Marcella McClosky Obituary

M arcella A. McClosky, formerly of North Walnut Street, Luzerne, died Nov. 22, 2006, at Little Flower Manor, Wilkes-Barre, where she had resided since 2001.
She was born in 1925, the daughter of Anthony and Dora Nevadonski Bruzauskas. She was valedictorian of Luzerne High School, class of 1942, and was awarded a full scholarship to College Misericordia, graduating in 1946 with a chemistry major. She earned graduate credits in chemistry at Wilkes College, Lehigh University and the University of Scranton. Her teaching career spanned 42 years, including several years teaching elementary grades in the Luzerne School District and at Sacred Heart School in Luzerne. Mrs. McClosky was the first woman in the state of Pennsylvania to be certified to teach nuclear science. She taught chemistry, physics, nuclear science, algebra, geometry and French at Luzerne High School and later at Wyoming Valley West High School, retiring in 1989.
For many years, Mrs. McClosky was an active member of Holy Family Parish of Luzerne, where she was an officer in the Altar and Rosary Society and a CCD teacher. She also served as the first female lector and the first female extraordinary minister of the Eucharist. She was also the first woman to serve on the borough council in Luzerne Borough, being appointed to office in 1981 after the death of her husband and later elected to the office in 1983. She was an avid craftswoman and belonged to the Wyoming Valley Embroiderer’s Guild, SAGA, the Cocaluschu Crafts Club, and the Pennsylvania Quilters’ Association.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward A. McClosky, in 1981; brother, Frank Bruzauskas; and sister, Dorothy Lloyd. She is survived by her daughter, Linda Houck, of Kingston; brother, Joseph Bruzauskas, of Parlin, N.J.; four grandchildren, Marcella, Sarah, Dale, Amy; and one great-grandson, Ryan.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Holy Family Parish Renovation Fund, P.O. Box 125, Luzerne, PA 18709.
Funeral is on Saturday at 9 a.m. from the Hugh B. Hughes & Son, Inc., Funeral Home, 1044 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort, with the Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. in Holy Family Parish, Luzerne, with the Very Reverend David Cappelloni officiating. The interment will be in Saint Ann’s Cemetery, Lehman.
Friends may call today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.