Andrew Joseph Gurzynski

Andrew Joseph Gurzynski, 75, of Shickshinny, died Monday afternoon, May 15, 2017, at home.

Born Dec. 22, 1941, in Mocanaqua, he was a son of the late Andrew and Mary Slominski Gurzynski.

He graduated from the former Newport High School in 1959 and graduated in 1965 from Bloomsburg State College as a research biologist.

He taught biology for one year in Richfield Springs, N.Y. He then sold Metropolitan Life Insurance, then worked in the laboratory at U.S. Steel in Berwick, and last worked for Ecology III from 1972 until he retired in December 2016. 

He was a member of Holy Spirit Parish/St. Mary's Church, Mocanaqua, and sang in the church choir. He also sang in the choir at St. Martha's Church, Fairmount Springs, and in the Shickshinny Area Community Choir. He was also a member of the Polish Falcons Nest 163, Mocanaqua, the Mocanaqua Sporting Club, United Sportsmen's Camp 271 and the Silver Bullet Camp Dutch Mountain Road.

He loved singing, polkas, hunting, fishing, feeding the catfish in his pond, and dogs.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Stanley and Frank Gurzynski.

Surviving are his wife, the former Barbara Joyce Maczuga, whom he married Oct. 12, 1963; four children, Ann Howanitz and her husband, Jim, Shickshinny; Andy Gurzynski Jr. and his wife, Amy, Mocanaqua; Paul Gurzynski and his wife, Cathy, Koonsville; and Maria Drust and her husband, Steve, Mifflinville; seven grandchildren, Eric Gurzynski, Elizabeth Gurzynski, Megan Howanitz, Alyssa Gurzynski, Andrew Gurzynski, Jakob Morris and Jordyn Morris; two brothers, Archie Gurzynski, Mocanaqua; and John Gurzynski, Hanover Twp.; and one sister, Theresa Sokolowski, Nanticoke.

Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Mayo Funeral Home Inc., 77 N. Main St., Shickshinny, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in Holy Spirit Parish/St. Mary's Church, Mocanaqua, with his pastor, the Rev. Louis Kaminski, as celebrant.

Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Mocanaqua.

Visitation will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday.

For information, or to send condolences, please visit www.mayofh.com.