Mount Carmel - Catherine C. (Mirarchi) Saukaitis passed away on December 31, 2022.

Born in Mount Carmel, she was a daughter of the late Ralph and Mary (Bressi) Mirarchi. She was a lifelong resident of Mount Carmel.

On July 6, 1957, in Our Mother of Consolation Church, Mount Carmel, she married Paul "Chuck" Saukaitis, who preceded her in death in 2012.

Catherine was a member of Divine Redeemer Church and was formerly a member of Holy Cross Church.

She and Chuck were the proprietors of Barker Bakery, one of the most beloved family-owned small businesses in Mount Carmel, where they lovingly created and served the community baked goods and one-of-a-kind confections for almost 50 years before retiring in 2009. Catherine herself was an amazing baker.  Her specialties included many different kinds of pies and Italian cookies that were enjoyed at Christmas and at countless weddings. She loved to dance and faithfully watched The Lawrence Welk Show and Pennsylvania Polka every Saturday night.

She is survived by a daughter, Deborah Beierschmitt of Mount Carmel; a granddaughter, Jodi Frantz and her husband, Carter of Lemoyne; a great-granddaughter, Catie (her namesake and the light of her life); three sisters, Stella Veach of Mount Carmel, Eleanor Barni of Dillsburg, and Angie Gaffney of Mount Carmel; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, Paul and her first husband, Frank Wisniewski, she was preceded in death by: her parents; her siblings and their spouses Carrie (Frank) Barella, Gina (Carmen) Barella, Lucy (Howard) Smith, Rosaline (Joseph) Palovich, Joseph (Della) Mirarch; brothers-in-law, Robert Veach, Frank Gaffney, and Jack Barni; and a son-in-law, Richard Beierschmitt.

Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, January 6, 2023 at 11 a.m. with Father Bernard Wamayose, AJ as celebrant in Divine Redeemer Church, 300 W. Ave., Mount Carmel. Burial will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, Mount Carmel Twp. Visitation will be held on Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. with Transferal Prayers at 10:00 a.m. in the C. J. Lucas Funeral Home Inc., 27 N. Vine St, Mount Carmel, C. J. Lucas IV, supervisor.