U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Samuel R. Pifer
MARSHALL, N.C. - Samuel R. Pifer, 21, of Marshall, North Carolina passed on Tuesday (July 1, 2008) at Geisinger Medical Center following an accident.
Sam was a resident of Galeton, Pa. before moving to North Carolina in 2005. He was a graduate of Galeton High School Class of 2005.
Sam worked at Borg Warner in Asheville for the past two years.
He is remembered as a “bright light” among his family, friends, and acquaintances and left an impression on all he met. He was a gifted drummer, having studied in Ghana Africa for a month shortly after graduating. He was also a natural comedian, keeping his family and friends laughing just by being himself.
He is survived by his mother and father, Steve and Lore Pifer of Galeton; two sisters, Autumn (Justin) Harter of Galeton, Pa. and Erika (Jerry) Schilling of North Carolina. Also surviving are his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Heers of Wellsville, and Rev. and Mrs. Walter Pifer of Wellsboro, Pa.
Sam, you are the man, and you changed all of our lives forever.
Yvonne Merritt
BOLIVAR - Yvonne Andrews Merritt, 64, of 6625 Phillips Hill Road, died Wednesday (July 16, 2008) at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.
She was born on June 14, 1944, in Wellsville, the daughter of John and Loula (Burrows) Andrews. On May 12, 1963, in Jacksonville, Fla., she married Gerald Merritt, who survives.
Yvonne was a 1962 graduate of Wellsville High School. She was employed as a bookkeeper at Arnoys & Dye in Wellsville for many years. She was a lifelong member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Wellsville.
Surviving in addition to her husband of 45 years is her brother, Donald B. (Cheryl) Andrews of St. Petersburg, Fla.; a nephew, Andy Andrews of Bolivar; and a sister-in-law, Genelda (Wayne) Gray of Gainesville, Fla.
She was predeceased, in addition to her parents, by a beloved aunt, Carrie Burrows.
Friends are invited to call from 7-8 p.m. Monday at the J. W. Embser Sons Funeral Home, Inc., 34 W. State St. in Wellsville. The funeral will follow visitation at 8 p.m. Monday in the funeral home with Rev. Marian Schneider presiding. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Memorial suggestions include the Allegany County Office for the Aging, 17 Court St., Belmont, NY 14813.
Starla A. Button
SHINGLEHOUSE, Pa. - Starla A. Button, 40, of Shinglehouse, Pa., died Tuesday (June 24, 2008). Born Nov. 7, 1967, in Coudersport, Pa., she was the daughter of Ralph L. Flynn and Carol Hurd Button.
Surviving are her longtime companion, Allan Mellin; her mother, Carol Houghtaling of Taylor, Texas; maternal grandmother, Bernice Ordway of Canisteo, N.Y.; daughters, Kelly Stacey, Kristy Stacey, Katrina Stacey and Kassandra Stacey, all of Shillington, Pa., Kimberly Stacey of Reading, Pa., Samantha Mellin and Amanda Mellin, both of Shinglehouse, and Lisa Button of Alma, N.Y.; six grandchildren; brothers, Scott Button of Alma, John Houghtaling of Thrall, Texas, and John Houghtaling of Taylor; sisters; Carla Button and Kelly Houghtaling, both of Taylor, and Darla Burdick of Little Valley, N.Y.; and nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her father, Ralph L. Flynn.
A memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Monday in the Olney Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Ulysses, Pa. Burial will be in Ulysses Cemetery.
Catherine P. ‘pee dee’ Cleary
WELLSVILLE - Catherine P. “pee dee” Cleary, a longtime Wellsville resident, passed away Wednesday (June 25, 2008) in Fairport at the home of her daughter, surrounded by her loving family. She was born Nov. 4, 1936, in Providence, R.I., to John E. and Evelyn B. Hunt Powell.
Pee dee graduated from both Wellsville High School and Geneseo State College. She started teaching at the Allentown School in the mid 1970s. She moved to Scio Central School when the Allentown School closed and retired from there in 2001. Pee dee loved teaching in both schools and loved and cherished all of her wonderful friends.
She was a member of the Jones Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and enjoyed volunteering with her friends at the many hospital fund-raisers. Pee dee was a member of the Scio Teachers’ Literary Society and the Wegman’s Coffee Club. She and her family would like all who knew her to remember her silly, smiling and laughing face.
She is survived by her loving family: three daughters, Julie (Joe) Howland of Dawsonville, Ga., Anne Cleary of Rochester and Elizabeth (Thomas) Root of Fairport; and beloved granddaughters, Lauryn and Anna Howland.
Friends are invited to attend a memorial service to celebrate her life at 2 p.m. Saturday in the J.W. Embser Sons Funeral Home, Inc. in Wellsville. Deacon Frank Pasquale will preside. Burial will take place in Woodlawn Cemetery, next to her parents. Memorials in pee dee’s name may be made to either the David A. Howe Public Library or to the Jones Memorial Hospital Building Fund.
Donald Jay Kozlowski
VENUS, Texas - Donald Jay Kozlowski, 48, a former Wellsville resident, died July 4, 2008 in Venus, Texas after a long illness.
He was born Oct. 16, 1959, in Wellsville, the son of Henry and Jean Lynough Kozlowski. On March 18, 1982, in the Phillipines, he married Elisa Lato, who survives.
He attended both the Friendship and Wellsville high schools. He resided in Venus for the past 18 years and served as a cook in the U.S. Navy for 21 years.
Surviving are his wife, Elisa; mother, Jean Kozlowski of Wellsville; four children and seven great-grandchildren, all of Venus; a sister, Victoria Schultz of Phoenix, Ariz.; brothers, James Kozlowski of Wellsville, Kevin Kozlowski of Spokane, Wash. and Thomas Kozlowski of Putnam, Conn.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was also predeceased by his father, Henry Kozlowski, in 1977, and a brother, David J. Kozlowski, in 1991.
Funeral and interment services were held July 9 in Venus.
Lila Gagen Church
WINTER PARK, Fla. - Lila Gagen Church died June 12, 2008, after a brief illness. Lila was 98. She resided in the retirement home of Winter Park Towers in Winter Park for the past 24 years.
Lila was born Dec. 29, 1909, in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. She came to Buffalo, N.Y., in 1925 and attended nursing school at Myer Memorial Hospital, graduating in 1929. In 1936, in Wellsville, she married John Church. John died in 1958.
Lila worked as a staff and private duty nurse at Jones Memorial Hospital during the ‘50s. After John died, she worked as a nurse for the Alfred University Infirmary until she retired at the age of 65. She also worked summers as the staff nurse for Camp Whippoorwill in the Adirondacks for approximately 12 years. Lila also was the relief nurse at Worthington Corp.
She loved volunteering for the Red Cross Blood Bank, delivering books or working the snack bar at Jones Memorial. She loved to play bridge with her friends, knit and do crewel in her spare time. She was a faithful member of the United Methodist Church in Wellsville, participating in the choir, was a twig member and volunteered for many church activities.
She is survived by their three children, Maynard (Bonnie) Church of York, Pa.; Tom (Linda) Church of Fort Worth, Texas and Annabelle (Hank) Osgood of Sunland, Calif; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Thanks for being you, Mom - you did a great job raising the three of us and we will all miss you.
Friends and family may call from 9-10:30 a.m. July 12 at the Mulholland-Crowell Funeral Home, with a memorial service following at 11 a.m.
The family would ask that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Jones Memorial Hospital, 191 N. Main Street, Wellsville, NY 14895, c/o Judy Burt, Community Relations.
Patricia Stewart
WHITESVILLE - Patricia Stewart, 64, of Snow Road, Whitesville, passed away Tuesday (June 24, 2008) at WCA Hospital, Jamestown.
Born May 3, 1944, in Hornell, she was the daughter of Lloyd and Marjorie (Scutt) Graves and stepdaughter of Roddie Duell. She graduated from Whitesville Central School in 1962. On April 8, 1966, in Hartsville, she married Sterling Stewart.
Pat loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She enjoyed doing and giving away many crafts to her friends and family. She was also an active member of the Red Hat Society. Pat’s dog, Lady, and cat, Leslie, were a great source of love and joy for her.
In addition to her husband, surviving are her children, Michelle (Steven) Boissenin of Wellsville, Janet Stewart of Niagara Falls, Tammi (Richard) Reeves of North Tonawanda, Stephanie (Cory) Feneran of Falconer and Edward Fahs of Wellsville; two brothers, Lloyd (Delmar) Graves of North Tonawanda and Gerald (Rosemary) Graves of Rochester; one sister, Jacquline (Gary) Moon of Whitesville; 11 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Pat will also be greatly missed by her special friends, Liz Fetterhoff, Faith Ann Lee, Sarah Deguire and Harry Smith.
Mrs. Stewart was predeceased by her parents; stepfather; a son-in-law, Timothy Emmick; and one grandchild, Richard Robert Reeves Jr.
Friends will be received from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. today at Howard’s Funeral Home. Funeral and committal services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Robert Morris of the Trinity Lutheran Church officiating. Interment will be immediately following at the Whitesville Rural Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the SPCA Serving Allegany County or the Kidney Foundation of Western New York.
Arrangements are under the direction of Howard’s Funeral Home, 931 Maple Ave., Whitesville.
ETHEL B. SCHRADER
WELLSVILLE - Ethel B. Schrader of Riverside Drive, passed away peacefully at the Wellsville Manor Nursing Home on Saturday (April 5, 2008). Friends are invited to call from 10-11 a.m. Tuesday in the First Trinity Lutheran Church in Wellsville. Her funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. in the church. Arrangements are under the direction of the J.W. Embser Sons Funeral Home.
