Carolyn A. Heinsohn Birmelin Upright

Carolyn A. Heinsohn Birmelin Upright of Lake Ariel passed away on Tuesday, March 12. 2013 at the V.N.A. Hospice Unit at Geisinger Community Medical Center following an illness.

Our hope is that she was reunited with her husband of 45 years, Earl "Junie" "Flyer" Upright, Jr. who passed away on January 6, 2013 as well as the many family members who have passed on before her.

Born in Woodhaven Queens, New York City, NY on July 9, 1923, she was the daughter of the late John Francis and Anna Maria Murat Heinsohn. She was educated in Queens New York Public Schools. Carolyn, known as Lynn to her family, moved from Ozone Park, New York to Lake Ariel in the mid 1950's with her first husband, Friedrich S. Birmelin and their five children.

She and Fred operated a restaurant, "The Lunchbox," for several years. In later years she returned to the same building to work with her sister and brother-in-law, Adele and Frank "Flub" Flynn when they were the proprietors. Lynn was associated with the Lake Township Tax Collector's Office for over 30 years having worked with Oswald Lombardi when he was the tax collector, then for several years as tax collector herself. For the past 23 years she assisted her daughter-in-law, Sharon Birmelin, while she has held this position.

Lynn experienced contact with thousands of people during these years and will be remembered fondly by many due to this interaction. She had beautiful handwriting and her bookkeeping was impeccable as a result.

Lynn enjoyed knitting, crocheting, sewing, baking, solving crossword puzzles and word jumbles. She was an avid bingo player and enjoyed trips to Atlantic City with her friends. She was a voracious reader with a fondness for mysteries and a penchant for period historical dramas. She enjoyed sitting on her front porch swing admiring her gardens. Watching birds enjoying themselves at feeders outside her kitchen window was a daily joy.

Surviving are four sons: Robert Birmelin and his wife Jean of Lake Ariel, Fredric Birmelin and his wife Sharon of Lake Ariel, Laurence Birmelin of Lake Ariel, and Jerald Birmelin and his wife Elaine of South Canaan; one daughter, Debra Lynn and her husband James Dexheimer of Honesdale, a daughter-in-law Carolyn Gorton Birmelin; 11 grandchildren:Michael, Colleen,and Lyndsay Birmelin, Christina Stratford, Suzanne Mormando, Janice Swingle, Julie Christensen, Jennifer Gromlich, Rebecca Lynn Cross Bennett, Donald Howell, and Stacey Lukens Hargett; 19 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren, many nieces including her namesake and friend, Lynn Lewis Lo Russo, several nephews, many great-nieces and great-nephews, and a host of friends of all ages.

In addition to her husband Earl Upright, Jr., Lynn was predeceased by sisters, Evelyn Daubermann, Adele Flynn, Anita Mildred Lewis, and Anna Julia Beischer; and two brothers, John Heinsohn and George Heinsohn.

Her family would like to acknowledge their appreciation of the staff at Geisinger/C.M.C. and the Visiting Nurse Association at the Hospice Unit for the professional competent care and kindness extended throughout the course of Lynn's stay with them.

At her request there will be no public services.

However, family and friends will be invited to a celebration of Lynn's life in the beginning of July to honor her on what would have been her 90th birthday.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations in Carolyn Upright's name would be appreciated by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, St. Jude's Childrens' Hospital, Hamlin Volunteer Ambulance Co., Lake Ariel Volunteer Fire Department, Maplewood Volunteer Fire Department, or the Visiting Nurse Association Hospice Unit at Geisinger/C.M.C.

Cremation took place in the Lake Region Crematory at the James Wilson Funeral Home, Lake Ariel.

Arrangements by the James Wilson Funeral Home, Lake Ariel.