Barrett Community Portal
Heart of the Poconos
Obituaries
Barbara J. Harduby
Barbara J. Harduby, 68, of Mozzete Road, Skytop, died Wednesday evening in Kindred Hospital Wyoming Valley, Wilkes-Barre. She was the wife of John Harduby, celebrating 35 years of marriage. Born in Palmerton, she was a daughter of the late Nathan F. Jr. and Mollie A. (Jones) Goodhile. Barbara worked in the dining room of Skytop Lodge Resort until retirement.
John Keiper Obituary
John R. Keiper, 62, of Swiftwater, died Sept. 27 in the Cleveland (Ohio) Clinic. He was married to Mary (Houser) Keiper for 41 years. He was a pipefitter for the Steamfitters, Pipefitters and Plumbers Union Local 524, Scranton, for more than 37 years before retiring last year. He also taught for the union apprentice program in Scranton. Born in Pocono Lake, he was a son of the late LeRoy and Helen (Stout) Keiper. He was a member of Pocono Community Church, Pocono Summit. He was a member of Pocono Masonic Lodge 780, Cresco, and the Rajah Shriners, Reading. Survivors: Wife; sons, John L. of Narragansett, R.I., David S. of Swiftwater; daughter, Victoria A. Macleod of Macungie; brothers, Jake of Swiftwater, Raymond and James, both of Pocono Lake; sisters, Mabel Franks of Tobyhanna, Jane Fisk of Cresco, Pat Carson and Mary Hamill, both of Pocono Lake; three grandsons; nieces, nephews. Services: memorial, 1 p.m. Saturday, Reeders United Methodist Church. Arrangements, William H. Clark Funeral Home, Stroudsburg.
Raymond F. "PeeWee" Serfass
Raymond F. "PeeWee" Serfass, 82, of Cresco, passed away on Monday, May 27, at home with his family by his side.
Hilda L. Bender
Hilda L. Bender, 94, of Canadensis, died March 8 in Pocono Medical Center, East Stroudsburg. She was the wife of the late Stanley G. Bender. She was a bookkeeper for Starkey Farms, Long Pond, Monroe County. She and her husband also co-owned and operated the former Bender’s Diner, Mountainhome, Monroe County. Born in Sterling, Pa., she was a daughter of the late Simon and Clara (Lesher) Lee. She was a member of the Moravian Church of Canadensis. She was a member of the Harvesters Senior Citizens Club. Survivors: Son, William C. of Canadensis; daughter, Joyce R. Powell of Mountainhome; brother, Paul of Hamlin, Pa.; five grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews. Services: 11 a.m. Friday, William H. Clark Funeral Home, 1003 Main St., Stroudsburg. Call 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday. Contributions: To the church.
Mary Moran
Mary Moran, 85, of Barrett Twp., passed away early Monday morning, May 20, 2024, while under hospice care in her home. She was the widow of Mark F. Moran, with whom she shared 32 years of marriage at the time of his death on July 23, 2000.
Born on Jan. 28, 1939, in Crawcrook, England, she was the daughter of the late Francis C. and Rachel (Towland) Babe. Mary was a teacher first in England and then taught at the Pleasant Valley School District until her retirement in 1996.
She was a longtime active member of the former St. Bernadette's Roman Catholic Church in Canadensis where she served as organist, cantor and sang in the choir. Since the closing of St. Bernadette's Church she has been a member of Most Holy Trinity Parish. She was also active with the National Education Association and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; and sang with the Pocono Mountain Community Chorus of Churches for many years.
Shirley A. Evans, 88, formerly of Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, New York (WWNY) - Shirley A. Evans, 88, formerly of Philadelphia, NY, passed away peacefully on May 8, 2024 at the Samaritan Summit Village where she had been a resident since February of 2023.
She was born on August 15, 1935 in Mountainhome, PA, daughter of Harry E. and Blanche E. (Haney) Evans. She graduated from Pocono Mountain High School.
Jane E. Cleveland
Jane E. Cleveland, 70, of Canadensis, passed away Friday afternoon, April 19, 2024, at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono in East Stroudsburg. She was the wife of Grover R. Cleveland with whom she shared 48 years of marriage.
Born on August 27, 1953 in Brooklyn, NY, she was one of seven children of the late Warren and Marion (Grady) Ward and lived in Barrett Township for the past 21 years moving from Staten Island, NY.
Robert D. McNeil Obituary
Robert D. McNeil, 74, of Coatesville, PA, business leader, philanthropist and community activist, passed on Saturday, April 13th at his home, Springbank Farm, after a decade long bout with cancer. The youngest son of Henry S. McNeil and Lois F. McNeil, Bob was raised in Plymouth Meeting, PA, graduating Germantown Academy in 1969, a natural athlete who wrestled and played lacrosse. Bob graduated the University of the South as a history major in 1974. After attending graduate school at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Bob spent 33 years (29 as CEO), growing Penguin Industries, the holding company for nine operating companies including Frank A. Hoppe’s Co., Ott Packaging Inc., Zeks Air Drier Corp. and Load Rite Trailers Inc., as well as a real estate portfolio with investments across multiple asset classes. Bob brought his generosity and business acumen to a long list of organizations across Chester County to make an enduring impact in the community. He devoted countless hours to the Boy Scouts, Community Volunteers in Medicine, Bridge of Hope, Handi-Crafters and the Chester County Food Bank. Under his leadership as Founding Chair, the Chester County Food Bank experienced exponential growth from 2009-2016. A fearless fundraiser, Bob was instrumental in the effort to build the Food Bank’s current 36K sq ft warehouse, a far cry from the two-car garage where it started. At a time of need, Bob brought his respected leadership skills and returned to the helm of Chester County Food Bank from 2020-2024. He was deeply committed to his family, businesses, and the nonprofits he served. Bob liked having fun and sharing in life’s adventures with his broad group of friends and extended family. He was an avid tennis player, bird hunter and golfer. He cherished his time with friends on the court, in the fields and on the golf course. His hunting dogs and pets were an important part of his life. Bob was never one to sit still and strove to excel at everything he did, which included several marathons. He enjoyed challenging family and friends at home and at his other happy place in Buck Hill Falls.
Robert F. Reinhardt Obituary
Robert F, Reinhardt, Jr., 72, of Oldsmar, FL, formerly of Paradise Valley, PA, passed away April 8, 2024 after battling a long illness. He was the first son of Kathryn and Robert F. Reinhardt, Sr. Born in East Stroudsburg, PA, Bob grew up in Mountainhome. Young Bob was an active child who enjoyed sports, building model cars and traveling with his family. His love for sports continued with high school where Bob earned varsity letters in football, wrestling and track, graduating Pocono Mountain High School in 1969.
After graduation Bob joined the family business, J.A. Reinhardt & Co., Inc. in Mountainhome, and quickly became a master machinist. Bob grew up with the business playing in important role in the company's advances in the Aerospace Industry. He became an expert in the Reinhardt Company's products and traveled throughout the country collaborating with major companies including Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Honeywell. Bob also worked closely with aerospace companies overseas including firms in France, Belgium, Israel, Turkey and the UK. The second generation was given control of the company in the early 1990's. Bob, along with his cousin and two brothers, grew the business for the next twenty years establishing it as leader in for the aerospace industry. The Reinhardt family sold the company and it's now part of the Raytheon Corporation.
Harry Hallam
Harry "Hank" Hallam passed away peacefully and comfortably in his home in Mountainhome, Pennsylvania, surrounded by family, on Saturday, April 6, 2024.
Born January 26, 1942, in Clifton Heights, PA, he was the son of Paul and Mary Glenn (Mellor) Hallam. After graduating from Upper Darby High School in 1959, Hank enlisted in the U.S. Army and served his country as an intelligence courier in a then-divided Germany, where he witnessed the construction of the Berlin Wall. Upon his return to the States after an Honorable Discharge, he attended West Chester State College where not only did he receive his degree in education and his teaching certificate in biology, but where he also met his future wife Patricia (Pat), to whom he was married for just two months short of 58 years.
Hank began his teaching career at Yeadon High School in 1966, but his and Pat's fond memories of spending time in the Pocono Mountains during their summers as children, eventually led them to relocate their young family to the small town of Mountainhome in the spring of 1977.
Hank taught tenth-grade biology at East Stroudsburg High School from September to June, and mowed the greens at the Buck Hill Falls Golf course from June to September. But despite working year-round, he still somehow managed to take his family to his late sister and brother-in-law's lakeside cabin in Damariscotta, Maine, for summer vacations. While there, he enjoyed swimming, fishing, and boating with his children, and antiquing with his wife, but mostly he enjoyed indulging in at least one fresh Maine lobster every day.
Peter Paul Heitz
Peter Paul Heitz, 72, of Cresco passed away on Sunday March 31, 2024. Born in Somerville, New Jersey, he was the son of the late Robert and Catherine (Ludvig) Heitz. Peter honorably served his country in the United States Army. He was an electrician who owned and operated his own business. Peter was an avid outdoorsman and he enjoyed working on classic cars.
Gloria A Smith
Gloria A (Storm) Smith, 70 currently of Debary, Florida, formerly of Mountainhome and Stroudsburg, PA died on April 1, 2024 at AdventHealth Fish Memorial in Orange City, Fl. She was the loving wife of the late Robbie G Smith, with whom she shared 26 years of marriage.
Born in East Stroudsburg, PA she was the daughter of the late Horace W and Iola M (Banks) Storm.
Gloria worked as a machinist for J.A. Reinhardt and Company in Mountainhome, then changing careers as a bank teller for several banks in Mountainhome, and lastly settling in Domestic Relations as an Accounting Tech for Monroe County, retiring in 2016. Gloria enjoyed gardening, reading Nora Roberts, and watching the Game Show Network. She graduated from Pocono Mountain Jr/Sr High School in 1971.
