USA High School Yearbooks by State and County
Veronica G. "Ronnie" Travis
MANTUA - Veronica G. "Ronnie" Travis, 57, died Sunday, Feb. 4, 2001 at Akron City Hospital following a stroke.
Born Jan. 31, 1944 in Draper, N.C., she was the daughter of Percy and Christine (Brown) Mangrum. She had lived in Diamond before moving to Mantua.
Mrs. Travis was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Gary, to whom she was married 39 years; sons, Gary and Christopher, both of Mantua, and Nelson (Mary) of Streetsboro; three grandchildren; and sisters, Jeanette (Don) Foster of Rootstown and Rita (Alan) Crawford of Akron. Her mother died previously.
Calling hours will be held from 6 to 8 tonight at Wood-Kortright Funeral Home, Ravenna Chapel, where services will be held at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, with the Rev. Everett Schleef officiating. Burial will be in Grandview Memorial Park in Ravenna.
Gladys Mae Perkowski
Gladys Mae Perkowski, 74, of Caranor Drive, Kent, died Sunday, February 4, 2001, at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna.
Born November, 3, 1926, in Ashtabula, she was the daughter of Harry and Marcelle (McCarthy) Williams.
Mrs. Perkowski was a volunteer for the American Red Cross.
She was a member of St. Patrick's Church, the Infant of Prague Guild, an Eucharistic Minister and Lectern at St. Patrick's, the Kent Coatery, Kent Daughters of the American Revolution, Church Women United of Kent and the Millie Stough Golf League.
Survivors include her husband, Carl, to whom she was married to for 54 years; sons, Peter (Lana) of Kent and Michael of Memphis, Tenn.; daughters, Carla (Hal) Brumby of Kent, Mikelann Perkowski of Carlsbad, Calif., Mary Perkowski of Chicago, Ill. and Julie (Jon) McGraw of Cleveland; seven grandchildren; brothers, David Williams, William Williams, Donald Williams, Walter Williams, and John Williams, sisters, Hope Petrella, Mary Trivelli, Margaret Meagher, Laura Dunlop and Janet Frobese. She was preceded in death by her parents; and brothers, Harry and Jimmy Williams.
Calling hours will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Bissler & Sons Funeral Home. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick's Church with Rev. Thomas Kraszewski officiating. Burial will be in Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent.
Memorials may be made to St. Patrick's School Endowment Fund, 127 Portage St., Kent, OH 44240.
Elsie E. Strong
ATWATER - Elsie E. Strong, 76, died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2001, at her home of cancer.
Born Dec. 29, 1924, in N.Y., she was the daughter of Ben and Pauline Forbes. She had lived in Atwater for 55 years. She was a former Edinburg resident.
Mrs. Strong was a dairy farmer and a homemaker.
She was active in the Atwater Congregational Church.
Survivors include her husband, William R. "Bill," to whom she was married 55 years; son, Bob W. (Susie); daughters, Connie P. (Russ) Pittman, Lori L. Briggs and Patti Jo (Brent) Frame; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren. Her son, Don "Ruffie" Strong, died previously.
There will be no calling hours or services. Arrangements were made by Wood-Kortright Funeral Home, Atwater Chapel.
Memorials may be made to the Atwater Congregational Church or to Hospice of Alliance.
LaMae "Pert" Miller
BRIMFIELD - LaMae "Pert" Miller, 76, died Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001.
Born Oct. 14, 1924 in Falkville, Ala., she was the daughter of Columbus and Bertie Presley. She attended school in Brimfield.
Mrs. Miller owned and operated LaMae's Beauty Salon on S.R. 43 in Kent for more than 30 years, retiring in 1988. She also had been employed at the B.F. Goodrich Co. in Akron.
She enjoyed church, gardening, crafting, taking annual trips and spending time with her grandchildren.
Survivors include her husband, Robert H. "Bob", to whom she was married 56 years; son, Bill (Ali); daughter, Joi (Ray); two grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and brother, Malcomb. Two granddaughters died previously.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Tallmadge Alliance Church, 1155 East Ave. in Tallmadge. Arrangements were handled by the Hennessy-Bagnoli Funeral Home in Tallmadge.
Memorials can be made to the Wycliffe Missionaries in care of Tallmadge Alliance Church.
Janet L. Drass
Janet L. Drass, 64, of 726 Artesian Ave., Newton Falls, died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2000, at Trumbull Memorial Hospital from complications following a long illness.
Born Nov. 23, 1936, in Newton Falls, she was the daughter of Charles Edward and Hazel B. (McCutcheon) Purdy. She was a lifel resident of Newton Falls.
Mrs. Drass was a homemake. She also had worked at Ohio Lamp, Packard and Fashion Bug in Warren.
She was a member of the Newton Falls United Methodist Church, past president of Beta Sigma Phi and a member of the Pythian Sisters.
Survivors include her husband, Thomas M, whom she married on Feb. 14, 1957; son, Thomas C. of Lordstown;daughter, Tami Blessing of Leavittsburg, three grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and sisters, Mrs. Ronald (Carol) E. Wells of Lordstown and Mrs. Howard (Joan) Currey of Bristolville. Her sisters, Betty Reeder and Evelyn Purdy, died previously.
Calling hours will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Newton Falls United Methodist Church, where services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in the Lordstown Cemetery. Arrangements are being handled by James Funeral Home in Newton Falls.
Memorials may be given to the diabetes, heart or kidney foundations.
Blanch Hladky
AURORA Blanch Hladky, 86, died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2001.
Arrangements are being handled by Green's Funeral Home in Mantua.
Charles F. "Chick" Brunner
MANTUA TOWNSHIP Charles F. "Chick" Brunner, 80, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000, at Akron City Hospital after a brief illness.
Born Oct. 2, 1920, in Akron, he was the son of Charles F. and Nellie (Ellis) Brunner Sr. He grew up in the Akron area and lived in Berea from 1945 to 1975, before moving to Mantua Township.
Mr. Brunner was employed by the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. from 1948 until he retired in 1982. He was chief accountant and operations head of the accounting department.
A U.S. Army-Air Force veteran of World War II, he piloted B-17 bombers for more than 50 missions over Italy from North Africa. While on one mission, his plane was shot down in the Mediterranean Sea. He and his crew were rescued by the U.S. Navy. He retired from the service with the rank of major.
He was a member of His Ministry in Aurora where he was a church usher and was a church financial adviser, helping both the church and it members with their financial budgets and planning.
He earned a business administration degree from Baldwin Wallace College.
He enjoyed watching and attending sports car racing events and owned and drove a 1974 Corvette.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia (Eason); son, Fritz (Margaret) of Walnut Creek, Calif.; daughters, Laurie (Thomas) Munc of Lowell, Ohio and Bonnie (Stewart) Kovit of Euclid; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Calling hours will be held from 4 p.m. until services at 7 p.m. Wednesday at His Ministry in Aurora. The Rev. Florence Udell will officiate. A graveside service will then be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Westlawn Cemetery in Mantua Township. Arrangements are being made by Green's Funeral Home in Mantua.
Anne Ruth Eakins
Anne Ruth Eakins, 76, of Braceville, Ohio, died Sunday, Dec. 31, at 1092 Braceville Robinson Road N.W., in Braceville.
Born Oct. 6, 1924, in Carroltown, Pa., she was the daughter of John and Mary (Petreliak) Babyak. She had lived in this area since 1926.
Mrs. Eakins was a housewife.
She was a member of Braceville United Methodist Church, the Sportsman Club, Camping Club and Bowling Club in Pennsylvania.
She enjoyed bowling, gardening, flowers and birds.
Survivors include her husband, Josh A.; sons, William John of Basalt, Colo., Roger Allen of Rootstown, and Josh A. Jr. of Newton Falls; daughter, Patricia Anne (Harry) Shaver of Newton Falls; four grandchildren; brothers, Mike Babyak of Newton Falls and Nick Babyak of Berlin; and sister, Helen Babyak of Tiffin.
There are no calling hours. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Braceville United Methodist Church. Arrangements are being handled by James Funeral Home in Newton Falls.
Morgan H. Dickerson
Morgan H. Dickerson, 62, of Ravenna Township, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2001, at his home.
Arrangements will be announced by Shorts Funeral Home, Ravenna Chapel.
Shirley Rahach
Shirley Rahach, 66, of Richfield, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000, at Akron City Hospital.
Arrangements will be announced by Green's Funeral Home in Mantua.
Raymond F. Shambach
Raymond F. Shambach, 68, of 10352 Pine Lake Road, Salem, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000, at UPMC-Presbyterian Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he had been a patient for five days.
Born Aug. 3, 1932, in Franklin Township, Pa., he was the son of the late Raymond F. Shambach and Ada (Soloman) Shambach Andrews. He was a former Ravenna residemt.
Mr. Shambach retired to a part-time position in sales and management at TCI Tire Centers Inc. of Youngstown. He formerly owned two Dairy Queens in South Carolina and was a safety director for several trucking companies in the area.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Carolynn (White), whom he married Nov. 23, 1970; sons, Frank and David, both of Newton Falls; stepson, Trent Rapp of North Lima; half-sister, Charlotte Garro of Ravenna; one grandchild; one stepgranchild; mother, Ada Andrews of Jamestown N.Y.; stepmother, Evelyn Beloff of Ravenna; and stepsister, Viola Maynard of Akron. His father and a stepson, Randall Rapp, died previously.
Calling hours will be held from 6 to 8 tonight at Arbaugh-Pearce- Greenisen Funeral Home, 1617 E. State St., Salem, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be with full military honors at Highland Memorial Park, with the Salem Amvets Post 45 and Salem Veterans of Foreign Wars participating.
Christina Kae Heeter
Christina Kae Heeter quoted her dad Herbert Heeter Jr. in a school paper she recently wrote.
"Heeters never give up without a fight. And we always win."
Christina fought her battle against cancer and on Thursday, she lost.
The 17-year-old Ravenna High School senior died at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna where she had been confined since earlier this month.
Her battle started in May 1999, with a chronic cough. Then she discovered a lump near her collarbone.
She wrote in the paper about a CAT scan she took at Robinson and her life with cancer.
"I'd never had a CAT scan before and it scared me...The machine I laid on moved me into a tunnel. 'Oh God, Please help me. I'm afraid. Please let me be ok. Please.' I prayed like I had never prayed before."
Then it became time for a biopsy and surgery was scheduled for the next morning.
"I trembled with fear and held onto my mom's hand. I didn't want to let go. 'Be strong, Christina,' I told myself over and over."
While at home Christina spent her time on her computer and chatting with friends on the telephone.
Christina's mother, Marcia Miley, brought a small porcelain angel holding a kitten to her hospital bed. Christina loved cats.
"It was about four inches tall and was holding a kitten. It made me think of me dying and becoming an angel. A single tear rolled down my cheek. I wish this wasn't happening."
A week later she was in the oncologist's waiting room when she got the bad news. It was Hodgkin's disease.
"I couldn't concentrate on anything but the picture hanging on the wall. It was bright with flowers, lots of colors blurring together from the uncried tears in my eyes. I decided right then and there I would be the strong one. I knew I could do it. I had to, for my family and friends," she wrote.
"Over the course of time I faced the most pain I had ever felt. I don't know how I endured the loneliness and fatigue I experienced...I am only sixteen."
"Sweet sixteen isn't so sweet for me."
Christina Kae Heeter, 17, of Ravenna died Thursday at Robinson Memorial Hospital following a long battle with cancer.
Born April 3, 1983, in Cuyahoga Falls, she was the daughter of Herb Heeter Jr. and Marcia (Engelhardt) Heeter.
Miss Heeter was a senior at Ravenna High School where she was an honor student. She enjoyed drawing, chatting on her computer and she was involved in choir at school.
She is survived by her mother, Marcia and step-father, Brad Miley; her father, Herb (Vicky Johnson) Heeter Jr. of Ravenna; sister, Angela (Aaron) Brych of Ravenna; grandparents, Ruth Engelhardt of Ravenna, and Herb and Tina Heeter of Ravenna. Her grandparents, Harry and Gladys Griggy and Francis Engelhardt died previously.
Calling hours are 2 to 5 p.m. today at the Wood-Kortright Funeral Home Ravenna Chapel (WWW.Dignitymemorial.com) where services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday with Msgr. Robert Sabatino officiating. A private burial will be held for the family at Maple Grove Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the family in care of the funeral home to help defray funeral expenses. Any excess proceeds will be given to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Judith A. Labajetta, 56
Judith A. Labajetta, 56, of Kent died Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000.
She was an area resident for 32 years and worked as an auditor for the State of Ohio, retiring in 1991.
Survivors include son, Michael (Jeri) Bennett; daughter, Jennifer Labajetta; and a granddaughter, all of Kent.
Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. until the time of the service at 3 p.m. Sunday at Dunn-Quigley-Ciriello & Carr Funeral Home, Stow Chapel.
Memorials may be made to the family.
Craig A. Christopher
BRIMFIELD - Craig A. "Screwy" Christopher, 45, died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, at home after a long illness.
Born Aug. 2, 1955 in Berea, he was the son of Frank and Jewell (Sickefoose) Christopher. He was a longtime Brimfield and Portage area resident.
Mr. Christopher was the owner of Screwy Louie's in Kent.
He was active in the Ravenna chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. He also enjoyed race cars and was an avid jet skier, four-wheeler and snowmobiler.
In addition to his parents, who live in Sidney, survivors include his wife, Randi, to whom he had been married eight years; daughter, Kori, at home; and sister, Sherry Watson of Sidney.
Calling hours will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Wood-Kortright Funeral Home, Kent Chapel, where a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, with Daniel Koorey officiating. Burial will be private.
Memorials may be made to St. Patrick School in Kent.
Cory Pelfrey
ALLIANCE - Funeral services for Mount Union College freshman Cory Pelfrey, who was killed in an early morning automobile crash Wednesday, will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Murray Funeral Home, 173 S. Main St., Creston.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Anne Catholic Church, 139 S. First St., Rittman.
Memorials may be made to the Cory Pelfrey Scholarship, c/o Stebbins National Bank, P.O. Box 1113 Creston 44217.
Delphene Ann Reigle
ROOTSTOWN - Delphene Ann Reigle (O'Neal), 59, died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, at her home following a four year battle with cancer.
Born April 2, 1941, in Canton, she was the daughter of Kenneth, Sr. and Helen O'Neal.
Mrs. Reigle was a former employee of JoAnn Fabrics in Hudson.
She was a talented and skilled woodworker, blessing many through the years with her exceptional arts and crafts. She was a member of The Chapel of Marlboro in Marlboro Township, where she commited years to teaching Good News clubs. She had a loving dedication to children.
Survivors include her husband of 36 years, William A. Reigle; 21 foster-children; her parents of Hartville; brothers, Kenneth (Marilyn) O'Neal, Jr. of Grayton, Ill., Joseph (Kay) O'Neal of Farmington, N.M., Mickey (Cheryl) O'Neal of Randolph; and sisters, Dolores (James) Robinson of Rootstown, Ruthie (Thomas) Rauber of Mogadore.
Calling hours will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday at Arnold's Funeral Home in Hartville and at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Chapel of Marlboro. Services will follow Saturday calling hours at 11 a.m. with Rev. Harry DeLong and Rev. Dan Michaels officiating.
Memorials may be made to Robinson Memorial Hospice or Mahoning Valley Child Evangelism Fellowship.
