Robert “Ebb” Byram, 75, of Tunkhannock, Nicholson Twp., died Friday at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Plains Twp., Wilkes-Barre.

Born in Morristown, N.J., he is the son of the late Woodrow and Edna Norton Byram.

He was a retired self-employed carpenter and a member of the Lake Sheridan Bible Chapel.

Bob was an Army veteran having served during Vietnam War and is a Purple Heart recipient. He also is a member of the Nicholson American Legion Post 438.

He was an avid animal lover, of both domestic and wild.

Bob is survived by a brother, John of Nicholson Twp.; a sister, Nancy Elaine Byrne of Clarks Summit; a niece, Nadine Grothman of Long Island, N.Y.; and grandnephew and grandniece, Gregg and Audrey Grothman of Long Island, N.Y.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Charles H. Litwin Funeral Home, 91 State St., Nicholson, with services by Pastor Jim Wentz of the Lake Sheridan Bible Chapel.

A viewing will be held from 4 p.m. until service time.

Memorial donations are requested to the Lake Sheridan Bible Chapel, P.O. Box 174, Nicholson, PA 18446.

Janet E. Brecht, 75, of Lake Carey, entered into the loving embrace of our Lord and Savior on Dec. 9, 2017 from multiple health issues.

Born on Jan. 23, 1942 the daughter of Harold and Martha Brecht of Nicholson.

After graduating from Lackawanna Jr. College, she was employed by the Veterans’ Administration in Washington, D.C. She also worked at the IBM Space Guidance Center in Owego, N.Y. Aside from her regular secretarial capacity she was the personal secretary to the astronauts when they visited the center. She was an executive secretary at Sander’s Corporation, Nashua, N.H. and retired from the Social Security Administration Data Processing Center, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

She was a most generous, thoughtful and compassionate person always thinking of the needs of others before her own. Her wit and sense of humor brightened the lives of those fortunate enough to experience it.

She was creatively gifted designing and making her own greeting cards, programs for church functions and writing poetry.

She was a member of the United Methodist Church of Nicholson, the Nicholson Heritage Association and the Lake Carey Welfare Association.

She is survived by her loving sister, Kathleen Steele, of Nicholson; and three nephews, Kevin, Steven and Jonathan Steele.

Preceding her in death are her parents; baby brother, Frederick “Fritzie” Brecht; and infant niece, Lee Leslie.

Friends may call Friday, Dec. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Charles Litwin Funeral Home, 91 State St., Nicholson, with a memorial service Saturday, Dec. 16 at 11 a.m. in the United Methodist Church, 64 State St., Nicholson.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Operation Smile, 3641 Faculty Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23453.

Dale Hayden, 75, died Tuesday at the Gardens in Tunkhannock after a long battle with cancer. Born in Nicholson, he was preceded in death by his parents, Betty Stevens and Hallie I. Hayden Jr. Surviving are his loving wife of 48 years, Kathleen Pompey; daughter, Stephany; favorite son-in-law, Jason Nash, of Nicholson; and five grandchildren with fur. Also surviving are stepmother, Marilyn Hayden, Nicholson; brothers, Roger and Jane Hayden, of Clarks Summit; and Ron and Kim Hayden, of Ohio; and a stepbrother, Ronald Padavan Jr., of Michigan.

Dale graduated from Lackawanna Trail in 1960. He received his bachelor’s degree in teaching from East Stroudsburg State. He taught math at Blue Ridge High School in New Milford for 35 years. Two years after retirement, the graduating class asked him to give the commencement address. He always took an active interest in the welfare of the kids at school and often attended their sporting events. Dale worked tirelessly in the summers pouring concrete foundations and later mowing lawns to precise specifications.

Dale was a longtime owner of hunting beagles, most recently Boe and Blaze. He was a member of the Glenwood Bible Church and South New Milford Baptist Church. He bowled for many years at Belvedere Lanes in Nicholson and was a lifetime member of the NRA.

Player of board games, cooker of hot dogs in the fireplace, chauffeur for his then teenage daughter and her gaggle of friends. Dale always took an interest in his daughter’s life and guided her. She always knew how much she was loved. There is no better gift that a daughter can receive from her parents.
Map reader, oil changer, precise contact paper installer. His perfection during a project was often tempered by Kathy’s hurry up and get it done attitude. They made a good pair. They would slow dance at weddings and attended the Prom every year as chaperones.

Avid hunter, teller of stories, watcher of football, hunting shows and Westerns. Reader of books, hiker of trails, connoisseur of root beer floats and dunker of Christmas cookies so they wouldn’t go stale. Host of annual family reunions. Trumpet player.

Prayer reader during nightly family dinners at the table. Dale was one of those rare true Christians who lived his life based on the Golden Rule. Helping neighbors, cutting wood, mowing lawns, often in secret. He never needed a flashy thank you because he did what was in his heart. Dale was a kind man who went up to military personnel in the airport to shake their hand and thank them for their service. The name of Dale Hayden opened a lot of friendly doors in his small hometown of Nicholson.

Singer of church songs, listener of Kenny Rogers and a few kooky songs like Purple People Eater. If he had a theme song, it would be Thank God I’m a Country Boy and Take Me Home Country Roads by John Denver.
Dale was so busy providing for his family that he went on few vacations. We had wonderful times in Rehoboth Beach, Disney World, Lake Tahoe, Montana and Wyoming. A trip to Alaska with brother-in-law Ronald Rivenburg was a trip that he talked about for months.

In a world full of dysfunctional families, the life created by Dale Hayden was not. If success in life is measured by having a good marriage, raising a child who cares about others, being a role model for adults and children alike, and doing good for others, Dale succeeded. Even when he was sick, he had so much strength and love to give. It has been an honor and a privilege to loving take care of him like he took care of us for so many years.  Special thanks to Kathy for being such a wonderful caregiver all of these years. He never would have made it this far without her.
We will not forget Dale. We will see him in every piece of wood, in every leaf, in every blade of grass, in every church song. He gave so much to us that we sing our song of love back to him. Forever and always.

A celebration of life will be held in January at the convenience of the family.

Donations can be made South New Milford Baptist Church, 2967 Harford Road, New Milford, PA 18834; or the Gardens, 30 Virginia Drive, Tunkhannock, PA 18657.

Thanks to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Cancer Center, Dr. Paula Ronjon, Dr. Gary Russell, Dr. Robert Fiorelli, the Gardens at Tunkhannock, and Hospice of the Sacred Heart. A special thanks to all the employees of the Blue Spruce wing at the Gardens who made Dale very comfortable in the past 11 weeks.

Arrangements by the Charles H. Litwin Funeral Home, 91 State Street, Nicholson.