Obituaries

Marilyn “MeMe” Van Deusen, 86, and a lifelong resident of West Scranton, passed away Wednesday, April 26, 2021 at her lifelong home.
Born in Scranton on Dec. 6, 1934, and daughter of the late Leo and Anna (Burns) Van Deusen, Marilyn was educated in the Scranton School District before working at several factories in the local garment industry. She was a tremendously hard worker her entire life.
MeMe’s favorite thing to do was to help others; she would give and give even though she had very little. She enjoyed a simple life and never longed for worldly pleasures. She enjoyed spending time with family, especially the children. MeMe was a very generous and kind person whose loving smile will be missed for many years to come. MeMe was known for her kindness and unmistakable candor. She loved to take long walks, watch television, sit outside and complete crossword puzzles. She never forgot a birthday or special occasion. MeMe was like a mother and grandmother to so many people.
Of Roman Catholic faith, she was a devoted member of St. Patrick’s Parish in West Scranton. MeMe always prayed for others and the health of others. For the record, she would insist that she was not a “Holy Lady.”
She is survived by many adoring nieces and nephews to whom she called “my buddies.”
The last of 10 siblings, she was preceded in death by brothers, Kenneth, Robert, Francis and Gerard Van Deusen, and sisters, Dorothy Walker, Lorraine Barycki, and Kathleen, Evelyn and Rita Van Deusen.
Funeral services are scheduled to begin on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. from the Kevin K. Kearney Funeral Home Inc., 125 N. Main Ave., Scranton, with a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Patrick’s Church, 1403 Jackson St., West Scranton, to be celebrated by the Rev. Richard Fox, pastor. Burial will follow at the Cathedral Cemetery in Scranton.
Family and friends may pay their respects on Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the funeral home. Please visit the funeral home’s website for directions or to leave a condolence.
Thank you to everyone who has helped or checked in on MeMe over the years. You may not know it, but she really enjoyed and appreciated everything you all have done.
Flowers or memorial contributions for MeMe may be sent to Kearney Funeral Home. She would want us to say, as she always did, “don’t worry about me, worry about you.”