Frederick H. Kropa

Frederick H. Kropa, 82, formerly of Northumberland, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 4, 2022 at Heritage Springs Memory Care in Muncy, Pa., where he lived since April 2021.
Born on February 10, 1940 in Lathrop Township, Susquehanna County, he was the 2nd son of the late Alberta Traver and Gustave Kropa.  Fred enjoyed the time he spent as a child on his Uncle Fred’s farm, where he sustained what would be a life-long injury to his knee when a cow fell on his leg.  Wanting to learn a trade, Fred proudly joined the Navy after finishing his sophomore year of high school.  He was stationed on the USS Intrepid in the Mediterranean Sea and was a member of the electrical equipment division of the engineering department.  After the Navy, he worked as a plumber and electrician for a few years, during which time he met his future wife, Dolores Chwastyk.
As the story goes, he saw her with her friends and asked “Which one of you pretty girls wants to go out with me?” He was hoping she was the one who said yes and she did.  Fred and Dolores dated for 3 years before getting married in 1964. They lived in Lee Park for a time and welcomed daughter, Gloria in 1966.  In 1971, they moved to Northumberland after Fred got a job at Pennsylvania Power and Light (PP&L).  They welcomed a son, Scott in 1971 and another daughter, Valerie in 1973.  
Fred’s family was his greatest achievement and he was exceptionally proud of his children and grandchildren.   Fred’s next greatest achievement was the work he did at PP&L.  He held various roles there in his 25+ year tenure.  During one of the floods in the 1970s when he couldn’t drive to work, he was picked up in a helicopter to get to PP&L.  He took his work seriously and always made sure “the unit was up and running.”
Fred was active in the Oak Park Playground Association.  He was also a proud Shikellamy Marching Braves Band parent, shuffling both daughters to practices. Fred loved to work on cars and loved cars in general, having owned over the years a 1950s truck that was damaged in one of the floods, a sporty Mustang that was dubbed “the skateboard” by Dolores, a Lincoln Towncar, and a hideous purple truck; however, the car he loved most was his 1968 Thunderbird with automatic doors and a curved backseat.  Fred was a member for life of the Northumberland Township Fire Company.
Fred is survived by brother, Dale Kropa of Wilkes Barre, PA; daughter, Gloria Kropa and husband, Matt Roehr of Milford, Pa.; son, Frederick Scott Kropa and wife, Tina of Stewartstown, Pa.; daughter Valerie Duff and husband, Brian of Wellsboro, Pa.; and grandchildren Colin Troup, Jeremy Kropa, Shiloh Duff, and Emily Duff.  Fred was preceded in death by his other brothers, his sister, and his wife, Dolores, who passed in 2017 and who he missed so, so much.
Fred was a good man.  He will be deeply missed by those who loved him.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00am on Saturday at the Blank Funeral Home, 395 State Street, Sunbury with Rev. Lynn Schmoyer officiating. Interment will follow in Northumberland Memorial Park, Stonington at 12:00pm.
 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made  to a charity of the donors choosing.

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