Obituaries

Helene Talerico, R.N., age 81, of Old Forge, passed away Sunday morning at Mountain View Care Center in Scranton, after an illness. She is survived by her loving husband and best friend of 54 years, Eugene Talerico, Sr. The couple married on November 23, 1963.
Born in Inkerman, Luzerne County, on September 5, 1936, and daughter of the late Joseph and Helen Shafer Silinskie, she was a graduate of the former Jenkins Twp. High School. After studying nursing at the Pittston Hospital’s School of Nursing, she became a Registered Nurse. She began her career at Lankenau Medical Center in Philadelphia. Helene was incredibly proud to share her experiences at Lankenau with family and friends. She returned home and focused on her family after working at the Wilkes Barre General Hospital.
While raising her son, Eugene, she served as St. Mary’s School’s lunch lady applying her kind, caring and empathetic nature to the students. She then worked at Taylor Hill Head Start, retiring as supervisor, leaving a lifelong impression on the countless children under her care. Helene firmly believed that education was a critical building block in a child’s life. As a result, she nurtured and supported her students, wanting each to achieve their full potential as they grew older.
Helene brought that same care and attention to her beloved granddaughter, Katherine. She beamed with pride in her accomplishments and always welcomed an opportunity to tell others about “her Katie”.
She possessed an amazing knack for decorating. Her eye for decor, taste and class were on display any time she had done anything from decorating to planning.
An adoring wife, mother, grandmother and sister, she touched the lives of many throughout her time with us and will forever be missed by all who knew her.
She is also survived by her pride and joy, son, Atty. Eugene “Gene” Talerico, Jr., and wife Laura of Old Forge; her granddaughter, Katherine Talerico of Old Forge; her siblings, Joseph Silinskie and wife Ann Marie of Jenkins Twp., and Rosemarie Mantione of Boynton Beach, FL.; a sister-in-law, Madeline Silinskie of St. Pete’s Beach, FL.; and nieces and nephews.
A brother, Richard Silinskie, also preceded her in death.
Her family would like to acknowledge the entire staff of Mountain View Care Center for providing her exceptional care; care she had once given her own patients.
Services are scheduled to begin on Thursday at 9:15AM from the Thomas P. Kearney Funeral Home, Inc., 517 North Main Street, Old Forge, with a 10:00AM Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Prince of Peace Parish, in Old Forge, to be celebrated by Rev. August A. Ricciardi, Pastor. Interment will follow at Old Forge Cemetery. Relatives and friends may pay their respects on Wednesday between 4-7:00PM at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Helene’s name to Marley’s Mission, P.O. Box 505, Scranton, Pa., 18501, so that in her memory, the lives of children may be impacted for the better. Visit the funeral home’s website to leave a condolence.