Final Salute

William Joseph Shutkufski Jr., 79, died of Covid-19 on Dec. 24, 2020. He was born at his home in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 25, 1940. He was the son of William Joseph Shutkufski Sr. and Frances Miriam Kniolek Shutkufski.

William was educated in the Scranton Parochial School System. He completed a woodworking/cabinet-making program at Johnson Technical School and then went on to work with his father in the construction industry in and around the Scranton area.

He joined the U.S. Navy on Dec. 28, 1961 where he became a Seabee. While in the Navy he earned the Good Conduct Medal and the Viet-Nam Service Medal. He was honorably discharged on April 20, 1966 under the rank of E-5, Petty Officer Second Class. After leaving the Navy, he went back to Scranton to work with his father.

He joined the Pennsylvania State Police on Aug. 14, 1969. He was stationed with Troop P in Towanda until his retirement on May 10, 1991 with an Honorable Discharge.

William married the love of his life, Dianna Michelle Rege, on June 12, 1971. They were married at St. Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church in Towanda, Pennsylvania. After living in Ulster, Pennsylvania for a few years, they moved to Athens, Pennsylvania where William built their forever home.

William loved gardening, bicycling, canoeing, fishing or taking a hike in the woods. He was an artist and loved making original wood-working projects that he shared with family and friends. He was lovingly referred to as “MacGyver” by his family as he could solve any problem with a piece of twine, duct tape and a little ingenuity.

William was a devout Roman Catholic, where he belonged to St. Joseph’s Church in Athens and Epiphany Parish in Sayre, Pennsylvania. While attending these churches, he taught religious education for both children and adults. In addition, he was a part of the church Eucharistic Adoration program.

William is survived by his wife, Dianna, of nearly 50 years. He is also survived by his son, Mark and his wife, Lisa Shutkufski and their children, Madison, Sophia and Sawyer of Macungie, Pennsylvania; his daughter, Kristen, and her husband, Scott Kepner and their children, Mitchell, Halle and Madeline of Olathe, Kansas; and his daughter, Jennifer, and her husband, Christopher Scala and their children Dylan, Alexander and Audrey of Jamison, Pennsylvania. He is also survived by his sisters, Regina Lepisko, Maryann Faw, Terry Stevens and Connie O’Conner and his brother, John Shutkufski, along with several nephews and cousins.

William will be cremated by Family Funeral Care of Chester Township, Pennsylvania. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at a later date at the convenience of the family.

Those who wish to remember William in a special way may make a donation in his memory to The Padre Pio Foundation of America at 463 Main St. Cromwell, CT 06416; www.padrepio.com. If you wish to send personal messages of condolence to Dianna, you may address them to Jennifer Scala, 2228 Sunrise Way, Jamison, PA 18929.