Mrs. Zabresky

Karen Leonardi called last night to let me know that Mrs. Zabresky passed away on Saturday. Many of us had Mrs. Zabresky for French class. She also taught typing, a skill I learned from her that I use nearly every single day.

Karen is related to Mrs. Zabresky and had seen her recently at a wedding. She said she was doing well at age 90 except for a little trouble getting around and needed some help. In reading her obituary, which I'll include below, she worked right up into her 80's as a substitute teacher.

At the time I took typing in high school, it wasn't obvious that it would be used for anything other than interacting with a typewriter so that I could type my own term papers. Little did I realize that it would be the method we all would use to interact with desktop computers, which weren't even available back then. Whenever I see an adult hunting and pecking at a keyboard, plodding along at a few words per minute, I silently thank Mrs. Zabresky for teaching me touch typing in high school.

Dolores Zabresky

Dolores Zabresky, of Harveys Lake, passed away peacefully at the Meadows Nursing Home on Saturday, October 13, 2007.

She was born October 26, 1916, and was a daughter of the late Howard and Mary Quinn Eckenrode. A graduate of Kingston High School and College Misericordia, she received a bachelor of arts degree in French and business subjects. Mrs. Zabresky taught at the former Bishop O’Reilly High School until her retirement.

After her retirement, she continued to work in the field of education as a substitute teacher for the Wyoming Valley West and Lake-Lehman school districts until 2001. She previously resided in Kingston and Forty Fort.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Zabresky, who passed away in 1986; infant son Francis; sisters Sister M. Marcian Eckenrode, RSM; and Kathleen Cahalan; brothers Thomas, Howard and Eugene Eckenrode.

She is survived by her children Ann Tripp and her daughter. Katie, Harveys Lake; Thomas Zabresky and his wife, Mary, Forty Fort, and their children, Jon and Rachel Zabresky and Coray Mitchell Jr.; Kathleen Daskalakes and her husband, Dennis, Loyalville; Michael Zabresky and his wife, Sharon, Shavertown, and their children, Michael Jr. and Laurie Zabresky; four great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be held Wednesday at 9:15 a.m. from Maher-Collins Funeral Home, 360 N. Maple Avenue, Kingston, with a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of Victory Church, Harveys Lake.

A private interment will be held at St. Ignatius Cemetery, Pringle. Friends may call Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Misericordia University, 301 Lake Street, Dallas, PA 18612; or to the American Heart Association, 71 N. Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701.Condolences by e-mail can be made at www.maher-collins.com .

Published in the Times Leader on 10/15/2007.