Obituary of Anthony Marchakitus

Anthony "Tony" Marchakitus, age 93 of Lehman Twp., passed away Thursday, November 26, 2015 at the Celtic Hospice Inpatient Unit, Wilkes-Barre. Mr. Marchakitus was born in Plymouth on May 25, 1922 and was the son of the late Simon and Blanche Ruchus Marchakitus, who were Lithuanian immigrants. Anthony graduated from Lehman High School in 1940 and spent two years at East Stroudsburg State Teachers College before World War II interrupted his education. He left to join the US Navy and saw duty in the Pacific Theater on Guam and Iwo Jima. After the war he returned to Stroudsburg to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in education. In 1950 he received his Master's degree from Bucknell University. Back Mountain residents will remember Mr. Marchakitus as a teacher, a three sport coach (football, basketball and baseball), a principal, and eventually an assistant superintendent for the Lake-Lehman School District. In 1947 he joined the teaching faculty at Lehman High School and also assumed his coaching duties. In the same year, Anthony and his fellow coaches from Kingston and Dallas Township got together to create "The Old Shoe" trophy, which is now awarded anually to the winner of the Lake-Lehman/Dallas High School football game. He was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. In 1958, he was instrumental in helping to bring about the consolidation of the Lake-Noxen and the Lehman, Jackson, Ross School Districts. In 2000, the Lake-Lehman High School School building was named after him. His philosophy was "to take each student from where he was to greater heights, and to never put a lid on his ability to learn." An avid sports fan all of his life, he followed the Berwick Bulldogs, and other football teams. He was proud that he hired legendary coach George Curry to his first coaching job at Lake-Lehman in 1967. Tony, known as the "Chief," to Berwick fans, always had a seat of honor on the sidelines at Berwick football games. Anthony was member of numerous fraternal and professional organizations. From 1965 to 1988, Tony was an active member of P.I.A.A where he served as Chairman of District II. He was also a member of the P.I.A.A Board of Control. Mr. Marchakitus was highly regarded by his peers and acclaimed for his leadership. He was honored to serve on the Senator Dick Schweiker Service Academy Advisory Board during the 1970s. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia and brothers Joseph, Alfonso, and Vincent . He is survived by daughter, Linda and her husband Barry of Fairfax, VA and their daughter, Rebecca; son, Mark and his wife Kate of Wellesley, MA with their children, Jane and Charlie; numerous nephews, nieces and cousins. Funeral services will be held Monday, November 30, 2015 at 9:30 am from the Curtis L. Swanson Funeral Home, Inc., corner of routes 29 and 118, Pikes Creek, with A Mass of Christian Burail at 10:00 am from the Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Church, 2011 SR 29, Hunlock Creek, PA 18621 with Rev. Richard Fox officiating. Friends may call 2-4 PM on Sunday at the funeral home. Interment will be in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Franklin Twp. In lieu of flowers the family requests that a donation be made, in his honor, to East Stroudsburg University, 200 Prospect St, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301.