Donald J. Kavulich

1936 - 2023

  

Obituary 
Donald J Kavulich 
1936-2023

Donald (“Ducky”) Kavulich passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, October 5, 2023, surrounded by his family at the age of 87. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease.

Donald was born in West Scranton to Andrew and Mary (Sopko) Kavulich. He went to West Scranton High School and the University of Scranton. He was married to his wife Fran (nee Skettino) for 59 years.  They had three daughters, Lauri, and twins Donna and Debbie. They raised their family in Green Ridge until moving to Dalton 22 years ago. 

Don and Fran were a team in life and business. They owned Sanderson Place Hair Salon in Green Ridge and then Clarks Summit, and NOW Hair Studio in Scranton. Don would always be doing projects in the salons through the years. He loved tools and fixing anything. He turned it into a business for a period and owned Handee Home and Hardware in Green Ridge corners in the 70’s. 

Don was a housing consultant for over 40 years and assisted low-income homeowners fix their homes under federal loan programs. While he was assisting with the renovations, his clients would give him antique furniture, fixtures, and all sorts of architectural treasures. He was the original “American Picker” and had garages full of architectural antiques.  He salvaged the ticket booth from the old Strand Theater and for years, he lent it to the Scranton Public Theatre for the Summer Theatre Festival. He salvaged an entire set of mechanical figurines from the Christmas windows of Katz’s department store in Honesdale when it closed, and every year, he lent the display to the Globe Store for Santa’s Holiday World.  

Don loved antique cars. He had a 1967 Mustang that he lovingly restored, painting it cherry red. He was a fixture in parades in Scranton driving his Mustang with the top down. He was a member of the Scranton Region AACA Car Club, and every Fathers’ Day you would find him at the antique car show. He was also an active member of the Green Ridge Lions Club. 

“Dad was the sweetest man you ever met,” said his daughters. He was the original “girl dad”. He was kind, caring and would do anything for anyone, especially his extended family. Over the years he cared for so many people and was always willing to lend a hand. He was truly one of a kind. He was the epitome of a Christian life lived as Christ meant it to be. 

Surviving Donald are his wife Frances, daughters Lauri Kavulich, Donna Beardell and Debbie Ferraro, all of Philadelphia, sons in laws Ed Reitmeyer, Louis Beardell Jr., and Patrick Ferraro; grandchildren Francesca and Caroline Reitmeyer, Chloe and Mia Ferraro and Louis Beardell III, brothers Andy Paul and Joseph Kavulich, and sister Barbara Abdalla, sisters in law and nieces and nephews. 
His wife Fran took care of him tirelessly at home during his illness. The family would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the incredible nurses at Sacred Heart Hospice and the private caregivers who cared for him and the family during the last days of his life. Their care allowed him to live his final days with dignity and comfort. 

Visitation will be Friday, October 13 from 4-8 pm, and Saturday, October 14 at 9 am at the Church of Saint Gregory, 330 North Abington Road, Clarks Summit, PA 18411. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Saturday at 11 am. 
Donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation www.parkinson.org; and the incredible caregivers at Sacred Heart Hospice, www.hospicesacredheart.org.