Joseph "Joe Y." Yourglivch

January 5, 2010

Joseph "Joe Y." Yourglivch, a lifelong resident of Wilkes-Barre, died on Tuesday morning, Jan. 5, 2010, at his home. He had just celebrated his 79th birthday. Born December 14, 1930, "Joe Y.," as he was well known, was the eighth child of the late Adell and Joseph Yourglivch. As a recovering alcoholic, Joe devoted the rest of his life to helping countless fellow alcoholics and drug addicts who suffered as he had. First, he joined the staff of LINC One Detox Center, where he remained for eight years, until became a case worker for Crisis Intervention, a then-new component of the Luzerne County Drug and Alcohol. Joe Y. was last employed as a nursing assistant on the psychiatric floor of the Veterans' Administration Hospital, where he continued to support and counsel recovering alcoholics, drug addicts and their families. He retired in 1999 after 20 years of service. In 2001, he published an autobiography, "Once a Pickle: Joe Y's Story," in an attempt to touch others in the throes of addiction. Joe Y. believed, "Reason I was put on this earth was to give hope to alcoholics and their families - to reach as many people as I can with my story. I know what it's like to be a hopeless alcoholic for many, many years, and I know that anyone can become one. But it's not too late for people to change if they want to. They can turn their lives around just like I did. There really is hope." "Pop-pop" delighted in his grandchildren. As many of his family visited with him this Christmas, he remarked, "I am the happiest man alive and the luckiest." He was preceded in death by brothers Leo, Edward, Peter, James and John; and by his sisters Leona, Josephine, Mary and Dell. Joe Y. is survived by his wife of 31 years, Lorraine Pelczar Yourglivch; daughters Joelle Yourglivch of Wilkes-Barre, with whom he resided; Leora Joyce and her husband, Michael, Wilkes-Barre Township; Lynne Jeckell, Wyndmoor; Laura Demkovitz and her husband, Peter, Wyndmoor; grandchildren Zoe, Olivia, Graham and Nadia Demkovitz; Amanda Jeckell; sisters Dolores and Joan; brother-in-law Edward Pelczar and his wife, Lieu; several nieces and nephews, including Thomas and Jan Herstek, and their son; Angela Zongilla, her children and her husband, John; Michelle and Leo Woelkers and their children; John and Cindy Herstek, Andrew and Edith Herstek; and Lance Cpl. Khoa Pelczar; as well as a number of grandnieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. Friday from the Nat & Gawlas Funeral Home, 89 Park Ave., Wilkes-Barre, with Divine Liturgy to follow at 9:30 a.m. in St. Mary's Assumption Byzantine Catholic Church, 695 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre. Friends may call on Thursday, from 5 to 8 p.m., at the funeral home. Donations may be made in Joe Y's Memory to the Wyoming Valley Alcohol & Drug Services Inc., 437 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18705, and to the Osterhout Free Library, 71 N. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701.