Emma J. Kazor (also known as Mom Kazor and later as Momma K) passed away at the age of 95 at the UPMC Carlisle Hospital Friday, August 7, 2026. She was a first-generation child of immigrant parents from Eastern Europe who came to the coal region of western Pennsylvania to make a new life for themselves. Emma was born at home in Ligonier, PA on January 15, 1931 and grew up in a coal patch in New Derry, PA called Atlantic #1. She was the youngest of five daughters and part of an extended family to whom she remained closely connected all of her life.
One of the things that Emma always had was beautiful penmanship. In her school days the ability to write in cursive was a requirement to graduate from high school, which she did. Shortly after she graduated from Derry High School she fell in love with Michael E. Kazor, her late husband, whom she had known since childhood. He was a decorated soldier who had returned home to Derry from World War II in the South Pacific. After they married, they decided to leave the coal mining area to pursue the greater opportunities in central PA. They bought a home and settled in Wormleysburg, PA where they raised their seven children.
In addition to raising seven children, she sold Avon products to her neighbors and friends and was a school crossing guard. She instilled the love of reading in all her children. She loved to play board games like Scrabble, all types of card games, including poker, and put together jigsaw puzzles. She never found a bingo game she didn’t love and until the end she continued to make trips to the Casino. She used whatever venue she could, including the internet and social media, to further connect with all of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends. Emma’s competitive nature kept her going and even after losing her eyesight she was upset when playing bean toss at the nursing home if she didn’t win. She had a keen mind and an exceptional memory and was able to recall relevant events that were important to her family members whenever she spoke with them.
Emma was baptized in the Byzantine Catholic church where she was raised and was married in the Byzantine Church in Latrobe, PA. When they moved to Wormleysburg her family became members of Our Lady of Lourdes in Enola, PA where she remained a member the rest of her adult life. In addition to receiving the sacraments whenever she could, she prayed the rosary and the Our Father every day. She belonged to a Rosary Group at Bethany Towers. Her daily prayers gave her great comfort and, when she prayed, she prayed from depths of her soul. To this day, all of her children have great faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Emma was a blessing to know…
Emma was preceded in death by her loving husband, Michael E. Kazor; her daughter, Patricia Morrison; and her granddaughter, Heather Fawber. She will be lovingly remembered by her son, Michael J. Kazor and his wife, Donna; her daughters, Darlene Fawber and her husband, G. Frank; Marlene Quigley and her husband, Jim; Barbara Sherry and her husband, Wayne; Mary Engle and her husband, Bud; her daughter Patricia Morrison’s husband, Alan; and Elizabeth Kazor and her husband, Kevin Brown, Sr.
She will also be lovingly remembered by her grandchildren: Natasha (Alfonso), Leah (Joe), Julia, Steven (Philina), Michelle (Pete), Melinda (Rob), Christie (Dan), Sean, Emily (Malachi), Joshua (Eileen), Rachel, Abby (Josh), Jordan, Sierra (Nicholas), Naomi, Christopher (Gia), Katelyn, Joseph (Miranda), and John (Hannah Y).
Her legacy continues through her great-grandchildren: Gabriella, Angelina L., Ava, Hannah G., Blake, Dustin (Shania), Nathan, Kylie, Henry, Lily, Thomas, Grace, Patrick, Angelina M., Ella, and Aniela; and her great-great-grandchildren, Maverick and Rhett.
She is also lovingly remembered by her step-grandchildren: Steve, Julia, Jennifer (Millard), Todd (Tracy), Jessica (Matthew), Kristie, Daun (Stephen), Kevin, and Robert; and her step-great-grandchildren: Seth (Iris), Ryan, Baileigh, Brandyn, Kaden, Gabriel, Kennedi, Dashani, Kamryn, Kai, Kaylin, Jaymees, and Remington. And she is also remembered by her nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Friday, August 14, 2026 from 10AM-11AM at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church 225 Salt Road Enola PA 17025. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, August 14, 2026 at 11AM at the church.
Burial will be in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery on Friday, August 21, 2026 at 1PM. Anyone attending the burial should arrive no later that 12:30PM and park behind the administration building.
The Sullivan Funeral Home is honored to serve the Kazor family.
www.sullivanfuneralservices.com
One memory on “Emma J. Kazor”
Grandma always made me feel welcomed and loved. I remember most the feeling of being home when I was with her. As a teenager when I could be a handful she always treated me with kindness. She never forgot a birthday. She incorporated my stepdaughters into her life as they were her own great grand kids. Never forgetting their birthdays or Christmas cards. I remember her hugs and kisses and also her wit and sarcasm. I remember she had a sense of adventure well into her later years. She even flew all the way to Jamaica for my wedding and what was more surprising she got in the water which she was terrified of. In fact when I was little and she babysat us I recall getting in a debate with her about being allowed to take a shower after I ate dinner because she thought I would drown. Most recently I remember the last time I spent with her only a few short weeks ago. We got to sit and talk for a very long time. I asked her what the key to a long life was and she said without hesitation “faith”. Grandma I hope you are comfortable in your new home reunited with pop- pop and all of your loved ones. I will miss you dearly. Thank you for being such an amazing grandmother. I love you very much! I will miss ordering you flowers for your birthday this year xoxox