Obituaries by LocationJosephine Verner Lucente, 87, of the Beaver Valley Geriatric Center, Brighton Township, and formerly of Beaver, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999, in The Medical Center, Beaver. Born Sept. 27, 1911, in Moon Run, Pa., a daughter of the late James and Carmella Atessano Verner, she was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, Beaver. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Milly T. Lucente, in 1975; a daughter, Phyllis Geronimo, in 1988; a brother, Joseph Verner, and five sisters, Frances Lombardo, Theresa Perciavalle, Mary DiCello, Betty DiBiaggo, and Rose Colorito. Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Emil and Virginia Lucente, Beaver Falls; a daughter, Frances Bilotto, Beaver; 12 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Dominic Verner, formerly of Beaver Falls; Nicholas and Mary Verner, Gibsonia, and Samuel (Bobby) and Phyllis Verner, Beaver Falls, and a sister Mae Polce, Beaver Falls. Friends will be received today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the TODD FUNERAL HOME, 340 Third St., Beaver. A Mass of Christian burial will be held Friday at 10 a.m. in SS. Peter and Paul Church with the Rev. Monsignor Raymond T. Schultz officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery, Industry. A rosary will be recited today at 8:45 p.m. in the funeral home.
James Mahurt of Penn Avenue, Midland, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999, in The Medical Center, Beaver. Complete arrangements will be announced in Friday's Times. Services are entrusted to the LEAVELL FUNERAL HOME, 465 Midland Ave., Midland.
Andrew E. Montini, 77, of Aliquippa, died Monday, March 8, 1999, in the Good Samaritan Hospital, Phoenix, Ariz. Born March 12, 1921, in Aliquippa, he was a son of the late Luigi and Palmyra (Bufalini) Montini. Mr. Montini was a member of St. Titus Roman Catholic Church, Aliquippa; St. Titus Holy Name Society, and the MPI Club. He was a retired employee of LTV Steel, Tinplate Division, Aliquippa, and was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris (Colella) Montini, in 1997; two brothers, Silver and Anthony Montini, and a sister, Ann Faber. Surviving are two sons and daughters-in-law, Sam and Judy Montini, and Ed and Anne Montini, all of Phoenix, Ariz.; a brother, Domenic Montini, Ambridge; a sister, Rose Bilotto, Pittsburgh, and five grandchildren. Friends will be received Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the WAYNE N. TATALOVICH FUNERAL HOME, 2205 McMinn St., Aliquippa, where a service will be conducted Saturday at 9 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 9:30 a.m. in St. Titus Catholic Church, Aliquippa. Interment will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Hopewell Township. A rosary service will be held Friday at 8:30 p.m. in the funeral home.
Thomas C. Rylott III, 54, of Beaver Falls, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 10, 1999, surrounded by his devoted wife and family. Born Jan. 27, 1945, in New Brighton, a son of the late Thomas D. Jr. and Lois Kelley Rylott, he was a member of the Salvation Army in Beaver Falls, and was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. An avid bowler and softball player, he was a former employee of the Beaver County Department of Public Works, and retired in 1990 as a letter carrier from the Beaver Falls Post Office. Surviving are his loving wife, Sandra Wise Rylott; a daughter, Kelley Renee Rylott, and a son, Lance Alworth Rylott, both at home; three brothers, Robert Rylott, in Florida; Dale W. Kelley, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Terry L. Rylott, Beaver Falls; three sisters, Mrs. William (Toni) Lallement, Rochester; Mrs. Delmas (Pat) Stewart, Ireland, W. Va., and Mrs. Robert (Cherly) Nagel, Medina, Ohio. Friends will be received today from 7 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in CAMPBELL'S BEAVER FALLS FUNERAL HOME, 14th Street and Eighth Avenue, where a service will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m. Major Robert Pfeiffer of the Salvation Army will officiate. Interment will follow in the Beaver Falls Cemetery, Chippewa Township.
Hilda M. Shones, 77, formerly of South Heights, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999, in Chicago, Ill. Born Aug. 27, 1921, in Burgettstown, Pa., a daughter of the late John and Margaret Diamond Bradley, she was a member of St. Catherine Roman Catholic Church, Wireton. A retired cafeteria worker with Robert Morris College, she was a former member of the South Heights Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary. She was preceded in death by her husband, James E. Shones, in 1988; two sisters, Julie Kreiger and Catherine Vandergrift, and two brothers, James and Patrick Bradley. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Victor and Andrea Shones, Raccoon Township; a daughter and son-in-law, Constance and Thomas Morong, Justice, Ill., and two grandchildren, James Victor Shones and Victor Matthew Shones. Friends will be received Friday from 2 to 9 p.m. in the HUNTSMAN ALIQUIPPA FUNERAL HOME, 2345 Mill St., where a prayer service will be held Saturday at 12:30 p.m. followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 1 p.m. in St. Catherine Roman Catholic Church, Wireton. Interment will follow in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be made, if desired, to the Alzheimer's Association, 70 East Lake St., 6th Floor, Chicago, Ill. 60601.
Everett Ray Stelter, 46, of Box 2396, R.D. 2, Wampum, New Beaver Boro, died Sunday, March 7, 1999, at 11:30 a.m. in El Reno, Okla., following a heart attack while on a cross country trip. Born Aug. 19, 1952, in New Castle, a son of Donald and Peg Pryor Stelter, of R.D. 1, New Galilee, he was a truck driver for CDS Lines Inc., Canonsburg, Pa., and was a former machine operator with the Babcock & Wilcox Co., Beaver Falls. He was a member of the Enon Valley Presbyterian Church and the New Beaver Boro Fire Police and Fire Department. Surviving, in addition to his parents, are his wife, Vicki Jo Smith Stelter, whom he married Oct. 12, 1973; four nieces; three nephews, and two brothers, Robert B. Stelter, R.D. 2, Wampum, and Dale E. Stelter, Fombell. Friends will be received today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the MARSHALL FUNERAL HOME, Wampum, where a service will be conducted Friday at 11 a.m. The Rev. John B. Dickey, of the United Presbyterian Church of Ambridge, and the Rev. Joanne Cox Meerse of Meadville, will officiate. Interment will follow in Clinton Cemetery, New Beaver Boro.
Mary Dorothy Vojtko Thomas, 88, of 2033 Circle Drive, Aliquippa, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999, in the Rochester Manor Nursing Home, Rochester. Born Jan. 20, 1911, in Homestead, Pa., a daughter of the late Steve and Mary Vojtko, she was a housewife and a resident of Aliquippa for 57 years. She was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church and the First Catholic Ladies Slovak Association. Surviving are her husband, Paul Thomas; a son, Paul G. Thomas and his wife, Iva, Bethesda, Md.; three grandchildren, Stephen Thomas and his wife, Denise, Great Falls, Va.; Michael Thomas and his wife, Julia, Silver Spring, Md., and Janet Thomas, Washington, D.C., and two great-grandchildren, Kaley Thomas and Rachel Thomas, both of Great Falls, Va. Mary Thomas was preceded in death by her beloved son, Armand P. Thomas, on July 7, 1994; a brother, Steve Vojtko, and a sister, Anna Chinchar. Visitation will be private. A service will be conducted Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in the DARROCH MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 2640 Mill St., Aliquippa, followed by a Mass of Christian burial at noon in Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Hopewell Township. Father Gerald Chinchar, her nephew from Dayton, Ohio, will officiate. Interment will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Gladys Irene Baker, 75, of 478 Jefferson Ave., Vanport, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999, in Villa St. Joseph, Baden. Born June 17, 1923, in Rochester, a daughter of the late Imbrie and Margaret D. Davidson Baker, she was a retired employee of the P&LE Railroad, Pittsburgh. She was a member of the Bridgewater Presbyterian Church, the YMCA and the NARVE. She is survived by a sister, Sarah Jane McGuckin, Vanport, and numerous cousins. Friends will be received today from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the TODD FUNERAL HOME, 340 Third St., Beaver, where a service will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. by Pastor William Silver. Interment will follow in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park, Daugherty Township.
Sarah Isabelle (Emler) Balph, 84, formerly of Beaver Falls and Cross Creek, Pa., died Wednesday, March 10, 1999. Born Jan. 6, 1915, in New Castle, a daughter of the late John William and Isa Ora Johnson Emler, she was employed as a nurses aide at the Beaver Valley Geriatric Center. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James W. Balph, on Dec. 5, 1993. Surviving are two daughters and sons-in-law, Mrs. George (Karen) McLeod, Beaver Falls, and Mrs. Edward (Alice) Perrott, Patterson Township; a son and daughter-in-law, James and Shirley Balph, Beaver Falls; a stepdaughter and her husband, Mrs. Robert (Doris) Vandemark, Baldwinsville, N.Y.; seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Friends will be received Saturday from 1 p.m. until time of service at 3 p.m. in the CAMPBELL'S BEAVER FALLS FUNERAL HOME, 14th Street and Eighth Avenue. Interment will follow in Beaver Falls Cemetery, Chippewa Township. Memorial contributions may be made, if desired, to the Carnegie Free Library, 13th Street and Seventh Avenue, Beaver Falls, Pa. 15010, or the Beaver County Humane Society, P.O. Box 63, Monaca, Pa. 15061.
Arthur H. Blank, 83, of New Sewickley Township, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, March 11, 1999, surrounded by his wife and family. Born May 28, 1915, in Freedom, a son of the late C. Edward and Edith Blank, he was a retired employee of the Aliquippa Works, Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp., and was a member and former elder of the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. He served with the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Army during World War II. Mr. Blank was a member of the Big Knob Grange, where he served as a gate keeper. Surviving are his wife, Helen Martin Blank; three daughters, Darla Shelling, Freedom; Pamela Blank, Williamsburg, Va., and Marlene Lugo, Pittsburgh; seven grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; a brother, Carl Blank, and three sisters, Norma Grommes, Ruth Rose and Thelma Miller. He was preceded in death by three brothers, Elmer, Donald and Floyd Blank. Friends will be received Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the GABAUER FUNERAL HOME INC. at SYLVANIA HILLS MEMORIAL PARK INC., Daugherty Township. Mr. Blank will lie in state Monday from 10 a.m. until time of service at 11 a.m. in the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Rochester Road, Freedom. His pastor, the Rev. Roger Nuerge, will officiate. Interment will follow in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park, Daugherty Township. Memorial contributions may be made, if desired, to the Prince of Peace Bell Tower Fund.
