1929
Jean
2020
Jean K. Tonkin
January 17, 1929 — December 23, 2020
Jean K. Tonkin, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt went to join her beloved husband Gordon, son Gordy, and the rest of her heavenly family on December 23, 2020. She passed away in the loving care of her family, and the staff from Ascend Hospice & Maple Shade Meadows, where she had been a resident for the past two years.
Jean was born in 1929 to Walter and Martha (Raabe) Hochstatter, at their family home on Dutch Hill in Tamaqua. She was preceded in death by her loving sisters, Fran Adams, Betty McMahon, Dorothy Buehler and Ruth Stegmeier and a brother Walter.
She graduated from Tamaqua High School in 1946. She went on to graduate from Allentown School of Nursing in 1950, a place where she developed a love of nursing and friendships that lasted a lifetime. Later that year, she married the love of her life, Gordon Tonkin, and together they had two children, Gordon and Marilyn.
Jean was passionate about nursing and throughout her life she guided and mentored those younger than her in the field of care giving. She began her nursing career doing private duty and working at Coaldale Hospital, but she is best known for the 27 years she worked as the plant nurse at Atlas
Powder Company. When she wasn’t officially working she offered loving care to neighbors and friends whenever and where ever needed.
Jean shared a very active social life with her husband, Gordy (before he passed away in 2004) and their many friends. They loved dancing, traveling and attending Penn State football games with the Carbon County Booster Club as well as participating in events and trips with the Mahanoy City Chapter of Barber shoppers and the Tamaqua Elks. Later in life she was known around town as one of the “Golden Girls”, a group of lively ladies in their 80’s who supported community events and enjoyed bowling,
playing cards, celebrating the holidays including the Super Bowl, and going out to dinner on Friday nights. She could be found every New Year’s Eve, looking over the town and ringing in the new year with her treasured bell.
Jean was extremely devoted to her faith . She was a life member at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Tamaqua, where she served in the choir, on the church council, as a choir mother, chaperone for Luther League events, and was active in the young adults Sunday school class. She was also instrumental in organizing the church’s fundraising rummage sales, where good times were had by all.
Jean was deeply committed to taking care of others and volunteered much of her time in the community. Over the years, she administered the polio vaccine, helped in the gift shop at Coaldale Hospital and often did wellness checks and worked at the blood drives at the Majestic House. She
served as president of Meals on Wheels, and often said she loved delivering meals to the old people, even though she was well into her 80s herself.
Jean dearly loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She treasured time spent with her family, especially during the holidays and on family vacations in Ocean City, MD. She loved dogs too, especially her dog Molly, and could often be seen taking her for walks around town, with her friend, Sarajane Bensinger.
Jean is survived by her daughter Marilyn and her husband Bill Stickler (Midlothian, VA), daughter-in- law Mary Rose Tonkin, (Tamaqua), grandsons Jason Stickler and his wife Shannon, (Midlothian, VA), Gordy Tonkin and his fiancée Ashley Krzemien (Breinigsville), Damian Fritz and his wife Kristin,(Hazle Township, PA) granddaughter Allison Tonkin and her companion Jessica Wise (Pottsville), six great- grandchildren, Delaney and Brenna Stickler, Tyler, Logan, Addy and Ava Fritz, nieces Kay Smith, Fran Evans, Diane McMahon, Sandy Barnes, and nephews Rob Stegmeier, and Harry and Jack McMahon, extended family Carol and Ron Tempest and special friends Sarajane Bensinger, Annamae Callen and Mickey Sasara (nursing school classmate ).
Jean will be dearly missed by family and friends and will best be remembered as a feisty, strong, fun- loving, advice giving, compassionate woman, always generous to those in need and whose greatest joy in life was helping and caring for others.
In lieu of flowers, it was Jean’s wish that contributions be sent to St. John’s Lutheran Church at 200 Mauch Chunk St. Tamaqua, PA 18252 and the SPCA Ruth Steinart Memorial at 18 Wertz Dr. Pine
Grove, PA 17963.
The family wishes to extend heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful staff at Maple Shade Meadows and Ascend Hospice. The loving care that they provided Jean, particularly during the challenging demands placed on them due to Covid, is sincerely appreciated and will be remembered always.
Private Funeral arrangements entrusted to the E. Franklin Griffiths Funeral Home & Cremation services, Inc. of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
Interment Odd Fellows Cemetery Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.
online condolences or a fond memory of Jean can be expressed by visiting
www.griffithsfuneralhomes.com
Jean was born in 1929 to Walter and Martha (Raabe) Hochstatter, at their family home on Dutch Hill in Tamaqua. She was preceded in death by her loving sisters, Fran Adams, Betty McMahon, Dorothy Buehler and Ruth Stegmeier and a brother Walter.
She graduated from Tamaqua High School in 1946. She went on to graduate from Allentown School of Nursing in 1950, a place where she developed a love of nursing and friendships that lasted a lifetime. Later that year, she married the love of her life, Gordon Tonkin, and together they had two children, Gordon and Marilyn.
Jean was passionate about nursing and throughout her life she guided and mentored those younger than her in the field of care giving. She began her nursing career doing private duty and working at Coaldale Hospital, but she is best known for the 27 years she worked as the plant nurse at Atlas
Powder Company. When she wasn’t officially working she offered loving care to neighbors and friends whenever and where ever needed.
Jean shared a very active social life with her husband, Gordy (before he passed away in 2004) and their many friends. They loved dancing, traveling and attending Penn State football games with the Carbon County Booster Club as well as participating in events and trips with the Mahanoy City Chapter of Barber shoppers and the Tamaqua Elks. Later in life she was known around town as one of the “Golden Girls”, a group of lively ladies in their 80’s who supported community events and enjoyed bowling,
playing cards, celebrating the holidays including the Super Bowl, and going out to dinner on Friday nights. She could be found every New Year’s Eve, looking over the town and ringing in the new year with her treasured bell.
Jean was extremely devoted to her faith . She was a life member at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Tamaqua, where she served in the choir, on the church council, as a choir mother, chaperone for Luther League events, and was active in the young adults Sunday school class. She was also instrumental in organizing the church’s fundraising rummage sales, where good times were had by all.
Jean was deeply committed to taking care of others and volunteered much of her time in the community. Over the years, she administered the polio vaccine, helped in the gift shop at Coaldale Hospital and often did wellness checks and worked at the blood drives at the Majestic House. She
served as president of Meals on Wheels, and often said she loved delivering meals to the old people, even though she was well into her 80s herself.
Jean dearly loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She treasured time spent with her family, especially during the holidays and on family vacations in Ocean City, MD. She loved dogs too, especially her dog Molly, and could often be seen taking her for walks around town, with her friend, Sarajane Bensinger.
Jean is survived by her daughter Marilyn and her husband Bill Stickler (Midlothian, VA), daughter-in- law Mary Rose Tonkin, (Tamaqua), grandsons Jason Stickler and his wife Shannon, (Midlothian, VA), Gordy Tonkin and his fiancée Ashley Krzemien (Breinigsville), Damian Fritz and his wife Kristin,(Hazle Township, PA) granddaughter Allison Tonkin and her companion Jessica Wise (Pottsville), six great- grandchildren, Delaney and Brenna Stickler, Tyler, Logan, Addy and Ava Fritz, nieces Kay Smith, Fran Evans, Diane McMahon, Sandy Barnes, and nephews Rob Stegmeier, and Harry and Jack McMahon, extended family Carol and Ron Tempest and special friends Sarajane Bensinger, Annamae Callen and Mickey Sasara (nursing school classmate ).
Jean will be dearly missed by family and friends and will best be remembered as a feisty, strong, fun- loving, advice giving, compassionate woman, always generous to those in need and whose greatest joy in life was helping and caring for others.
In lieu of flowers, it was Jean’s wish that contributions be sent to St. John’s Lutheran Church at 200 Mauch Chunk St. Tamaqua, PA 18252 and the SPCA Ruth Steinart Memorial at 18 Wertz Dr. Pine
Grove, PA 17963.
The family wishes to extend heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful staff at Maple Shade Meadows and Ascend Hospice. The loving care that they provided Jean, particularly during the challenging demands placed on them due to Covid, is sincerely appreciated and will be remembered always.
Private Funeral arrangements entrusted to the E. Franklin Griffiths Funeral Home & Cremation services, Inc. of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
Interment Odd Fellows Cemetery Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.
online condolences or a fond memory of Jean can be expressed by visiting
www.griffithsfuneralhomes.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jean K. Tonkin, please visit our flower store.
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