U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-CurrentCARTER - Charles 4/13/01
A memorial service for Charles Carter, a retired Western Electric employee, will be held on Grand Island at a future date.
Carter, 77, died Monday (April 9, 2001) in Hernando/Pasco Hospice, Hernando Beach, Fla. A Buffalo native, he moved to Spring Hill, Fla., 11 years ago after retiring from the plant's shipping department. He was a member of Telephone Pioneers.
Surviving are his wife, Dorothy; seven sons, Thomas of Jacksonville, Fla., James of Navarre, Fla., Raymond of Orchard Park, Donald of Orlando, Fla., Charles of Albuquerque, N.M., Kenneth of Grand Island and Paul of Winter Park, Fla.; two daughters, Mary Ann Lunde of Miramar, Fla., and Patricia Woodham of Ocoee, Fla.; and 16 grandchildren.
COUGHENOUR - Galen R., retired carpenter 4/13/01
Galen R. Coughenour of Cheektowaga, a retired carpenter and D-Day veteran, died Tuesday (April 10, 2001) in Heathwood Health Care Center, Amherst, after suffering a stroke March 30. He was 81.
Born in Pittsburgh, Coughenour moved to Cheektowaga in 1955 and lived there until the last few years of his life.
A former U.S. Navy Seabee, he took part in the Normandy invasion during World War II.
After the war, he was a self-employed carpenter before joining Local No. 9. He worked for 25 years as a carpenter before retiring at age 60.
Coughenour loved to make woodcarvings, tend his garden and do country line dances. He was also a hunter and fisherman.
He is survived by a son, Kenneth of Akron; two brothers, Ross of Elma and Bob of San Antonio, Texas; and two sisters, Violet Lindsay of Charlotte, N.C., and Virginia Hirshmeir of Washington.
A memorial service will be scheduled in First Baptist Church, 11651 Bullis Road, Marilla. Burial will be in Clarence Fillmore Cemetery.
JOHNSON - Norma 4/13/01
WHEATFIELD - Services for Norma Johnson, a longtime homemaker, were held Monday in Hamp Funeral Home, 37 Adam St., City of Tonawanda.
Mrs. Johnson, 63, died April 5, 2001, in a fire at her home on Witmer Road.
Born Norma Martin in Houtzdale, Pa., she moved to Wheatfield in 1965.
Family members described her as a loving person who brought people together.
She is survived by her husband of 45 years, David E.; two daughters, Denise and Karen, both of Niagara Falls; a son, Jody of Kentucky; her parents, John and Eleanor Martin of Houtzdale, Pa.; a sister, Doris Paulson of Jamestown; and seven grandchildren.
MCMANUS - Raymond, retired ironworker 4/13/01
Raymond McManus of Amherst, a retired ironworker, died Wednesday (April 11, 2001) in Kenmore Mercy Hospital after a short illness. He was 75.
A Buffalo native, McManus was a 50-year resident of Amherst.
A member of Iron Workers Local 6, he retired in 1985.
He was a World War II veteran of the Navy, serving as a medic detached to the Marine Corps.
McManus was a member of Post 2472, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Post 205, American Legion. He also was a member of Master Builders Lodge 911, F&AM.
He was an avid fisherman.
He was the widower of Audrey McManus.
Survivors include his wife, the former Suzanne Hens; a daughter, Sandra Crawford of the Town of Tonawanda; three stepsons, Thomas, Scott and Matthew Via, and one stepdaughter, Sarah Sanger, all of Buffalo; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 8 p.m. today in Amigone Funeral Home, 2600 Sheridan Drive, Town of Tonawanda. Private burial will be in Acacia Park Cemetery, Pendleton.
RAUCCIO - Patsy W., retired plumber 4/13/01
NIAGARA FALLS - Patsy W. Rauccio, a retired plumber and steamfitter, died Sunday (April 8, 2001) in Sun City Center, Fla. He was 86.
Born in Niagara Falls, he attended local schools. He worked as a plumber and steamfitter for 30 years, primarily for the former Joseph A. Mariglio Plumbing Co., from which he retired after 25 years in 1977.
Rauccio was a member of Local 22 of the Plumber-Steamfitters Union, Niagara Falls, and a lifetime member of the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 838. He also was a member of the former Cataract Lawn Bowling Club of Niagara Falls. In 1999, he moved to Sun City Center, where he was a member of the Sun City Center Lawn Bowling Club.
His late wife, the former Susanna M. Corsaro, to whom he was married for 64 years, died in 1999.
Survivors include two daughters, Eileen J. Bertram of Hobe Sound, Fla., and Patricia J. Grabowski of Sun City Center, Fla.; two sisters, Kaye Weibe and Mae Murray, both of Niagara Falls; two brothers, Joseph of Niagara Falls and Andrew of Niagara Falls, Ont.; 14 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and five great-great grandchildren.
Prayers will be said at 10 a.m. Monday in M.J. Colucci & Son Funeral Chapel, 468 19th St., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. in St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1413 Pine Ave. Entombment will be in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
SCHWAB - Frederick J., owned dealership 4/13/01
Frederick J. Schwab of North Java, former owner of Schwab Brothers Buick-Pontiac in North Java, died unexpectedly in his home Wednesday (April 11, 2001). He was 82.
A native and lifelong resident of North Java, Schwab graduated from Niagara University in 1939 with a degree in business administration.
He initially started Schwab Brothers Automotive with his brother, but ended up owning and operating the dealership himself. He worked there for 50 years before retiring eight years ago.
Schwab was a parishioner at St. Nicholas Church in North Java and was a life member of the Knights of Columbus in Yorkshire. An avid fisherman and golfer, he also loved to play cards and the guitar.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, the former Mary Klein; three sons, Thomas of Colorado Springs, Colo., and David and Walter of North Java; six daughters, Elaine Schwab of Oakhill, Carole McGuire of Warsaw, Janice Henneberger of North Java, Julia Schwab of Perrysburg, Marie Ryan of Warsaw and Alice Jackson of East Aurora; a brother, Richard of Batavia; a sister, Anne of North Java; 17 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday in St. Nicholas Church.
SGRO - John, retired bricklayer veteran 4/13/01
NIAGARA FALLS - Services for John Sgro, a retired bricklayer, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in Colucci & Son Funeral Chapel, 468 19th St.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 in St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1413 Pine Ave. Interment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery.
Sgro died Wednesday (April 11, 2001) in Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center after a brief illness. He was 79.
Born in Niagara Falls, Sgro attended local schools. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and fought in Europe.
He was a bricklayer for the City of Niagara Falls for more than 50 years and retired in the mid-1980s. Sgro was a member of the former Local 2 of the Niagara Falls Bricklayers Union and later was a member of Local 45 of the Buffalo Bricklayers Union.
His wife, the former Mafalda J. Fera, died in 1997.
Survivors include two sons, Frank and John; three daughters, Sharon Greenwood, Deborah Curtis and Doreen; two sisters, Nellie Ruffolo and Frances Simone, all of Niagara Falls; a brother, Joseph of Olean; 11 grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.
