Mariclaire "MC" Thresten

1955 - 2023

Mariclaire "MC" Thresten entered into eternal life on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023.

The daughter of Leonard M. Thresten and Mary T. Harnen Thresten, she was born Sept. 2, 1955, and resided in Plymouth, where she attended St. Vincent's schools. She later graduated from Greater Nanticoke Area High School and went on to East Stroudsburg State College, where she received a bachelor's degree in physical education with teaching credentials. She served as a substitute teacher and interim girls field hockey coach at Crestwood High School, Mountain Top. Mariclaire decided to further her education by attending the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stoneybrook to pursue a degree in physical therapy.

Upon her graduation from SUNY Stoneybrook, she began her career as a physical therapist at Mercy Hospital, Wilkes-Barre. From there she worked at Tyler Physical Therapy, Tunkhannock, and also opened her own rehabilitation facility, Advantage Physical Therapy in Wilkes-Barre Twp. While the healthcare climate was difficult to navigate, she seized an opportunity to work at Pro Rehab, where her patients adored her. They would send her home with homemade baked goods and hand-crafted Christmas ornaments in appreciation of her kind and gentle way of administering care.

In between, Mariclaire took a position at Misericordia University in Dallas. As a member of adjunct faculty, "MC" got the opportunity to teach future physical therapists. It was here where she found her true calling! Being able to put her physical therapy degree and her education credentials together created her ideal vocation. Mariclaire lived, loved and breathed the university and its students and together they were the absolute lights of her life. Mariclaire left a legacy of applying a unique, kind and gentle philosophy in her approach to both education and providing patient care. She will forever be remembered for the countless students whose lives she touched and patiently mentored. Mariclaire had gracefully, compassionately and generously given herself and shared all of her incredible qualities with us. We were lucky to have been given the privilege of knowing her, and she will be sorely missed.

Mariclaire is survived by her beloved niece and nephew, Tara Ritts and Paul S. Thresten, whom she has doted on since the days they were born; her sister-in-law, Barbara Thresten; and numerous cousins.

The family wishes to thank the many colleagues, students, friends, neighbors and nurses who have lovingly and selflessly helped care for MC while she was ill, Maureen Pascal, Sharon O'Boyle, Mike and Theresa Tomalis, Laurie Brogan, Dan and Emma Mulhern, Gene Geeza, Theresa Stritzinger, Gianna Coledo, Crystal Hrabousky and the rest of the staff at Mercy Center and the Meadows.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the chapel at Misericordia University in Mercy Hall, with a reception to follow at Insalaco Hall (rooms 218-19) on the campus of the University.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (www.michaeljfox.org).

Arrangements are entrusted to S.J. Grontkowski Funeral Home, Plymouth.

To submit condolences to Mariclaire's family, please visit www.sjgrontkowskifuneralhome.com.