Obituary of Thomas Runscavage

Thomas Runscavage, 79, of Wyoming, passed at his home on Friday, July 24, 2015, surrounded by his loving family. Thomas was born in Bear Creek on June 15, 1936. He was a son to the late Stanley and Catherine Yale Runscavage. At the age of six, Thomas lost his father and his family moved to Parsons. He attended local schools and James M. Coughlin High School. He found employment with the local cigar factory in Parsons. He later worked for Prestige Shoes, and became a supervisor. After a few years he became a welder for Air Products of Wilkes-Barre. Thomas was employed as a welder for thirty years until his retirement. In 1960, Thomas married the love of his life, the former Barbara Franckiewicz. Together they raised three children. They celebrated fifty-four years of marriage. During these years, Thomas and Barbara enjoyed many trips to Maine or Canada going fishing, hunting, and camping with close family and friends. He always enjoyed the ocean, but living in valley, you could always find Tom on the water in his boat, or walking the lake trails near Francis Slocum. In his later years, Thomas filled all his time with his loving grandchildren and especially teaching his grandson how to become a woodsman. He was an active member of Army National Guard of Pennsylvania, 109th Field Artillery as a specialist and was honorable discharged. He was a loving brother, father, husband, grandfather, and a great friend too many. Preceded him in death were his parents; daughter Kathy Runscavage; sister Leona King. Surviving are his loving wife Barbara, at home; daughter Jill Gulla and husband Greg, Hudson; sons Thomas Jr. and his wife Diane, Shavertown; James and his wife Lori, Dupont; brother Stanley, Bald Mountain; sisters Ruth Yekel and husband Harry, Swoyersville; Marie Sott, East End; grandchildren Thomas III and Stacie Lyn; nieces and nephews. The family would like to send a special thank you to the Celtic Hospice nurses Loretta and Clover for their compassion and care when it was most needed. Funeral Service for Thomas will be held on Wednesday, July 29, at 9:00am from the Yanaitis Funeral Home Inc., 55 Stark Street, Plains Twp. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 am by Msgr. John Sempa in the Immaculate Conception Church worship site of the Corpus Christi Parish, Luzerne Ave, West Pittston. Interment will follow in Denison Cemetery, Kingston with military honors. Friends and family may call at the funeral home on Tuesday evening from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Blue Chip Farm Animal Refuge, 974 Lockville Rd, Dallas, PA 18612.For condolences to family and directions to services, please visit www.yanaitisfuneralhome.com