.

Arrangements entrusted to the Hugh B. Hughes & Son Inc., Funeral Home, 1044 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort.

For more information or to send the family an online condolence, visit www.hughbhughes.com.

Richard Hometchko

MAY 23, 1959 ~ JANUARY 23, 2018 (AGE 58)

Richard “Rick” “Rich” James Hometchko, 58, of Pinellas Park, Florida, passed away, Monday, January 23, 2018.

Richard was born May 23, 1959 in Swoyersville, Pennsylvania to Joseph and Helen (Kender) Hometchko. He graduated from Bishop O’Reilly High School in Pennsylvania in 1977.  He then studied at Boston Architectural Center before moving to Florida and obtaining his Bachelors degree in Business from the University of South Florida.  Richard was employed as a Construction Administrator for Mason Blau & Associates Inc. in Clearwater, Florida.  Richard enjoyed vocal jazz and classic rock music on vinyl, was an avid hockey fan, and loved spicy foods.  He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, and spending time with his children and grandchild.

Richard is survived by his two daughters, Rileigh Hometchko and Kendra Hometchko of Largo, FL and his step-daughter Ashley Thomas of Largo, FL; one grandchild, Chase Thomas of Largo, Fl; his brother David Hometchko of Charlotte, NC; his Niece Vickie Tomberlin of Clearwater, Fl; his Nephew Michael Hometchko of St. Petersburg, FL; and two grandnieces Londynn and Brooklynn of Clearwater, Fl. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph & Helen Hometchko, and his brother Joseph Hometchko.

A service will be held at 4:00 pm, Wednesday, January 31st at St. Jerome’s Catholic Church, 10895 Hamlin Blvd Largo, FL 33774.  The service will be followed by a celebration of life at 14489 Kandi Court Largo, FL 33774 .

In Spring, Richard will return to Swoyersville, Pennsylvania where his soul will rest in peace alongside his beloved Mother and Father.

David C. Gross Funeral Homes, Central Avenue Chapel in St. Petersburg is serving the family.

40th Reunion Photos

The photo above shows the 37 classmates who attended the 40th reunion on July 15th, 2017.  It's not the official photo that was taken by a professional photographer and some of us will be getting that photo via the mail provided you remembered to put your name on an envelope and enclosed $20.

I've been accumulating photos from everyone on Google Photos and you can access that link here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dim7ftbt3lszlZsx1

If you have some photos to share, you can upload them directly with that link from your computer or with a free app (Google Photos) directly from your smartphone.

The reunion was a big success thanks to the efforts of the reunion committee led by Karen Lanczak Leonardi.  I'm not really part of the committee since I can't make it to any of their meetings.  I just do what I can from out here in Colorado.

Thanks to all who attended that made the event fun for everyone.  And I know that I heard from an equivalent number of people who really wanted to be there but were unable to make it due to other commitments.

Mr. Lynch's Comments at our 40th Reunion

As you know, Mr. Lynch was unable to attend our 40th reunion and so he sent his comments which were read by Bee Harris Darrow.   These comments were much appreciated by our class and it was hard not to fill up when they were read.  We really do have a special class, and our time at Bishop O'Reilly does still feel magical.

Comments for the Bishop O’Reilly
Class of 1977 on their 40th reunion

At the gym recently, the oldies playlist on my iPod shuffled up Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bookends.” It triggered mental images from room 103, and times when we were all forty years younger. Although I have warm and enduring memories from all of the classes of Bishop O’Reilly, yours are special. Whereas many people look back at a past time in their lives, and only then grasp its significance, I sensed just how extraordinary were the events we all shared as they happened. It was just a simple classroom, without a smart board, Wi-Fi or iPads.

We had chalkboards and heavy textbooks and eye-to-eye conversations. During the course of our time together, that interplay somehow became magical. I’m not wearing rose-colored glasses about this; I felt (and still do) that we became a kind of extended family. You accepted me as someone whose efforts were worthwhile in your young lives, and I rode a daily wave of awareness of my good fortune.

It was a time of innocence and confidences. I have the photographs and memories, but they’re not all that’s left me. I have the contented feeling that we share a mutual gratitude for having crossed paths at a remarkable educational experience called Bishop O’Reilly. Enjoy your reunion and keep in touch with one another (as well as with me, if you like).

Listen to Bookends on YouTube: Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel

You can read a related article called Golden and I Knew It by Mr. Lynch.  His email address is given at the end of the article if you'd like to keep in touch with him.

St. Vincent's

I posted this on our Facebook page, but for those of you who are not on Facebook, I wanted for you to be able to enjoy it too.  Can you name them?  Eleven of them graduated from O'Reilly.

Who's Coming to the Reunion?

I'll update this posting as we get more confirmed attendees.  If you haven't paid and want to do it via credit card, just hop over the main reunion website and scroll down to the Pay Now button.

Classmates:

Cathy Anderko and Harry Skene
Sabrina Baynes
Kathleen Blaum Hannon
Kevin and Nadine Borton
Chuck Brennan
Thomas Bretz
Christine Brussock
Mary Carey Little
Mickie Chakon Garen
Tom Crossin
Pete Cusick
Lee Devlin
Robert and Laura Dougherty
Maryellen Finley Cusma
Arlene Galanda Kuharchik and Mike Kuharchik
Bernadette Harris Darrow
Mark Hession
Brian and Catherine Judge
Michael and Sally Kinney
Sue Klecha O'Donnell
David Kotarski
Karen Lanczak Leonardi and Bob Leonardi
Robin Lonsdale Palkovic
Sandra Mahalick Louderback
Paul and Marianne McAndrew
Marylil McAuvic Tombasco and Mark Tombasco
Fred Merrill
Diane Osolnick Boettger and John Boettger
Joseph and Rosemary Petrasek
Donna Reese Pollard
Paul and Kim Reinert
Deborah Sadusky Casey and Dorothy Sadusky Jenkins
Kathleen Schultz
David and Anita Serhan
Bernie Solack
Marianne Talmon Kochanski and Larry Kochanski
John Tobias
Timothy and Sharron Wallo


Teachers:
Monsignor Vincent Grimalia
Miss Ondash
Mr. and Mrs. Romanko
Mr. Slusser

If you don't see someone on this list that you think should be there, why not reach out to them?  We do our best to keep our email/phone/mailing address up-to-date, but people seem to move around a lot as well as change their email address and phone numbers and so if you are finding out about the reunion late, please know that if you graduated with our class, you are automatically invited to it.

And then make sure to email me your contact information to lee810@gmail.com so that you're included on any communication in the future.

My Three Years on Probation

At our 30th reunion in 2007, I found myself between jobs.  My employer of 24 years decided to offer an early retirement package.  I was 47 and eligible to apply because I had been there so long.  To be clear, an early retirement incentive isn't like getting a pension for life making it unnecessary to work from then on; it's the rolling of one's retirement contributions into an IRA along with an extra incentive for parting ways with the company early.

When a company starts offering incentives to leave, it may be a harbinger of things to come.  Pushing experienced people out the door to save money is often an act of desperation.

I had been working in the high tech manufacturing field my entire career and it was clear that it was rapidly moving to China.  The manufacturing jobs had already moved there.  The company, which at one time had 8000 employees in northern Colorado had dwindled down to a small fraction of that number and the work I was doing involved a lot of travel to places like Taiwan and China.  I felt like I was helping to transition the remaining jobs to China.  At some point one of those jobs would be mine.  I wanted to leave on favorable terms while I could.

For a few years after I left HP I did consulting work, mostly related to designing new products for start-up businesses.  Although it was interesting work, it was also not very stable because it depended on investors who were willing to fund new and unproven ideas and markets.  Sometimes the money would run out, and if you accepted stock or some other form of deferred compensation, you were out of luck.  You learn pretty quickly it's not a good idea in startup situations to accept deferred compensation.  For every story you hear about someone getting rich when a company goes public, there are many more situations where people lose all the time and money they invested in a start-up.

At the time I was doing consulting, I found that I needed to update some of my programming skills because the Internet had changed everything related to programming in a very short time, so I enrolled in some classes at Aims community college which is conveniently located about a mile from where I live.  While taking these classes, the professor noticed that I was helping other students debug their programs since many of them were new to programming.  He began to recruit me to be a tutor for his classes.  I found that if you really want to learn a skill, you should try teaching it to someone else.  You'll be amazed at how much better you understand it in the end.  So I agreed.

I spent an afternoon each week helping students with their programming assignments while still engaged in my consulting gigs.  As I became friends with the other teachers in the Computer Information Systems department, they would often tell me that their teaching job at the college was the best job they ever had, and all of them had spent time in industry prior to becoming teachers.  The college offered me a class to teach as a part-time instructor.  I found that I enjoyed interacting with students, and the technology was always changing so I was learning continuously and I liked that aspect of it.

Most of the CIS instructors were about 10 years older than me and they started retiring one after the other.  When a position came up three years ago, I applied for it and began teaching full time.  I teach subjects related to web programming, operating systems, and PC applications.  It's been a great opportunity and I feel very fortunate to be there.  The campus is beautiful, the other instructors are fun to work with, and every year I get to meet a new group of students.

When I was a grad student at Penn State, I had been a teaching assistant and taught lab classes in subjects like welding, machining, and computer programming, and I found the environment fun and stimulating.  I didn't want to leave.  Several of my colleagues never did leave academia.  They went on to earn PhDs and began teaching at universities around the country.  But I wanted to get some practical experience in the field of engineering so I ended up taking a job with HP in Colorado.  The idea of teaching would come up from time to time, but to teach at a university, you need a PhD.  And that takes a lot of time and effort.  And there's a risk to it.  To earn tenure at a university, that is, to keep your job, you need to be constantly publishing research papers and getting grant money.  Your ability to teach is hardly taken into consideration.  And it can take up to 7 years before you know if you have tenure or if you have to leave and look elsewhere for employment.

However, community colleges are different.  They will hire instructors with Masters degrees, and they truly value industry experience.  To get tenure, all you have to do is teach.

For the first three years of full time employment, I have been on probation.   I could be let go at any time for any reason while on probation.  But if I proved that I could teach, and I didn't screw up, I would be taken off of probation and given tenure.  Tenure doesn't mean you have a job for life regardless of what you do,  but if the college wants to fire a tenured professor it has to be for a good reason and must be done using due process.

So, as of this month, I am no longer on probation.  And it feels good because the word 'probation' has such negative connotations.

Were you expecting a story of some criminal activity that earned me my 3-year stint of probation?  I am sorry if you think I tricked you with the title of the article.  But would you have read the article had I not used the word probation?

This article  is way of letting anyone who reads it to know what I've been doing since our last reunion.  I've left out a lot of details, of course, and if you're curious, I can fill you in at the reunion.

But since I've gotten my story out of the way, how about it if we talk about you instead?

The Pursuit of Perfect Pizza

How far would you drive for your favorite food?  Would you drive to Penn State to have one of those famous sticky buns at Ye Olde College Diner?  Would you drive to Pat's in Philadelphia for a famous Philly Cheesesteak?  How about driving to Pittsburgh for a Primanti Sandwich?

While growing up on Slocum Street in Swoyersville, I ate a lot of Bingo's hoagies.  I can lay claim to having eaten the very first one.  Bingo was looking to do something a bit different and he figured making a hoagies would be something out of the ordinary for a grocery store.  He made a small sandwich for me with ham, salami, lettuce, tomato and cheese and asked me how I liked it.  This was marketing research at its finest.   Although I didn't fall in love with the sandwich when I first tasted it, but I liked the way it made me feel after I ate it.  It was nutritious, unlike most of the other food items he offered like potato chips, Tastykakes, and soda which, like all junk food, only make you feel good while you're eating them and not so good later on.   My mom told me that I might have turned out to be a scrawny kid had it not been for the Bingo's hoagies because I was a picky eater.  And what I ate was mostly junk food.  I eventually fell in love with the his hoagies as did a lot of my friends and other people from around Wyoming Valley.  Bingo's idea of selling hoagies at his store really put him on the map.

Bingo's store was busy all day long.  Lots of truckers and locals stopped and picked up a hoagie or two for lunch.  And, of course, they bought the chips, soda, and Tastykakes which is probably where he made most of his money because his hoagies were less than a dollar.  They started off at $.65 in the early 70's.

In the summers I sometimes got to help Bingo shop for his goods.  As some of you may know, Bingo was missing a leg, the result of an accident involving a train when he was just a boy so he appreciated the help.  Right around sunrise, we'd drive over to Wilkes-Barre in his station wagon and visit the fresh fruit and vegetable stands.  I recall one of them was operated by Stanley Tarutis.  There were actually two Tarutis fruit stands operated by brothers who competed with each other in the business located on Wilkes-Barre Boulevard which looked a lot different back then than it does today.  Then we'd head over to a multi-storey warehouse where we'd load up on canned goods.

After that we'd go to Robzen's slaughterhouse which, at the time, was over in north Wilkes-Barre.  I thought they had shut it down, but it appears they've moved part of that operation to Main Street in Swoyersville.  We'd watch the cattle being led into the back door.  They wouldn't let us kids see the kill floor, but just after that was an overhead conveyer where the carcasses would get 'disassembled' by men working with cleavers and sharp knives.  It was like that scene in Rocky except these carcasses were constantly moving.  It was refrigerated and the men had heavy clothes on under their white coats.

As you know from my posts, I am fascinated with pizza from Pennsylvania, and I look forward to having some when I am at the reunion ice-breaker in July.  It's hard to find good pizza in Colorado.  The market is dominated by the national brands like Papa John's, Pizza Hut, Old Chicago, etc.   We have a few mom and pop pizza shops around, but we've yet to fall in love with any of them.

However,  there is this place up in Breckenridge, CO called  Gianpietro's Pasta and Pizza and it is great, the best pizza we've had in Colorado.  So great, in fact, that we made the trip up there yesterday and it's 140 miles from where we live.   It was a beautiful day for a ride through Colorado's Rocky Mountains, so our trip wasn't just for the pizza.  And Breckenridge is a beautiful town for a walk.  It is an old mining town turned ski resort, so there is a lot to see and do around town.  It's become one of our favorite places in Colorado.

Even in mid June, the mountains near Breckenridge still are covered with snow.

And speaking of mining,  I like to watch the reality series Gold Rush and this season, the Hoffman crew is mining not far from Breckenridge over in Fairplay so we decided to go over there and look around to see if we could find their operation.   There wasn't much happening, maybe because it was Sunday.  I may have to go back on a weekday to see if I can spot any of the crew or watch the proceedings.

The Hoffman crew of Gold Rush have their mining operation set up near Fairplay, CO

So it turned out to be a pleasant day of walking around Breckenridge and taking in the sights.

And the pizza was great!

Let me show you my tattoo...

I am a product of my generation.  I did all the things that my friends did when I was young because I was impressionable.  Back in those days, people who had tattoos got them to stand out from the crowd.  They were the badasses.  I'm not so sure that's why people get them today.  It may be more to fit in.  Ten years after we graduated, Gregg Allman's song "I'm No Angel" was popular, and it contained the line, 'Let me show you my tattoo', which was still a bit badass at the time.

In the 1980's, a tattoo was still a symbol of one's individuality and belief in personal freedom.

When I look back at pictures of myself from that era, I realize that I did many things because everyone else was doing them.  The 70's clothes, like bell bottoms (with cuffs!), outrageous patterns and colors, platform shoes, the hairstyles, smoking... I am not proud of those things.   If I could take it all back, I would.   I'm just glad those lifestyle choices were not as permanent as having a tattoo.  A tattoo leaves a permanent record of your evolution.

But if I was born a decade or two later, I'm sure I'd have to have some tattoos just to fit in.  And if I did decide to get some tats, I can't think of any finer than these beauties:

What better way to offer a 'how to' printed right on your body on how one might acquire this fine physique.  I admire his loyalty to companies he's obviously passionate about.  He owns it.  He is proud of it.  You just have to admire that level of self-awareness.