Obituary of Claire Romaine Shilanskis

Claire R. Shilanskis, age 75, longtime resident of Plymouth, died peacefully Friday, April 3, 2015 at the home of her daughter. Mrs. Shilanskis was born in Wilkes-Barre on September 1, 1939 and was the daughter of the late George and Dorothy Nichols Fullerton. Claire attended Northwest Area Schools, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, and Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. She was employed for many years at Nelson's Furniture in Pringle, Atwater Throwing Company in Plymouth, United State Postal Service in Wilkes-Barre, and retired as a teacher's assistant from Scranton State School for the Deaf, where she loved working with the students. Claire was known for her steadfast independence, self-reliance, love of reading, crossword puzzles, animals, and an advocate for the rights of the deaf and hearing impaired. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers, Robert and George Fullerton; daughter, Annette Kashuboski Boysha. Claire is survived by daughter, Colette Mahoney and her husband Robert of Sweet Valley; grandchildren, Robert of Sweet Valley, Matthew of Merkendorf, Germany, and Kelly of Greenville, NC; loving companion, Robert Zeroka of Plymouth; sisters, Nancy Slasor of Texas, and Gael Miller of Oregon; brother, Joseph Dobrowolski of Hunlock Creek; great-grandchildren, Brittney and Ethan Mahoney of Sweet Valley, Allyson and Jana Mahoney of Germany. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at 8:00 pm from the Curtis L. Swanson Funeral Home, Inc., corner of routes 29 and 118, Pikes Creek, with Rev. Richard Womer of the Tunkhannock Assembly of God Church, officiating. Friends may call 6:00 - 8:00 PM prior to the service on Tuesday. Interment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery, Pikes Creek.