The deaths of three retired Carbon County officials, two borough leaders, a pastor and others who from time to time played civic roles in our communities saddened many of us throughout 2022.

We lost longtime commissioners Charles Getz and Tom Gerhard Sr. and longtime Sheriff Dwight L. Nothstein.

As we did at the times of their passings, we once again offer our condolences to the families of those who have gone before us. They included:

Dan Koch

Daniel Jay “Danny” Koch, 43, of Bowmanstown, was a Bowmanstown volunteer firefighter who died of cancer on Feb. 5. He was also a member of the Lehighton Ambulance Association.

A son of Bruce Koch and Darlene Dorward, Dan started as a junior firefighter in Bowmanstown for 16 years and wore many hats in the company’s operations.

Charles Getz

Getz, of Albrightsville, died on Feb. 10 at the age of 84. He is survived by his wife, the former Carol Kelhart.

The commissioner served Carbon County for 16 years, retiring in 2012. He was also a prominent bank director and bus contractor in the Jim Thorpe area.

Before being elected as commissioner, Getz served several years on the Kidder Township board of supervisors and was an appointed member of the Carbon County Recreation Commission.

Dwight Nothstein

Nothstein, of Lehighton, died on March 7 at the age of 72. Among his survivors is his wife, the former Orpha Koch.

Nothstein served as the county sheriff for 20 years, retiring in 2016.

His career with the county began in 1985 when he worked at the old county jail on Broadway in Jim Thorpe, a year later joining the sheriff’s office as a deputy.

Thomas Highland

Highland was a councilman in Jim Thorpe and was in his third term when he passed on March 25 of complications of a fire that destroyed his home and claimed his wife, the former Lynn Smith, in May of 2021.

The councilman was also a prominent businessman in the community. He was a principal partner of Highland Beverage and was known by locals as “The Beerman.”

Edmund Healy

Attorney Edmund Healy was solicitor to the Borough of Slatington until his untimely death on April 6. He died in an all-terrain vehicle crash while on vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He was 59.

A former law clerk for Carbon County judges John P. Lavelle and Richard W. Webb, he worked for Steckel and Stopp in Slatington before establishing his own law practice.

Among those he left behind his are his wife, the former Deborah Ann Rieger.

Richard Creitz

Richard “Denny” Creitz, of Nesquehoning, a longtime member of the community’s fire department, died on April 15.

Creitz served the Nesquehoning Hose Company No. 1 for more than 50 years, initially as a fireman and later in his life as a fire policeman.

He was also a businessman in Nesquehoning, operating Creitz’s Tune Up Service, and was a member of the Nesquehoning Water Authority.

Frank Jacobs

Jacobs, of Nesquehoning, died on May 1 at the age of 89. His wife, the former Mary Alice McHugh, preceded him in death.

Jacobs was a fixture in borough politics, having served as mayor and councilman for well over 40 years combined.

He also served a stint as a Carbon County jury commissioner and chaired the Democratic Party of Carbon County for many years.

Rev. William Campion

Rev. Campion was pastor emeritus of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Palmerton, who died on Sept. 4 at the age of 70. He was pastor there for 14 years until retiring in June of this year.

A Pottsville native, Rev. Campion was in 1977 by the Most Rev. Bishop Joseph McShea of the Diocese of Allentown. He served a number of diocesan positions, including being a former member of the Marian Catholic High School advisory board and finance committee.

Clarence Smoyer

Clarence Smoyer, the county native who served heroically during World War II and earned widespread acclaim later in life, died on Sept. 30 at the age of 99.

Born in Parryville and raised in Lehighton, he was a tank gunner who took part in the Allied advance into Germany. Nearly 75 years after the war ended, he earned a Bronze Star for his service after a best-selling book chronicled his time in battle.

Tom C. Gerhard

Gerhard, of Packer Township, died on Oct. 31 at the age of 89. Among his survivors is his wife, the former Betty Kovalick.

He served as a county commissioner for 12 years before retiring in 2003, and previously was a Packer Township supervisor for 18 years.

Gerhard was also a former chairman of the Republican Party of Carbon County.