Pauline M. Lacina

Pauline Mary (Szumowski) Lacina, of West Wyoming, PA, died peacefully on 5 October 2024 at the young age of 94.

Born 4 October 1930 in Hanover (Askam), PA to Frank and Mary Szumowski, Pauline graduated from Plains High School in 1948.

Pauline married her husband, George David Lacina (deceased, 1986), in 1952 and together they had 4 children: Mark Lacina (Swoyersville, PA), Tom Lacina (Seminole, FL) (wife, Rene), Joseph Lacina (deceased 2024, Kingston, PA) (wife, Elaine), and Maria (Lacina) VanBuskirk (Spotsylvania, VA) (husband, Bernie). Pauline also has 5 grandchildren: Christopher Lacina (Clearwater, FL), Gregory Lacina (Clearwater, FL) (wife, Taylor), Allison Lacina (Wilkes-Barre, PA), Andrew Lacina (Kingston, PA) and Sonny VanBuskirk (Smithfield, VA) (wife, Jackie).

Pauline lived life out loud. Often very, very loudly. Especially her laugh. She was passionate about many things but what she treasured the most was her family: all of her family and in all different ways.

Pauline loved to dance…and yeah, she could dance. She and George were known to clear the dance floor at many a family wedding reception (or at Klocko’s!) with their talent. Weekends at home were filled with 1940s music on the stereo with Pauline singing along. Well…her version of “singing”, anyway. She tried. She knew she couldn’t sing but sang anyway. Her kids, their spouses and her grandkids all received her special singing rendition of “happy birthday” every year. A rite of passage that was equally loved and feared.

Pauline also loved to cook. Her “Sunday Chicken” remains famous to this day. She loved teaching her children and grandchildren not only how to cook the basics but also the nuances of Polish and Italian foods (her halushki and her lasagna remain the best in all the land). 

And boy did Pauline love to shop…for clothes, for shoes and, oddly enough, for curtains (she really, really loved shopping for curtains). Always the clotheshorse, Pauline had an outfit for every occasion. No outing was too small for a full ensemble. Complete, of course, with her favorite scent, Jean Nate.

A product of the Great Depression, Pauline lived the “waste not, want not” way of life and instilled it into her family. That was just one of her super powers. She had many (but not singing – that definitely wasn’t one).

Pauline enjoyed being a part of her community: Ladies’ Auxiliary, parent volunteer at school, charity drives and local politics. Local politicians weren’t always a fan of Pauline’s volume and stubborn nature but dang if she didn’t get stuff done for her little town.

Pauline was a proud homemaker and did a great job of raising her kids (even though only her sons got horses and a swimming pool). She also had jobs outside of the home at various times: key-punch operator, receptionist, livestock auctioneer, waitress, jazzercise instructor, and customer service representative for a national airline.

Her most recent years were spent at Tiffany Court in Kingston, PA surrounded by her peers (yay other people who knew who the Ink Spots were!) and an amazing staff. 

Heartfelt thanks and gratitude go out to the Hospice of the Sacred Heart for making her final weeks happy and pain-free. 

What can be said about Pauline - she certainly smoked too much, sometimes drank too much, usually did everything “too much” - but that was her way. And it’s the way she’d want to be celebrated. So, please bring your “too much” to Metcalf, Shaver, Kopcza Funeral Home, 504 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming, on Saturday, 9 November 2024. Pauline’s celebration of life will begin at 10:00am with a blessing at 11:30. Interment will be at Dennison Cemetery in Swoyersville immediately following. Her celebration of life will continue after her burial. All are welcome. Please bring you stories and your biggest laugh.