Joseph J. Barchock

Joseph John Barchock passed away peacefully, Saturday, October 8, 2011, at the remarkable age of 94.

Mr. Barchock hailed from Georgetown in Wilkes-Barre Township and was a son of the late Leo and Mary Starr Barchock.

He attended Wilkes-Barre Township High School, where he worked in the library. After graduating and working at the exclusive Jones Beach, New York, he decided to blaze a new trail and headed off to Bloomsburg College to pursue Business and Education.

Joseph's college career was put on hold by the attack on Pearl Harbor. He followed his heart to serve his country and enlisted in the Army Services on December 8, 1941, the very next day after Pearl Harbor. He did his basic training in Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, and was among the first deployed to North Africa, where his unit landed in Casablanca. He was a part of the first engagement that pushed General Rommel out of Africa. He served his country in the 88th infantry, known as the Blue Devils, until the end of World War II in 1945. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant and was awarded the Bronze Medal of Military Valor.

Upon returning stateside, Joseph returned to Bloomsburg College, where he graduated in 1947 with a Business Degree. He was a member of several National Honor Societies recognizing leadership and academic achievement, including Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Omega Pi, and Phi Sigma Pi. He was Secretary of the Geographic Society, Treasurer of the Public Affairs Forum, and member of the Student Christian Association, Mixed Chorus, Social Usage Club, Men's Glee Club, Athenaeum Club, and F.T.A. He did graduate work at NYU.

Joseph enjoyed a 35-year career with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue as a field auditor in the Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton and Philadelphia areas. He was a Supervisor during that timeframe, and when he retired in 1986, he was working in the newly-formed Escheats area.

Joseph remained active in service to his country as a member of the VFW, the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He dutifully served as the Quartermaster of VFW Post 50 for the past 39 years, taking care of all of the finances of the Post. According to Post 50 Commander Michael Sedon, “Joseph was the heart and soul of Post 50.”

Joseph met his late wife, Carole Joan Garrity at a VFW function. Together, they were the wonderful parents of Keith Joseph and Kimberly Jo. Keith and his wife Connie and their son Ian, 12, reside at Harvey's Lake, PA. Kimberly and her husband Agesino Primatic, Jr. and their children Katherine, 14, and Trey, 10, live in Hunterdon County, NJ.

In addition to his wife, Carole, Joseph joins his brothers Donald and Charles and his sister Helen in Spirit.

Celebration of Joseph’s Life will be held Wednesday at 9 AM from McLaughlin’s, 142 South Washington Street in Wilkes-Barre with Funeral Mass at 10 AM in Church of Our Lady of Victory, Pole 26 Lakeside Drive, Harvey’s Lake. Interment will be in Mount Greenwood Cemetery in Shavertown.

Visitation will be held Tuesday from 5 to 8 PM at McLaughlin’s.

Memorial donations are preferred and may be made to Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center, 2100 Wescott Drive, Flemington, NJ 08822-4604

Permanent messages and memories may be shared with Joseph’s family at www.celebratehislife.com