Obituary of John Dean Stichak

Jack “Stich” Stichak, age 69 of Lake Silkworth, passed away Saturday, February 20, 2021 at the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, due to complications of COVID-19. He was born in Nanticoke on September 8, 1951, and was the son of the late John and Elizabeth Dean Stichak. Jack graduated from Greater Nanticoke Area District in 1970 where he played football and baseball. He became a plumber with the Pipe Fitters and Plumbers Union, Local 524, retiring in 2013. Jack played with several softball teams including Parkway Inn, Frace’s, Kettler Late Bloomers, Leisure Tavern and Hamel’s Construction with whom he traveled the East Coast and won 2 championships. He was a car enthusiast, owning numerous cars and entering many local shows and some in Ocean City, MD where he was awarded many trophies. Jack was an avid fisherman, traveling to Lake Oneida with his fishing buddy, John Brislin and landed some big catches and a lot of laughs at Lily Lake with his other fishing buddy, John Ulichney. He loved traveling with the love of his life, Joanie, to Ocean City, MD and to tropical islands, especially Negril, Jamaica. His days always began with a trip to the gym. Jack also enjoyed going out to dinner with Joanie to Damien’s and Grotto Pizza at Harveys Lake. Some of Jack’s favorite activities included WWII history, watching western films, going to the Lake Silkworth Sportsman Club, the Nanticoke American Legion and having some beers and laughs with his friends Ronnie Pavlick and Frank Raczkowski. Jack and Joanie enjoyed an evening playing Trivial Pursuit with their friends, John and Ember Hasay and Sheryl and David Hewitt. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his beloved dog, Zack. He is survived by his fiancé, Joan Matusek, with whom he shared 31 years; sister, Mary McCrorey and her husband Jack; cousin, Paulette Poremba; numerous nieces, nephews and other cousins. A prayer service will be held Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 12:00 PM from the Curtis L. Swanson Funeral Home, Inc., corner of routes 29 and 118, Pikes Creek, with Deacon Eugene Blockus of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Lake Silkworth, officiating. Masks and social distancing will be required. Visitation will be from 10:00 am to 12:00 PM prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Jack Stichak Memorial Fund. Checks made payable to: The Greater Nanticoke Area School District, ATTN: Business Office, 427 Kosciuszko Street, Nanticoke, PA 18634.