Mary M. Tharp, 86, of Shamokin, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 17, 2026 at Nottingham Village Rehab, after spending several weeks at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.

 

Mary was born July 24, 1939 in Shamokin, to the late Frank and Bernice (Mosloski) Kocur, and was the sister of predeceased Victor Kocur. 

 

In 1956, Mary and Robert “Bob” Witcoski were married. They welcomed three children: Donna (wife of Dale Haupt) of Paxinos; Robert (husband of Cecelia) of Sunbury; and Ross (husband of Diane) of Duncannon.

 

Mary worked for several dress companies in the area as a Floor Lady. During her leisure time, she enjoyed spending weekends at the Northumberland Boat Club in Shamokin Dam with her family. After a full day of boating, they would all return to shore, where Bob would get the grill going and Mary would be getting the rest of the meal in order. This was a 15-year tradition, which lasted until a year before Bob’s passing in 1984.

 

After becoming a widow, Mary was able to find love again and married Sydney Tharp of Shamokin in November 1987. Through this union, Mary welcomed stepson, Bryon Tharp, into this close-knit family. Mary and Syd enjoyed traveling and spending time together at a friend’s cottage along Penn’s Creek in Weikert. Unfortunately, Mary found herself a widow again in 2019. She was able to find comfort during those lonely nights with her beloved cats Marvin and Sammy.

 

Mary enjoyed doing tasks with her hands. Besides being an impeccable seamstress for many years, she enjoyed gardening, canning, and spending time creating ceramics, which she then gifted to family and friends. Above all, Mary was very proud of her Polish heritage, and her exceptional cooking was a testament to that. Her favorite day of the week was Friday, where you would find her playing cards and board games with her family; you always knew if she was winning or losing, and without a doubt, one of Mary’s favorite words was B-I-N-G-O.

 

However, nothing brought her more joy than hearing “Gram” being called by grandchildren Kyle Witcoski, Stephanie (Haupt) Savidge of Sunbury, Dale Haupt of Shamokin, and Stephen Witcoski of Ligonier; and great-grandchildren Aiden Savidge, Stella and Aria Haupt, and Adelynn and Elyse Witcoski. Her love for them was reflected in her careful decorating for the various holidays, especially Christmas, a process that began in mid-November. It was essential her home looked festive, especially for them. 

 

Mary was a no-nonsense kind of lady, with a heart of gold. She was a devout Christian and was a long-time member of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Shamokin and her later years at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Gowan City. Mary’s presence will be missed by those who knew her and loved her. Everyone she met was touched by her generosity, sense of humor, and that smile and twinkle in her eyes.

 

To send condolences or to share memories with the family, please go to Blankfuneralcompany.com.

 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mary’s honor may be made to the Humane Society, Salvation Army or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Gowan City. 

 

The family will be scheduling a “Celebration of Life” at a later date. Family and friends will be notified with the details.