Thomas E. Rokita, 72, of Shavertown, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, September 11, 2018. Born in Larksville on June 3, 1946, he was the son of the late Edmund and Margaret Kindler Rokita.
Tom was a 1964 graduate of Kingston High School and went on to attend and graduate from Wilkes College in 1968. While attending Wilkes, Tom was a standout athlete. He was a 3 year captain of the tennis team and a 3 year starting goal keeper on the soccer team. Tom was inducted into the Wilkes University Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 and in 2014, was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame. Tom was also head tennis coach and head soccer coach at Wilkes College.
Tom used his love of sports to serve his community and enrich the lives of his students. Tom, known to his students as Mr. Ro, coached numerous sports while teaching at Wyoming Seminary. He was the head soccer coach from 1983 to 1993. Tom would go on to become the athletic director at Lake Lehman School District. He served as a PIAA official for over 40 years, officiating soccer, football, basketball and track and field.
After retiring from Lake Lehman, Tom kept busy working at Huntsville Golf Club, officiating numerous sporting events every week and spending time with his two favorite people in the world, his twin great nieces Ari (Ariana) and Lili (Liliana) Duda.
In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded by his nephew, Artie Lucarelli.
Surviving are his wife of 50 years, Laura Tarity Rokita; brother John Rokita and his wife Maureen, Doylestown; sister-in-law Cheryl Lucarelli and her husband Arthur, Old Forge; brothers-in-law James Tarity and his wife Carol, Clarks Summit and Joseph Tarity, Dallas; nieces, nephews, great-nieces and a great-nephew.
Funeral services will be Saturday, September 15, 2018, at 10:00am in Adonizio Funeral Home, LLC, 251 William Street, Pittston. Interment will follow in Pittston Cemetery. Friends may call Friday, September 14, 2018, from 5pm-8pm at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, SPCA, or to the charity of the donor’s choice.