Obituaries

Thomas (Tom) G. Demyan, age 96, of Old Forge, passed away Tuesday evening at Regional Hospital of Scranton. On July 4, 2003, he was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Margaret (Kadjeski) Demyan. The couple were married 51 years prior to her passing.
Born on February 20, 1927 and raised in West Scranton, Tom was the son of the late John and Anna (Strazik) Demyan. A 1944 graduate of West Scranton High School, he proudly served in the U.S. Navy during WWII where he was stationed in the Philippines prior to his honorable discharge from service. He returned stateside, married Margaret and begin raising a family. Settling in Old Forge, Tom would work as a lineman, repairman and a consultant for the Bell Telephone Co. for three decades prior to his well-deserved retirement.
Tom will be remembered in so many ways. An active member of the community, he served as past president of the Young Democrats Association, the American Legion Post #920 of Scranton and the Old Forge Blue Devil Booster Club. Always active in his children’s lives, he was also a cub master and, for many years, a baseball coach for both the Old Forge Little League and for American Legion baseball.
Baseball was a tremendous part of Tom’s life. An exceptional player in his youth, he was drafted into the Chicago Cubs organization, last playing professionally for the Lumberton Cubs (Lumberton, North Carolina) while winning its league’s pennant in 1950. He remained a lifelong fan of the sport and although he didn’t root for one specific team he was a noncommittal fan of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Tom had a great sense of humor. A fixer of anything and everything, he served as the neighborhood handyman. He loved gardening, made amazing soup and was, at best, an experimental baker. Stern and certainly wise, he was the keystone of his family and will forever be missed by his loved ones.
He is survived by his family, including four children, Gary Demyan and wife Tina of Bethlehem, Thomas M. Demyan of CA, Kathleen Beltran and husband Armando of CA and Donna Cikowski and husband Michael of Moosic; eight grandchildren; five great grandchildren; three siblings, Martha Delonti of CA, Cyril Demyan of MI and Ann Marie Boero and husband Bob of Mt. Cobb; an aunt, Margaret Demianovich of Dunmore; and many nieces and nephews. Five siblings, Margaret, Joseph, John, Fee and Albert, had preceded Tom in death.
Tom’s family would like to thank his amazing neighborhood buddies, Eleanor Sliwoski and Maria Szymanski, for their care, compassion and loyal friendship throughout the years.
A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for Saturday at 11:00 AM at St. Ann’s Basilica, West Scranton. Burial at SS Peter and Paul Cemetery in Taylor will be private. Family and friends may pay their respects at the church on Saturday from 10:00 AM until Mass. Those wishing to attend the funeral services are asked to go directly to church.
Arrangements are under the care of the Thomas P. Kearney Funeral Home, Inc., 517 North Main Street, Old Forge.