Charles Willis
BOLIVAR, W.Va. - Charles "Minnie" Willis, 83, of 644 Union St., died Sunday, March 30, 1997, at Integrated Health Services Nursing Home in Charles Town, W.Va.
Born Dec. 21, 1913, in Bolivar, he was the son of the late Harry Henry and Jaminia Fox Willis.
His wife, Mazie Brown Willis, preceded him in death.
A retired chef, he had worked at Hilltop House Hotel in Harpers Ferry, W.Va., and Goose Creek Country Club in Leesburg, Va.
A veteran of World War II, he served with the U.S. Army.
He is survived by one son, Charles L. Willis Jr. of White Plains, N.Y.; three sisters, Elaine Stout of Bronx, N.Y., Geraldine Turner of Plainfield, Conn., and Iria J. Pendleton of Harpers Ferry, W.Va.; one brother, Adrian Willis of Wheaton, Md.; and one granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by six sisters.
Services will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Eackles-Spencer Funeral Home in Harpers Ferry. The Rev. Paul Turner Jr. will officiate. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Harpers Ferry.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home today from 7 to 8 p.m.
R. Reno Smith
WILLIAMSPORT - R. Reno Smith, 85, of Spielman Road, died Friday, March 28, 1997, at Homewood Retirement Center, Williamsport.
Born Nov. 26, 1911, in Downsville, he was the son of the late John and Leatha Roberts Waffensmith.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Elsie Louise Ruffner Smith, in 1982.
He was employed as a school bus contractor in Washington County. He also was owner and operator of Smith grocery store in Downsville. He was last employed by Grove Manufacturing in Shady Grove, Pa.
He was a member of Downsville Christian Church.
He was a member of AARP.
He is survived by two daughters, Barbara R. Miller of Downsville and Joann Miller of Smithsburg; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one son, Calvin R. Smith.
Memorial services will be announced later by Davis Funeral Home, Smithsburg.
Earl E. Stoey
STATE LINE, Pa. - The family of Earl E. Stoey, 64, of 762 Redwood Drive, who died Thursday, March 27, 1997, requests memorial donations be made in his name to Hospice of the Good Shepherd, 176 S. Coldbrook Ave., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.
Ethel V. James
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Services for Ethel Virginia James, 83, of Martinsburg, who died Saturday, March 29, 1997, will be held today at 2:30 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg.
John J. Morrow
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - John J. Morrow, 92, of Menno-Haven, and formerly of 1426 Alexander Ave., died Monday, March 31, 1997, at the nursing home.
Born Jan. 6, 1905, in Altoona, Pa., he was the son of the late Samuel E. and Gertrude Morrison Morrow.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Hollar Morrow, on Nov. 12, 1971.
He was a 1923 graduate of Altoona High School and a 1928 graduate of U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. He received his master's degree in education from Duke University in 1959.
His Air Force career began in 1929 with pilot training at Brooks and Kelly Fields. He later served in the Pacific Theater, where he was stationed at Saipan, Guam, Japan, Korea and Okinawa.
He participated in 50 combat missions while assigned to the A-4 7th Bomber Command in the Pacific and returned to the United States as inspector general, Air Training Command. After graduating from the National War College, he was assigned as chief of staff at the U.S. Military Academy.
His last assignments were with the Office of Deputy Chief of Staff Intelligence, HQ, USAF, in the Pentagon. He retired as a colonel with HQ Allied Air Forces Central Europe Fountainebleau, France.
He taught math at Penn State Mont Alto from 1959-1970.
He received the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross; Bronze Star; eight Air Medals and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
He was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Falling Spring, where he was a former elder and a member of the Evangelism Committee.
He also was a member of the Falling Spring Horse Valley Acres Inc.
He is survived by two daughters, Jane Morrow of Chambersburg and Virginia Dress of Athens, Ga.; two sons, Philip E. Morrow of Anchorage, Alaska, and Robert Morrow of Carlisle, Pa.; one sister, Amy L. Morrow of Holidaysburg, Pa.; 11 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church of Falling Spring. The Rev. William H. Harter and the Rev. Linda B. Harter will officiate. Burial will be in the Post Cemetery, U.S. Military Academy, West Point.
Visitation will be Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. at Robert G. Sellers Funeral Home, 297 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg.
Memorial donations may be made to the Family Life Center of the Presbyterian Church of Falling Spring, 221 N. Main St., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.
Marlene Custer
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Marlene Custer, 61, of Martinsburg, died Monday, March 31, 1997, at Winchester Medical Center, Winchester, Va.
Born Sept. 14, 1935, in Columbus, Ohio, she was the daughter of the late John Henry and Flo Gentry Rackham.
She retired as a secretary from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
She was a member of Johnsontown Bible Church.
She is survived by her husband of 37 years, Kenneth W. Custer Sr.; four sons, Kenneth W. Custer Jr. of Martinsburg, Terry Custer of Cabot, Ark., Anthony Custer of Hancock and John Alexander of Cincinnati; one sister, Emma Winegardner of Hurst, Texas; 10 grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by one brother, Robert Rackham.
Services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at Rosedale Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Jack Rudy will officiate. Burial will be in Rosedale Cemetery.
The family will receive friends today from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 211 35 St., S.E., Charleston, W.Va. 25301; or The Diabetes Association, West Virginia Affiliate, 1036 Quarrier St., Room 404, Charleston, W.Va. 25301.
Donald J. Hudson
WILLIAMSPORT - Donald Joseph Hudson, 63, of 16740 Buford Drive, died Monday, March 31, 1997, at Washington County Hospital.
Born Aug. 21, 1933, in Cumberland, Md., he was the son of the late Calvin Robert and Margaret Victoria Wolfe Hudson.
He was a 1961 graduate of Tennessee Technology University, where he received a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology.
He was employed by Mack Trucks for 25 years. He then was employed by the City of Hagerstown for seven years, retiring in 1995.
A veteran of the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Navy.
He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Halfway.
He was a member of Potomac Post 202 American Legion, Williamsport.
He is survived by his wife, Patsy Delores Gapp Hudson; two daughters, Pamela Thrailkill of Hagerstown and Donna Hudson, at home; four sons, Stephen Hudson, Michael Hudson and Douglas Hudson, all of Williamsport, and Kenneth Hudson of Las Vegas; three sisters, Patricia Fabri of Frostburg, Md., Sister Dolores Hudson of Cumberland, and Mary Margaret Wilhelm of Bedford, Pa.; five brothers, William Hudson of Hagerstown, Thomas Hudson of Short Gap, W.Va., John Hudson, Harold Hudson and James Hudson, all of Cumberland; and six grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 17628 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown. The Rev. Keith W. Boisvert will be celebrant. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Park, Williamsport.
The family will receive friends at Osborne Funeral Home, 425 S. Conococheague St., Williamsport, today from 7 to 9 p.m., where a Christian wake will be held at 8:30 p.m. For the convenience of family and friends, the funeral home will be open today after 9 a.m.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Joseph's Catholic Church Building Fund, 17628 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown, Md. 21740.
Myron H. Ridgely
PORT RICHEY, Fla. - Myron "Pete" H. Ridgely, 64, of Port Richey and formerly of Hagerstown, died March 18, 1997, in Port Richey.
Born Sept. 15, 1932, in Hagerstown, he was the son of the late Guy and Edna Ridgely.
He was the owner of Auntie Anne's Pretzels stores in Tampa, Fla., and Port Richey and Rye Field Deli, Clearwater, Fla. He previously was co-owner of Tri-Fab Inc., Waynesboro, Pa. He was employed by Danzer Metal Works, Hagerstown.
He was a member of Longmeadow Rotary Club; Elks Club; and Ducks Unlimited.
He is survived by his wife, Kay Ridgely; two daughters, Kim Benner of Sharpsburg and Jodi Davis of Frederick, Md.; one sister, Helen Schafer of Hagerstown; two brothers, Guy Ridgely of Funkstown and Elwood Ridgely of Hagerstown; and three granddaughters.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, Michalé Ridgely; one sister, Dorothy Finfrock and two brothers, Charles Ridgely and James Ridgely.
A memorial service will be held Friday at 7 p.m. at Ringgold Church of Christ, 14426 Barkdoll Road, Hagerstown. Pastor Don Conley will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, Hagerstown.
Janet L. Crist
FAYETTEVILLE, Pa. - Janet L. Crist, 77, of Piney Mountain Home, and formerly of Scotland, Pa., died Sunday, March 30, 1997, at Piney Mountain Home.
Born Feb. 5, 1920, in Chambersburg, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Arthur R. and Minnie M. Fahnestock McCans.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard G. Crist, in 1976.
She was a 1938 graduate of Chambersburg High School.
She had worked for the former Stanley Co. for 43 years.
She was a member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Chambersburg.
She is survived by one son, Jeffry Crist of Arizona; one sister, Joan Knepper of Fayetteville; one brother, Arthur R. McCans of Chambersburg; and nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by one sister.
Graveside services will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Corpus Christi Catholic Cemetery, Lincoln Way West, Chambersburg. The Rev. Jude Dawson-Amoah will officiate.
There will be no viewing.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, Franklin County Chapter, 5020 Ritter Road, Suite 106, Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17055.
Arrangements are by Robert G. Sellers Funeral Home, Chambersburg.
