Mercedes McHale
OBITUARY
Mrs. Mercedes McHale, 101, of Duryea, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Allied Terrace, Scranton.
Born on October 24, 1924, she was the daughter of the late William and Johanna Juskiewicz Coolbaugh. Mercedes was the youngest of 11 children. A lifelong resident of Duryea, she was a devoted supporter of her community and her church.
A devout Catholic, Mercedes was a proud parishioner of Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Duryea. Always one to volunteer, she was often found flipping potato pancakes at the annual church picnic or baking a cake to donate to a church fundraiser-especially her signature red velvet cake, a favorite among family and friends.
There was little Mercedes valued more than her family, especially during the holiday season, her favorite time of year. She loved celebrating every holiday, filling her home with beautiful decorations and welcoming loved ones around a table filled with the meals so lovingly prepared. Mercedes’s warmth, generosity and gift for making every gathering feel special created cherished memories for all who knew and loved her.
She married Henry McHale in 1947. Mercedes and Henry shared 53 heartfelt years of marriage before his passing on November 3, 2000.
Mercedes was preceded in death by her husband Henry, brothers, Joseph, William, Edward, Veto and John and sisters, Mildred, Eleanor, Joanna, Beatrice and Aldona.
Mercedes is survived by: Son, Mark McHale and her daughter-in-law, Karen; Granddaughter, Katherine McHale; Grandson, William McHale; Special niece, Beverly Scalise and her husband, James; Special niece, Sandy Shemonski and her husband, Robert; Many other nieces, nephews and relatives.
A special thank you to the Allied Terrace staff and residents who welcomed her and provided friendship and care during her stay and to Allied Hospice and Palliative Care for their compassion and kindness.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 9:30 am at Nativity of Our Lord Parish, 127 Stephenson Street, Duryea, with the Rev. Michael Bryant officiating. All who knew Mercedes are welcome to attend. Interment will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Duryea. In lieu of flowers, the McHale family welcomes donations to Allied Services Hospice and Palliative Care in Mercedes’ memory, www.allied-services.org/giving/make-a-donation. Arrangements are by the Bernard J. Piontek Funeral Home Inc., 204 Main Street, Duryea. To leave an online condolence for Mercedes’s family, please visit the funeral home website, www.piontekfuneralhome.com
Mercedes McHale
July 11, 2026