OLGAMARIA ‘OMA’ LUKAN of Hawley, Pa., formerly of Ridgewood, died on Thursday, March 29, at home surrounded by her loving family and caring priest Fr. Langan. She was preceded in death in 1994 by her husband of 54 years, Alois Lukan.
Olga was born on August 8, 1913 in Nesseltal, Gottshee, Austria, daughter of the late Michael Meditz and Josephine Schneller Meditz. She worked on her family vineyard before immigrating toAmerica in 1937.
After marrying Alois in Ridgewood in 1940, they moved to British Columbia. Always wanting to be closer to family, they returned to the U.S. in 1951. Olga and her husband bought a boarding house in Hawley and established Lukan’s Farm Resort in the same year. She was a remarkable cook and baker and avid gardener. Her sincere hospitality touched many in her 60 years of serving others in the family business.
Surviving are a son, Alois Reinhold Lukan and wife Ingrid, daughter Eleanor Louise Hochreither and husband Heinrich, six grandchildren, John Hochreither and wife Page, Michael Lukan and wife Stephanie, Christine Siemers and husband Shawn, Stephen Lukan and wife Alison, Robert Hochreither and wife Gretchen, and Lisa Hochreither and dear friend Jack Fives and seven great-grandchildren, Kelby Hochreither, Courtney, Luke, and Max Siemers, and John, Joseph, and Eric Lukan and a special niece Sophie Meditz.
Olga was very grateful to always be surrounded by her caring family. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend that will be dearly missed by all that were blessed to know her.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Monday, April 2 at St. MaryMagdalene Church, Honesdale, Pa., followed by interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery, under the direction of Hessling Funeral Home, 428 Main St., Honesdale. Condolences may be submitted at www.hesslingfuneralhome.com. JOHN J. VOLLMERHAUSEN of Glendale died on Monday, April 2, at the age of 86. A native of Germany, he was the husband of the late Dorothy, devoted father of John and Arthur Vollmerhausen and dear grandfather of John, Arthur, Christopher and Michael. Visiting hours will be on Friday and Saturday, April 6-7, from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. at George Werst Funeral Home, 71- 41 Cooper Ave., Glendale; there are no visiting hours on Easter Sunday, Apr. 8. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Monday morning, April 9, at 9:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Glendale, followed by interment at All Faiths Cemetery, Middle Village.
+++ RICHARD MELE died on Saturday, March 31, at the age of 64. He was the beloved soulmate of Carol, loving father of Maria, Anthony, Angela and Daniel, cherished grandfather of Nicholas, Andrew, L.B., Antoinette, Gianna and Frankie and dear brother of Constantine. He was also a past president of Queensboro UNICO. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered today, Thursday, April 5, at 9:45 a.m. at Our Lady of Hope Church, Middle Village, followed by interment at St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale, L.I., under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Ave., Maspeth. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mele’s memory to Queensboro UNICO, www.queensborounico.org. WILLIAM T. KEISER of Williston Park, L.I., died on Saturday, March 31, at the age of 88. A native of Ridgewood and a U.S. Army veteran who served during World War II, he was the husband of the late Mary (nee Caufield), devoted father of Sharon Schager and Sheila Hajari and dear grandfather of Jason, Stacey, Melissa, Ryan, Mark, Kevin and Tara. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Matthias Church, Ridgewood, followed by interment at St. John Cemetery, Middle Village, under the direction of Peter J. Geis Funeral Home, 57-34 Catalpa Ave., Ridgewood. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Keiser’s memory to the National World War II Museum, www.nationalww2museum.org, or to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, www.vfw.org.
+++ MARIA GRAU of Ridgewood died on Tuesday, March 20, at the age of 97. A native of Hrastje, Slovenia, she was the wife of the late Richard, devoted mother of Erika and the late Richard and loving aunt of Ana, Lydia, Franc, Josef, Stefka, Marjanca, Richard and Heinrich in Europe. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Matthias Church, Ridgewood, followed by interment at Linden Hill Cemetery, Ridgewood, under the direction of Peter J. Geis Funeral Home, 57-34 Catalpa Ave., Ridgewood. DOROTHY COUSINS died on Thursday, March 29, at the age of 93. A private cremation was held on Friday, March 30, at Fresh Pond Crematory, Middle Village. Interment of cremated remains will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Oswego, N.Y., under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Ave., Maspeth. RICHARD J. SCHWERDT of Ridgewood died on Saturday, March 31, at the age of 67. A native of Brooklyn, he was the beloved husband of Josette and devoted father of Maryann Schwerdt, Eileen Schwerdt and Vanessa Schwerdt. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, Ridgewood, followed by cremation at Fresh Pond Crematory, Middle Village, under the direction of Morton Funeral Home/Ridgewood Chapels, 663 Grandview Ave., Ridgewood. EDELTRAUT MISCHE of Middle Village died on Tuesday, March 27, at the age of 75. A native of Germany, she was the wife of the late Josef, devoted mother of John Mueller, Renate Wilkinson, Marilyn Jonke and Heidi Varuzzi and dear sister of Margaret Petschauer, Vanna Werner and Christel Siebernik. She is also survived by seven grandchildren. Services were offered at Morton Funeral Home/Ridgewood Chapels, 663 Grandview Ave., Ridgewood, by Rev. Thomas Goodhart, followed by interment at the Cemetery of the Evergreens, Brooklyn.
