Nancy Hollenback

Nancy Tryon Hollenback, RT-ARRT, 79, of Newton Lake, passed away Saturday July 13th at Moses Taylor Hospital, Scranton.  Born and raised in Carbondale, daughter of the late George and Mary Kerins Tryon, she was the beloved wife of John R. Hollenback, who was the love of her life.  Nancy was the maternal granddaughter of the late Patrick and Anastasia O’Brien Kerins and the paternal granddaughter of Leon and Catherine “Kitty” Monahan of Carbondale.

Nancy married John in 1968 at St. Rose of Lima Church, Carbondale and they honeymooned in Europe.  They bought a home in Clifton, NJ, where they raised their son Patrick, a Navy veteran and a Clifton City firefighter.  Having moved back to Carbondale in 1993, John built a home for Nancy at Newton Lake, where they have enjoyed fishing, gardening, and watching beautiful sunsets together.

Nancy attended Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, Carbondale, and was a graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School, Carbondale, Class of 1958.  She was a BFHS majorette and voted most talented in her class.  She entered the Scranton State Hospital School of Radiologic Technology, passed her State Boards, and accepted a position at the General Hospital in Binghamton, NY.  Later; later, she was employed at Wayne Memorial Hospital, Honesdale, as the Assistant Chief of the X-Ray Department.  In 1964, Nancy accepted a position at Beth Israel Hospital, Passaic, NJ, where she became Chief of Radiation Therapy and Nuclear Medicine.  In 1966, Passaic County opened the Tri-County School of Radiological Technology, and Nancy was promoted to Clinical Instructor, educating 30 students per year in Radiation Therapy and Nuclear Medicine.  While at Beth Israel Hospital, one of her patients, a Catholic Priest, introduced her to his childhood friend, the Rev. Karol Wojtyla, who was then the Bishop of Poland.  He was visiting the Priest and would accompany him to his therapy treatments at the hospital.  On two occasions, Bishop Wojtyla blessed Nancy, and she talked with him about her trip to Fatima.  They found out that they both had a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother.  Bishop Wojtyla later became Pope John Paul and is now a saint.

Due to family health issues and raising her son, Nancy later accepted a position with Drs. Rubacky, Sorger, Skilbred, and Mendes, a prominent Orthopedic Practice in Upper Montclair, NJ.  She also worked for St. Joseph’s Hospital Family Practice Center and the Emergency Center in Clifton and Bloomfield NJ, as a Clinical Assistant and part time Radiologic Technologist.  She was a member of the American Society of Radiological Technologist and the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Societies.  Nancy was a member of St. Clare’s Church, Clifton, where she was a Teacher’s Aide and Den Mother to her son’s Scout Troup.  She was a member of the Allwood Women’s Club and a Crime Watch Captain/Coordinator with the City of Clifton Crime Prevention Bureau.

Back in Carbondale, Nancy would tell stores of “growing up in the Mayor’s chair” at Carbondale City Hall, when her uncle Bill Monahan was Mayor and her uncle John Monahan, was Police Chief.  It was her great grandfather, George Joseph Hedding Tryon, who built City Hall.

In the 1940’s and 50’s, Nancy was a student of Leona Pender’s School of Dance and Baton.  Nancy’s uncle, Joe Kerins, would take her to McCawley’s Soda Shoppe each week after dance lessons, then up to City Hall to visit the Mayor and uncle John, then next door to the Columbia Hose Company to see the fire truck.  Her uncle Joe was a firefighter and officer for Columbia Hose.  Nancy used to tell stories of when she was ten years old and led the United States Marine Band down Main Street during a veteran’s parade.  She also studied voice with Clara Spencer Young and was an accomplished pianist studying under Jean Krantz Thomas.

A lifelong member of St. Rose of Lima Church, she was an information desk volunteer at Marian Community Hospital, and a member of the Hospital’s Auxiliary Board, serving as the by-laws chair.  She was Vice President of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Div. #3, Carbondale for four terms.  She was very proud of her Irish heritage, having obtained the LAOH Hibernian Degree at the convention in 2017.  She was a member and treasurer of the Carbondale Shade Tree Commission and a member of the Carbondale Historical Society.  Along with her husband John, they raised money and purchased the first Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera for the Carbondale Fire Department.  Nancy was also a member of the Newton Lake Association and past member of it’s Board and Secretary for the Newton Lake Watershed Commission.  She was a member of Rail-Trail of NEPA and the Mountain View Garden Club.  Nancy was an avid golfer, who delighted in winning Division Tournaments.

In addition to her husband John, Nancy is also survived by her son Patrick Hollenback and wife Annemarie and grandchildren Liam and Presley Hollenback, all of Clifton, NJ; a niece: Jean Radassao, Springfield, VA; a brother-in-law: Angelo Radassao, West Palm Beach, FL; and cousins: Ted Carden and wife Karen, Cortland, NY; John Healey and wife Patricia, Scranton; and Anne Price, Carbondale.

The funeral will be Friday July 19th from the Brennan & Brennan Funeral Home, Inc., 55 Lincoln Avenue, Carbondale, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 am in Saint Rose of Lima Church, Carbondale.  Interment, Our Mother of Sorrows Cemetery, Finch Hill.  Friends may call Thursday, from 4 to 7 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to St. Rose of Lima Church, 6 N. Church St., Carbondale, PA 18407 or the Association of the Miraculous Medal, 1811 West St. Joseph’s Street, Perryville, MO 63775.

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