Audrey A. Simonovich

The world lost a little bit of its warmth when Audrey Ann Simonovich, 95, passed away on December 21, 2023, in her childhood home, surrounded by family.

Audrey was born on May 22, 1928, in Luzerne, Pennsylvania, to the late Michael and Tillie Zimnisky. She graduated from Luzerne High School in 1946 and then attended the Nesbitt Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. After graduation, she worked at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, retiring from Nesbitt Hospital as a critical care nurse for 25 years.

Audrey and her husband, Bernard A. Simonovich, celebrated 51 years of marriage before his passing in 2002. Together, they raised five children in their home on North Street in Luzerne.

With a love for travel, she and Bernard traveled extensively, but it was having the whole extended family together under one roof at the Jersey shore that made her the happiest.

A warm and loving soul, Audrey was an avid quilter and baker, known for her Christmas cookies, potato rolls, and beautiful handmade quilts. Her heart and home were always open, and she cherished family gatherings and insisted on continuing her tradition of hosting Sunday dinners at her home well into her 90s.

As the matriarch of the family, Audrey embodied strength and tenderness. Her legendary love for sweets mirrored her belief that no party was complete without a wide assortment of desserts. Her kindness extended beyond her family, touching the lives of friends, community members, and even strangers with her generosity and loving spirit. She was one of the founding members of the Pennsylvania Quilters quilting guild and an active participant of the Nesbitt Nurses Association.

Audrey is survived by her five children: Peter Simonovich (Sue), Bernard Simonovich (Terry), Suzy Koziel (Dave), Theresa Kane (Jim), and Carol Scholl (Michael); sisters Mary Waggoner (Walter), Rose Koptcho (George) and brother Martin Zimnisky (Joy). Her love lives on through her nine nieces and nephews, and her seven grandchildren: Scott, Josh, Sarah, Jason, John, Peter, Anna, and great-grandchild, Sabrina.

The funeral will be held Saturday at 9:45 a.m. from the Betz-Jastremski Funeral Home, Ltd., 568 Bennett Street, Luzerne. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. in Holy Family Parish by Most Reverend Joseph Kopacz, Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi. Friends may call Friday from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m. at the funeral home.