Nicholas J. Fedorka Obituary

Nicholas J. Fedorka attended Falconer High School in Falconer, NY. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Nicholas J. Fedorka.

Graduation Year	Class of 1971
Date of Passing	Sep 05, 2008
About	Dr. Nicholas J. Fedorka, 54, of 16561 Stoltz Road, Saegertown, Pa., passed away Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 at West Penn Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Fedorka was born in Lackawanna, N.Y., on Oct. 7, 1953, the son of Mary Rose (Larson) Fedorka and the late Nicholas Michael Fedorka. Following his graduation from Falconer High School in 1971, he matriculated to St. Lawrence University, Canton, N.Y., where he met his future wife, Carole Marshall Murphy, daughter of Yvonne Murphy and the late Irving Olds Murphy. Dr. Fedorka graduated from St. Lawrence in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in chemistry. In 1979 he earned his D.M.D. degree from Boston University School of Graduate Dentistry. As valedictorian of his graduating class, Nick was awarded the Alpha Omega Award. Nick wed Carole on June 16, 1979 in Erie, Pa. In 1983, he completed his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at the University of Connecticut in Farmington, Conn., includ-ing a year of general surgery at Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Conn., and a visit-ing residency at John Peter Smith Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Fedorka and Carole then settled in Meadville, Pa., where Nick began his career in oral and maxillofacial surgery. An active member of Meadville Medical Center, Dr. Fedorka served as chief of surgery from 1994 to 1995, president of the medi-cal staff, 1999, a member of the board of directors and a member of various commit-tees including Credentials Committee, Medical Staff Executive Committee, Surg-ical Chart Review Subcom-mittee in addition to other quality committees. Dr. Fedorka was a member of the American Dental Associ-ation, the American Associa-tion of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the Crawford County Dental Association, where he served as President from 1986 to1987. While raising his three children, Dr. Fedorka was an integral member of the Meadville community, coaching soccer, softball, baseball, and hockey. He was a dedicated fundraiser, team doctor, and strong enthusiast for the Meadville Bulldog Hockey program. For several years Nick served as chairman of the Cystic Fibrosis Walk in Meadville, Pa. He was an ac-tive member of St. Brigid Roman Catholic Church. An avid fisherman, Nick grew up spending summers on Chautauqua Lake, and in later years spent most of his free time there with his family. He was also a die-hard Buffalo Bills fan, and he and his family spent many frigid Sundays at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Nick Fedorka touched everyone he met. He will be remembered for his courage, dignity, humor, determina-tion, and constant positive outlook. During his battle with leukemia, these quali-ties inspired his family, friends, colleagues, and the staff members at West Penn Hospital. In addition to his wife Carole of 29 years, Dr. Fedorka is survived by his three children: Katie Fedorka, Carleigh Fedorka, Nicholas Fedorka, all of Saegertown; his mother, Mary Larson of Bradenton, Fla.; a sister, Julie Fedorka Lorigan of Hingham, Mass.; and a niece Nicole Elizabeth Lorigan. Dr. Fedorka was preceded in death by his father, Nicholas Michael Fedorka. Family and friends are in-vited to call on Sunday from 1 to 5 at Stephen P. Mizner Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 404 Chestnut St., Meadville. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Brigid Roman Catholic Church, Meadville, at 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 8, with Father Mark O'Hern, of St. Brigid officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memori-als be made to help establish the Dr. Nicholas J. Fedorka Foundation to provide a permanent meditation gar-den at West Penn Hospital as a living tribute to Dr. Fedorka. Memorials may be made to Carole Fedorka, 16561 Stoltz Rd., Saegertown, PA, 16433 or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 220 N. Main St., 104, Natick, MA, 01760.