Mary Lucille "Mary Lou" Czyzyk

Mary Lucille “Mary Lou” Czyzyk, 79 of Scranton died Monday evening at Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton, after a brief illness. Her best friend and husband of 51 years is Joseph S. Czyzyk.

Born July 2, 1946, in Scranton. Mary Lou was the daughter of the late Alfred and Jean Pawloski Poch. Mary Lou was a graduate of South Scranton Central Catholic High School, and the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, Wilkes Barre, and she attended the University of Scranton. She was employed as a Pediatric Nurse at Mercy Hospital, Scranton for 10 years. In 1993 she began a 20-year career at Scranton Primary Health Care Center, where she was a Pediatric Nurse and the Nurse Manager. Mary Lou then served as Executive Director of Scranton Primary from 2002 until her retirement in 2013. Mary Lou’s most important job was being a mother to her children Daniel Joseph and Jana Ellen.

A member of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish and a graduate of the Diocesan institute, Mary Lou taught Christian Doctrine and Confirmation Preparation for two decades.

Mary Lou was a caring, compassionate and artistic woman. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends who loved her very much.

In addition to her husband Joseph, she is survived by her beloved children Daniel, Jana Henderson and son-in-law Mark Henderson, as well as the joys of her life, her grandchildren Benjamin and Caroline Henderson. Mary Lou is also survived by her sister Sharon Warunek and her husband James, sisters-in-law Sandra Czyzyk and Ann Marie Garvey, and her husband Joseph, as well nephews David Warunek (Jennifer), James Warunek (Kathleen), Andrew and Cameron Garvey, and great nieces, Sarah, Allison, and Lauren Warunek.

The family wishes to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Geisinger Community Medical Center, especially Dr. Wasique Mirza, for their compassionate care.

The funeral will be Friday at 9:30am from the Corey Brian Strauch Funeral Home, 602 Birch Street, Scranton, PA 18505, with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:00 am in St. Teresa of Calcutta Church, 1217 Prospect Ave, Scranton, PA 18505, Rev Johnathan Kuhar, pastor, to officiate. Interment to follow in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Cemetery, Scranton.

The family will receive friends on Thursday from 4-7 PM the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, at the address above, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or The Clinics at Scranton Primary, 959 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.