Joseph A. Yurkonis, 79, of 115 N. Line St., Frackville, died Sunday at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Born in Gilberton, Feb. 9, 1926, he was a son of the late Alexander and Magdalene Burntitus Yurkonis. He was a graduate of West Mahanoy Township School.
He was an Army veteran of World War II, and a Purple Heart recipient.
He was employed as a funeral assistant for 53 years at Nice-Hart Funeral Home Inc., Frackville.
For 63 years, he was a member of the Lithuanian Choir. He was a member of Frackville Elks Lodge 737 and Frackville American Legion Post 398. He was a member of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Church, Frackville.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, Alex, Albert, John and Vincent; five sisters, Katherine, Helen and Julia Yurkonis, Mary Mitchell and Eva Shidisky. He was the last member of his immediate family.
Surviving are his wife of 45 years, Mabel Hinkle Yurkonis, whom he married in 1959; a son, Joseph A. and his wife Theresa, Frackville; two daughters, Carol Ketterer and her husband Ronald, Frackville, and Regina M. Yurkonis and her husband Thomas J. Gallagher, Virginia; six grandchildren, Joseph A., Andrew V., Theresa E. and Steven M. Yurkonis, Tara L. Ketterer and Thomas A. Gallagher; nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 8 a.m. Thursday from Nice-Hart Funeral Home Inc., Frackville, with further services at 8:30 a.m. from Annunciation BVM Church, Frackville. The Rev. Dominik Kalata will officiate. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorial donations can be made to Annunciation BVM Church Memorial Fund, 7 S. Broad Mountain Ave., Frackville, PA 17931 or to Frackville Free Public Library, 56 N. Lehigh Ave., Frackville, PA 17931. Interment with military honors will be held in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville.
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Marion: True story. PLease place this in Jokes. This is my brother in law,
husband of my sister Mable. You can place a link in Obits IF you feel it is
right. Joe would want me to do this. Paul Hinkle WW2 vet
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As most of you know, we lost my dad on Palm Sunday. He was a WWII veteran, so this Memorial Day was an especially sad one for our family.
We were up in Frackville that weekend and the American Legion (veterans organization) held a special service at mass in our church. All its members were in suits or uniforms and all looked to be in their 70's. It was quite touching as one officer read the name of each member who had died since last Memorial Day, the bell tolled and another officer answered, "Absent...Sir." There were about 30 names called which is a lot for a small church, but we all know how fast the "Greatest Generation" is passing away.
When the roll call was finished, one elderly man took a bugle and walked to the back of the church. A flawless rendition of Taps filled the sanctuary. I doubt there was a dry eye in the house. My own eyes were closed tight trying not to break down completely. As he then walked solemnly back to his seat with the bugle under his arm...it started playing Taps again!! He looked at the bugle, the altar boys snickered, the congregation looked at each other and I was the first to burst out laughing.
All I could think of was how my dad and his buddies up in the choir loft would have cut up over this story for years! I can't help but wonder if he had a hand in it. Whether you spent it remembering those you lost or barbequing or both, I hope you had a Happy Memorial Day.
Gina 