John J. Gurski, retired teacher, football coach and administrator at Wilson High School, died of natural causes Fe. 28 in Zerbe Sisters Nursing Center, Narvon, Lancaster County, where he had resided since November 2003.
Gurski, 71, Lincoln Park, was the husband of Joan M. (Sanders) Gurski.
He coached six seasons at Minersville High School, going 47-13-2. Gurski coached 19 seasons at Wilson from 1964 to 1982, ending with a 151-44-4 record (the most wins in Berks history at the time).
His overall record was 198-57-6 in 25 seasons.
Gurski had three unbeaten seasons: 1967, 1968 and 1978. He won Lancaster-Lebanon League titles in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981 and Tri-County League titles in 1967 and 1969.
He had been a social-studies teacher at Wilson from 1964 to 1978 and served as high school vice principal from 1978 until his retirement in 1994.
Born in Shamokin, Northumberland County, he was a son of the late John and Kathryn (Pianis) Gurski.
Gurski was a member of St. John Baptist de la Salle Roman Catholic Church, Shillington.
He was a 1951 graduate of Coal Township High School and was a 1955 graduate of the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. He received his master's degree from Bucknell University in 1965.
Gurski was an inductee into the Wilson High School, Berks County and Pennsylvania Sports Halls of Fame and the Berks Coaches Hall of Fame.
Wilson High School named its football stadium, the “John Gurski Stadium.”
He is also survived by a son, John T., Stewartsville, N.J.; and five daughters: Lynn A. (Gurski) Leighton, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County; Lori A. Gurski, at home; Joan M. Gurski, Shillington; Dr. Kathy J. Gurski, Gouglersville; and Dr. Karen J. Gurski, Mohnton.
Other survivors include two brothers, Francis, Treverton, Northumberland County, and Bernard, Shamokin; and two sisters, Louise (Gurski) Schetroma, Mount Carmel, Northumberland County, and Kay (Gurski) Krankoskie, Vincentown, N.J.
There are also six grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 10 a.m. in St. John Baptist de la Salle Church. Entombment will be private. Friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. Contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 100 N. 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 or the Century Club, c/o Wilson High School, 2601 Grandview Blvd., West Lawn, PA 19609. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home Inc., West Reading, is in charge of arrangements.