Elmer Michael Zella

Elmer Zella, 92, husband of Jennie Cavicchia Zella, passed peacefully on Wednesday afternoon at his Crystal Lake residence.

Born in Throop, son of the late Michael and Mary Sembrat Zella, Elmer attended Olyphant High School prior to enlisting in the military, where he served in the Philippines with the United States Army Corps of Engineers cartography unit. Following an honorable discharge, Elmer received a BS from the University of Scranton and earned his DDS from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He settled in Alexandria, Virginia where he practiced dentistry for more than 40 years and raised two children with his wife Jennie (originally of Archbald).

Upon retirement, Elmer relocated to Crystal Lake where he pursued his life-long passion for the game of golf. After enjoying years as a non-resident member of Elkview Country Club, Elmer founded a men's senior golf league at nearby Scottish Glen Golf Course. He especially enjoyed devising an equitable handicap system, organizing the weekly pairings and arranging for season ending tournaments with other senior golf leagues in the area. The league still exists with members playing on Monday mornings at Panorama Golf Course.

Most recently, Elmer enjoyed reading the daily newspaper and playing all the various puzzle games, especially the crossword puzzles (always completed in ink).

Surviving are wife of 67 years, Jennie; son, Jeff and wife, Lisa, of LaQuinta, California; daughter, Cathy and husband, Tony Oates, of Richmond, Virginia; grandchildren, Tony, Nathalie and Julia Oates; nephews, Jim Kovaleski and Joe Maddage; niece, Donna Hibbard; and several grand and great-grandnieces and nephews. Son Jeff and nephew Jim together with Scotty McAlarney of Throop are founding members of the popular local Jeffrey James Band.

The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday from the Lawrence A. Gabriel Funeral Home and Cremation Services Inc., 74 N. Main St., Carbondale, with Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Carbondale. Interment ceremony will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, Scott Twp. The family is planning a Celebration of Life event for later this summer with details to follow.

Viewing will be Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. To offer an online condolence, visit the funeral home's website.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, Scranton.