Rinaldo “Rene” Lucarella, 91, of West Pittston, passed away Saturday evening, May 23, 2020, in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.
Born in Pittston on August 3, 1928, he was the son of the late Americo (Louis) and Concetta (Jennie) Ciavarella Lucarella.
He was a graduate of Pittston High School, Class of 1945, where he played flute and piccolo in the school band. Rene was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving as part of occupation forces in Japan, after World War II. Rene retired after 30 years of service as a State Correctional Officer at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, PA.
A founding member of the Pittston Red Devils baseball club, Rene went on to play professional baseball for several years in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, playing Level “B” and “C” ball for the Anderson Rebels (South Carolina) and the Hammond Berries (Louisiana), respectively. In only 126 games in 1950, Rene had 30 doubles, six triples and eleven home runs, while batting a respectable .289 for the season. He was named an All-Star on several occasions for
his well-rounded hitting, fielding and running skills.
For decades after his professional career, Rene enjoyed the camaraderie of his Red Devils friends and their families. He was an active member who often arranged multiple events for the Red Devils.
In the summer of 2010, Rene and his Red Devils teammates were announced before the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees AAA game on PNC Field, where Rene threw out the ceremonial “first pitch” at the age of 81.
He was a member of the Second Presbyterian Church, Pittston, where he was a long-standing member of the choir and an ordained deacon.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Isabel Elizabeth Mirro Lucarella in 2017 and great-grandson Luke Richard Thomas in 2011.
Surviving are children, Elaine Bell and her husband William, West Pittston; Louis V. Lucarella and his wife Julie, Duryea; Anna Marie Sernak and her husband, James, Drums; and Suzanne Bratlee and her husband, Ross, Fairhope, Alabama; brother, Raymond Lucarella, Pittston; sister-in-law, Esther Mirro; grandchildren, Erin Brogna (Alex); Cathleen Schmonsees (Kevin); Sara Thomas (Keith); Cara Green (Michael); Jennie Davis (Robert); Emily Whitaker (Tyler); Grace Bratlee (Shawn Driesbaugh); Anna Bratlee; great-grandchildren, Anthony Saitta; Grace Schmonsees; Ali Brogna; Benjamin Thomas; Morgan Schmonsees; Isabel Davis; Zoe Thomas; Delia Davis; Jack Thomas; Anderson Green; Austin Schmonsees; and Baby Boy Davis, due in July; numerous beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service to celebrate Rene’s life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Second Presbyterian Church, General Fund, 143 Parsonage Street, Pittston, PA 18640.
Due to the current restrictions, private funeral services will be held at the convenience of the family with interment in Memorial Shrine Cemetery, Wyoming.Arrangements are entrusted to Adonizio Funeral Home, LLC, 251 William Street, Pittston.
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