Mr. Joseph S. Szarek Sr., age 59, of Dougherty Rd, Meshoppen, PA (Auburn Center) passed away on Monday evening, March 21, 2016, at the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital, in Wilkes Barre, PA, with his loving family by his side.

Joseph was born in Newark, NJ, on October 6, 1956, the son of the late Joseph Szarek, who passed away on March 29, 1976, and Arlene Musgrave Szarek, of Anderson SC. Growing up, Joseph lived his younger years in Perth Amboy, NJ, where he attended school. On July 26, 1980, he married the former Doris Richards. For many years, Joe and his family lived in New Jersey, and also in Florida, before moving to Auburn township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, in 1988.

Joe was a truck driver, and mechanic, most of his life, always driving Peterbilts. After which, for the last few years, Joe worked for the maintenance department of the Montrose Country Club in Montrose, PA

He was a member of the Sons of the American Legion, Gardner-Warner Post #154, Elk Lake, PA; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Tunkhannock Lodge #699, Tunkhannock , PA; long time member of the N.R.A.; and he had a great passion for the cars of the past, especially the muscle cars of years gone by. Joe loved watching NASCAR Racing, and always cheered for Earnhardt Racing, of Dale Sr., and Dale Jr.

Surviving is his wife of 35 years, Doris Richards Szarek, of Auburn Center, PA;
his mother Arlene Szarek, of Anderson, SC; his children, Donald and his wife Suzanne Todd, of Alpha, NJ; Cheryl Todd and Joseph Degnan, of Phillipsburg, NJ; Joseph "Shane" and his wife Chrissy Szarek, of North Richland Hills, TX; and Tracy Szarek, of Auburn Center, PA; his grandchildren, Daniel and wife Jennifer Todd, of Myrtle Beach, SC; Travis Todd, of Bend, OR; Amanda Todd and her significant other Jacob Mowry III; Andrew and his wife Alyssa Todd; and Alicia Todd and her significant other Kevin Kuhla, Jr. all of Phillipsburg, NJ, and his great-grandchildren, Timothy; Michael; Brayden; Mikyla; Oliver; Matthew; and Savannah. Joseph is also survived by his brother Michael and his wife Colleen Szarek, of Budd Lake, NJ; his sister, Joann and her husband Ralph Lepre, of Anderson, SC, and many nieces and nephews. Besides his father, Joseph was preceded in death by twin granddaughters, Bianca and Samantha Todd in May of 1992 and niece Janine Pfitzner Quick in August 2012.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 25, 2016 at 11:00 AM from the Sheldon Funeral Home, Main St., Laceyville, PA, with Rev. Charles Bishop, of the Elk Lake Community Church officiating. Interment will be in the Bunnell Cemetery, in Auburn, PA. Family and friends may call at the funeral home, on Thursday evening, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Meshoppen Fire Co., PO Box 118, Meshoppen, PA 18630.

Online condolences may be made at www.sheldonfuneralhomes.com