Paul Oscar Olsommer

A private celebration of life will be held for Paul Oscar Olsommer, of Roemerville, Pike County, who died at home early Saturday morning, July 29, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease and Lewy Bodies Dementia. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, constant companion and dedicated caregiver, the former Herta Anita Schramm.

Born on March 22, 1927, at the family residence in Panther, he was the oldest child of the late Oscar Baxter Olsommer and Annie Nellie Bender Woltjen Olsommer.

He graduated from the Greene Dreher Vocational High School in Newfoundland and served in the U.S. Army in Germany at the end of World War II, where he met Fraulein Schramm. After discharge, he married his Army sweetheart, attended and completed training at the Spring Garden Institute in Philadelphia and then completed a full course of study at Diesel Engineering of Chicago, Ill. When he returned home he established Olsommer's Garage, Esso Gas Station and Towing Service.

A skilled auto mechanic and honest businessman, he provided dedicated service to his many customers for over 46 years. He was well known for always providing full service to all his gas customers with a windshield cleaning, oil check and tire air pressure adjustment. A great many people still reminisce the years of "colorful" as well as serious emergency towing encounters he provided to the area. Loved by many and disliked by few, he was well known as a champion of political conservatism with strong disdain for bleeding-heart liberalism; often a fill-up would include a brief "speech" of political suggestions, always provided with a smile and a wish for "happy motoring."

He was of the Moravian faith, deeply committed to living "The Golden Rule." A great conversationalist, humorist and good friend, he will be sorely missed by his family and friends. An uncomplicated man, he enjoyed the simple life and loved being at home.

He was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying hunting, picking blueberries, gardening, yard work, wood cutting and tinkering with tractors. He especially enjoyed spending time laughing and being silly for his granddaughters and great-grandsons. He adored all his grandchildren tremendously, but "Pop Pop" had a deeply special bond with his little Natalie, whom he called "Sweety."

He is also survived by a son, Gordon and his wife, Mary Ann, of Greentown; a daughter, Ingrid Ziegler and her husband, Terry, of Sterling; a brother, Emil Allen Olsommer, of Canadensis; two sisters, Pauline VanBenschoten, of Canadensis, and Connie Hooke, of Mountainhome; granddaughters Korey Washine, of Sterling, and Melissa and Natalie Olsommer, of Greentown; a step-granddaughter, Nicole Edwards, of Eynon; two great-grandsons, Noah and Kaleb Washine; and nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death are an infant daughter; two half-sisters, Martha Woltjen and Louise Beruf; and a half-brother, Nelson Woltjen.

Per his specific wishes, he was cremated at the H.G. Smith Crematory in Stroudsburg with his family performing all the necessary preparation and transportation, coordinated by his son Gordon, a licensed funeral director.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Heartland Hospice, 38 North Main Ave., Pittston, PA 18640, or to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018.