Eternal Life
This page is dedicated to informing our parishioner’s of recent death’s within our parish. The parish community of St. Joan of Arc extends our deepest sympathies to the families & friends of these individuals.
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This page is dedicated to informing our parishioner’s of recent death’s within our parish. The parish community of St. Joan of Arc extends our deepest sympathies to the families & friends of these individuals.
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Dr. Edward B. Lewis, D.D.S.
Edward B. Lewis, Jr., 95, of Hershey, peacefully passed away in his sleep on June 10, 2024 at the Lebanon Valley Home in Annville. He was born April 24, 1929, in Lebanon, the son of the late Edward B. Lewis, Sr. and Dorothy L. (Rogers) Lewis. Edward was raised in Hershey and graduated from Hershey High School in 1946, Hershey Junior College in 1948, and The University of Pennsylvania Dental School in 1952. After graduation, he enlisted in the Navy and served as a dentist during the Korean War. He continued his military service in the Navy Reserves for 11 additional years while establishing a dental practice in Hershey in 1954. He was a generous and well-respected dentist for 55 years, who always put his patients first. He was a member of several local and national Dental Associations and, in 1982, was inducted into the International College of Dentists. His faith was very important to him, and he was an active member of the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Hershey, where he served as an Extraordinary Minister and sang in the choir. He was a founding member of the Knights of Columbus at St. Joan of Arc. Other local organizations that he belonged to include American Legion Post 386 and the Hershey Lion’s Club. Dr. Lewis was a founder of the Hershey Baseball Association as a member of the board of directors in 1969. He served on the board until 1977 and was president for several of those years. Recognizing the need, he was a founder of the area’s Senior Teener Baseball Program, which provided an organized league for those teenagers who did not play American Legion Baseball. Edward was passionate about gardening, landscaping, oil painting, and music. From the time he was a young boy, and well into his adult life, he enjoyed playing the cornet. He participated in the high school band, dance bands, and several local and state competitions. He as a loving and supportive husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother. Surviving are his four children; Maureen E. Buckfelder of Hershey, Suzanne (Edward) Wildman of Hummelstown, Frederick Lewis of Manassas, VA and Lorraine Smith of Hershey; eight grandchildren, Kathleen (Kristian) Sullivan, Diana (Stephen) Seiger, Jennifer (Mark) Cook, Lisa (Kole) Reist, Thomas Buckfelder, Ryan Smith, Edward (Carolyn) Wildman II, and Christopher (Laura) Wildman; eleven great-grandchildren, and his two sisters, Joanne (Lewis) Curry and Kathleen Lewis, both of Hershey. Sadly, after 54 years of marriage, he became the widower of Mary (Graeff) Lewis in 2004. His second wife, Elsie E. (Curry) Lewis, also predeceased him in 2022. Recitation of the Rosary will begin at 4:30pm with a viewing being held from 5-7pm on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 in the Hoover Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. in Hershey. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at 11:00 am in the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 359 West Areba Avenue, Hershey PA 17033. Interment with military honors will be in the Hershey Cemetery following the Mass. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society or St. Joan of Arc Church. Share condolences at www.hooverfuneralhome.com.
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Kathleen E. (Dunlevy) Weiss, 77, of Hershey, passed away on June 6, 2024.
She was born March 10, 1947 in Harrisburg, daughter of the late George and Agnes (Bell) Dunlevy. Kathleen graduated from Bishop McDevitt '65 and the Polyclinic Nursing School-'68 and went on to work at the Hershey Medical Center as a registered nurse. She was a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, was on the parish council and was a Eucharist minister. She also enjoyed knitting. Kathleen is survived by her husband, Edward J. Weiss; son, Rev. Mark E. Weiss; daughters, Pamela Lee and Sue Weiss; granddaughter, Emma Roush; and brothers, William and Jeffrey Dunlevy. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 11AM in the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 359 West Areba Ave., Hershey. The family will begin receiving guests at 10AM. A private interment will be in the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions be made to Heart of the Parish Fund, c/o St. Joan of Arc Church 359 W. Areba Ave., Hershey, PA 17033. Hoover Funeral Home of Hershey is handling the arrangements. Dr. Martin Joseph Higgins
Martin Joseph Higgins, 86, formerly of Downingtown, PA and Beaufort, SC passed away peacefully on May 21, 2024. Born in Pottsville, PA , Martin was the son of the late Harry James Higgins and Elizabeth Louise (Foyle) Higgins. Martin graduated from Harrisburg Catholic High School and went on to attend St. Francis University in Loretto and graduated from the University of Dayton. He earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Maryland. Martin was a professor at West Chester University until his retirement from higher education when he began his second career as a certified financial planner. Martin was a brilliant man who valued education. He was deeply proud of his Irish and Coal Region roots and never forgot them. Martin enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and entered Parris Island in 1959. He served until 1965, earning the rank of corporal. He was first a rifleman, a machine gunner, and an optical instrument repairman. He was immensely proud to be a United States Marine. He was a good man. He loved his wife, his children and his grandchildren fiercely. He will be truly missed. He will live on in the family he so deeply loved. Martin is survived by his daughter, Mary Beth Higgins, M.D. of Hershey, PA and his sons Brian J. Higgins (Kate) of Winnetka, IL, Sean Higgins (Dana) of Columbia, SC, and Patrick Higgins of Beaufort, SC, as well as his grandchildren and great granddaughter. Martin was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Joan Schreck Higgins, and by his infant twin daughters, Kathryn and Mary, by his sisters, Teresa Mary (Higgins) Crowley and Nancy Higgins, and by his sweet granddaughter, Victoria. What a joyous hope in their reunion. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday June 15, 2024 at 11am at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 359 West Areba Ave, Hershey. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery with military honors. There will be no viewing or visitation. Share condolences at www.hooverfuneralhome.com Mary Elizabeth "Beth/Mary Beth" Sheehan, 82, of Palmyra, formerly of Hershey, St. Louis, MO and Pittsburgh, peacefully passed away on May 24, 2024 at Kadima at Campbelltown.
She was born May 6, 1942 in Pittsburgh, daughter of the late Regis and Helen (O'Leary) Sheehan. Beth's education includes St Paul's Cathedral Grade School and High School, BSc degree-Mount Mercy College, postgraduate-St Louis University. She had worked as a registered dietician at Missouri Pacific Hospital, St Louis Home Nursing Agency, and BJC Hospital In-Home Services. Beth was a devout Roman Catholic who served as a Eucharistic Minister and Lector for many years. She also was an active member of the St Joan of Arc's Respect Life Group and very much devoted to the Pro-life cause. She was an avid sports fan and supporter of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. Mary is survived by her siblings, Vicki Nash, Joe (Maribeth) Sheehan, Midge (Ron) DiFrango and Colleen (Bill) Schnieders; sisters-in-law, Betty (Bob) Sheehan and Maureen (Tom) Sheehan, numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews; and dear friend, Fran Shiffler. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by siblings, Bob, Tom and Billy Sheehan and Barbara Wingerson; brother-in-law, Bud Wingerson and longtime, close friend Teddie Schmidt. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, May 31, at 11AM in the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 359 W. Areba Ave. Hershey. The family will begin receiving guests at 10:30AM. The family is requesting that you wear something blue, Beth's favorite color, in remembrance of her. Interment will be in the Hershey Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions be made to Respect Life Group, c/o St Joan of Arc Church, 359 W Areba Ave., Hershey, PA 17033. Hoover Funeral Home of Hershey is handling the arrangements. Deborah A. Gasper, 73, of Harrisburg, beloved sister, aunt and friend died on April, 29th, 2024. Predeceased by her father, Fred and mother, Mary D. Gasper.
She was retired from the State Police with 35 years of service. She was a member of St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church in Harrisburg and the PA State Police Retirement Association. A private funeral mass will be held at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Hershey, where Deborah’s spirit will be celebrated and her memory honored. There will be no viewing per her wishes. Burial will be at the Hershey Cemetery. She is survived by her brother, two nieces, two great nieces, two great nephews and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Though she may be gone from this world, Deborah’s spirit will live on in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know her. Rest in peace, dear Deborah; you will be deeply missed. Please make a contribution to the charity of your choice in Deborah’s honor. Share condolences at www.hooverfuneralhome.com. Estelle A. Asseng, 91, of Hummelstown, PA and formerly of Deer Park, NY, passed away on May 17, 2024 at the M.S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA.
She was born March 23, 1933 in Brooklyn, NY, daughter of the late Edward Grady and Anne (Reehill) Grady. Estelle retired from Verizon Communications, where she was a customer service representative. She was a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Hershey and enjoyed crocheting and spending time with her family. Estelle is survived by; three sons, George (Christina) Asseng, Jr. of Odenton, MD, Michael (Deneen) Asseng of Deer Park, NY and Kenneth (Megan) Asseng of Hauppauge, NY; five daughters, Barbara (Allen) McDonald of Uniontown, PA, Carol (Thomas) Sherlock of Wading River, NY, Virginia (Andrew) Waxman of Hummelstown, PA, Nancy (John) O'Neill of Massapequa Park, NY and Tricia (Matthew) Sullivan of Kingston, MA. She is also survived by 21 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, George A. Asseng, Sr. and a son, Thomas Asseng. A visitation will be held Monday, May 20, 2024 from 4:00 - 6:00pm at the Hoover Funeral Home & Crematory, 88 Lucy Avenue, Hershey, PA. Recitation of the rosary will begin at 4:00pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00am on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church, 359 West Areba Avenue, Hershey, PA. Interment will be Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 11:30am at the Calverton National Cemetery in Calverton, New York. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions be made to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. Joseph A Luciani, 75, of Hershey, passed away peacefully on April 22, 2024 at Masonic Village of Elizabethtown. Born July 31, 1948 in the old Hershey Hospital, he was a son to the late Yola (Guardiani) Luciani and Albert Luciani. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 46 years, Carol (Elliott) Luciani.
He was a graduate of Hershey High School (1966), and Penn State University (1972). At Penn State he had focused on History and English, in hopes of becoming a teacher. While there he enjoyed acting in many plays as preparation for working in front of crowds. He got married and started a family, which turned his trajectory to work in the insurance industry and also a bartender at the Hershey Italian Lodge, before creating a life working at Hershey Foods, where he was also a union representative. While he did not become a full-time teacher, he did use his educational skills to teach CCD for a time. A voracious reader, and fan of facts, he enjoyed any chance to share education with his kids or anyone who would listen. His favorite thing was to spend time with his family. A product of his generation, he was a baseball fan (Yankees) and for a time enjoyed attending Senators games with his kids and bonus kid. He enjoyed attending shows with his beloved wife, dinners with friends and family, and used to be a wonderful mini golf player. He could recite the entire Jesus Christ Superstar movie and soundtrack, as well as most of the series M.A.S.H. He was also a fan of obscure and odd movies, trivia and crossword puzzles. He made fantastic pizza’s and “daddy burgers”. He also enjoyed a fantasy football league with his son, where they are the current champions. Also, a fan of cards, he enjoyed playing pinochle and poker with his friends at Masonic Village, as well as being a member of the chess club. He was always happy to be around people and was often referred to as such a nice guy, and fun to talk to. While living at Masonic he had gained a reputation as both the ‘candy man’ (for having a candy dish outside his door for all to enjoy) and ‘the walker’ for walking daily outside the building. Despite having suffered many medical ailments, he rolled with each one, with a quiet calm not found in many. A member of St. Joan of Arc, he held his faith close to his heart and looked to it in the darkest of times. He was also a 4th degree knight in the Knights of Columbus. He is survived by his son, James Luciani (Harrisburg), daughter Alicia Luciani (Hershey) and her boyfriend, Ken Evans(bonus kid), sister, Gloria Herberg (Lebanon), sister Patricia Luciani (Sister Mary Albert of New York), brother, Dennis Luciani (Lebanon), many nieces, nephews, friends and extended family. A funeral mass will take place on Saturday May 18th, 2024at St. Joan of Arc in Hershey at 2:00 PM. A private interment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to your favorite charity. Kenneth M. Schaffer, 91, of Hummelstown passed away Monday, April 29, 2024 surrounded by his wife and children.
Born February 17, 1933 in Harrisburg, he was a son of the late Joseph William and Olive Martha (Hammaker) Schaffer and also preceded in death by brothers Donald and Dennis Schaffer. A retired Plans Examiner for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Ken was a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church and the Derry Township Historical Society. He was a Korean War U.S. Army veteran and avid artist, photographer, car buff, and cyclist who was instrumental in the creation of the Harrisburg Bicycle Club and previously served as their president. Surviving are his wife of 57 years Marjorie K. (Bitterman) Schaffer; children Mark Joseph Schaffer (Dawn) of Palmyra, Debra Linn Hefflefinger (Alan) of Mt. Joy, and Nicole Lee Ogden (Steve) of Hummelstown; and seven grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 12:30 PM Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at his church, 359 West Areba Avenue, Hershey followed by interment, with military honors, at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 359 West Areba Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033 or Hollidaysburg Veterans' Home, PO Box 319, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648. Doris J. Annibali, of Hershey, passed away on April 3, 2024, surrounded by loving family.
She was born in Mt. Pleasant, Pa., the daughter of the late Eber and Grace (Stauffer) Shumar. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Richard W. Annibali. She was also preceded in death by all her 15 sisters and brothers of which she was the third youngest. She leaves behind her daughters, Debi Annibali (Steven Leibowitz) and Cindy Groninger (John Groninger); 7 grandchildren (Alexa, Chad, Jeremy, Katie, Brett, Julia, and Shaine) and 3 great-grandsons (Finn, Woody, Landon); sister-in-law (Rene); special nephews and nieces including Rick, Brenda, Jeff, Karen, and many more she loved with all her heart. After moving to Harrisburg to work at the State Capitol, she met her future husband, with whom she enjoyed 60 plus wonderful years, raising their children and grandchildren. Doris was a strong, independent woman who was an avid reader and loved to discuss current events. She was the consummate mother, loving, kind, strong in her beliefs and possessed an unwavering faith. She took joy in simple pleasures and liked to express her love for friends and family through food. To dine with or be fed by Doris was always an unforgettable experience of joy. A visitation will be held Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 10:00 am with a Mass of Christian Burial immediately following at 11 am in the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Hershey. Interment will be in the Hershey Cemetery following the Mass. Rita Mary (Shedleski) Martin, 97, of Hershey, passed away April 2, 2024. She was born November 20, 1926, in Kulpmont, PA and was the tenth of thirteen children to the late Benjamin and Rose (Sutranovich) Shedleski. She was predeceased on November 17, 2012, by her loving husband, Vincent W. Martin.
Rita graduated from high school at age 16 and then worked ten years as a seamstress in the Kulpmont area. She married Vincent Martin in 1953. After marrying, she and husband Vince lived in Buffalo, NY before relocating to Lancaster, PA. While living in Lancaster she worked at JC Penny in the Park City Mall. Their family later moved to Pittsburgh, PA where she worked at the Saint Francis Medical Center as an oncology unit secretary. Her and Vince retired to Hershey, PA where she continued to work part-time as a unit secretary at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. In her free time, she enjoyed traveling, reading, and cooking. Rita could also speak fluent Polish. She will be greatly missed by her family who loved her dearly. She is survived by her sons, Dennis, James, William and Peter; grandchildren, Monika, Ryan and Vince; daughters-in-law, Joanne and Jean, and a sister, Irene. Family and friends are invited for Mass on Friday, April 12th from 11 to 12 PM at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 359 W Areba Ave, Hershey, PA 17033 with Father Al Sceski officiating. Burial will be held at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Friday April 19th 2024 at 11:30 AM. |
We are awaiting obituary information for the following parishioners whom recently passed:
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June 2024
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St. Joan of Arc Parish Office
305 West Areba Ave. Hershey, PA 17033 Phone: 717.533.7168 Fax: 717.520.0526 Email: [email protected] |
St. Joan of Arc School
1525 Sand Hill Rd Hummelstown, PA 17036 Phone: 717.533.2854 Website: school.stjoanhershey.org |