Dale James Reese

Dale James Reese, 71, slipped away in the early evening of December 2, 2021, in the ICU of Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital due to the devastating effects of COVID-19. He never knew that he also had pancreatic cancer.

Born Nov. 19, 1950, on his great-grandmother's 64th birthday, he and his twin brother were her retirement present. Family was important to Dale and his brothers, and so was community service for all three. He was a past president of the Lidy-Larnerd Family reunion committee. Dale was a life long member of the Bethel United Methodist Church of Avoca, Pa., and was a lay leader, church treasurer, and delegate to the Wyoming (now Susquehanna) Conference.

His first few years of education were in the No. 1 school at Avoca. The family moved to West Falls in September 1961, He attended Wyoming Area High School, graduating 1968,where he was equipment manager for both the basketball and baseball teams, and lettered in track as a senior. After school he continued being active in sports including the Avoca Softball League and the Greater Pittston Softball League. Dale was an active bowler since the late 1970s, and served on the board of Directors of the Wyoming Valley Bowling Association. He could often be found practicing at many of the local establishments from Carbondale to Nanticoke and Shadow Brook to Pocono Summit. Dale maintained a 200-plus average in many leagues over the years and threw nearly three dozen perfect games.

He attended Penn State University at High Acres campus (Hazleton) in 1968, and transferred to State College in Fall of 1969, but came back to Wilkes-Barre in 1970 where he earned a degree in Radio Broadcast Management. He later obtained certification as an electronics technician from PennCo Tech in Bristol, Pa. Employed by the Bell telephone Company, first in directory at Wilkes-Barre, he retired as a switchman at Carbondale after over 30 years. Not satisfied with early retirement, he invested his pension in Arterial Lanes in Gloversville, N.Y., with three business partners.

Survivors are his father Harry J. Reese, Falls, and his twin brother, Richard M. and his wife, Fran, Etters. He was predeceased by his mother, Thelma D. (nee Lidy) in 2015, and his younger brother Mark, on Nov. 9 this year.

Funeral services will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Kiesinger Funeral Services, 255 McAlpine St., Duryea. Visitation from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Burial will be in Mountain View cemetery, Harding, with joint services for his brother Mark, at 1 p.m.

Online Condolences may be made to www.kiesingerfuneralservices.com.