Obituaries by LocationJohn Mortimer, 63, a 25-year resident of North Fayette Township, died suddenly on Sept.17, 2000 in Sewickley Valley Hospital.
He was born on July 16, 1937 in Kane, Pa, a son of the late Harry Mortimer and the late Kathryn Covert. He was an employee of US Tool & Die Co., Turtle Creek, Pa., for 10 years and previously of the former Eastern Airlines for 32 years.
Mr. Mortimer is survived by: his wife of 24 years, Victoria "Vicki" (Veronesi) Mortimer of Coraopolis; his children, Janna Mortimer of Coraopolis and Lisa Matesic of Pittsburgh; brothers, Harry Mortimer of San Juan, Capistrano, Calif. and Edward Mortimer of Brooklyn, Conn.; and grandchild, Lindsey Matesic.
Services were held at Wharton-Herrick Funeral Home in Imperial, with the Rev. Dr. Thomas Petrosky of Valley Presbyterian Church officiating.
Internment was held at Monongahela Cemetery, Monongahela, Pa.
Wilde (Tutwiler) Roush, 91, a 17-year resident of Avalon, died Sept. 15, 2000 in the Presbyterian Senior Center.
She was born in Pittsburgh on Jan. 28, 1909, a daughter of the late John and Elizabeth (Helfer) Fisher.
Mrs. Roush was a homemaker and member of the Greenstone United Methodist Church in Avalon.
She is survived by: her son, the Rev. George Tutwiler, minister of music at Coraopolis United Methodist Church, of Aspinwall; her daughter-in-law, Janet Roush of Cherry Hill, N.J.; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held at Greenstone United Methodist Church, 939 California Ave., Avalon, with the Rev. Janes Shaver, Jr. officiating.Family received friends in the church parlor after the service. Internment was private in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park.
Memorial contributions can be made in her name to her church or to the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N. Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15208. Arrangements were made by Copeland's Coraopolis Funeral Home, 867 Fifth Ave., Coraopolis.
George Scharff, 82, of Marietta, died on Oct. 3, 2000 at the Arbors at Marietta, Ohio.
He was born on Jan. 29, 1918 in Pittsburgh, a son of the the late William and Emma (Wobb) Scharff.
He was a pipe fitter, having worked for Dravo Corp. for 35 years before retiring in 1978. He had moved to Marietta in June of 1950, with the Dravo, Corp. He was a member of the American Legion, Post #64 and a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church.
Mr. Scharff was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was an avid gardener and loved woodworking.
He is survived by one son, Fred Scharff, and his wife, Elaine of Parkersburg, W.Va.; four daughters, Phyllis Meister and her husband, Don, of Marietta; Christine McKenzie, of San Diego, Calif.; Debbie Dennis and her husband, Stefan of Findlay, Ohio; and Mary "Petey" Decker and her husband, Dave, of Harriettsville, Ohio; 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; three sisters, Dorothea Majestic of Coraopolis, Barbara Winters and her husband, Ed, of Malta, Ohio, and Thyra DeMarco of Russell, Kan.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary (Tomana) Scharff on July 21, 1992. They had been married on Feb. 19, 1938.
Also preceded by a grandson, David Chutes; a brother, Fred Scharff; and three sisters, Edythe Merritt, Margaret Mackins and Helen Messmer.
Funeral Liturgy, with Mass, was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Marietta with Msgr. Edward Kakascik as celebrant. Burial was held in new St. Mary's Cemetery, with full military rites being observed.
Eleanor Murphy Shaffer, 94, formerly of Chippewa Township, died Sept. 19, 2000, in the Mariner Care Home, Moon Township.
She was born on Jan. 27, 1906 in Beaver Falls, a daughter of the late Edward and Mary Murphy.
She was a past member of the Chippewa Lions Club and member of the Chippewa United Methodist Church for the last 51 years.
Surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Gerry Fisher of Sewickley; a son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Barbara Shaffer of Darlington, Pa.; three grandchildren, Lynn and her husband Kirk Anderson of Cranberry, Pam and her husband, Nick Kruschke of Chagrin Falls, Ohio; and Dave Fisher and his wife Kristen, of Cranberry; four great-grandchildren, Berkley, Hanna, Troy and Cole; and a brother, Dr. Ken Murphy, Columbiana, Ohio.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Shaffer, in 1969 and two brothers, Edward and Raymond Murphy.
Campbell's Chippewa Funeral Home was in charge of all arrangements.
Charles Stoner, 73, of Moon Township died Sept. 22, 2000 at Wightman Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Squirrel Hill.
He was born on April 29, 1927, a son of the late Robert and Elva (Evans) Stoner.
Mr. Stoner was a retired rector for Duquesne Light Co., where he worked for 45 years. He served as president of Duquesne Light Co. Retirees Club which met once a month.
He also was a member of F & AM McKees Rocks, Pa. Lodge.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Rosemary (Yuzenas) Stoner, of Moon Township; daughters, Linda Foster of Neville Island, Gail McQuiston of Neville Island, and Roxanne Timulak of Raccoon Township; son, Marc Stoner of Modesta, Calif.; sisters, Leona Cornelius, of Coraopolis, Margie Jellison, of Brookline; brothers, Robert Stoner, Jr., of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Lawrence Stoner of Orange County, Calif.; and 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation was held at Copeland's Moon Township Funeral Home, 981 Brodhead Road, where services were held with the Rev. James Tracey officiating.
Mary Terenzio, 83, who lived most of her life in Coraopolis and 20 years in Banning, Calif., died Sept. 12, 2000 in the Beaver Medical Center.
She was born in Coraopolis on March 27, 1917, a daughter of the late Mark and Angeline (Melisci) Terenzio.
She was president of AARP in Banning, Calif.; a volunteer as a Pink Lady in SanGorgnia Passavant Hospital; and president of Grandmothers Club, Banning, Calif.
Ms. Terenzio is survived by her two nephews, Ronald Terenzio and his wife Barbara of Billings, Mont. and Robert Terenzio of Graham, WA; her niece, Linda Sutliff and her husband, Tom, of Hemet, Calif.; three grandnephews and nieces; and many great-grandnephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Lawrence Terenzio, and her sister-in-law, Luda Terenzio.
Friends were received at Copeland's Coraopolis Funeral Home, where the service was held. The Rev. Wayne Jackson officiated. Burial was held in the family lot in St. Joseph Cemetery.
Memorials can be made in her name to the First Assemblies of God, State and Maple, Coraopolis, Pa. 15108.
James Turko, 50, of Robinson Township died suddenly on Sept 23, 2000 in Ohio Valley General Hospital.
He was born on July 21, 1950, a son of to Stella (Terpack) Turko and the late Frank Turko.
He was an electrician for 27 years at Norfolk and Southern Railroad.
He was a lifelong resident of the area; member of Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church; and member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
He also was a Vietnam era war veteran.
He is survived by his wife, Donna (Paulson) Turko of Robinson Township; his mother, Stella (Terpack) Turko of Euless, Texas; siblings, Connie Spagnoli of Roanoke, Texas and Cindy Dotchin and Chris Herring, both of Euless, Texas; and children, James Turko of Monaca, Pa., Lori and her husband Thomas Maceikis of Port Charlotte, Fla., and Brian Turko, Robinson Township.
Visitation was held at Copeland's Moon Township Funeral Home, 981 Brodhead Road.
Mass of Christian Burial was held in St. Margaret Mary Church, Moon Township, with the Rev. John Ayoob officiating. Burial was in Holy Trinity Cemetery.
Mary Ruth Turner, 83, of Leetsdale died Sept. 13, 2000.
She was born Sept 19, 1916 in Chesapeake Bay, Md. to the late Zebedee Harris and the late Edith (Grigg) Harris.
Mrs. Turner was a housewife and member of the St. Matthews AME Zion Church, Sewickley.
She is survived by her sons, William Turner of Edgeworth and Richard Turner of California; her daughter, Mary Ruth (Sweetie) Turner Mitchell of Coraopolis; her brothers, Robert Harris of Ambridge and Joseph Harris of Pittsburgh; and her three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and two great, great- grandchildren.
Arrangements were made by the Richard Cole Funeral Home, 328 Beaver Street, Sewickley.
James Bonham, age 80 of Coraopolis, died Sept. 15, 2000 of Alzheimer's Disease in the Atrium I, Robinson Township where he has been a resident for four years.
The owner of J.H. Bonham Agency, formerly located in Moon Township, Mr. Bonham was a successful independent agent for Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance.
His community-minded business served policy holders from the surrounding areas for 31 years.
His Beaver Grade Road agency was purchased in 1984 by Myer & Eckenrode Insurance agency, Carnegie.
Mr. Bonham was a long-time member of Montour Heights Country Club.
He attended Mercersburg Academy in 1939 after graduating from Coraopolis High School.
He went on to play football as part of the Class of 1944 at Penn State.
He was captain of the junior varsity team his freshman year and played varsity his sophomore year.
His college football career ended in 1942 when he enlisted in the armed forces.
He was awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, having been wounded in a battle in the Netherlands in 1943.
His commanding officer wrote of that battle- 35th Infantry Division of Germany, first lieutenant, 784 Tank Battalion:
"When the maintenance section of this unit was cut off from the main body of the tank column, Lt. Bonham promptly directed mortar fire on the enemy, then proceeded to fire a rocket launcher with good effect until he was seriously wounded by enemy fire.
His courageous initiative and disregard for personal safety reflects the credit upon his character as an officer."
His severe injuries led to two years of convalescing in three East Coast army hospitals.
He eventually returned to Coraopolis after retiring as a commissioned officer.
Even in his darkest hours, as he fought the Alzheimer's Disease, he was always considered a gentleman by family, friends and nursing staff.
His wife, Edna Bonham, also of Coraopolis, whom he married at St. Stephens Church, Sewickley, in 1950, preceded him in death.
He is survived by: his son, Benjamin Bonham; his daughter-in-law, Amy Bonham; and his grandchildren, Marian Rae and Lillian Rose Bonham.
He will be sorely missed and remembered fondly.
Services were held at Atrium I Chapel, Robinson Township.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, 241 Fourth Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222, or to the Alzheimer's Disease Alliance of Western Pa., Atrium I NSG Research Center, 5180 Campbells Run Road, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15205.
Arrangements were made by Copeland's Coraopolis Funeral Home, 867 Fifth Ave., Coraopolis.
