Obituary of Nancy Urbanis

Nancy A. Urbanis, 65, of Tunkhannock, died peacefully early Thursday morning, October 22, 2020, shortly after admission to Allied Hospice, Scranton, with her beloved son and daughter-in-law by her side. Heaven has gained a beautiful free spirit. She was born in Elmhurst, IL, June 23, 1955, daughter of the late George J. and Frances M. (Johnson) Urbanis. A 1973 graduate of Tunkhannock Area High School, she attended Keystone College and Penn State University, and earned a degree in English from Montana State University. Nancy was a voracious reader, and enjoyed playing word games and solving crossword puzzles. She was known for her intelligence, sharp wit and quirky taste. She had a great sense of adventure, once making a solo trip to the Galapagos Islands. Nancy loved animals and regularly volunteered at a local animal sanctuary. She was devoted to her cats, and was an accomplished equestrian in her younger years. Nancy enjoyed cooking and baking, and was formerly a professional chef in Montana and California. She retired in 2017 after more than 25 years of employment at The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Co. in Mehoopany, where she worked on the production line and in the human resources department. Nancy was very active in AA, proudly achieving more than three years of sobriety among a community of people she treasured. She lived her faith through countless acts of kindness and generosity. A devoted mother, her greatest joy was spending time with her son. She also enjoyed the solitude of her home, whether sitting on her porch surrounded by colorful flowers or listening to rock music. She is survived by her son, Zane Zwillinger, and his wife, Anna Shiffler, of Kempton; a sister, Mary Baldwin, Honesdale; a brother, Terrence Urbanis, California; nieces, Erin Ferrughelli and husband Nicholas, Toms River, NJ; and Heather Judson, Long Island City, NY; nephew, Jared Judson and wife Melanie, Bellmore, NY; great-niece and great-nephew, Ava and Luke Ferrughelli, Toms River, NJ; two stepsisters, Colleen Frantz and husband Tim, and Ramona Liz Streby, Tunkhannock; a stepbrother, Thomas Hill and wife Sandy, Tunkhannock, and one cousin, Gary Thom and wife Pam, Beldenville, WI. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Carol Judson; stepmother, Ramona Urbanis; and three stepsisters, Pamela Yarasavage, Danielle Reidsema and Denise Lohmann. A celebration in memory of the late Nancy Urbanis will be held Saturday, Nov. 7, from 1 to 3 pm in the green pavilion at Lazy Brook Park, Tunkhannock. Family and friends are invited. Please observe Covid safety guidelines. Arrangements and care entrusted to Sheldon-Kukuchka Funeral Home, 73 W. Tioga St. Tunkhannock, PA 18657. Donations in Nancy’s memory can be made to Indraloka Animal Sanctuary on their website at http://www.indraloka.org.