Betty Ann Porzuczek

  • Betty Ann Porzuczek

Betty Ann Porzuczek

Betty Ann Porzuczek, age 78, of Wilkes-Barre Township, passed away peacefully at home on April 7, 2022. Betty was born on Aug. 22, 1943, in Benton, Iowa, where she lived on her family farm until college. Betty was a music major at the University of Iowa where she earned her Bachelor and Master of Arts.


Betty realized her lifelong dream of pursuing music and teaching professionally upon starting her first teaching position at University of Nebraska following graduation. While teaching at University of Nebraska, she met the love of her life, Edward Porzuczek, and moved to Wilkes-Barre to get married and continue her music teaching and performing career at Misericordia University. Betty was a talented musician (piano and organ) and a dedicated, hard-working, and compassionate teacher who encouraged all her students to achieve their full creative and artistic potential. Betty was a beloved professor at Misericordia who served as a teacher, performer, accompanist, mentor, leader, friend and colleague. Betty taught and developed courses ranging from music performance to music theory to world fine arts. She touched the lives of hundreds of students throughout her career. Upon retirement from her 46-year career at Misericordia, Betty was bestowed with the honor and rank of Professor Emerita.


In addition to her role as professor, Betty had numerous musical accomplishments and awards. Her passion and dedication to the fields of music and fine arts was demonstrated through her membership and leadership roles in the Pennsylvania Music Federation, the Mozart Club, American Guild of Organists, Misericordia Chorale Society, organist and choir director at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, as well as performing as a soloist and accompanist locally and regionally. One of Betty's fondest memories of her teaching years is her annual trips to New York City to perform with her choral group at St. Patrick's Cathedral.


Aside from her love of music and arts, Betty's greatest love was her husband Edward of 53 years, her three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Betty will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a gentle, kind, loving and funny woman who loved to lead family singalongs and share childhood stories of growing up on her family farm with her parents and six siblings. Most of all, Betty will be remembered as a wife, mother, sister and friend who could always be counted on to be there for her loved ones' joys and sorrows, highs and lows, and successes and failures. Betty had a significant positive impact on many, many lives and will be deeply missed.


Betty is survived by her husband of 53 years, Edward Porzuczek; children MaryEllen (Mike) Mennett, Michael Porzuczek, and David Porzuczek; grandchildren Alyssa, Ariel, Makenzie, Mikayla, Madeleine and Matthew; great-grandchildren Caydence, Jonah and Levi. She is preceded in death by her parents Doris (née Anderson) and Chester Wallace.


Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. from the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home, 21 N. Meade St., Wilkes-Barre, with a Mass of Christian Burial at noon in St. Nicholas Church, 226 S. Washington St., Wilkes-Barre. Family and friends may call Monday evening at the funeral home from 5 to 8 p.m.

At the family's request, please consider a donation to Shriner's Hospital in Betty Porzuczek's name in lieu of flowers.

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.