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
5 comments on “Emma J. Kazor”
Mom was strong. She was sharp-minded. And even when so much of her independence was being taken away, she never stopped trying to figure things out. She was still trying to understand her purpose, still trying to stay connected, and still trying to take care of the people around her.
That was Mom.
She was very purposeful with each of us. She knew that each of her children was different, and she found a way to connect with each of us in the way we needed.
My relationship with Mom was sometimes interesting. I was often the one pushing her to learn something new, especially when it came to technology. She would get mad at me when I pushed her too hard—but once she mastered whatever it was, she was so grateful. It was a very fine line I walked with her.
One of my favorite memories is teaching her how to use the home button on her phone to make a call. I’ll never forget her calling her nephew, who was in his 80s, and telling him, so proudly, that she had just pushed the button—and the phone called him.
That was Mom.
She wanted to understand things. She wanted to stay current. She wanted to be independent. And she wanted to keep going.
And even in one of her last days with us physically, she was still thinking about everyone else. She was worried about getting folding chairs into her room so people would have somewhere to sit. She was trying to remember birthdays.
Even when she was struggling, she was still thinking about the people she loved.
Her family meant everything to her.
And I think that is what I will carry with me most. Not just the hard parts of watching her lose her independence, but the strength I saw in her. The determination. The humor. The love.
Mom, you fought your fight. You finished your race. And you kept going until the very end.
You don’t have to figure anything out anymore. You don’t have to be independent anymore. You don’t have to worry about chairs or birthdays or phones.
You can rest.
And Mom, I hope you know how deeply you were loved.
Your family meant the world to you—and you mean the world to us.
We will miss you. We will carry you with us. And we will be grateful for you for the rest of our lives.
I love you, Mom.
Mom there´s not enough space here to tell you how much I will miss you. You always believed in me even when I didn´t. You were the glue that held our family together with your Faith, your love and wisdom. At the end of your earthly journey you showed us your strength and your faith never failed you, I watched you call all your family members to give them
Encouragement for their lives going forward and that you loved them. Your final words of “I love you all” profoundly beautiful. Thank you for everything. Love you forever and always.
Marlene #3 in the line up
Mom you will forever be remembered for your unconditional love.
I will miss our phone calls. You had a way of making us all feel special. You would always ask how our immediate family was doing and what each of them were up to. You would ask if anyone needed prayer, if so you were on it.
Christmas Eve celebration will not be the same this year, next Easter your bunny ears will remind us all of your physical absence. That picture is priceless.
I know you are in a better place. One where you have your eyesight, hearing, and no pain, and the best part,your with God…
Thank you for the memories and that last kiss. I will carry that until we see each other again. Love you momma.
Aunt Emmy will be remembered for her kindness, thoughtfulness, caring and warm nature, and endless wit. She was always there for me, open to talk about anything under the sun – her intelligence and humor always infusing light into my life. Aunt Emmy lovingly remembered every birthday, always making time to call. I still treasure her thoughtful holiday and birthday cards.
Aunt Emmy’s memory will forever be a blessing to all who knew and loved her.
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