Longtime Allentown-area resident had wide-ranging local career and deep family and parish ties
Irene Josephine Karsko Pierce, 90, who spent her working life in the Allentown area and remained active in local faith and family circles, died peacefully Aug. 8, 2026, at Bethlehem Manor, according to funeral arrangements published by J.S. Burkholder Funeral Home, Allentown.
Born in Moosic, Pa., Pierce pursued a variety of occupations over the years and maintained strong connections to the Lehigh Valley. She was a long-time member of the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena in Allentown and was described in the obituary notice as someone who prioritized family and regular family gatherings.
"She gave generously of her time to her children and grandchildren," the obituary states.
Her employment history reflects the region’s changing job market across decades. Pierce worked as a production worker at the former Western Electric, held a beautician's license and practiced cosmetology out of her home, earned a real estate license and worked as a realtor with John Monaghan Real Estate Offices in Allentown, and later worked at Sears in the Whitehall Mall, where she was a Kirby Sales Award winner before retiring in 2003.
- Production worker at Western Electric (formerly in the region).
- Beautician operating from her home after earning a license.
- Licensed real estate agent at John Monaghan Real Estate Offices in Allentown.
- Store associate at Sears, Whitehall Mall — Kirby Sales Award recipient; retired 2003.
Those who knew her may recall her creative pursuits: she enjoyed painting, sewing and gardening, the obituary said. Travel was another interest, and she maintained an active role in family life through frequent gatherings beyond holidays.
Family and funeral arrangements
Pierce was the daughter of the late George and Josephine (Swantek) Karsko. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Michael Witkoski and Bruce Pierce, and by a son, Michael Witkoski Jr. She also was preceded by siblings George Karsko Jr., James Karsko, John Karsko and a sister, Barbara Shinert.
| Survivors | Location |
|---|---|
| Linda (wife of Timothy Clickner) | Vermont |
| Barbara (wife of Thomas Joseph) | Coplay |
| David Pierce (wife Christine) | Whitehall |
| Thomas J. Pierce | Bethlehem |
| Grandchildren | Five |
| Great-grandchildren | Six |
A Mass of Christian Burial was scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Queen of the Apostle Catholic Church, 715 Hawthorne St., Avoca. A viewing was set for the hour prior to Mass, from 10 to 11 a.m., also at Queen of the Apostle. Interment will be at St. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Moosic. Arrangements are being handled by J.S. Burkholder Funeral Home of Allentown.
Local residents wishing to offer condolences may do so through the funeral home's online guestbook at www.jsburkholder.com, the notice indicated.
Local ties and community context
Pierce's work history touches several institutions familiar to many Allentown-area residents. Western Electric once provided manufacturing jobs in the region; the Whitehall Mall has been a community retail hub for decades; and John Monaghan Real Estate is known locally as an outlet for residential sales and leasing. Her long affiliation with the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena places her among generations of parishioners who have contributed volunteer time and support to Allentown's Catholic community.
As families and neighbors in Allentown and surrounding towns mark her passing, the scheduled services provide an opportunity for friends and former colleagues to remember a woman who combined a varied working life with creative hobbies and deep family commitment.
