Obituaries

JoAnne P. (Burke) Cherkas, a longtime West Scranton resident, passed away Tuesday at Allied Hospice in Scranton following an illness. She was 78 years old.

A Scranton native, JoAnne was born on December 21, 1945, to the late Joseph J. and Marion H. (Egroff) Burke. A graduate of the former St. Paul’s High School, Class of 1963, she had worked for Triumph Body Shop for two decades prior to its closure. She made a fitting career change due to her kind and selflessness nature as a Certified Nurses Aide after studies at Marywood University. For ten years prior to her retirement, she worked in health care for the Lackawanna County Health Care Center.

She loved her work and caring for her Alheimer’s patients. She long loved summers on Montage Mountain and, without a doubt, she’d never pass up a good slot machine at the Mohegan Sun Casino.

A faithful Roman Catholic, she was a longtime member of St. Patrick’s Parish in West Scranton. Dearly loved by all of her family and friends, she will never be forgotten.

She is also survived by her loving family including her sons, Todd Cherkas of Throop and Kevin Cherkas and wife Maria whom JoAnne considered a daughter, of Pittston; four adored grandchildren, Brianna and companion Patrick Coyne, Cole, Amber and Makenzie Cherkas; two great grandchildren who loved their “Gigi”, Patterson and Chloe Coyne; siblings, Dennis Burke and wife Mary Anne of FL and Kelly Hallinan and husband of Jerry of Scranton; and many nieces, nephews, godchildren and dear friends.

Daughters, Lynn Anne and Hope Cherkas; a sister in law, Mary Rae Cherkas and brother in law, Maurie Cherkas; and a nephew, Scott Cherkas, also preceded her in death.

Her family would like to acknowledge and thank all of the amazing friends and family who went out of their way to care for JoAnne including Marge and Bill Kupinski, Suzanne Sansone and goddaughter Jill Thomas.

A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for Tuesday at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick’s Church, 1403 Jackson St., West Scranton, to be celebrated by Rev. Richard Fox, Pastor. Burial will follow at Cathedral Cemetery.

Family and friends may pay their respects at the church from 10:00 AM until Mass. Those wishing to attend the funeral are asked to go directly to church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in JoAnne’s name to either St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital c/o 387 E South St, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 or to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation c/o 4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 1100 N, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Arrangements are under the care of the Kevin K. Kearney Funeral Home, Inc., 125 North Main Avenue, Scranton.