Obituaries

Peter J. Osmolia, 79, died April 26, 2021, surrounded by his family at Hospice of the Sacred Heart, Dunmore, Pennsylvania.

Pete “The Big O” Osmolia was born July 26, 1941, in Old Forge to Stella and Peter Osmolia.

Pete was an extremely hard worker and old school personality. While raising a family of four children along with his beloved wife, Marie, he worked as a foreman at American Can Company for many years, after transitioning from a mechanic roll at Topps Chewing Gum & Baseball Card Factory in Duryea, into the 1980s, before starting his own business in 1989, Osmolia’s Service Station & Mini Mart in Moosic, where he worked the rest of his life with his two sons, Michael (Mick) and Peter Jr. For more than 25 years, Pete would awaken at 4 a.m. to open the store for 5 a.m., just to make sure his customers could have their morning coffee and homemade breakfast sandwiches before they went to work. He took pride in his business and worked extra hard so that his family didn’t have to.

Mr. Osmolia was a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, serving his country in the Vietnam War. He was the rock of our family, and always someone that we could go to for the best advice without passing any judgement upon us. There was no one more selfless than our Popa. He was a tough Marine with a huge heart. He was an avid New York Yankees fan, and strongly disliked the Boston Red Sox.

Although Pete loved his business and his customers, nothing came before his family. Pete and his wife, Marie Osmolia (the former Marie Koval) would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on May 2. Pete loved his wife more than anything in this world. Although he was always our rock, she was undoubtedly his.

Mr. Osmolia is survived by his wife, Marie (Koval) Osmolia of Taylor; daughter, Marie Godlewski and fiancé, Thomas Holland of Scranton; three sons, Peter Osmolia Jr. and wife, Cheryl of Moosic; Joseph Osmolia of Taylor; and Michael Osmolia and wife, Shannon of Taylor; eight grandchildren, Phil Godlewski and wife Dori of Duryea, Peter Osmolia and wife Kelly of Avoca, Stephanie Osmolia of Moosic, Rebecca Osmolia of Moosic, Joseph Osmolia Jr. of Taylor, Robert Osmolia and wife Jessie of Boston, Mass., Julia Osmolia of Miami, Fla. and Jordan Osmolia of Taylor; as well as several nephews and nieces. Pete and Marie were also blessed to have 10 beautiful great-grandchildren, who they adored more than anything in this world.

Mr. Osmolia was preceded in death by his sisters, Ann Osmolia Carey and Francis “Cookie” Osmolia Sloski. He will forever be missed, but never forgotten.

Our family would like to thank the doctors and staff at Geisinger hospitals in Wilkes-Barre and Danville, especially Dr. Khan, Dr. Brady, Dr. Ajay, nurse Michael Hoffman, as well as the staff at Hospice of the Sacred Heart in Dunmore.

A celebration of his life is scheduled for Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Thomas P. Kearney Funeral Home Inc., 517 N. Main St., Old Forge, with military honors by the AMVETS Honor Guard to follow a blessing service.

Family and friends are welcome to pay their respects from 4 p.m. until services.

Please visit www.kearneyfuneralhomes.com for directions or to leave a condolence. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions may be made in Peter’s name to the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center, 401 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Semper Fi.