Arline A. Motovidlak

  • Arline A. Motovidlak

Arline A. Motovidlak

Arline A. Motovidlak was granted her angel wings upon peacefully entering eternal life on July 29, 2022.  Her final days were spent surrounded by her devoted family after a hard-fought and lengthy illness. Arline was 80 years old. Born in Wilkes-Barre, she was the daughter of the late Joseph C. and Regina (Smurl) Koch and was educated in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District.


She was a member of the Sacred Heart-St. John’s Parish Community Church in Wilkes-Barre. She and her husband, Thomas E. Motovidlak, were married 58 years raising five children together. Her husband affectionately referred to her as ‘Big A’. Together they shared and enjoyed their energetic Jack Russel Terrier, Maggie #2. 


Arline was a caring and compassionate wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She loved her family unselfishly and supported them, all her life, through their highs and lows. A proud mother of her five children, she advocated the importance of reading and learning and made sure her children were involved in reading clubs, especially during the summer months, at the Osterhout Free Library. She was the matriarch of our family and her smile and laugh will be missed sorely by us all. She created magical memories with her grandchildren by being a kid at heart herself and by spending as much time with them as she could. We hope to be able to carry out her legacy of unconditional love throughout our lives as that is what she would want. 


Arline spent most of her working career as an Environmental Service Aide for the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, for which she took great pride. She will be remembered for her cute Holiday pins and fun socks that she wore that made the patients, especially the children, smile. She volunteered in various community projects, including the Wilkes-Barre Crime Watch committee and St. Vincent dePaul Kitchen in Wilkes-Barre. She also enjoyed many years socializing with the Women’s Guild of St. John the Evangelist Church as well as being a member of the Church choir. 

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her five children: Maria Motovidlak-Thomas, Kimberley Bednarczyk and husband, Paul; Thomas Motovidlak and wife, Donna; David Motovidlak and wife, Kerri; Joseph Motovidlak and fiancé, Nicole Scoble. She is also survived by several grandchildren: Michael and Morgan Thomas; Paul, Jessica and Hunter Bednarczyk; Adam and Paige Motovidlak; Nicole and Allison Motovidlak; Joseph, Madison and Ryah Motovidlak. Arline was also blessed with great-grandchildren: Parker, Sloane and Finley Thomas; Walker Balliet; Scarlett Bednarczyk. 


In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by great-grandchildren, Graham Thomas; John Miller and Piper Bednarczyk. 

Arline had nine siblings, with the only living sibling, Linda (Donald) Hearst. Her deceased brothers are: John Patrick Koch, Joseph Michael Koch, Charles Koch, William Koch and James Koch. Her deceased sisters are: Katherine Graham, Jean Cora and Roseann Cox. 

Arline would have wanted to recognize the following deceased family members and friend who were supportive of her and loved her dearly: Thomas and Regina Motovidlak, who were her loving mother-in-law and father-in-law; Donna Motovidlak -Sharpe, who was an incredibly loving and supportive sister-in-law; Phyetta Praetorius, teacher and dear friend who instilled confidence along with supportive love. 


The family is forever grateful to Hospice of the Sacred Heart, Dunmore and Compassionate Care Hospice, Taylor for their unwavering compassionate care that kept Arline comfortable with grace and dignity. 

A funeral Liturgy service will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, August 10th at the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home, 21 N. Meade St., Wilkes-Barre. All are welcome to the interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hanover Township. 

Family and friends are welcome to celebrate the life of Arline from 5pm-7pm on Tuesday, August 9th at the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Osterhout Free Library or a charity of choice in Arline’s name. Arline will be forever remembered for her wit, determination, humor, and loving soul. 

“Love ya’s all”

Joseph E. Brazinski

By Joseph Jendrzejewski • April 21, 2025
Joseph Edmund Brazinski, 73, of Wilkes-Barre, passed away April 19, 2025, at Third Avenue Health Care, Kingston. Born March 24, 1952, in Wilkes-Barre, he was the son of the late Edmund and Josephine Starek Brazinski. Joseph was 1970 graduate of Marymount High School, Wilkes-Barre. Prior to retirement in 2011, he was employed by the Department of Environmental Protection on abandoned mine reclamation projects. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Theresa Cywinski in 2017. Surviving is his daughter, Miranda Brazinski; and nephews, Ryan and Scott Cywinski. Private funeral services will be held at the convenience of the family by the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home, Wilkes-Barre.

Frederick Holtzman

By Joseph Jendrzejewski • April 14, 2025
Fred Holtzman, 86 of Trucksville, PA, passed away Sunday, April 13, 2025, at his home under the care of Allied Services Hospice. Born November 4, 1938, in Trucksville, he was the son of the late Jacob and Helen Czapla Holtzman. Fred was a 1956 graduate of Westmoreland High School. He was employed as a sheet metal worker with the Local #44 for over 50 years. Fred enjoyed attending car shows and working in his yard. He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Frances Holtzman on March 26, 2025; brothers, Ernest Holtzman and Arthur Holtzman; and sisters, Arline Climach, Ruth Murphy, Lucy Gougas, Lotty Hitchcock, and Betty Harbaugh. Surviving is his daughters, Donna Dymond of Swoyersville, and Linda Billings and her husband, Jon of Mehoopany; son, Mark Holtzman of Trucksville; grandchildren, Sarah Billings of Lehman, PA, Jamie Billings of Mehoopany, and Stacy Dymond of South Carolina; 3 great grandchildren; his sister, Naome Brunges of Palm Bay, FL; sister-in-law, Michaelene Lavin and her husband, Francis of Wilkes-Barre; and many nieces and nephews. Private funeral services will be held at the convenience of the family by the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home, Wilkes-Barre.

Rosemary D. Wisnewski

By Joseph Jendrzejewski • April 9, 2025
Rosemary D. Wisnewski, of Swoyersville, passed away Monday, April 7, 2025, at The Meadows Nursing Center, Dallas. Born December 17, 1937, in Wilkes-Barre, she was the daughter of the late Oscar and Mary Raub Graboske. Rosemary was a 1955 graduate of Coughlin High School, Wilkes-Barre. She will be remembered for her dedication and service as a Counselor at the Domestic Violence Service Center for over 40 years. A devoted Catholic, Rosemary was a member of Holy Family Parish, Luzerne. She enjoyed watching football and was an avid Philadelphia Eagle's fan. She was preceded in death by her husband, Patrick on May 3, 2010, and her sister, Arlene Lyons. Surviving sis her daughters, Laura Luise of Kingston, Patricia Sprague and her husband, George of Shavertown, and Paula Wisnewski of Swoyersville; grandchildren, George Sprague Jr., Trisha Sprague, and Vincent Luise; and great grandchildren, Vincent Luise Jr., Cole and Sage Vernon. Funeral services will be held Monday, April 14th, at 11:00am at the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home, 21 North Meade Street, Wilkes-Barre. Private interment will be in St. John's Cemetery, Dallas. Friends may call Monday morning from 10:00am until the time of services. Rosemary's family would like to thank Dr. Patrick Kilduff and the nurse and staff at The Meadows for their care and compassion.