Waldon L. Hays
BOONSBORO - Waldon Lee Hays, 79, of Reeders Memorial Home, and formerly of 128 E. Antietam St., Hagerstown, died Wednesday, March 26, 1997, at Washington County Hospital.
Born Nov. 18, 1917, in Tilghmanton, Md., he was the son of the late William and Minnie Showe Hays.
He was employed by Standard Building Systems, Point of Rocks, Md., until his retirement. He also had been employed by the New York Central Iron Works, now Maryland Metals, for 33 years.
A veteran of the U.S. Army, he served during World War II in the European Theater. He received a certificate of merit, Good Conduct Medal with clasp; American Defense Service Medal; American Theater Service Ribbon; European-African-Middle Eastern Service Ribbon; and the World War II Victory Ribbon.
He attended Otterbein United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Violet Andrews Hays; three daughters, Sharon Row of Sykesville, Md., Cynthia Younkins of Keedysville and Christine King of Hagerstown; and five grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by sisters and brothers.
Services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Minnich Funeral Home, 415 E. Wilson Blvd., Hagerstown. The Rev. Stephen D. Robison will officiate. Burial will be in Rest Haven Cemetery.
The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Robert A. Edwards
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Robert Allen Edwards, 55, of 112 Overhill Drive, died Wednesday, March 26, 1997, at Menno Haven Nursing Home, Chambersburg.
Born Aug. 8, 1941, in Chambersburg, he was the son of the late Dwight M. and Violet Ackerson Edwards.
He attended Chambersburg schools and graduated in 1960 from Mercersburg Academy. He graduated from Allegheny College, Meadeville, Pa., in 1964 and from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in 1968.
He owned and operated a dental practice in Chambersburg until his retirement in 1986.
A U.S. Navy veteran, he served from 1968 to 1972 as a dental officer.
He was a member of St. Johns United Church of Christ, Chambersburg.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Jean Spiegel Edwards, whom he married on June 13, 1964; one daughter, Michelle Kiersarsky of Richmond, Va.; one son, Steven R. Edwards of Reinholds, Pa.; two sisters, Elaine Davis and Carol Butz, both of Chambersburg; one brother, D. Gerald Edwards of St. Thomas, Pa., and two grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held Wednesday at 1 p.m. at St. Johns United Church of Christ, 1811 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg. The Rev. Stephen W. Kauffman will officiate.
There will be no public viewing.
The family requests the omission of flowers, and suggests memorial donations be made to Hospice of the Good Shepherd, 2700 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, Pa. 17201; or Menno Haven Inc., 1427 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.
Arrangements are by Grove Funeral Home, Waynesboro, Pa.
Anna E.S. Baer
QUINCY, Pa. - Anna Elizabeth Socks Baer, 90, of Quincy United Methodist Home, and formerly of 223 Cleveland Ave., Waynesboro, Pa., died Thursday, March, 27, 1997, at the home.
Born Dec. 20, 1906, in Williamsport, she was the daughter of the late Jacob F. and Mary F. Preston Socks Sr.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harris W. Baer Sr., on Aug. 10, 1968. They were married on June 3, 1925.
She was employed as a seasonal worker at fruit packing companies.
She was a member of Blue Rock United Brethren in Christ Church, Tomstown, Pa., the Ladies Bible Class and the Women's Missionary Fellowship Committee.
She is survived by one daughter, Dorothy Mae DeWalt of Chambersburg, Pa.; seven sons, Robert D. Baer of Mont Alto, Pa., John O. Baer of Mercersburg, Pa., Chester E. Baer Sr., Charles O. Baer Sr., Earl C. Baer Sr., Dale R. Baer Sr. and James E. Baer, all of Waynesboro; two sisters, Mary Ellen Trobaugh of Waynesboro and Lois Wagaman of Chambersburg; two brothers, Henry Socks of Tomstown and John E. Socks of Five Forks, Pa.; 38 grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren; 15 great-great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by one daughter, Mary E. Barnhart; one son, Harris W. Baer; two sisters, Catherine Vanino and Carrie Vanino; four brothers, Jacob F. Socks Jr., Hubert Socks, Samuel Socks and Preston Socks; one grandson, Robert DeWalt Jr.; an infant granddaughter, Catherine Barnhart; twin great-granddaughters; and one great-grandson.
Services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Blue Rock United Brethren in Christ Church. The Rev. Irvin T. Shultz will officiate. Burial will be in Parklawn Memorial Gardens, Chambersburg.
The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at Grove Funeral Home, 50 S. Broad St., Waynesboro.
Catherine M. Sprekelmeyer
KEARNEYSVILLE, W.Va. - Catherine Mary Sprekelmeyer, 83, of Kearneysville, died Thursday, March 27, 1997, at Winchester Medical Center, Winchester, Va.
Born July 19, 1913, in Covington, Ky., she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Julia Seiler Osseforth.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Sprekelmeyer, in 1966.
She was a homemaker.
She was a member of St. James Catholic Church, Charles Town, and the Most Precious Blood Catholic Church, Chula Vista, Calif. She was president of Deanery Council for Catholic Women.
She was a former den mother of Boy Scout Troop 835, Chula Vista.
She is survived by one daughter, Kathleen M. Kelleher of Kearneysville; two sons, Edward Robert Sprekelmeyer of Chula Vista and Robert Joseph Sprekelmeyer of Helena, Mont.; three sisters, Mary M. Mueller, Julia T. Osseforth and Elizabeth Woerman, all of Fort Mitchell, Ky.; 24 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; five nieces and three nephews.
She was preceded in death by two daughters, Barbara D. Moore and Juliana C. Taylor; and one brother, Joseph Osseforth.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday at 10 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church. The Rev. Bert Valdes will be celebrant. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, San Diego.
There will be no visitation.
Memorial donations may be made to St. James Catholic Church, P.O. Box 370, Charles Town, W.Va. 25414; or The Most Precious Blood Catholic Church, 1245 4th Ave., Chula Vista, Calif. 91911-3012.
Arrangements are by Melvin T. Strider Colonial Funeral Home, Charles Town.
Doris M. Eby
WILLIAMSPORT - Doris M. Eby, 48, of 14256 Clear Spring Road, died Wednesday, March 26, 1997, at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore.
Born Nov. 18, 1948, in Washington County, she was the daughter of the late Reuben H. and Edna S. Martin Eby Jr.
She was a member of Clear Spring Mennonite Church, Clear Spring.
She is survived by her husband of 28 years, C. Lester Eby; five daughters, Karen L. Diller of Chambersburg, Pa., Diane L. Strite of Williamsport, Brenda L. Martin of Manchester, Ky., Darlis L. Eby and Fonda L. Eby, both at home; three sons, Carl L. Eby of Port-de-Paix, Haiti, Kevin L. Eby and Arvin L. Eby, both at home; four sisters, Rebecca M. Horst and Elizabeth M. Martin, both of Hagerstown, Miriam M. Tucker of Clearville, Pa., and Catherine M. Lehman of Everett, Pa.; two brothers, Benjamin Eby of Hagerstown and Seth Eby of Maugansville; and eight grandchildren.
Services will be held Saturday at 9:30 am. at Reiffs Mennonite Church near Cearfoss. Bishop Reuben Martin, Bishop Darrel Martin, Bishop Glenn Martin and Deacon Jonas Eby will officiate. Burial will be in Clear Spring Mennonite Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends today from 1 to 3 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Clear Spring Mennonite Church, Clear Spring Road, Md. 68, Clear Spring; and one hour prior to the service at Reiffs Mennonite Church.
The family requests the omission of flowers.
Arrangements are by Harold M. Zimmerman and Son Funeral Home, Greencastle, Pa.
Carroll James Jr.
SILVER SPRING, Md. - Carroll James Jr., 60, a disc jockey who claimed to have introduced America to the Beatles in 1963, died Monday, March 24, 1997, at Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring. He had cancer.
Born in Frederick, Md., he was the son of Carroll and Margaret James of Frederick. He grew up in Hagerstown.
He attended Hagerstown high school.
A graduate of Princeton University, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science.
He worked for Hagerstown radio station WJEJ while in high school. While in college, he was a performer and program director at the campus radio station WPRU. He also worked for WCTC in New Brunswick, N.J.
During the summers of 1955 and 1956, he was a relief announcer for WRC in Washington. He also worked as a disc jockey for radio station WMAL in Washington and for WBAL in Baltimore. He worked full time for WTAR radio in Norfolk, Va., before moving to Washington to work at WWDC.
While working as a disc jockey at WWDC radio, he had a flight attendant bring him from England a copy of the record "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles.
He aired the record on Dec. 17, 1963, 10 days ahead of its official release by Capitol Records.
In 1969, he became a freelance announcer. He made public service spots for the Agriculture Department and the Voice of America and voiced radio commercials, film scripts and political campaigns.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard.
He was a member of Christ Congregational Church in Silver Spring.
He also was a member of the Princeton Club.
He was on the board of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He was a member of the Silver Spring Redevelopment Advisory Board that evaluated the proposed America Dream mall for downtown Silver Spring.
In 1994, he wrote, produced and narrated a video on "The H&F Railway, Trolleys Through the Heart of Maryland."
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife of 37 years, Elizabeth M. "Betty" James; two daughters, Christine James Guelcher and Lauren James, both of Bethesda, Md.; and one sister, Martha Nichols of Jarrettsville, Md.
Memorial donations may be made to Camp Friendship, Carol Jean Cancer Foundation Inc., 951 Pershing Drive, Silver Spring, Md. 20901; Metropolitan Washington Ear Inc., 35 University Blvd., East, Silver Spring, Md. 20901; or to Childrens Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 91896, Washington, D.C. 20090.
Arrangements are by Collins Funeral Home, Silver Spring.
Emma J. Merritt
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. - Emma "Emmy" James Merritt, 22, of Pompano Beach and formerly of Kearneysville, W.Va., died Feb. 24, 1997.
Born Sept. 8, 1974, in Ranson, W.Va., she was the daughter of David James of Hagerstown and Barbara James of Martinsburg, W.Va.
She attended North Jefferson Elementary School, Kearneysville. She was a graduate of South Hagerstown High School. She was a student at a community college and was employed as a pharmacy technician.
She attended First Baptist Church of Pompano Beach. She was a member of Grace Reformed United Church of Christ, Kearneysville.
She is survived by her husband, Spencer Merritt; one daughter, Gabrielle Emily Merritt; one son, Nathan Scott Merritt; one sister, Vicki James of Burkittsville, Md.; four brothers, Josh James of Hagerstown, Robert S. Hiltner of Mt. Airy, Md., Donald A. Hiltner of Falling Waters, W.Va., and Sam G. Hiltner of Frederick, Md.; maternal grandparents, Robert and Juanita Davis of Halltown, W.Va., and paternal grandparents, George and Emma James of Jefferson, Md.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, April 6, at 2 p.m. at Grace Reformed United Church of Christ, W.Va. 480, Kearneysville. The Rev. Jeff Shanaberger will officiate.
Fellowship reception will follow in the Educational Building.
Richard W. Souders
Richard Wayne Souders, 71, of 11830 Patrick Road, Hagerstown, who died Tuesday, March 25, 1997, was preceded in death by a sister, Frances Mahler.
Grover S. Smith Jr.
SMITHSBURG - Grover C. Smith Jr., 72, of Pleasant Valley Road, died Tuesday, March 25, 1997, at his home.
Born July 31, 1924, in Pleasant Valley, he was the son of the late Grover C. and K. Pearl Lewis Smith Sr.
His wife, Betty J. Shaffer Smith, died in 1994.
He was employed by Frick Co. in Waynesboro, Pa., Fairchild Aircraft in Hagerstown, Rouzerville Fabrication, and Lynn Fabrication in Hagerstown.
He was a self-employed sawmill operator and sold produce at Hagerstown City Market.
He was a member of Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church.
He is survived by one daughter, Martha J. Reh of Manassas, Va.; one son, Dennis C. Smith of Emmitsburg, Md.; one sister, Elva Mae Dress of Chambersburg, Pa.; one brother, Ivan L. Smith of Smithsburg; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Elvin Ray Smith.
Services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church in Smithsburg. The Rev. John W. Schildt and the Rev. Robert E. Timmons will officiate. Burial will be in Pleasant Valley Cemetery.
The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at Davis Funeral Home in Smithsburg.
