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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In Memory of
Helen Frances (Woltman) Brown Helen Frances Woltman Brown, 57, of Hershey, passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, October 6, 2020. Born in Staten Island, NY, on February 26, 1963, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Lillian Woltman. Helen was a 1981 graduate of Lower Dauphin, and 1986 graduate of Lock Haven University. During her collegiate basketball career, she scored over one-thousand points and pulled down over one thousand rebounds. After college, Helen was an elementary P.E. teacher at St. Joan of Arc and Solanco School District. Helen was a member of the Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority, The Tuesday Club, and a Disney Vacation Club Member. She loved to travel and the magic of Disney. Helen was also an avid yard saler, dedicated gardener, passionate WNBA supporter, but most importantly, she loved being a Grandma. Helen is survived by her husband of 34 years, Bill, Jr.; one son, William the III, his partner Bryan Gill; one daughter, Farryn Elizabeth, her partner Avery Taylor, and their daughter Averyona; four sisters, Janice wife of Paul, Mary, Joan, and Ruth, wife of Tony; three brothers, Richard, husband of Lynne, John, and Jim, husband of Heidi; a sister-in-law, Khristi; Sisters of the Heart, Lisa and Teresa; and the family’s three beagles and two Cavalier King Charles spaniels. In addition to her parents, Helen was preceded in death by a sister, Donna; and two brothers, Paul and Tom. A graveside service was held October 13 at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Joan of Arc Church on Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 11 AM. The Mass may be viewed online on the church’s website at: www.stjoanhershey.org/live-stream.html or on the church’s Facebook page. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, PO Box 91891, Washington DC 20090, or to The National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, PO Box 1848, Longmont, Colorado 80502.
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Donald J. DiClemente, 92, a lifelong resident of Hershey, passed away on January 5, 2021. Born on July 19, 1928, he was the son of the late Rocco and Anna (Franci) DiClemente. Donald graduated from Hershey High School and both the University of Pittsburgh and Temple University. He was a WWII Army Veteran with the 1st Calvary Division in Japan. He was a retired executive with the former AMP Inc. His memberships include St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Hershey; Hershey Italian Lodge; American Institute of C.P.A.’s; and a former National VP of Institute of Management Accountants. Donald is survived by his son, Gary J. and wife Lorie DiClemente; sister, Diva Passalacqua; as well as many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ethel V. (Jones) and brothers, Divo, Dominic and Dino DiClemente. A private interment was held in the Hershey Cemetery. A memorial mass will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to: Heart of the Parish Fund, c/o St. Joan of Arc Church 359 W. Areba Ave. Hershey, PA 17033. Hoover Funeral Homes & Crematory of Hershey handled the arrangements. Joseph Anthony "Tony" Ercole of Hershey PA and Lakeland FL died on December 26, 2020 as a result of Covid 19. Tony was born in Windber, PA. on June 10th, 1931. He was preceded in death by his parents, Erminio and Albina, and brothers Ermie and Julias. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Tressa (Baughman), and their five children: Charles (Courtney) of Philadelphia; Lynne (Rich Edwards) of Hershey; Michael (Karen) of Fairfax Station,Va; Gregg (Shannon) of West Chester, PA; and Eric of Altamonte Springs, Fla; nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Tony served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War; and later graduated from Penn State University. He graduated from Windber High School,and was later inducted into the Windber Hall of Fame in 1995 for outstanding contributions to the PA Coal Mining Industry. Tony spent more than 25 years in public service, retiring in 1983 from the Department of Environmental Resources, as Director of the Bureau of Mining and Reclamation. After retirement from government service, Tony then retired as the President of the PA Coal Association in 1996. Having grown up in a coal mining town, and having worked in mines himself, Tony’s career was largely focused on regulatory and technical improvements for the PA coal mining industry. As a result, he served on many State and National Boards, sharing his expertise. Tony spent countless hours attending his children’s many sporting and life events, and later in life could be found cheering on his grandchildren; he loved nothing more than an Ercole family get together. After retirement, he and Tressa spent their winters in Lakeland, Florida at their home on the 10th Tee of Schalamar Creek. The Ercole Family would like to thank the staff at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center for their impeccable care and kindness during this difficult time. A Celebration of Life will be announced in 2021. Anthony was a member of St Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Hershey for more than 50 years. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Heart of the Parish Fund, C/O St. Joan of Arc Church, 305 West Areba Avenue, Hershey PA 17033 WEAR A MASK ! Gilbert E. Petrina, 86, of Elizabethtown, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 18, 2020. He was an Attorney-at-Law and former member of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard retiring as a Brigadier General after 30 years of military service. Gilbert was an optimist who found joy and laughter in everything. A warrior by nature, he was a man of faith and service, an avid reader, and curator of fine-arts and antiquities. His proudest achievement was his family legacy – his wife of 55 years, his four children and their spouses (all current or retired Air Force officers, and one Naval officer) and nine loving grandchildren. Gilbert was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on 29 July 1934, the second of nine children, to the late Stephen J. and Veronica (Kosevic) Petrina. He attended the University of Maryland, graduating in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts, and was commissioned as an Air Force Second Lieutenant. He served overseas as a Communications Officer in Kumejima (Okinawa, Japan); and stateside in Omaha, Nebraska at Strategic Air Command Headquarters. He separated active duty, joined the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and attended Dickinson Law School, receiving his Juris Doctorate in 1965. Gilbert had a successful law practice and made major contributions in civic affairs. He was a member of the Dauphin County Bar Association; he was president and chairman of million-dollar construction campaigns for the American Red Cross and Goodwill Industries, and he was involved with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee. He was an active member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church and served the community as a member and leader in several other organizations including the Air Force Association, the Croatian Fraternal Union and the Knights of Columbus. He was an avid beach goer at his favorite fishing club, Harvey Cedars, where he developed his inspiration for the Petrina Kayak Club. Surviving are; his wife, Rosanne (Marinari) Petrina; four children, Gilbert E. (Carolyn) Petrina, Jr., Julie (William) Curlin, Jenifer (Heath) Bope, Amy (Kurt) Kremser; nine loving grandchildren, (Kelley, Elisa, Madison, Emily, Mitchell, Alexander, Katherine, Lukas and Amelia); two brothers, Stephen and John (Vickie); three sisters, Dorothy Tarlecki, Martha (Scott) Williamson, Mary (Thomas) Butcher; sisters-in-law, Nancy and Carol Petrina, Sandy Marinari, and Anna Bruno; and, numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Dolores Klipa and two brothers, Phillip, and most recently Bernard who passed away the same day, nine hours prior. Gilbert was referred to by his family and friends as ‘Gib’, and by his kids and grandkids as ‘Chief’. He was the head of the tribe and always had a story to tell, with a lesson to be learned, critical thinking to be applied or legal tactic to be employed. He built memories to last a lifetime at the family home, codenamed ‘the Farm’; years of celebrations, one family wedding, years of birthday parties, and Christmas festivities with all the kids, sometimes delayed as one or more of his children were deployed overseas. Chief never went anywhere without interrogating everyone he met, asking them where they grew up, where they went to college, or about their goals and aspirations. He gave it all with gusto, his mission for the past six years was to fight cancer, telling his team of brilliant Doctors to “try everything, give him whatever it takes” to help medical science, with the added benefit to enjoy life with his family, watching his grandchildren grow. His nine grandchildren run their own race and take care of each other as if they are brothers and sisters, his favorite saying was “Cousins are Fun!” His intent was to buy them all horses and airplanes – in the end, he chose to give them kayaks, with a special inscription to each one of them – his legacy will live on with the next-generation of fire starters, astronomers and adventurers. His focus was on faith, family, and ‘the Farm’ – the Earthly paradise, where he loved to bring the group together to enjoy the sunsets around a fire, telling stories or counting stars and calling out the constellations. Telling his kids and grandkids how amazing God is, to have put us on this tiny little planet called Earth – and “knowing God has something amazing in store for us after we leave this planet.” A private service will be held at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Hershey and he will be buried with full military honors at Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. A Celebration of Life to recognize the lives of both Gilbert and his brother Bernard (‘Jim’) will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Gilbert’s honor to Penn State Cancer Institute of Research, Office of University Development, 1249 Cocoa Ave, Suite 115, P.O. Box 852, Hershey, PA 17033-0852 or to Grane Hospice, 1200 Camp Hill Bypass Suite 205, Camp Hill, PA 17011. The family sincerely thanks the Traditions of Hershey staff for their exceptional care and kindness during the challenges of 2020. Gilbert was fondly known to make the best of any challenging situation. When confronted with challenges, he inevitably would find joy, laughter and the silver lining – raise a glass with those you love, and find joy and laughter living every moment. Carpe Diem! Ann Louise Smilak, 85, passed away on December 11, 2020. Ann was a strong woman who survived Covid-19 in April and passed away like she always wanted to… peacefully, with her husband, Edward Stephen Smilak, by her side. She was born February 10, 1935 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, to the late Juliet H. (Connors) and Robert L. Howe. Ann and Edward were married February 11, 1956, and celebrated 64 years together. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her children, Cynthia Clark and husband Mark Clark of Chester Springs, Robert Smilak of Hummelstown, and Julie Scheib and husband Randy Scheib of Hershey. She was the devoted grandmother of Alaina Clark of West Chester, Dr. Gregory Clark and his wife Caymee Wood of NYC, Andrew Smilak and his wife Katie Smilak of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Stephen Smilak of Boston, Amy Smilak of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Jessica Scheib of Hershey, Nicholas Scheib of Hershey and Patrick Scheib of Hershey. Also surviving are her twin brother, John Howe and his wife Karen Howe of Mechanicsburg and many loving nieces and nephews. Ann has been described as the sweetest person one could know. She was a proud mother, loving wife, devoted grandmother, devout Catholic, and kind friend. She will be remembered for her smile, thoughtfulness, and selflessness. Many memories of Ann include a beloved dog by her side. Ann had a 20-year career with Bethany Children's Home, Wolmelsdorf, Pa in their childcare center where she touched the lives of children and staff alike. Funeral services will be private and scheduled at the discretion of the family with internment at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 305 W. Areba Ave., Hershey, PA. Send online condolences at www.hooverfuner alhome.com. Victoria Ann Rich Sicher, 75, of Elizabethtown, passed away on December 11, 2020 at home, surrounded by her loving family. She was born January 6, 1945 in Greensburg, PA, daughter of the late Dominic and Ann (Chernicky) Rich. She was a former elementary school teacher and was a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Hershey. She also enjoyed working at Annabel’s Boutique in Harrisburg, as well as the Montessori Children’s House of Hershey. Victoria is survived by her husband Ermo Sicher, D.D.S.; son Christopher Sicher, D.M.D. and his wife Kathy and their children, Natalie and Ethan; daughter Julie Sicher McDonald and her husband Brendan and their children, Meghan and Quinn; and brother James F. Rich, M.D. A private Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, December 18, 2020 at 11AM in her church. The service may be viewed online at the time of service on the church's website at: www.stjoanhershey.org/live-stream.html or on the church’s Facebook page. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions be made to Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, Inc. 7790 Grayson Road Harrisburg, PA 17111. Hoover Funeral Homes & Crematory of Hershey, Pennsylvania, is handling the arrangements. Salvatore Nicholas Amato, 73, of Derry Township passed away Wednesday, November 18, 2020, in the Hershey Medical Center, Hershey PA, as a result of injuries suffered in a car accident. Born in Molfetta, Italy, on April 27, 1947, he was the son of the late Giovanni and Elanor Bellomo Amato. Sal retired as the Manufacturing Manager for numerous companies including ASK Foods, Inc., Hershey Foods Corporation, San Giorgio, Kraft Foods and Maxwell House. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from of St. Peter's College, Jersey City, NJ. Sal was a U.S. Army veteran having served in the Vietnam War. He was a former member of the Hershey Italian Lodge. Sal enjoyed watching football and soccer, not to mention having a glass of wine while watching his favorite television show, "Family Feud" with Steve Harvey. He is survived by his beloved wife of 49 years, Rosemarie M. Carlone Amato, whom he married on July 17, 1971; two sons, Mario Jude Amato husband of Susan of Annville, and Salvatore John Amato of New Cumberland; three grandchildren, Brian, Nicholas and Makayla; two sisters, Giovanni Uva and Clara Turchi both of Hoboken, NJ; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Sal was preceded in death by two brothers Emilio and Mario. Private services will be held by the family. Inurnment with military honors will be in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville. Trefz & Bowser Funeral Home, Inc., 114 West Main Street, Hummelstown, is handling the arrangements In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 ([email protected]). Online condolences may be shared on www.trefzandbowser.com. Janice F. Cary, 87, a longtime resident of Hershey, who, as a young woman, devoted her life to serving the ill and dying as a nurse, passed away on December 7, 2020, with a nurse praying by her bedside. She was born January 20, 1933 in Binghamton, NY, daughter of the late Fred and Frances (Quinlivan) McDonald. Janice's life was a love story of a nurse and a doctor who met while she was in nursing school and her future husband in medical school, in Syracuse, NY. She worked in nursing before committing much of her life to raising her family. An ambitious, intelligent, and strong woman, she later returned to work as a voice for the belittled, and a champion for women's rights. She served as lobbyist for the PA Psychiatric Society, where she advocated for more just insurance coverage for those with mental illness. She also served as a president of the Hershey League of Women Voters to support the right to vote and as a president of Friends of Hershey Public Library and board member for many years of the PA Citizens for Better Libraries to push for the advancement of people from all walks of life through the attainment of knowledge. Her crowning achievements were her five children who were each represented by a diamond on a ring given to her by her husband. Her latest accomplishment was coordinating with her daughter, Meghan Cary, on the creation of the River Rock Project www.riverockproject.com. She was also a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Hershey. Janice is survived by her loving husband, Gene L. Cary, to whom she was married for 62 years. Jan is also survived by her 5 children, 10 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren: Phil Cary and his wife Nancy Hazle along with their 3 children, Jonathon, Christopher and Jacob; Brian Cary along with his 2 children, Caroline and Ryan; Bruce Cary and his wife, Carolyn Collins along with Bruce's son, Jack; Allison Jenkins along with her 2 children, Katy and Veronica; and Meghan Cary and her husband, Peter Farrell along with their 2 children, Clara and Quinn. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her sister, Mary Ann McDonald, her brother, David McDonald, and her grandson, Joe Jenkins, son of daughter Allison Jenkins. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, December 12 at 11 AM in the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 359 West Areba Ave., Hershey. The service may be viewed online at: www.stjoanhershey.org/live-stream.html or on the church's Facebook page. With respect to current safety recommendations, there will be no visitation. The family plans to have a Celebration of Janice's life at a later time. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions be made to Haitipartners.org Hoover Funeral Homes & Crematory of Hershey is handling the arrangements. Send condolences via the online guest book at www.hooverfuneralhome.com www.pennlive.com/obits Margaret "Peggy" Frank of Hershey, PA, born March 13, 1950, passed away on December 4, 2020 after a short battle with cancer. She passed away peacefully at home with her family at her side. Peggy was born and raised in Steelton. She attended Steelton-Highspire High School (class of 1968) and received a Bachelor's Degree from Penn State University. She taught elementary school at St. Mary's (Prince of Peace) Catholic School and Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School for more than 30 years. In her spare time, Peggy enjoyed socializing with friends and family and traveling. She is survived by her husband, Charles Frank (68) of Hershey; son, Adam Frank (36) of San Francisco, CA; daughter, Emily Frank (34) of Cherry Hill, NJ; and brother, John Benkovic (77) of Herndon, VA. Peggy was laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery - near her parents John and Theresa Benkovic - during a graveside service for immediate family on December 8, 2020. Due to safety concerns surrounding the ongoing pandemic, a Memorial Service and banquet will be planned for Summer 2021. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Wiedeman Funeral Home Cremation Services, Oberlin. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice and Community Care (https://www.hospiceconnect.org./memorial). www.pennlive.com/obits John A. Rizzo, 71, of Hummelstown passed away on October 29th, 2020 in the presence of his family. Born on April 1st, 1949 in Hershey, he was the eldest child of the late Arthur and Marion (Colangelo) Rizzo. John was a loving husband, father, brother, Popsie, coach and friend to so many people in the community and will be missed dearly. John was a 1967 graduate of Hershey High School and excelled in both football and baseball. He spent a lifetime watching, teaching and coaching youth sports, and guided many young men and women to be the best they could be, including his four grandsons Anthony, Trenton, Joseph and Nicholas. John retired from The Hershey Company in 2001 after 28 years of service, and served later as a contractor supporting multiple departments. He built many friendships during his time at the 19 East Plant, West Hershey, and Reese facilities and spoke about those friends often. While family was his first priority, his friend network was a close second. The comradery that he developed with his high school teammates continued in his life for years to come. The stories from playing baseball, softball and golf were endless and always led to laughter. To all of the friends that are still with us today, and to those that have been lost, thank you for the great memories. Surviving are his wife of 38 years, and the love of his life, Sherri (Paine) Rizzo; son Mike (Kimberly) Rizzo; daughter Julie Rizzo; grandsons Anthony and Nicholas Rizzo, and Trenton and Joseph Matter; brother Jim (Judy) Rizzo; sister Joyce Rizzo (Ron Freda); mother-in-law Jeanne (Orsini) Paine; brother-in-law Dan Paine and many cousins, nieces and nephews both by blood and those “adopted” through his friendships. He was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law Phil Paine, sister-in-law Charlotte Paine and brother-in-law Jeff Paine. The family would like to thank Dr. Frank Battista and Dr. Morie Gertz for their constant advice and counseling over the past 24 years. We would also like to thank the many doctors and staff at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN who worked tirelessly to improve John’s health and wellness. And a special thank you to the many nurses who brought daily conversation and bedside care when he needed it most. Due to restrictions concerning the Covid-19 pandemic, a private service will be held for the family at St. Joan of Arc Church, Hershey with interment at the Hummelstown Cemetery. A celebration of John’s life will be announced, at a later date once restrictions have been lifted for large gatherings, to allow for the large number of family and friends to pay their respects. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: The Mayo Clinic – For Amyloid Research, Attn: Dr. Morie Gertz200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905 |
We are awaiting obituary information for the following parishioners whom recently passed:
Memorial Gifts can be made online to honor the loss of a family member or someone special to you.
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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 |