John H. “ Buddy” Tobias, 78, a resident of Swoyersville, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on Wednesday morning, June 03, 2015, at VNA Hospice of Lackawanna County, Inpatient Unit at Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton.
His beloved wife was the late Mary L. “Mary Lou” (Monahan) Tobias, who passed away on May 08, 2009. Together, John and Mary Lou shared nearly 51 beautiful years of marriage.
Born on July 05, 1936, in Forty Fort, John was the son of the late Steven Tobias and Mary (Skurka) Tobias Sauers.
Raised in Swoyersville, John was a graduate of the former Swoyersville High School, Class of 1954.
A United States Army veteran, John honorably served his country for three years following the Korean War. Upon his honorable discharge on January 16, 1958, John attained the rank of Specialist 3rd Class.
Prior to his retirement in 1992, John was employed for 32 years by the United States Postal Service, Wilkes-Barre, working as a tour supervisor in its mail processing department.
A faithful Catholic, John was a lifelong member of the former Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, Swoyersville. Following the consolidation of his church, he became a member of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Parish, Swoyersville. Active within his church, John was a staple at his parish’s annual bazaar, where he would donate his time working in the kitchen every year, and would also help to prepare the pirohy and halushki.
John was a member of the Swoyersville Kiwanis Club, with whom he served five terms as president. Additionally, he served two consecutive terms as Lieutenant Governor for District 15 of the Kiwanis Club.
A proud veteran, John was member of the American Legion, Andrew Lawrence Post 644, Swoyersville, for more than forty years. He was also a member of the Catholic War Veterans, Memorial Post 1601, Swoyersville, and a life-member of the Disabled American Veterans.
One of John’s favorite pastimes was golfing with his friends from the Italian Club in Scranton.
John was a loving and devoted family man who treasured every moment he had with his loved ones. Although his presence will be deeply missed, his spirit will continue to live on in the hearts of his family and friends.
John is survived by his sons, John Tobias and his wife, Margaret, Binghamton, New York; and Michael Tobias and his wife, Joyce, Swoyersville; his grandchildren, Lydia Mahoney and her husband Bryan, North Carolina; Rory Tobias and partner, Thea, Buffalo, New York; Andrew Tobias and partner, Nicole, Port Crane, New York; Emily Ngo and her husband, Adrian, North Carolina; Leigh Tobias and partner, Brittany, Endicott, New York; Katie and Maria Tobias, Swoyersville; his Great-Grandchildren, Aidan, Lily, Christian, Adilyn, Nevaeh, Makayla, Taylor, Zachary, Michael, Aleeah, Mabel, Olivia, Charlotte and Jaxon; his brother, Jerry Tobias and his wife, Jean, Columbia, New Jersey; his numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.
Relatives and Friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral which will be conducted on Saturday, June 06, 2015 at 9:30 AM from the Wroblewski Funeral Home, Inc., 1442 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:00 AM in Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 116 Hughes Street, Swoyersville, with the Reverend Richard J. Cirba, family friend, officiating. The Reverend Joseph J. Pisaneschi, Pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, will con-celebrate the Funeral Mass.
Interment with the Rite of Committal will follow in Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Cemetery, Swoyersville.
Family and Friends are invited to call on Friday, June 05, 2015 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, at the funeral home.
For additional information or to send the Tobias Family an online message of condolence, you may visit the funeral home web-site www.wroblewskifuneralhome.com.
In Lieu of Flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John’s memory to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, 801 Roeder Road, Suite 1000, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.