Martha Ciaruffoli (Kuhar) slipped peacefully from her earthbound form in the early morning hours of August 13, 2022.

Martie was born in Swoyersville, PA on July 31, 1927. She recently celebrated her 95th year of life.

Baby sister to six siblings, Martie was raised by her brothers and sisters following the deaths of her parents, Stephen and Veronica Kuhar. Tragically passing only a week apart, Martie became an orphan at the age of seven. Despite the untimely passings of her parents, she would go on to live a full and beautiful life, as if quietly emboldened by such difficult beginnings.

She grew up in the Owen Street home in which she was born, graduating from Swoyersville High School in 1945 and entering into the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital School of Nursing soon after. Earning her degree in 1950, Martie enjoyed her career as a nurse for a few years until she turned her attention to raising a family.

Her marriage with Robert Ciaruffoli, the charming neighbor from across the street, represented so much of what brought Martie happiness in this lifetime. Memorialized like an old Hollywood couple in family photos, they didn’t seem to have much to argue about. They cherished their time together, like weekly dates to Aldino’s for daiquiris and dancing or Sunday station wagon drives ending at Ristagno’s with their kids in tow.

The family Martie is responsible for growing these past 70 years is a testament to the woman she was—strong, resilient, and full of life. Bringing ten children into the world meant few dull moments. Whether navigating the chaos of a crowded household or the competing priorities of raising teenagers and toddlers in tandem, Martie was a steady, resourceful force in her family.

Gatherings in Martie’s home were never small scale. As her family expanded, the delights of being part of a large and loud family were magnified, too. She oversaw reunions, holidays, and family events with grace, sometimes entertaining and feeding upwards of 40 people. Hers was a home of nourishment and joy—abundant with laughter, homemade ravioli and pierogi, and her highly-coveted rice pudding.

Nothing on this earth mattered to Martie more than her family, but the Phillies may have been a close second. Known to ignore or even deny visitors if it meant interruptions to a game, her love of watching that team is something the family will never recall without smiling.

Those who stay behind will remember a woman of poise who carried herself with dignity and draped herself in elegance. Her eye for fashion was a hallmark of her personality and she was rarely seen in anything short of a complete ensemble. This appreciation was further nurtured by her employment later in life at Korals, where she loved helping women find clothes that would help them feel their best.

She was unafraid to share her mind, never missed sending a birthday card, and left this world with hardly a wrinkle on her beautiful face. Most important, though, Martie’s legacy continues on in the people who loved her. Her family will prosper, well-beyond this moment of grief, because of the strength she instilled and because of the extraordinary gift she left them with: one another.

Martie was preceded in death by the love of her life, Bob Ciaruffoli, whom she spoke of in the present tense with greater frequency the closer she got to her day of transition; all six of her siblings, Margaret, Veronica, Stephen, Joseph, Michael, and John; and her son-in law, John Taffera.

She is survived by her children, Bob J. Ciaruffoli, Jr. and wife, Kathy, Philadelphia; Ronna Ciaruffoli, Larksville; Renee Taffera and partner, Mike Giamber, Larksville; Denise Castellani and husband, Pat, Drums; Daria Crolick and husband, Larry, Kingston; Martina Schuler and husband, Jeff, Nicholson; Alex Ciaruffoli and wife, Yvette, Garland, Texas; Jeff Ciaruffoli and wife, Yong Mi, Shavertown; Jill Martin, Harveys Lake, and Bill Martin, Dallas; and Vanessa Sherman and husband, Dave, Baltimore, Maryland. She is also survived by 23 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Martie’s viewing which will be held on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Wroblewski Funeral Home, Inc., 1442 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort.

Family and friends may gather for a Mass of Christian Burial which will be celebrated on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, at 10:15 AM in Saint Ignatius Loyola Church, 339 North Maple Avenue, Kingston. Friends may proceed directly to the church on Wednesday morning as there will be no procession to the church.

Interment with the Rite of Committal will follow in Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Hanover Township.

For additional information or to send Martie’s family an online message of condolence, you may visit the funeral home’s website, www.wroblewskifuneralhome.com, or Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made in Martie’s name to Saint Vincent dePaul Kitchen, 39 E Jackson St, Wilkes Barre, PA 18701.

Finally, the family would like to express their deep gratitude to the nurses and staff of Wesley Village where Martie was cared for with dignity and compassion until her passing.

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