Obituary of Joseph Kenzakoski

Joseph Kenzakoski Jr., 72, of Bald Mountain, Bear Creek Township, passed on December 15, 2014, at his private residence surrounded by his loving family. Born on June 23, 1942, he was a son to the late Joseph Sr. and Stella Wawruch Kenzakoski. Joe grew up on Bald Mountain and in the Bear Creek area. He received his education at the Oliver School, Bear Creek and graduated from James M. Coughlin High School, Class of 1961. He served his country for six years in the United States Army Reserve, attaining the rank of specialist fourth class. After being honorable discharged he returned home. Joe in his free time started to work out and became a power lifter. He won several competitions and set many records in our area for power lifting. Joe, alongside his brothers, continued the family construction company and renamed it the Kenzakoski Brothers. Joe was employed by the business until his retirement in 2008. On September 16, 1967, Joe married Marilyn Exter. Together they raised one son Gary and two daughters Marissa and Carolyn. This September they celebrated forty seven years of marriage. Throughout his life, Joe's favorite hobby was going fishing. He enjoyed fishing locally, but also in Canada. Mostly recently, two months ago, in the Salmon River, New York. Joe was preceded in death by his parents. Surviving are his wife Marilyn, at home; daughters Marissa, Bald Mountain; Carolyn Hullick and her husband Jonathan, Jacksonville, FL; son Gary, Bald Mountain; brothers Robert, Westminster, PA; Edward, Richard, and Charles, all of Bald Mountain; sisters Denise Olson and husband William, and Diane Sott and husband Peter, both of Westminster, Pa; three grandchildren Kyla, Kaden, and Christian Hullick, Jacksonville, FL; and numerous nieces and nephews. Joe's funeral will be conducted at 9:00 a.m. Friday from the Yanaitis Funeral Home Inc., 55 Stark St., Plains Township, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. in Our Lady of Hope Parish, 40 Park Avenue, Wilkes-Barre. Interment will be in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Bear Creek. Friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to the St. Joseph's Center, 2010 Adams Avenue, Scranton, Pennsylvania 18509, or to Medical Oncology Associates Prescription Assistance Fund,382 Pierce Street, Kingston, Pa, 18704.