Walter F. "Wally" Bartkiewicz Jr.

1956 - 2021

Walter F. "Wally" Bartkiewicz Jr., 65, of Hunlock Creek, passed away peacefully Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, at his home, after a long courageous battle with Melanoma. He is now reunited with his wife, Kathryn, whom he loved and missed very much.

Born March 5, 1956, in Dearborn, Mich., he was a son of the late Walter and Jean Robb Bartkiewicz, of Hunlock Creek.

Wally graduated from John S. Fine High School, Nanticoke, Class of 1974, and had a long career as a welder and co-owned and operated Roaring Brook Welding, Hunlock Creek, which was responsible for the steel construction of many businesses in the Wyoming Valley area and beyond, as well as construction of wood and coal stoves.

Wally was a past member of the United Sportsman's Camp 271, Shickshinny, and previously a social member of Shickshinny American Legion Post 495; the Mocanaqua Sporting Club and the Polish Falcons, Mocanaqua where he enjoyed spending time. He also liked visiting with his many friends at the local bars and taverns. He enjoyed dart parties and participating in golf tournaments and was a member of many dart and golfing leagues in the area. He was an avid Green Bay Packers fan for most of his life and enjoyed watching his team play, knowing all the stats. He even owned a share of stock in the team. In his earlier years, Wally was a member of Mocanaqua Sporting Club Men's Softball team and enjoyed attending many NASCAR races at Pocono Raceway with his many friends. He liked gardening, always planting plentiful vegetable gardens, and hunting, especially with his brothers and grandchildren.

Wally was a kind, gentle and generous man who was loved by everyone. He would always try to help anyone he could and would give you the shirt off his back. Wally devoted his life to caring for his wife, children and grandchildren, whom he loved very much. He would always drive his grandchildren to school, their many events and baseball practices and enjoyed watching them play baseball and softball.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of forty-three years, the former Kathryn Matusek on March 8, 2020; his daughter, Christa Beth Bartkiewicz on Nov. 7, 2021; and a brother, Paul Bartkiewicz, all of Hunlock Creek; a nephew, Michael F. Bartkiewicz of Benton, and his mother and father-in-law, Joseph and Elizabeth Matusek of Mocanaqua.

He will be sadly missed by his family and many friends who knew and loved him. He is survived by his daughter, Rachel Bartkiewicz; grandsons, Joseph and Jacob Noss and Cory Ronczka, all of Hunlock Creek; granddaughters, Elizabeth Noss, Hunlock Creek; and Sophie Sudziarski; brothers, James Bartkiewicz (Tina), Shickshinny; and David Bartkiewicz (Lorrie), Benton; sister-in-law, Mary Beth Elliott (Daniel), Mocanaqua; uncle by marriage, John Matusek, Shickshinny; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family would like to thank the Johns Hopkins Hospital, especially Dr. Evan Lipson; Geisinger Medical Center, especially Dr. Aneela Ali, Dr. Srilath Hosur, Dr. Michael Lacroix and Dr. Arun Kamalakar Gadre; Dr. Kwaku Boakye and staff at Commonwealth Health Family Medicine, Shickshinny; and Commonwealth Home Health and Hospice of Berwick for the great care they provided. Also, a special thanks to his brother, Jimmy who took Wally to his numerous appointments at Geisinger and Johns Hopkins and monitored his health with great care and concern.

A memorial service for Wally and his daughter, Christa will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday from Clarke Piatt Funeral Home Inc., Hunlock Creek, with the Rev. Michael Delp, Chaplain with Commonwealth Hospice, officiating.

Friends may call for visitation from 11 a.m. until the time of the service Sunday.