Lorraine “Lori” Sekera

There are some souls who move through this world like a quiet current, steady and often unseen, but carrying far more than anyone realizes. Lorraine “Lori” Sekera was one of those souls; a woman who bore the weight of life with grace, humor, and a love that rarely asked for anything in return.

Lori, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, stepped beyond this world on Saturday, May 9 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of care, sacrifice, and quiet strength. For the first time in a long while, she no longer has anything to worry about; yes, that finally includes her hair.

Born June 7, 1944, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to Helen Mesarch Katashuk and Nicholas Katashuk, Lori was raised on Darling Street alongside her siblings Dolores, Nicholas, Robert, and Alberta. Her sister Josephine passed in infancy; an early reminder in a life that would come to know both love and loss.

A graduate of Coughlin High School, Class of 1962, Lori first trained as a beautician before later earning an associate degree in accounting from Luzerne County Community College. She built a career from bookkeeping to office manager, earning respect through hard work, reliability, and quiet pride in doing things the right way.

As a young woman, she married James Meade and moved to Mountaintop, where they raised four boys, James (Jake), Jeffrey, Gregory, and Scott. While the marriage did not survive the chaos of life’s middle years, the bonds between the families endured and, over time, strengthened.

As a single mother, she carried more than most ever saw, working tirelessly to provide, protect, and push her sons toward something better. She did it without complaint, without recognition, and often without rest. If there was a burden to be carried, she carried it. If something needed to be given, she gave it. Some of what she carried, she carried quietly for a lifetime.

Later, Lori married Daniel Sekera and made her home in Kingston, where a new chapter took shape. There were road trips taken on a whim, music playing in the background, and laughter that came easily; the kind for which, she always found room.

Lori loved a good mystery; books, television, anything that kept her guessing, even if she was terrible at keeping the ending to herself. She once promised not to spoil a show, only to follow it moments later with, “I can’t believe they killed Billy Bob,” leaving everyone wondering whether they should even continue watching.

She loved music just as much, though perhaps not quietly. At the Bloomsburg Fair, when she spotted Kenny Rogers slowly passing by with the windows down, she did what came naturally… she screamed and ran toward the car. The startled driver rolled up the windows and sped away, while Lori stood there laughing, completely unfazed.

She loved a good road trip, whether it was a short drive to somewhere new or a longer ride just to see what was out there. Covered bridges, small restaurants, concerts, family visits; it didn’t matter, what mattered was the company.

Through it all, her faith in God remained steady, her love for family unwavering, and her ability to find good in the world intact. She did not live loudly, but she lived deeply, and she gave more of herself than most people ever knew.

She leaves behind her sons Jeffrey (Sherry) of Duryea, Gregory of Shavertown, Scott (Patty) of Shavertown, and Daniel (Janis) of Luzerne; her grandchildren Jacob (Jensea) of Simpsonville, South Carolina, Sadie, Stephany, and Daniel J.; her great-grandchildren Everly and Oliver; her brothers Nicholas of Fairview Heights, Illinois, and Robert of Cheektowaga, New York; along with nieces, nephews, and friends who will carry her memory forward.

The family extends their deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated home health aides and staff of Curatio Home Care whose compassion, patience, and kindness brought comfort, dignity, and peace to Lori in her final chapter. Their care was not only seen but deeply felt.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 11:00 AM in St. Francis Cabrini Church, 585 Mt Olivet Road, Wyoming, PA.

Interment will follow in St Ann’s Cemetery, Lehman.

Family and friends are invited to gather for a visitation beginning at 10:00 AM until the mass at the church.

In a life defined by giving, Lori never asked for much in return. If you feel called to honor her, do something simple and kind for someone else. That is the language she spoke best.

Somewhere beyond the worry and the weight, there is peace, and a reunion that has been a long time coming.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Daniel J Hughes Funeral & Cremation Service, Wilkes-Barre.

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