Joseph M. Potzner

Joseph "Fisherman Joe" Potzner passed away peacefully Monday surrounded by his loving family after a brief battle with mesothelioma.

Born in Hazleton, he was the son of the late George and Nancy (Kennedy) Potzner and was a member of Most Precious Blood Church, Hazleton.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, he attended Lackawanna College, majoring in accounting. He worked for Lively Look Factory and Furnival Equipment before spending the last 30 years working in shipping and receiving at Team Supply.

Joseph was an avid fisherman. Fly fishing was his passion. Time away from work was spent at his favorite fishing spots, like the Lehigh River, the Broadheads, Tobyhanna and S&A Trout Pond. He would spend hours with his buddies, bringing home lots of fish that he would filet himself, being meticulous not to leave any bones. Everyone loved his trout. He taught others how to fish and how to tie flies.

Surviving are his wife, Paula (Seritsky); daughter, Tina; brother, George Potzner and his wife, Jeanette, West Des Moines, Iowa; sister, Rosemary Labanoski, Gilbert, Ariz.; sister Jean Ann Frakes, Gilbert, Arizona; and many nieces and nephews.

His Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Most Precious Blood Church.

Interment will be at the convenience of the family.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Joseph A. Moran Funeral Home, 229 W. 12th St., Hazleton.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the family, c/o Tina Potzner, 152 South Chestnut Road, Drums, PA 18222. Because of how much he loved to fish at S&A, a bench or glider is going to be purchased in his memory for all of the fisherman to enjoy there.

Condolences can be entered at www.moranfuner

alhome.com.