Obituaries by LocationSONIA (EVANS) PERELLA
Sonia (Evans) Perella, of Swissvale, died Saturday, Nov. 20, 1999. She was the wife of the late Howard "Rick" Evans, and the late Corey Perella. Beloved mother of William "Bill" Evans and his wife, Robin Lynne, of Murrysville and the late Van Evans. Grandmother of Gracey Lynne, April Lynne and Brandon. Friends will be received Sunday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the THOMAS L. NIED FUNERAL HOME INC., 7441 Washington St., Swissvale. Services Tuesday in the funeral home, at a time to be announced.
MARJORIE L. MILLIGAN
Marjorie L. Milligan, 81, of Monroeville, formerly of Murrysville, died Friday, Nov. 19, 1999, in Independence Court, Monroeville. She was born June 12, 1918, in Pittsburgh, the daughter of the late William and Sarah Hill Irish. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Murrysville; was employed by the Franklin Regional School District for many years; assisted with the Murrysville Meals on Wheels; and was a former member of the Murrysville Women's Club. She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbert H. Milligan Jr. She is survived by four children, Bert Milligan and his wife, Ann, of Export, Nancy Grubich and her husband, Gary, of Delmont, Bill Milligan and his wife, Kathy, of Richmond Hills, Ga., and Mark Milligan and his wife, Lisa, of Naples, Fla.; nine grandchildren, Shelley, Aaron, Emily, Matthew, Mark, Kristin, Rebecca, Michael and Meghan; and a brother, William Irish of Virginia. Visitation Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the JOHN T. HART FUNERAL HOME, 3103 Lillian Ave., Murrysville. A service will be held Monday at 11 a.m. in the First Presbyterian Church of Murrysville with Dr. T. Ewen Holmes officiating. Interment will follow in the Twin Valley Memorial Park, Delmont. If desired, memorials may be made to the church or to the Murrysville Meals on Wheels.
TRACY (MARTHA) EARLEY-SILBERMAN
Tracy (Martha) Earley-Silberman. Amazing and very loved wife of James C. Silberman, passed away from her pain early Friday morning, Nov. 19, 1999. She leaves her loving son, Patrick Earley of Jacksonville, Fla.; daughters, Leslie Adelsheim of Boston, Mass., and Julie Silberman of St. Petersburg, Fla.; a son, Todd Silberman of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; also surviving are her sister, Mary Kay Golomb; granddaughters, Sara and Rachel Adelsheim; two nephews; and her father and stepmother, William and Alpha Schultz of Pawley's Island, S.C. A wonderful lady with inner strength and a never-failing sense of humor who touched all our lives. Friends may call Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. at H. SAMSON INC., 537 Neville St., Oakland, where a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Interment private. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation.
ROBERT R. MILLER SR.
Robert R. "Eppy" Miller Sr., of Millvale, on Friday, Nov. 19, 1999. Husband of the late Edith M. (Young) Miller; and father of the Rev. Linda Miller-Pretz, Robert R. Miller Jr., Richard Miller and Kathy Burkhart. Also survived by seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Visitation 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 12 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the JACK W. AMICK FUNERAL HOME INC., 512 Grant Ave., Millvale. Funeral services will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at First United Church of Christ. Everyone please meet at church. The family requests donations to First United Church of Christ.
EDWARD J. CARSON
Edward J. Carson, of Brentwood, on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1999. Husband of Grace Tarker Carson. Father of Sandy Dalzell, Maureen Westwood, Judy, Jeff and the late Steve Carson. Grandfather of Kelly, Amanda, Michael, Jason, Melissa, Ryan and Sean. Brother of Cliff Carson, Mary McNaughton, Dolly Harmon and the late Bud and Bert Carson. Friends received at the CIESLAK & TATKO FUNERAL HOME INC., 2935 Brownsville Road, Brentwood, Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral prayer Monday at 10:15 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial in St. Sylvester Church at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pittsburgh Vision Services, 311 Station St., Bridgeville, PA 15017.
MARY MARGARET WISSMAN COMPTON
Mary Margaret Wissman Compton, 88, formerly of Blairsville RD4, passed away Saturday, Nov. 20, 1999, at the Indian Haven Nursing Center, Indiana, Pa. A daughter of Moulton and Margaret Wissman, she was born Aug. 25, 1911, in Monroeville. Mrs. Compton taught in the Penn-Trafford School District, retiring in 1976. She was a member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association. She graduated from Turtle Creek High School in 1930, and from Slippery Rock State Teachers College in 1932. Surviving are several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Wilbur Ward Compton on Feb. 28, 1990; and a sister, Dorothy Bennett. Friends will be received Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the RICHARD L. SHOEMAKER FUNERAL HOME, 49 N. Walnut St., Blairsville. Services will be held in the funeral home Sunday at 3 p.m. with the Rev. Paul L. Carter officiating. Interment will be in Rest Land Memorial Park, Monroeville.
TRACY (MARTHA) EARLEY-SILBERMAN
Tracy (Martha) Earley-Silberman. Amazing and very loved wife of James C. Silberman, passed away from her pain early Friday morning, Nov. 19, 1999. She leaves her loving son, Patrick Earley of Jacksonville, Fla.; daughters, Leslie Adelsheim of Boston, Mass., and Julie Silberman of St. Petersburg, Fla.; a son, Todd Silberman of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; also surviving are her sister, Mary Kay Golomb; granddaughters, Sara and Rachel Adelsheim; two nephews; and her father and stepmother, William and Alpha Schultz of Pawley's Island, S.C. A wonderful lady with inner strength and a never-failing sense of humor who touched all our lives. Friends may call Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. at H. SAMSON INC., 537 Neville St., Oakland, where a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Interment private. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation.
WILLIAM S. HANSEN
William S. Hansen, devoted family man, business leader, man of faith and philanthropist, died suddenly on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1999, of injuries he sustained in a highway collision near Fort Myers, Fla. A charming and ebullient man, Bill Hansen always had a bright smile on his face for everyone he encountered. "He loved people, " said his daughter-in-law, the former Gretchen Seitz. "Dad was someone who was truly interested in everyone he encountered. That's why he had so many wonderful friends from all walks of life." Mr. Hansen grew up in Ben Avon, Pa. His parents were William C. Hansen and Emma Stucki Hansen. He attended Avonworth Public Schools, Mercersburg Academy in Chambersburg, Pa., and Cornell University, graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1949. On Sept. 24, 1955, he married his childhood friend and fellow Cornellian, Nancy Koehler, who would become his best friend and constant companion for 44 years. (As we go to press, Mrs. Hansen remains in serious condition in Lee Memorial Hospital in Florida where she is being treated for her injuries. Plans are under way to move Mrs. Hansen to Pittsburgh as soon as it is safe to do so.) After college, Mr. Hansen joined his father as a sales engineer in the A. Stucki Company, a family-owned railroad component business located in Pittsburgh. He became general manager in 1951 and, after his father's death in 1954, became president. Mr. Hansen oversaw the operations of A. Stucki through enormous growth in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. In May 1975, he moved the A. Stucki offices to their present location on Neville Island. The recession in the early 1980s forced Mr. Hansen to make difficult decisions regarding the future of the railroad car building industry. For the first time in its history, A. Stucki began to pursue outside opportunities. In 1984, Mr. Hansen's company acquired the Hankison Corporation, a pioneer in compressed air drying and filtration. Several months later, Mr. Hansen's son, William Gregg Hansen, officially joined Stucki as a fourth generation employee. At the time of his death, Mr. Hansen was chairman of Hansen Inc., the parent company of A. Stucki and Hankison International. President of A. Stucki, Jack Faryniak described the employees of the firm as "stunned and shocked." "Bill Hansen was the quintessential gentleman. He cared deeply for the business and always exhibited concern for the employees. Bill made us feel like a part of his family, and we will all miss him." As his business grew and prospered, Mr. Hansen took an active interest in the Young President's Organization of Pittsburgh, the World Business Council and was a Named Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He served the boards of Suburban General Hospital, the Railway Progress Institute, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, West Penn AAA and Allegheny Country Club. An avid golfer and tennis player, he enjoyed sports with the same sense of fun and self-deprecating humor that described his life in so many ways. Longtime friend and neighbor, Ron Gebhardt, said of him "Bill was one of the best-natured people I ever met. He was enormously interested in a wide variety of things and kept up with many current events. Bill had strong opinions about lots of issues and he wasn't afraid to share them with anyone. But - always with that smile on his face." Mr. Hansen was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church, Sewickley. Mr. Fred Fetterolf, who belonged to a non-denominational Businessmen's Bible Study with Mr. Hansen that meets for breakfast twice monthly in Pittsburgh, described him as "a man who lived his faith. Bill read the Bible every morning. Whenever I was with him, whether exploring some theological concept or backpacking in the Nevadas, he was always upbeat. He had a wonderful smile and a twinkle in his eye. He was a consummate gentleman and a committed Christian." Mr. Hansen was also a member of the Edgeworth Club, Duquesne Club, Odd Lot Investment Club, and the Cornell Club of Pittsburgh. Bill had a lifelong love for his alma maters Mercersburg Academy and Cornell University. Ever the supporter of quality education, Mr. Hansen took an active and philanthropic interest in both institutions up until the time of his death. His most generous support, however, was for his beloved Sewickley Academy. His son, Gregg, was a member of the Class of 1977 and his daughter, Natalie Hansen Weinsz, was in the Class of 1978, and three of his grandchildren are current students - Katherine in grade 5, Julia in grade 3 and Laura in kindergarten. Mr. Hansen served as a Trustee of the Academy from 1987 to 1993, and successfully chaired an effort in 1990 to increase the school's endowment. His greatest contribution to Sewickley Academy came in 1997, when he and his family pledged $1.9 million to build the Hansen Library at Sewickley Academy for Senior and Middle School students. Considered the most beautiful non-residential building in Sewickley, The Hansen Library now serves as a lasting legacy to this extraordinary man. Mr. Hansen is survived by his wife, Nancy Koehler Hansen; his son, W. Gregg Hansen and daughter-in-law, Gretchen Seitz Hansen of Sewickley and their three daughters listed above; his daughter, Natalie Hansen Weinsz, son-in-law, Michael Weinsz, and their two daughters, Alexandra and Melissa. His twin sister, Elizabeth Hansen Cramer, formerly of Fox Chapel, preceded Mr. Hansen in death, but nieces and nephew, Carolyn Sanford, Cynthia Lackey and Larry Cramer; a sister, Barbara Hansen Cummings of Saginaw, Mich., and Bonita Springs, Fla., her husband, Bill, and their children, Brian and Bruce, survive. Another niece, Suzanne, preceded Mr. Hansen in death. He is also survived by his two cousins, Dorothy Anne Gregory and Howard Barnum. The family will receive friends at The Hansen Library at Sewickley Academy, 315 Academy Ave., Sewickley, Saturday, Nov. 27, from 2 to 4 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 29, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Further arrangements by RICHARD D. COLE FUNERAL HOME in Sewickley are pending. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to Sewickley Academy, 315 Academy Ave., Sewickley, PA 15143, or the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation, 100 Ross St., Fourth Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15129.
ELIZABETH C. KURTZMAN HOPPE
Elizabeth C. Kurtzman Hoppe, 72, of East Cedar Avenue, Connellsville, formerly of Scottdale, died Saturday morning, Nov. 20, 1999, in Westmoreland Regional Hospital, Greensburg. She was born Feb. 24, 1927, in Pittsburgh, a daughter of the late David and Frances J. Hayes Kurtzman. Elizabeth was a former member of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Scottdale. She was a trainer for the Girl Scouts of America Council 265 of Southwestern Pennsylvania and was involved in training leaders for the Girl Scouts since 1996. She was a member of the Girl Scouts of America since the age of 9 years. Elizabeth was also a member of the Laurel Art Club and the Connellsville Senior Citizens Center. She was a graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School Class of 1945 and attended Seton Hill College, Westmoreland County Community College and St. Vincent College, Latrobe. She was employed as a nurse's aide for Westmoreland Manor and was previously employed as a nurse's aide for Portsmouth Psychiatric Center, Portsmouth, Va. Elizabeth leaves to cherish her memories her loving and devoted children, Jacqueline A. Sloss, R.N., of Pittsburgh, Patricia J. Dougherty and her husband, Paul, of Upper St. Clair, Frances L. McLaughlin and her husband, Ray, of Connellsville, Colleen D. Guess of Connellsville, Mary E. Di Pietro and her husband, Don, of Jeannette and Kelly S. Stillwagon and her husband, Craig, of Dunbar; 15 grandchildren, Robert, Eric and Nathan Sloss, Aaron, Brian and Beth Dougherty, Jarred, John and Colleen McLaughlin, Heather, Matthew and Brittney Guess, Nicole James, Meghann Recklies and Kaitlynn Recklies; and a great-granddaughter, Morgan Trout. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her former husband, Edward J. Hoppe, who died in June 1987. Elizabeth's family will receive friends in the FRANK KAPR FUNERAL HOME INC., 417 W. Pittsburgh St., Scottdale, Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A blessing service will be held Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. in the funeral home, followed by her Funeral Mass to be celebrated at noon in St. John the Baptist R.C. Church, Scottdale, with the Rev. Emil S. Payer as celebrant. Interment will follow in Sylvan Heights Cemetery, Uniontown. The family suggests memorials be made to Southwestern Pennsylvania Girl Scouts of America Council 265, Pittsburgh, in memory of Elizabeth C. Hoppe.
MARIO J. MASSETTO
Mario J. Massetto, 84, of Kepple Hill, Parks Township, died Thursday, Nov. 18, 1999, at the Cedars of Monroeville, where he was a patient for three weeks. He was born Oct. 25, 1915, in Wilpen, a son of Peter and Louisa Carletto Massetto. Mario was a member of St. Gertrude's Roman Catholic Church and was a graduate of Vandergrift High School, Class of 1935. Mario lived in Vandergrift for the past 50 years. Mario worked for Brock before starting the Massetto Livery Service, which he retired from in 1970. Mario grew up as a farmer and was an avid gardener up until his death. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Theresa Troiano Massetto, in 1986; and a brother, Jesse J. Massetto. He is survived by his wife, Arlene Fairman Massetto; a son, Peter M. Massetto and his wife, Karen Silvis Massetto, of Freeport; two daughters, Mary Louise Kaminski and Madalyn Caperell, both of North Huntingdon; four grandchildren, Lance J. Massetto of Irwin, Jeffri A. Kaminski of Washington, D.C., Kerry Caperell of North Huntingdon, and Christy L. Kaminski-Donofrio of Greensburg; two great-grandsons, Anthony J. Massetto and Adam J. Donofrio; and five stepchildren. Friends were received at the BRADY-CURRAN FUNERAL HOME INC., 429 Franklin Ave., Vandergrift, Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday at 10 a.m. in St. Gertrude's R.C. Church. Interment Riverview Cemetery, Apollo, Armstrong County. Family requests, memorial contributions be made to St. Gertrude's R.C. Church, Franklin Avenue, Vandergrift, PA 15690.
