Bernard Kolodziej, 85, of Wilkes-Barre, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018, in Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.
He was the son of the late Joseph and Anna Stefaniak Kolodziej. He was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Lake Silkworth.
He graduated from Nanticoke High School, earned a bachelor's degree from King's College and a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from Penn State University. He also did graduate work at Marywood University and the University of Scranton.
Initially, he worked for more than 10 years in retail sales and construction, and then pursued a 36-year career in rehabilitation and social services. He worked for the state as a welfare caseworker and as a rehabilitation counselor. He also served as an assistant program director with the Commission on Economic Opportunity, assistant executive director at United Rehabilitation Services and for 22 years as executive director of the Wyoming Valley Children's Association.
He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as an X-ray technician during the Korean War.
He was a member of American Legion Post 350. He was a life member of the Knights of Columbus, the Six County Firemen's Association and served as a Eucharistic minister at St. Aloysius, Wilkes-Barre, St. Faustina, Nanticoke, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
He received a Paul Harris Fellowship Award from the Wilkes-Barre Rotary for his work with disabled children. He was also a member of the Lake Silkworth Area Lions Club, Moon Lake and Lake Silkworth sportsmen's clubs, especially enjoying the Canadian fishing trips. Active for many years in fraternal activities, he was president of the Polish Union, USA, having served on their board for more than 40 years, and was past president of the Northeast Pennsylvania Polish American Congress.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen Gallagher Kolodziej; son, Joseph and his wife, Alexa, West Virginia; daughter, Carol Yedinak and her husband, Paul, Wilkes-Barre; and three grand-children, Sarah Beth, Jacob and John; as well as a sister, Barbara Stasavage and her husband, Gerald, Ithaca, N.Y.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Friends and family are invited to join the family from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Grontkowski Funeral Home P.C., 51 W. Green St., Nanticoke.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:45 a.m. Monday in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2011 state Route 29, Hunlock Creek.
Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Hanover Twp.
He was the son of the late Joseph and Anna Stefaniak Kolodziej. He was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Lake Silkworth.
He graduated from Nanticoke High School, earned a bachelor's degree from King's College and a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from Penn State University. He also did graduate work at Marywood University and the University of Scranton.
Initially, he worked for more than 10 years in retail sales and construction, and then pursued a 36-year career in rehabilitation and social services. He worked for the state as a welfare caseworker and as a rehabilitation counselor. He also served as an assistant program director with the Commission on Economic Opportunity, assistant executive director at United Rehabilitation Services and for 22 years as executive director of the Wyoming Valley Children's Association.
He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as an X-ray technician during the Korean War.
He was a member of American Legion Post 350. He was a life member of the Knights of Columbus, the Six County Firemen's Association and served as a Eucharistic minister at St. Aloysius, Wilkes-Barre, St. Faustina, Nanticoke, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
He received a Paul Harris Fellowship Award from the Wilkes-Barre Rotary for his work with disabled children. He was also a member of the Lake Silkworth Area Lions Club, Moon Lake and Lake Silkworth sportsmen's clubs, especially enjoying the Canadian fishing trips. Active for many years in fraternal activities, he was president of the Polish Union, USA, having served on their board for more than 40 years, and was past president of the Northeast Pennsylvania Polish American Congress.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen Gallagher Kolodziej; son, Joseph and his wife, Alexa, West Virginia; daughter, Carol Yedinak and her husband, Paul, Wilkes-Barre; and three grand-children, Sarah Beth, Jacob and John; as well as a sister, Barbara Stasavage and her husband, Gerald, Ithaca, N.Y.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Friends and family are invited to join the family from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Grontkowski Funeral Home P.C., 51 W. Green St., Nanticoke.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:45 a.m. Monday in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2011 state Route 29, Hunlock Creek.
Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Hanover Twp.
Bernard Kolodziej, 85, of Wilkes-Barre, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018, in Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.
He was the son of the late Joseph and Anna Stefaniak Kolodziej. He was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Lake Silkworth.
He graduated from Nanticoke High School, earned a bachelor's degree from King's College and a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from Penn State University. He also did graduate work at Marywood University and the University of Scranton.
Initially, he worked for more than 10 years in retail sales and construction, and then pursued a 36-year career in rehabilitation and social services. He worked for the state as a welfare caseworker and as a rehabilitation counselor. He also served as an assistant program director with the Commission on Economic Opportunity, assistant executive director at United Rehabilitation Services and for 22 years as executive director of the Wyoming Valley Children's Association.
He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as an X-ray technician during the Korean War.
He was a member of American Legion Post 350. He was a life member of the Knights of Columbus, the Six County Firemen's Association and served as a Eucharistic minister at St. Aloysius, Wilkes-Barre, St. Faustina, Nanticoke, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
He received a Paul Harris Fellowship Award from the Wilkes-Barre Rotary for his work with disabled children. He was also a member of the Lake Silkworth Area Lions Club, Moon Lake and Lake Silkworth sportsmen's clubs, especially enjoying the Canadian fishing trips. Active for many years in fraternal activities, he was president of the Polish Union, USA, having served on their board for more than 40 years, and was past president of the Northeast Pennsylvania Polish American Congress.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen Gallagher Kolodziej; son, Joseph and his wife, Alexa, West Virginia; daughter, Carol Yedinak and her husband, Paul, Wilkes-Barre; and three grand-children, Sarah Beth, Jacob and John; as well as a sister, Barbara Stasavage and her husband, Gerald, Ithaca, N.Y.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Friends and family are invited to join the family from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Grontkowski Funeral Home P.C., 51 W. Green St., Nanticoke.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:45 a.m. Monday in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2011 state Route 29, Hunlock Creek.
Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Hanover Twp.
He was the son of the late Joseph and Anna Stefaniak Kolodziej. He was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Lake Silkworth.
He graduated from Nanticoke High School, earned a bachelor's degree from King's College and a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from Penn State University. He also did graduate work at Marywood University and the University of Scranton.
Initially, he worked for more than 10 years in retail sales and construction, and then pursued a 36-year career in rehabilitation and social services. He worked for the state as a welfare caseworker and as a rehabilitation counselor. He also served as an assistant program director with the Commission on Economic Opportunity, assistant executive director at United Rehabilitation Services and for 22 years as executive director of the Wyoming Valley Children's Association.
He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as an X-ray technician during the Korean War.
He was a member of American Legion Post 350. He was a life member of the Knights of Columbus, the Six County Firemen's Association and served as a Eucharistic minister at St. Aloysius, Wilkes-Barre, St. Faustina, Nanticoke, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
He received a Paul Harris Fellowship Award from the Wilkes-Barre Rotary for his work with disabled children. He was also a member of the Lake Silkworth Area Lions Club, Moon Lake and Lake Silkworth sportsmen's clubs, especially enjoying the Canadian fishing trips. Active for many years in fraternal activities, he was president of the Polish Union, USA, having served on their board for more than 40 years, and was past president of the Northeast Pennsylvania Polish American Congress.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen Gallagher Kolodziej; son, Joseph and his wife, Alexa, West Virginia; daughter, Carol Yedinak and her husband, Paul, Wilkes-Barre; and three grand-children, Sarah Beth, Jacob and John; as well as a sister, Barbara Stasavage and her husband, Gerald, Ithaca, N.Y.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Friends and family are invited to join the family from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Grontkowski Funeral Home P.C., 51 W. Green St., Nanticoke.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:45 a.m. Monday in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2011 state Route 29, Hunlock Creek.
Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Hanover Twp.
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