Joseph (Joe) F. SHANLEY (1940-2022)

Hilarie's uncle Joseph (Joe) SHANLEY passed away on Christmas eve 2022, and the memorial service was held on Thursday (yesterday) December 29th. The funeral was held at St Patrick's Olyphant (where Joe had been baptized in 1940 on the same date as the funeral), and the burial took place at the St Patrick's Cemetery (off Route 6).

 

Joseph F. Shanley

Obituary published by Scranton Times from Dec. 27 to Dec. 28, 2022.

JOSEPH SHANLEY OBITUARY

Joseph F. Shanley, 82, of Olyphant, died unexpectedly on Sunday, at home.

Born in Olyphant, he was the son of the late Francis and Gertrude Kelly Shanley, and he was a member of Holy Cross Parish at St. Patrick's Church, Olyphant. He was a 1958 graduate of St. Patrick's High School. He served with the U.S. Army stationed in Monmouth, N.J., and Japan, and he was a member of the American Legion Raymond Henry Post 327, Olyphant. He had been employed by Tobyhanna Army Depot, and he retired from General Dynamics. He owned and operated Shanley's Bar in Jessup.

Joe appeared to be a no-nonsense kind of guy but inside he was much softer. He had a fierce loyalty to what he believed in and to his people. To know him was to love him and he was a great friend. He worked hard his whole life. In addition to his full-time job, he always had a weekend job going from doing roofing with his twin brother or later cutting trees.

Surviving are three children, Leigh Runco, and husband, Frank, Olyphant; Joseph Shanley, Olyphant; and Tiffany Shanley, Jessup; a granddaughter, Chelsea Strelecki, and husband, Steve, Archbald; a brother, James Shanley, and wife, Diane, Dickson City; sisters, Jeanne Van Nort, Olyphant; and Mary Boretsky, Dickson City; his former wife, Paula Shanley; nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by brothers, William and Francis J. Shanley; and a sister, Ann Shanley.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Thursday at 10 a.m. in St. Patrick's Church, 200 Delaware Ave., Olyphant. Friends may call Thursday morning from 9 to 10 a.m. at the church. Interment will follow at St. Patrick's Cemetery, Blakely.

Arrangements are by the Frank T. Mazur Funeral Home, Inc., 601 Dundaff St., Dickson City. For directions or to leave an online condolence visit the funeral home website.

------

In line with his military service, his coffin was draped in an American flag, and there was a grave-side volley of 12 rifle shots. The flag was presented by the flag party to his brother James (my father-in-law).

Death of Harry Wasilchak (1894-1929), updated

 This is an update of the original blog post (https://upanddownthevalley.blogspot.com/2010/11/death-of-harry-wasilchak-1894-1929.html ) with some extra articles I've found.

Harry Wasilchak was ran a dairy in Jessup, PA. I have seen a milk bottle with his name on it. Each bottle had a cardboard stopper placed on the lid - this is the Wasilchak dairy lid:

There is one newspaper article I've found that mentions Harry Wasilchak's dairy. The dairy was located behind the family home on Hand Street in Jessup: 

The Scranton Republican 14 July 1928 › Page 13

JESSUP, July 13. After being missing for eighteen days during which time police from every town In the Mid - Valley searched for him. Alfred Keller, aged 13, of Throop, was found early this morning in the Jessup Dairy stables, owned by Harry Wasilchak. Young Keller was sleeping and obviously on the verge of exhaustion when Policeman,. - John Keller, of Throop, discovered him, He was returned to his parents. Keller formerly lived here and It is believed he was going to visit relatives. -

While details are scarce, Harry died at the age of 38 when his truck crashed:

 

Scranton Times Annual
15 Jan 1929
JESSUP DAIRY OWNER IS KILLED IN MOTOR CRASH
"WASILCHAK'S CAR PLUNGES OVER 15-FOOT BANK ON MONTDALE ROAD - FOUND BY PASSERBY
Harry Wasilchak, thirty-eight, of 208 Hand-street, Jessup, proprietor of the Jessup Dairy, was instantly killed last night about 10 o'clock when the truck he was operating plunged over a fifteen foot embankment on the Montdale Road.
The wrecked truck and Wasilchak's body were found by Charles Brown, of Peckville, as he passed along the highway in his automobile. Constable Ralph Hunt, of Chapman Lake, was notified and he made an investigation.
The body was removed to the Turko morgue, where it was examined by Deputy Coroner Murray Finkelstein. Wasilchak, who is survived by his widow, and four children was widely known throughout the mid-valley."

The funeral of Harry Wasilchak was also reported in the paper:

The Scranton Republican 18 January 1929 › Page 5

JESSUP, Jan. 17. A fine tribute to the memory of Harry Wasilchak, Hand street dairyman, who met death in an accident on the Montdale road, was paid this morning, when hundreds of people were in attendance at his funeral. Members of Hose company, No. 2, of which Mr. Wasilchok was a prominent member, kept a constant vigil throughout the morning. At 9:30 o'clock a high mass of requiem was celebrated in the Holy Ghost Greek Catholic church. Rev. Theodore Lodomersky officiating. Rev. Lodomersky also delivered a fitting eulogy on the deceased. Interment was in the Holy Ghost cemetery. The casket was carried by the following members of Hose company. No. 2 : Joseph Podrasky, Joseph Sobolcskie, "Chic" Simler, Andrew Smolko, Michael Cholish, and Joseph Maceyko. Over a score cf firemen were required to carry the numerous floral wreaths.

Obituary for Daniel Grabin (1921-2005)

My wife Hilarie SHANLEY wrote this obituary for her grandfather Daniel Grabin. At the time it was published in the Scranton Times Tribune, but this text ensures his obituary is now available on-line. This blog has a separate transcribed history of the 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron, and a separate post with newspaper article describing the car he built.

 

Daniel Grabin, 84, of Dickson City, died early Sunday at home. His wife of 64 years is the former Martha Wasilchak.
 
Born in Peckville, son of the late Stephen and Anna Grabin, he attended school in Archbald. He began working as a mechanic at Grabin Oldsmobile of Olyphant, which was owned by his father. He was the head mechanic, responsible for the repair and service of automobiles throughout the Midvalley.

He was a proud soldier in the Army Air Corps, 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron. During World War II, he worked as a crew chief in the Pacific theater. He repaired and flew in the planes that took men, munitions and material where they were needed. He fought overseas for three years, during which time he earned nine battle stars and saw duty in Australia, New Guinea, Morotai, Biak, the Philippines, Okinawa and Japan. He was one of the first 50 soldiers into Japan in the final days of World War II, an achievement of which he was extremely proud. Segments from the letters he wrote home were published in a local newspaper. He retained an active interest in the great history that he had been a part of, saving his medals, photographs and B-4 bomber bag.

When he returned home, he worked with Grabin Oldsmobile to bring an automobile to every local veteran who had lost a limb in battle. Always interested in a challenge, he then decided to build his own custom sports car from scratch. Using the old, rusty shell of a 1942 automobile, he rebuilt it piece by piece, adding customizations that would not be seen in automobiles for decades. The finished product was featured in the newspaper and was a source of wonder for anyone who saw it.

He opened his own garage, Grabin's, in 1973. It was there that he would work for the rest of his life. He made a real friend out of each person who met and knew him. Often he would have the companionship of any number of his friends at the garage. He was a kind, ethical businessman, always opting to give his customers a break at the sacrifice of his own pocket.

He was a constant source of knowledge, an avid reader and he enjoyed all types of debate. He was a mechanic in every sense of the word: He had a true, intuitive grasp on the inner workings of everything. He lived for his family, working hard to provide the best opportunities for the people he loved most.
He was a beloved and wonderful husband, father and grandfather.

He is survived by his wife, Martha; two daughters, Sandra Bianca and Diane Shanley and husband, James, all of Dickson City; a granddaughter, Hilarie Shanley, Boston; a brother, John, Eynon; several nieces and nephews.

He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Joseph and Stephen Jr.

The funeral will be held Friday from the James M. Margotta Funeral Home, 1019 Main Street Peckville, with Mass at 9:30 a.m. in Holy Ghost Church, Olyphant, to be celebrated by the Rev. Phillip Sladika, pastor. Entombment, St. Mary's Visitation Mausoleum, Dickson City.

Friends may call Thursday, 4 to 8 p.m.

{Written by Hilarie SHANLEY}