Obituary of John Marshall Skolka

John Marshall Skolka Plainfield: John Marshall Skolka, age 86, died peacefully on Thursday, October 15, 2015 with his loving family by his side at Haven Hospice at JFK in Edison. He was born in Bound Brook and lived in Plainfield for the last 62 years. Mr. Skolka served in the United States Marine Corps. Prior to his retirement in 1984, he was a Firefighter for the city of Plainfield for 32 years. Mr. Skolka was a member of the Church of St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Stanislaus Kostka in Plainfield. He was a past member of the Plainfield Rescue Squad and a member of the State Retired FMBA Local 500 and a member of the Knights of Columbus Commander Barry Post 2544. As Santa Claus, John participated in the town parade which ended in Santa's arrival on a fire truck at Muhlenberg Hospital on Christmas Eve. He visited every patient in the hospital. He was Santa for 26 years. He enjoyed long road trips with his family and he never met a stranger. Surviving are his wife of 62 years, Olga Melnik Skolka; his son, John Melnik Skolka and his wife, Kimberly of West Windsor; his daughter, Suzette Patton and her husband, Tim of San Antonio, TX; his grandchildren, Katherine DeBauche and her husband, Dan of San Antonio, TX, Christopher John Skolka and Courtney Jane Skolka, both of West Windsor and his brother, Kenneth Skolka and his wife, Hazel of Piscataway. Visitation will be on Monday, October 19th from 4 to 8 pm at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung. Funeral services will begin on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m at the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30a.m. at the Church of St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Stanislaus Kostka in Plainfield. Internment will be at Resurrection Cemetery in Piscataway.