Wassil Simko

Wassil Simko, 88, of Beaver Meadows passed away Wednesday in Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton.

He was born in Foundryville, son of the late Steven and Ann (Hynauk) Simko. He was a member of Ss. Peter & Paul Byzantine Catholic Church, Beaver Meadows.

A graduate of Foster Twp. High School, in 1951, he attended Penn State University. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1952 with a significant duty assignment of Navel Cargo Handling with Battalion One, Navel Supply Center, Norfolk, Va., and was honorably discharged in 1954.

Wassil retired from Tobyhanna Army Depot as an electronic technician and also from Tung-Sol. He enjoyed watching Penn State football, the Philadelphia Phillies, hunting, fishing, taking weekend trips to the camper, doing his puzzles and going to Mohegan Sun and Atlantic City casinos.

Wassil is preceded in death by his wife, the former Sandra Keller, who was the love of his life and passed away in 2009 after 48 years of marriage; a daughter, Nadine Simko; and siblings, Helen Simko, Margaret DeBlasi, Mary Kovelkoski, and Ann Adamo, Mike, Steven and John.

He is survived by his three children, Carlene Chovanes and her husband, Robert, Drums; Chris Simko and his fiancée, Tammie Jones, Wyoming; Mark Simko, Weatherly; his sister, Martha Carr and her husband, Michael, Freeland; sister-in-law, Martha Simko, Freeland; brother-in-law, Jack Keller and his wife, Patricia, Pittsburgh; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Arrangements are under the direction of Frank J. Bonin Funeral Home Inc., Hazleton.