Michael J. Holthaus, 74, a resident of Mountain Top, formerly of the Parsons section of Wilkes-Barre, died Saturday, July 2, 2016, in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.
Mr. Holthaus was born in Wilkes-Barre, son of the late John and Mary Gannon Holthaus, and was a graduate of the Class of 1959, James M. Coughlin High School, Wilkes-Barre. He also attended Bloomsburg State College and Rutgers University.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and was especially proud to have marched in the contingent who participated in the inaugural parade for President John F. Kennedy.
He resided in Marshfield and Plymouth, Mass.; Hamburg, N.Y.; High Bridge, N.J.; the Parsons section of Wilkes-Barre; and finally in Mountain Top.
Mike was currently employed by Little Flower Manor, Wilkes-Barre, and previously by Johns Manville and Jersey Juice, both of New Jersey, and by Ertley Motorworld, Wilkes-Barre.
He enjoyed traveling immensely and had taken numerous cruises visiting the Panama Canal, East, South and Western Caribbean, Aruba, Bermuda, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Cape Cod and Ireland.
Mike had served on several reunion committees of the Coughlin Class of 1959 and remained in close contact with his classmates.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, John Holthaus and his wife, Joan, and Michael's three children, Michael, Eric and Kristen Holthaus.
Surviving are his brother, Richard Holthaus and his wife, Ruth, Dallas; several nieces and nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews; numerous cousins; his longtime companion, Andrea Bogusko; her children, April and David Fernandes; Aaron and Tracy Yorkonis; twin grandchildren, Andi Grace and Arden Aaralyn Yorkonis, who were like family to him and called him "Pop-Pop-Mike." Mike will be greatly missed by his dear friends at Patte's Sports Bar and Restaurant.
The funeral will be held Thursday, with visitation at 12:15 p.m. followed by a Memorial Mass of Christian Burial at 1:15 p.m. in the Chapel of Little Flower Manor, South Meade and East South streets, Wilkes-Barre. The Rev. Joseph Elston will officiate and interment will be private and at the convenience of the family in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.
Arrangements are under the direction of H. Merritt Hughes Funeral Home Inc., a Golden Rule Funeral Home, 451 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre.
Relatives and friends are asked to go directly to the Chapel on Thursday.
The family requests that flowers be omitted and that donations in Mike's name be made to Little Flower Manor.
The family would also like to thank the staff of Wilkes-Barre General Hospital CCU, especially Michelle and Donna and Dr. Madeira, the Veterans Administration Hospital and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Dr. Singh for their extraordinary care.
The Citizens' Voice - July 6, 2016