Sustaining a Legacy of Achievement Sustaining a Legacy

O b i t u a r i e sStar, West Pittston, and later, was a past matronof Wyoming Chapter 1, O.E.S. She was alsoa member of the Past Matrons/Past PatronsAssociation of Wyoming Valley. In addition to herparents, she was also preceded in death by a sister,Phyllis I. Clark.FRANK MATHERS III, Mayen, Germany, diedon November 28, 2010, at the age of 81. He waseducated at Kingston Township schools, WyomingSeminary, and completed additional studies atPennsylvania State and the University of Miami.He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force from 1951through 1954, and served in Germany, where hemarried his wife, Alwine Susanne Mathers, néeLohn. He returned to the States and worked withhis father in the road construction business. Twosons were born, Frank Gordon IV, November,1959, and Michael Joseph, August, 1961. He wasa member and president of the Dallas KiwanisClub and also served as commander of theDallas American Legion. He was accepted in theWyoming Masonic Lodge, No. 468 as well as theTrucksville “Odd Fellows Lodge.” In 1970, thefamily returned to Germany where he was undercontract to the Military Advisory Group (MAG)of the U.S. Embassy in Bonn, Germany, until hisretirement in 1992. He was also an active memberof the free Masonic Lodge “Zur Wahrheit undTreue” No. 469 in Neuwied, Germany. His sister,BETTE MATHERS TRUSCOTT is a member ofthe class of 1950.1947LOIS FAYE KLINE SWANSON, formerly ofFlint and Swartz Creek, Mich., died on July 24,2010 in Erie. Lois was born to the late Homerand Ethel Jones Kline in Kingston, on March15, 1928. She grew up in Kingston and attendedWyoming Seminary. She later attended BaptistBible Seminary, then located in Johnson City,N.Y., where she earned a Bachelor’s degree inreligious education in 1956. She married RichardR. “Dick” Swanson on August 17, 1957, and theycelebrated 52 years of marriage before his deathon December 19, 2009. After her marriage Loistaught second grade in Johnson City, N.Y. Shereceived an M.S. in elementary education in 1959from the State University of New York Teacher’sCollege at Cortland. Dick and Lois moved toFlint, Mich. in 1960, where they both servedfaithfully at Riverdale Baptist Church, with Loisworking in the children’s ministries and directingdaily vacation bible schools. Lois is survived byone daughter, Cheryllynn D. Scruton and husbandFred of Cranesville; one son, Mark J. Swansonand wife Sara, of Greer, S.C.; two grandchildren,Laura Beth and Jonathan Swanson of Greer, S.C.;two nieces, Sally Miller of Buffalo, N.Y., andMarjie Dennin, and husband Dave, of Selkirk,N.Y. In addition to her parents and husband, Loiswas preceded in death by her sister, Lorraine K.Miller, and granddaughter Allison Joy Swanson.1949JOHN WELGOSS, Hanover Township, June 19,2010. He was a graduate of the Dean School ofBusiness.ELIZABETH ZAVISLAK POMOROY,Edwardsville, November 22, 2010. She was agraduate of the Dean School of Business.1950JOSEPH NELSON, Kingston, passed away onFebruary 14, 2011. Born in Wilkes-Barre, Joewas a son of the late Mendel and Rose Nelson.He attended Wyoming Seminary and was alsoa graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.Joe and his brother, CHARLES NELSON ’35,owned and operated Nelson and Sons furnituremanufacturing company until 1990. He was arealtor with Lewith and Freeman for several yearsand most recently managed Nelson StoreSecure.Joe was a past president of Temple B’nai B’rithand the Westmoreland Club. He was a pastboard member of Northeastern Bank, GirlScouts of the USA, the Westmoreland Club andthe Salvation Army. He was a member of theMasonic Order and Keystone Consistory. Joe wasan avid horseman and raced both thoroughbredsand standardbreds for more than three decades.Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents,were his son, ANDREW ’80; brother, Charles;and sister, Eleanor Weisbrod. Surviving are hiswife of 52 years, the former Louise Brenner;sons, MARK NELSON ’78, New York City; andROBERT NELSON ’88 and his wife, Rhonda,Montville, N.J.; daughter-in-law, Lisa Nelson,Parkland, Fla.; grandchildren, Sydney, Maxwelland Matthew; sister, MIRIAM NELSONFLEISCHMAN ’42, Syracuse, N.Y.; several niecesand nephews.BARBARA CULP RAVE, Dallas, February 15,2009. She was a graduate of the Dean School ofBusiness.1951JANET SHAVER TUCK, Shavertown, diedOctober 12, 2010, at the Wilkes-Barre GeneralHospital. She was born in Kingston on January14, 1934, and moved to Laguna Hills, Calif., in1987. While in California, she worked for FluorCorporation and retired in 1996. Prior to movingto California, she resided in Dallas and workedfor Franklin First Federal Bank at the main officein Wilkes-Barre and its Shavertown branch. Hercareer began as a stewardess, and following thatshe worked for local travel agencies for manyyears. Janet loved everything about movies andmovie stars, having grown up around the familybusiness—the Shaver Theatre in Shavertown.She was also a very talented watercolor andoil painting artist. Surviving are a son, Daniel,Shavertown; five grandchildren; a sister, PatriciaWalter, of Oyster Bay, N.Y.1952WILLIAM ROBBINS, Bear Creek Village, diedSunday, September 26, 2010, after a 14-monthbattle with cancer, following a short stay at theHospice of the VNA Inpatient Unit at HeritageHouse, Wilkes-Barre. William was bornSeptember 6, 1934, in Wilkes-Barre, a son of thelate Walter S. and Elisabeth S. Robbins. He residedin Bear Creek Village for 53 years. He attendedKingston schools, including Wyoming Seminaryfor three years, and graduated from Valley ForgeMilitary Academy. In 1956, he graduated fromDavis and Elkins College in Elkins, W.Va. He thencompleted two-and-a-half years in the U.S. Armyand was honorably discharged. Afterward, hejoined his father in the family business, RobbinsDoor and Sash, where he eventually earned thetitle of President.William was a member of many business boardsand community groups, including the King’sCollege Advisory Board and Kiwanis. He was aboard member at Hanover National Bank andwas a trustee at Davis and Elkins College from1976 until his passing.A former member of the Wyoming Valley CountryClub and Westmoreland Club, William’s churchaffiliations include Grace Chapel, Bear Creek, andChurch of Christ Uniting, Kingston. William hada lifelong enthusiasm for sports, most notably theWashington Redskins, and was a season ticketholder since 1956. This sports passion extended tomyriad teams at Davis and Elkins College. He wasactively engaged in all aspects of D & E, includingathletics, academics, and student life. In additionto sports and education, William was an inveteratetraveler, visiting extensively in the Americas andEurope. Survivors include his beloved lifelongcompanion, Deborah Madden, Shavertown; sons,WILLIAM S. ROBBINS JR’ 78, Tunkhannock;DONALD ROBBINS ’80 and wife, Liz, SaintAugustine, Fla.; MARK ROBBINS’ 81, FortyFort, and SCOTT ROBBINS ’84, Bear Creek;grandsons, Billy and Jack Robbins; sister JEANROBBINS HUGHES ’48, Kingston; as well asnieces and nephews in the Hughes, Madden, andPadavan families; and cousins.1953BARRIE HESSLER SHIPMAN, Myrtle Beach,S.C., April 8, 2003. She was a graduate of theDean School of Business.1954LORRAINE KAPRAL LISMAN, Swoyersville,January 17, 2011. She was a graduate of the DeanSchool of Business.FRANK PINOLA, JR. Harrisburg, diedSeptember 3, 2010. He was born October 3,1936, in Wilkes-Barre, to the late Frank L.and Helen Grace Nicholson Pinola. He retiredas a Bureau Manager from PennDOT. He40