Joseph Hoinski Obituary
Born in Plains Township, he was a son of the late Teofil and Salomea Barnak Choinski.
He was educated in the Plains Township schools and was a graduate of Plains Memorial High School, Class of 1954. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War.
Joe was a member of the Plains Township Fire Department for 42 years, retiring in 2004. During that time, he held several positions within the department - fire inspector, deputy fire chief and finally fire chief for his last 18 years on the Plains Township Fire Department. He was a member of the International Association of Firefighters belonging to Luzerne County Local 840, where he held the position of vice president prior to becoming fire chief. He was a member of the PA State Professional Firefighter Association, NEPA Professional Firefighters, PA State Arson Investigators Association. Joe was also a member of Plains American Legion Post 558, Plains Lions Club and a member of Free and Accepted Masons Lodge 61 in Wilkes-Barre, member of the Caldwell Consistory in Bloomsburg where Joe was a 32nd Degree Mason.
After retiring from the fire department in 2004, Joe ran for and was elected to the Plains Township Board of Commissioner for four years. He was appointed to the Plains Township Sewer Authority Board, where he currently served. He also worked as a security guard at Social Security until the time of his passing. He was a member of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Plains Township.
Joe and his wife, the former Cathy Jones celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary on July 28, 2014.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Joey, in 1985; brother, John Hoinski; sister Sara Hoinski.
In addition to his wife, Cathy, he is survived by his son, Tommy and his wife, Debbie, Forty Fort; grandsons, Ryan and Joseph; sisters, Josephine Turner Smith, Nanticoke; and Jean Schrader, Tuscon, Ariz.; numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services with military honors will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Michael J. Mikelski Funeral Home, 293 S. River St., Plains Township. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. in Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Plains Township. Interment will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Carverton section of Kingston Township. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice of the Sacred Heart, 600 Baltimore Drive, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Barri Sue Bryant
September 25, 2014
My sympathies to your family. It was such a pleasure to see Joe at work. Always smiling, always kind words, he would make a bad day better. I miss seeing him at work every day.
Jerry Kozich and Family
September 18, 2014
Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. Joe always had a pleasant smile and a greeting of hay how are you and the family doing will always be remembered forever. Thanks Joe it was a pleasure to have known you.
Cathy Bellas
September 18, 2014
I know Joe and Kathy for many years. Just heard he passed. Joe was always the rock to be around. He cared about everyone and truely loved his wife Kathy. Many times talking about his ventures and mine. I work at SSA and saw Joe almost every night. He didn't want any of us to know about his illness and we all prayed that he would get better. My sympathy goes out to you Kathy and to your family. As you have loved, we all loved Joe in our own way. He will be missed but we have great memories. I will always remember him as the man he was when I last saw him hear at work, laughing, joking and just be himself. God Bless
Gloria lukachik
September 17, 2014
Cathy you have my love and prayers.To Joe ...A wonderful journey into the arms of God
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Frank Ferenchick
September 16, 2014
Joe always took time to talk to this teenager who hung out at the town hall. He was all class and I absorbed as much of Joe as I could. He was an excellent role model and fireman. My prayers are with the Hoinski family including Joe Jr.
susan noel
September 16, 2014
sorry for your loss, he was a great man, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
susan,tony michael noel, frank andrukiewicz
Dan T. Lewis
September 16, 2014
Joe was a fine Man and an excellent Mentor. He was among the few very good examples I used to formulate what a Good Man should be as I grew up.
Leona Belles
September 15, 2014
Dear Cathy and family, sorry for your loss..Sincerely Leona e. Belles
Vincent Cappellini
September 15, 2014
A great man,always a gentleman.
Rest in peace. God bless
September 15, 2014
With our deepest sympathy. He will be missed by all. Carmen and Pat (Sitar) Marsit
September 15, 2014
So sad to hear. Joe was such a nice guy. Always a kind word for others. So sorry for your loss. He will be missed at SSA.
Dianne (MacCartney) Kasisky
September 15, 2014
Tommy, Debbie and family,
Very sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Sharon Butry(Serafin)
September 15, 2014
My deepest sympathy to you Kathy and Tommy ,, Joe will indeed be missed by all who knew him ,, he now reunites with his son Joey to watch over you both my prayers r with you both
Susan Vroblefsky
September 15, 2014
I am so sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers go out to the family. I will miss Joe so much, he was such a kind person. Always had a smile, said hi, and asked how you were. He will be greatly missed at SSA.
Dianne DeFrehn
September 15, 2014
Very sorry for your loss. I worked with Joe for many years at SSA. He always had a smile and kind word for everyone. He certainly will be missed.
Karen
September 15, 2014
No words can express the loss of a loved one, may he rest in peace and hope the family can find peace in this time of pain. He was a great guy and friend of my family ( William and Maggie Murphy ) god bless you all at this time !!!
ELLEN BLACK
September 15, 2014
SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. HE WAS AN ANGEL ON EARTH AND WILL BE ONE IN HEAVEN. SUCH A KIND PERSON. WE ALWAYS HAD GREAT TALKS AT WORK SSA. I WILL MISS HIM. GOD BLESS
Maryanne Ryzner
September 15, 2014
Very sorry for your loss. We will certainly miss seeing him here at SSA. He always had a smile for everyone and you could see he enjoyed doing his job. Rest in peace Joe.
September 15, 2014
We were very sorry to hear of Joe's passing. He always had a smile on his face and a kind word. He will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Bruce and Paulette Reilly
Carl Jones
September 15, 2014
God bless uncle joe. Many good times on the red scooter motorcycle. Will miss you
Carl and Bessie Jones.
Virginia Chwastyk
September 15, 2014
So sorry for you loss. He always had a pleasant smile when you saw him doing his security job at SSA. He will be sadly missed.
Marie Kozloski
September 15, 2014
My deepest sympathies are with you all. Deb take care of them!
September 15, 2014
Cathy, Tommy and family..so sorry to hear. He is with Joey now...XO Ann Haggerty-Rudolph
Bill Dickson
September 15, 2014
So sorry for your lost.
Darren Savage
September 15, 2014
Rest in peace Chief, It was great to have known you.
Martin Erickson
September 15, 2014
Jimmy/Jane and Aunt Joe, sorry to read this about your Uncle/brother. His family will be in our thoughts and prayers.
TERESA MICHAELS
September 15, 2014
RIP JOE! MY SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY!
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293 S River St, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18705
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