Kathleen M. Salvo Podwika, 75, a resident of The Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Dallas, and formerly of Harding, finally received her final wish and passed away Sunday, August 4, 2024, surrounded by her children.

Born on July 8, 1949, in Pittston, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Monahan Salvo.

Throughout her 27 years of battling multiple sclerosis with strength and resilience, she showed the strength of a warrior.   Anyone who knew our mother was well aware of her stubbornness, her wicked humor, her Irish and Italian heritage, and of course her beautiful skin.

Kathleen was a 1967 graduate of Wyoming Area during the first year of the jointure of school districts.

She excelled in shorthand and had shared many stories with her grandchildren about her majorette and baton twirling days.

Kathleen retired in 2007 from Valley Distributing in Laflin where she made many special friends and colleagues over the years.

She was a very proud grammie and a very independent woman who went on to raise her five children to be just as strong and independent.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Peggy Salvo.

Surviving are her children, Colleen Weiss (Bill), of Harding; Krista Podwika Beppler, of West Pittston; Jennifer Carver (Brad), of Dallas; Kathleen Bonita (Louie), of Dallas; and her beloved son, Daniel Podwika (Jamie), Kingston; her sister, Joann Verrastro (Steve), of West Wyoming.  She had 17 grandchildren, of which she was so proud of, Billy, Hanna, Madison, Morgan, Megan, Mia, Olivia, Mark, Luke, Jimmy, Zach, Ava, Louie, Chloe, Karinne, Karlie, and Kelcey.

The family would like to express their appreciation to the 3rd Floor nurses, CNA's, housekeeping, as well as the maintenance men, whom Kathleen always spoke so highly of.   They would also like to extend their sincerest gratitude to the staff of Hospice of the Sacred Heart for their loving care and support bestowed upon their mother in her last days.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Bednarski Funeral Home, 168 Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming.  Interment will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Carverton.

Family and friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

In the words of Elvis Presley and his song, "I'll Remember You"

"…To your arms someday, I'll return to stay

Till then I will remember too

Every bright star we made wishes upon…"

is our Mother's Spirit Living On.

Condolences may be made at www.bednarskifuneralhome.com