Thomas M. Shalata |
SHAVERTOWN — Thomas M. Shalata Sr., of Shavertown, passed away on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015, at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, leaving us to join his beloved wife after a brief, courageous battle with cancer. Born in Noxen, Tom was a son of the late Joseph and Angeline Jones Shalata. He was a graduate of Lake-Lehman High School, class of 1963. Tom honorably served his country in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam Conflict, having been stationed in MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida, and Camranh Air Force Base, Vietnam. He was employed by Procter and Gamble where he excelled in his 30-year career, and after retirement joined Golden Technologies, as a production supervisor. Tom was an avid hunter, golfer, bowler and archer, winning numerous archery tournaments and titles. He was a senior club champion golfer at Shadowbrook Golf Course, recording several holes-in-one in his golfing career. He passed along his love of golf to his grandson, a current sophomore on the Crestwood team. Tom was a former president of the Dallas Basketball Booster Club. He was a member of St. Therese Church, Shavertown. Above all, Tom was a devoted and loving, husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. He rarely, if ever, missed an event in which his grandchildren were involved. Tom had a smile and laugh that lit up a room.
In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, the former Phyllis Farber, who passed away this past March; by brother, Joseph; and by his loyal companion, Rocky, his Labrador retriever. Surviving are his son, Thomas M. Shalata Jr. and his companion, Gaye Gustitus, D.O., Dallas; daughter, Christine Golden and her husband, Richard, Mountain Top; grandchildren, Richard Jr., Alyssa, Michael and Melanie; brother, William and his wife, Lucy, Noxen; sisters, Annette Koutnik, Harveys Lake, Judith Fields, Jamestown, New York, Joyce Thomas and her husband, Paul, Sweet Valley; sister-in-law, Janet Shalata, Evans Falls; numerous nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Friday in St. Therese Church, Pioneer Avenue and Davis Street, Shavertown. The Rev. James J. Paisley will officiate. Interment with military honors will be in Chapel Lawn Memorial Park, Dallas. Friends may call from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Harold C. Snowdon Funeral Home Inc., 140 N. Main St., Shavertown. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society , 712 S. Keyser Ave., Taylor, PA 18517.
Snowdon Funeral Home, 140 N Main St, Shavertown, PA 18708; (570) 675-3333