Obituaries by LocationIDA TOTHERO
The Nautilus Society of Beach Cities, Lawndale, Calif., was in charge of the arrangements for Ida (Loeb) Tothero, 82, of Torrance, Calif., who died Dec. 5 in a retirement home. She was formerly of Mount Penn and West Lawn. She was predeceased by her husband, Ralph Tothero. Tothero was born in Oley, and was employed for 25 years by The Glidden Co., Reading, and for 12 years before retiring was employed by Western Airlines in Los Angeles. She was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ, Mount Penn. There are no immediate survivors.
JOHN K. REICHERT
Services were held for John K. Reichert, 88, widower of Cora "Cass" E. (Heffner) Reichert, of Boyertown, who died Dec. 7 at the home of his daughter. Born in Reading, he retired from the Boyertown Casket Co. He was a member of the Keystone S.F.E. Co. No. 1 in Boyertown; the Keystone Fire Co. No. 1 in Bechtelsville and the Liberty Fire Co. No. 1 in New Berlinville. He was a member of St. John-Hill United Church of Christ, Boyertown. He is survived by two sons, Forrest L. Fronheiser of Benton, Pa.; John H. Reichert Jr. of Bechtelsville; two daughters, Vivian J., wife of Paul E. Lorish of Bechtelsville and Dawn A., wife of William M. Endy of Boyertown; a sister, Helen, widow of Webster Kemp, Topton; 10 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by a sister and four brothers. Memorial contributions may be made to Caring Hospice Services, 100 W. Wissahickon Services, Suite 100, Ambler, PA 19002; or St. John-Hill United Church of Christ, 620 Hill Church Road, Boyertown, PA 19512. The arrangements were handled by the Catagnus Funeral Home, Boyertown.
BARBARA J. AYRES
Private services were held for Barbara J. Ayres, 55, who died Dec. 18 in her residence at Sand Hill Road, Ruscombmanor Township. Born in Reading, Ayres was employed for 15 years as an inspector by Parish Structural Products Division of Dana Corp., Reading, retiring in 1999. Surviving are a daughter, Marcee Ayres, Lyons; and a son, Erik, at home. Other survivors include two brothers, four sisters and three grandchildren.
The arrangements were handled by the John P. Feeney Funeral Home Inc., Reading.
LEMUEL R. CAHILL JR.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Lemuel Robert "Bob" Cahill Jr., 49, husband of Rosemary M. (Hoffman) Cahill of Rattlesnake Hill Road, Douglass (Berks), who died Dec. 16 at the Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. He died as a result of a motorcycle accident. Cahill and his wife were married
for 25 years. He was born in Philadelphia to the late Lemuel Robert Cahill Sr. and Dorothy (Daemer) Cahill, in Riverton, N.J. A 1969 graduate of Palmyra High School, N.J., Cahill worked as a waste treatment operator for 19 years at Lucent Technologies, also known as Ag’ere Systems, in Reading. Cahill was a U.S. Navy veteran of Vietnam and attended St. Columbkill Roman Catholic Church, Boyertown. A former assistant Cub Scout master of Pack 523, Pine Forge, he was also an assistant scout master of Troop 545 of the Boy Scouts of America with St. Columbkill Church for the past year. He had been a scout master of the troop for five years. Cahill was a member of the Reading Motorcycle Club and was a coach for the Babe Ruth Baseball League in Pine Forge, also serving as an umpire. In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by a son, Russell L. Cahill; one daughter, Amber N. Cahill, both at home; one brother and three sisters. A viewing will be Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Linwood W. Ott Funeral Home, 111 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown. The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Columbkill Roman Catholic Church, 200 Indian Spring Road, Boyertown.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.
ALICE G. MITCH
Private services are being held at the convenience of the family for Alice G. (Hafer) Mitch, 77, wife of Donald P. Mitch, of the Frederick Mennonite Community, Frederick, formerly of Pottstown, who died Dec. 18. Born in Eschbach, she was employed as an elementary school teacher with the Pottstown School District at the Jefferson and Ruppert schools for 29 years. She was previously employed in the Exeter School District for one year, and was also a World Book Encyclopedia representative for 30 years. She was a graduate of the former Amity High School and of Kutztown University. She was a member of the Salem United Church of Christ, Spangsville. She was a member of Twin Ponds Club Club. In addition to her husband, she is survived by a sister, Evelyn Zook of Wernersville and one brother, D. Gene Hafer of Douglassville. She was predeceased by a brother and a sister. Memorial donations may be made to the Salem U.C.C. Church, General Fund, R.D. 2, Covered Bridge Road, Oley, PA 19547.
The Catagnus Funeral Home Inc., Gilbertsville, handled the arrangements.
JEANETTE SCHEARER
Graveside services will be held for Jeanette (Kirlin) Schearer, 87, of the Montgomery County Geriatric Center, Royersford, who died Dec. 17, where she had been a patient. Born in Pottstown, she had been a waitress at the former Collegeville Inn. She was also a waitress at the Mansion House in Boyertown when it was owned by the Schearer family and also at the Elks Club in Pottstown. Surviving is a sister. Schearer was predeceased by a brother and a sister. There will be no viewing. Graveside services will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Oley Cemetery , Covered Bridge Road, Oley. The Reverend Peter C. Nicholas, pastor of Zion’s United Church of Christ, Pottstown will be officiating. The arrangements were handled by the L. W. Ott Funeral Home, Boyertown.
HAROLD C. KRAUSS
Services will be held for Harold C. Krauss, 73, husband of Thelma (Eschbach) Krauss, of N. Washington Street, Boyertown, who died December 18. He had been a patient in the Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. Krauss worked as a presser and floor manager at the former Bally Pants Factory, Bally and then continued in the same position for the former Perkiomen Clothing Factory, RedHill, for a total of 47 years. Surviving in addition to his wife of 53 years are two sons, David Krauss, Earlville and Brian Krauss, Pocono Mts.; three daughters, Linda Krauss, Union City; Mary Lou, wife of Ronald Moyer, Gilbertsville and Deborah, wife of Richard Moore, Boyertown. Also one sister and 9 grandchildren. He was an Army veteran during WWII serving stateside. Krauss was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Boyertown; Bally Senior Center; Keystone Fire Company, Boyertown; and Liberty Fire Company, New Berlinville. Friends may call on Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the C. L. Losh Funeral Home, 124 West Philadelphia Avenue, Boyertown. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be in Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery , Niantic.
DOROTHY KEFFER
Services were held for Dorothy Keffer, 66, of Valley View Court, Richmond Township, who died Oct. 30 in the Reading Hospital, where she had been a patient. Born in Ruscombmanor Township, she had been employed for 10 years by Boyertown Casket Co. and was last employed for 10 years by Kutztown University, retiring in 1999. She was a member of Salem (Shalter’s) Lutheran Church, Alsace Township. Surviving are a son, Paul L., Maidencreek Township, and a daughter, Kathleen (Keffer) Kadlec, Reading. Other survivors include a brother, Herbert Breitegam, Ruscombmanor Township, and three sisters: Ruth (Breitegam) Wagner, Ruscombmanor Township; Jean (Breitegam) Manwiller, Exeter Township; and Mae (Breitegam) Hehr, St. Petersburg, Fla. There are also four grandchildren and one great-grandson. The arrangements were handled by the Daniel R. Christ Funeral Home, Oley.
EMMA IDA STELTZ
Services were held for Emma Ida (Schellenberger) Steltz, 89, wife of Curtis L. Steltz, formerly of East Philadelphia Avenue, Gilbertsville, who died Oct. 30 at Pennsburg Manor, where she had resided for three days. Born in the Fagleysville area of New Hanover, she had worked as a packer at the former Erntex Knitting Mills, Gilbertsville, and was a member of Trinity Reformed Church, Pottstown. In addition to her husband, she is survived by a sister. Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Reformed Church Memorial Fund, 60 N. Hanover St., Pottstown, PA 19464. The arrangements were handled by the L. W. Ott Funeral Home, Boyertown.
TIMOTHY M. SOLA
A Mass of Christian Burial was held for Timothy M. Sola, 21, of Barlet Road, Ruscombmanor Township, who died Nov. 4 at a friends house in Laureldale. Born in West Reading, he was a son of Michael L. and Debra Ann (Miller) Sola, with whom he resided. He was employed for three years as an apprentice plumber by SDR Mechanical, Wyomissing. Sola was a member of the Holy Guardian Angels Roman Catholic Church, Hyde Park. He was also a 1997 graduate of Oley Valley high School and was treasurer of his class at Berks County Vocational-Technical East, Oley, where he was in the third year of the state plumber apprentice program. In addition to his parents, he is also survived by a brother, Matthew G. Sola, at home, and two sisters: Erin E. Sola, Oley, and Michelle S. Sol, also at home. Other survivors include his maternal grandparents, Clyde and Barbara (Succk) Miller, Reading. The arrangements were handled by the Walter R. Christ Funeral Home Inc., Laureldale.
