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First Posted: 4/8/2012

BACKES – Helen, 87, of Shavertown, died March 27, 2012, at the Lakeside Nursing Center, Dallas.

She was born February 4, 1925, in Shavertown and was a graduate of Westmoreland High School. She was employed as a head waitress for Regency Catering/Convention Hall, Pittston.

Surviving are a son, Clyde; three grandchildren; two step-grandchildren, Marie Miller and John Miller.

CHRISTIANA – Thelma Katherine Clark, 88, of Lehman Township, died Tuesday, March 27, 2012, at Hospice Community Care Inpatient Unit at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre.

She was born July 29, 1923, in Kingston, and was a member of the Maple Grove United Methodist Church, Pikes Creek.

Surviving are her daughter, Nancy J., of Lehman Township; son, Jeff, of New Castle; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations to the Maple Grove United Methodist Church, 5876 Main Road, Hunlock Creek, PA 18621 or the SPCA of Luzerne County, 524 Main Street, Fox Hill Road, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702.

EDDY – Sharon Maher, 57, of Dallas, died Sunday, April 1, 2012, at the Hospice Community Care, Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre.

She was born in Kingston and was a graduate of Lake-Lehman High School and College Misericordia. She was a sales manager with Integrated Power, Hanover Township.

She bowled in the Saturday night mixed leagues in Dallas. She was also a member of several golf leagues.

Surviving are her husband, David, Lehman; daughters, Nichole Britt, Lehman; Kate Zartarian, Cambridge, Mass.; Jessica Holt, Knoxville, Tenn.; one granddaughter.

JACKSON – Heather Ann, 37, of Monroe Township, died Wednesday, March 28, 2012, at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

She was born November 26, 1974.

Surviving are her husband, Charles; daughters, Kayla, Julissa and Chasity; sister, Kimberly; brother, Scott; grandmother, Margot Stage.

KESTER – Carolyn J., 87, of Dallas, died Wednesday, March 28, 2012, at Hospice Community Care, Geisinger South.

She was born in Wilkes-Barre, and attended Coughlin High School, Wilkes-Barre. She was a technician with Owens Illinois for 26 years.

She was a member of The Slovene National Benefit Society of Imperial Pennsylvania.

Surviving are a daughter, Cheryl Schechterly, Bloomsburg; a son, Wayne, Dallas; a stepson, Robert, Sun City Center, Fla., one grandson.

Memorial donations to The Alzheimer’s Association, 57 N. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18705.

LAYAOU – Alan C., of Thurston Hollow Road, Tunkhannock, died Friday, March 23, 2012, at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

He was born in Wilkes-Barre on June 11, 1955. He was a 1973 graduate of Tunkhannock High School and worked for 30 years as a boilermaker with the National Transit Lodge and The Local Lodge 13.

Surviving are his wife of 35 years, Dawn Kubick Layaou; daughter, Jami Layaou Hearn, Tunkhannock; two grandsons; sister, Angela Brown, of Tunkhannock; brothers, sister, nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Gift of Life Donor Program, 401 N, 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19123-0032.

MERITHEW – Lillian S., 95, formerly of Campground Road, Dallas, died Saturday, March 31, 2012, in the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, following an illness.

She was born in Hudson, Plains Township on February 8, 1917, attended Plains Township schools and spent most of her youth in the Plains and Hudson area.

She went to work at an early age to support the family, working in local dress factories. She did housework for several families in the area. Her last employment was with Artistic Design in the Wyoming Valley Mall.

Surviving are four grandsons; a granddaughter; eight great-grandchildren; sisters, Francis Shutacawski, Hudson; Ceil Rock, Plains; brothers, Clem Paycheck, Sebring, Florida; Leonard Mroz, Wilmington, Delaware; nieces and nephews.

MILNES – Eugene S., of Lane Hill Road, Tunkhannock, died Sunday, March 25, 2012, at the Golden Living Center, Tunkhannock.

He was born in Sayre on November 24, 1936, and was a 1955 graduate of the LaRaysville High School.

He was a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Force, serving in Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Greenland, Germany, California, Virginia and South Carolina. During his military career, he graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in business.

Upon returning home, he became the business manager of Milnes Engineering in Tunkhannock.

He was a member of the Tunkhannock United Methodist Church, Tunkhannock Rotary Club and worked on the club’s website. He was a member of Endless Mountains Chorus. He served as a flight instructor at the Sky Haven Airport for 15 years.

Surviving are his wife of 52 years, Marjorie Upham Milnes; sons, Edwin, of Rapid City, South Dakota; Kevin, of Northampton; brothers, Paul and Thomas, both of Tunkhannock; sister, Marcia Platts, of Mehoopany; four grandchildren, Christopher, Alisha, Gregory and Duane.

ROWKER – Roxana, of Keelersburg Road, Tunkhannock, died Thursday, March 29, 2012, at her home.

She was born in Punxsutawney on April 23, 1951, and was employed as a clerk at the Tunkhannock Walmart.

Surviving are her husband, Peter; two daughters, Roxana Cameron, of Factoryville; and Kathryn Pote, of Richmond, Va.; three sons, Frederick Allenbaugh, of Tunkhannock; Jacob Allenbaugh, of Hop Bottom; and Aaron Pote, of Tunkhannock; four grandchildren; sister, Karen Kosinski, of Brockway; an aunt, a niece and two nephews.

Memorial donations to the Tunkhannock Public Library or the ASPCA.