Rev. George B. Czar

The Rev. George B. Czar, 85, of West Pittston, passed away Wednesday at The Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Dallas.

Born Dec. 4, 1927, in Plymouth, he was the son of the late George E. Czar and Emily Jones Czar Amos. Rev. Czar graduated as Valedictorian of Luzerne High School, Class of 1945. He then enlisted in the service and served in the Army Air Corps from 1945 until 1948. After the service he attended Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, graduating in 1951. In 1955, Rev. Czar graduated from Yale University's Divinity School. While in Oberlin, Rev. Czar married Marion Shonk Davenport in 1950. When speaking of his wife he said, "She has been my friend, my partner and the mother of our four children. Without her patience, skillful support and partnership, over 50 years of active ministry in the New York Conference of the United Methodist Church would not have been possible – let alone somewhat successful!"

Reverend Czar was Superintendent of the Hudson East District of the New York Conference. Later, he would return to parish ministry at the Hempstead United Methodist Church, Hempstead, N.Y., where he spent 17 years until his retirement in 1994. After retirement, he and his wife, Marion, spent two winters working with Educational Opportunities along the Sea of Galilee in Tiberias, Israel. Then, most Sundays from 1996 until 2005, he preached in churches of different Protestant denominations until Holy Week of 2005, when illness would no longer allow him to continue. Reverend Czar was deeply committed not only to the church but to the people he ministered. To him they were more than parishioners, they were family and a part of him.

Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents, were his sister, Jane Czar McCarty, and cousin, Herbert Hobbs.

Surviving in addition to his wife, the former Marion Shonk Davenport, are his children, George E. Czar, Franklin Twp.; Stephen D. Czar and wife Fran, Phoenix, Ariz.; David M. Czar and wife Lea, Gettysburg; Susan E. Terwillegar and husband Michael, Hyde Park, N.Y.; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; friend and "brother," Jack Kloeber; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in First Presbyterian Church, 97 S. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre. The Rev. Dr. Robert M. Zanicky will officiate. The family will greet friends following the service in the church. In lieu of flowers, the Czar family requests memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), 475 Riverside Drive, Room 1520, New York, NY 10115 or www.umcor.org. UMCOR is a global humanitarian relief organization of the United Methodist Church providing worldwide aid to areas affected by hunger and other natural or civil disasters. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Harold C. Snowdon Funeral Home Inc., 140 N. Main St., Shavertown.