Obituaries by LocationGerald A. "Jerry" O'Rourke
September 27, 1931 - December 27, 2006
Gerald A. "Jerry" O'Rourke, age 75, of Glenwood Drive, Butler, Pennsylvania, died Wednesday, December 27, 2006 at 10:45 a.m. in the West Penn Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Born September 27, 1931 in Hempstead on Long Island, New York, he was the son of James F. and Mildred McGuire O'Rourke.
He had been a criminal investigator with the Maryland State Police and a deputy U.S. Marshal with the U.S. Department of Justice. He was employed in security management positions at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, the Flying Tigers Cargo Airline and the Franklin Stores Corp. He became self-employed in 1978 as an independent security management consultant and established Strategic Controls in New York, N.Y.
From 1960 to 1964 while with the U.S. Marshals Service, he participated in the enforcement of federal school integration orders in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He was part of a contingent of U.S. marshals that protected the Freedom Riders from Birmingham to Montgomery Alabama in 1962 and was one of the three U.S. Marshals immortalized in a Norman Rockwell Painting during the integration process.
Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, he was one of the U.S. Marshals selected to protect Robert Kennedy in the Washington, D.C. area.
Mr. O'Rourke was a member of St. Paul Roman Catholic Church and served on the Safety/Security Committee of the Diocese of Pittsburgh Schools.
He was a graduate of DeMatha Catholic High School, the Maryland State Police Academy, the U.S. Marshals Academy and the Security Management Institute and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. From 1984 to 1995, he was an adjunct instructor at John Jay College, where he taught physical security. He was a founding member of the Maryland State Police Alumni Association. He was a founder of the International Association of Professional Security Consultants, where he was designated a Meritorious Life Member. He was also a member of the American Society for Industrial Security International.
He was a nationally recognized expert in apartment house security and was the author of "Apartment House Security 101." During the Korean War, he served as a hospital corpsman in the Navy and received the American Spirit Honor Medal and an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Surviving are his wife, Anne Bryan O'Rourke, whom he marriage
June 10, 1978; his children from his first marriage, Maureen Darragh, Kathleen Dryland, Timothy, Sean, Charles and Daniel O'Rourke, all of Long Island, New York and Mary Dolan of Dallas, Texas; two sisters, Carol Powers of Lenexa, Kan., and Mildred Martin, and eleven grandchildren.
Two brothers preceded Mr. O'Rourke in death.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Friday, December 29, 2006 from 6 to 8.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, December 30, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. with the Reverend Father Harry R. Bielewicz officiating. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery.
Robert T. Burns
November 27, 1912 - December 26, 2006
Robert T. Burns, age 94, of Saxony Health Care, formerly of Miller Street, Butler, Pennsylvania, died Tuesday, December 26, 2006 at 10:25 p.m. at the Saxony Health Center.
Born November 27, 1912 in Wallasey Cheshire, England, he was the son of Daniel Allan and Lilian Gertrude Tassell Burns.
Mr. Burns was a Butler City plumbing inspector and was the former manager of the Mifflin Apartments. He was a member of Tanglewood Senior Center. He enjoyed gardening and ballroom dancing.
He became a citizen of the United States on July 9, 1972.
Mr. Burns is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Craig (Nancy) Daugherty of Butler, Pennsylvania; two sons, Ronald G. Post of Timpson, Texas and Larry J. Post of Tucson, Arizona; nine grandchildren, a number of great-grandchildren, and a number of nieces and nephews.
Mr. Burns was preceded in death by his wife, Mona Jean Watt Burns, who was deceased January 3, 1990, and by two sisters and three brothers.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Friday, December 29, 2006 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9.
Services will be held at the Thompson - Miller Funeral Home, Inc. on Saturday, December 30, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Clark Sawyer, pastor of Hill United Presbyterian Church, officiating. Interment will follow in Butler County Memorial Park.
Memorial contributions may be made to Tanglewood Senior Center, 10 Austin Avenue, Lyndora, Pennsylvania 16045.
Jack McNary Neill
October 11, 1946 - December 25, 2006
Jack McNary Neill, age 60, of East Butler, Pennsylvania, died Monday, December 25, 2006 at 10:17 p.m. in the emergency room of the Butler Memorial Hospital.
Born October 11, 1946 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was the son of John G. and Virginia McNary Neill.
He was employed as a side loader operator for Marmon Keystone Company. He was a former board member and former active parent in the East Butler Sparks. He was a former member of East Butler Fireman's Department and previously worked for the Butler Ambulance Service. He was president of Emergency Medical Systems of Butler County and served on the 911 board.
Mr. Neill was a member of Zion's Praise Tabernacle Church in Butler, Pennsylvania. He was an elder in his church and had a servant's heart. His greatest goal in life was to worship the Lord Jesus Christ and to do the will of God and to leave that legacy to his family. He was a man of God and loved to read the Bible.
Mr. Neill is survived by his wife, Terri L. Kunselman Neill, whom he marriage on March 18, 2000, his daughter, Dionne L. Neill Rose and her husband, Edward, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; his granddaughter, Madison Bea Rose; two sisters, Dottie Delle Rauch and her husband, Henry, of Morgantown, West Virginia, and Mary Virginia Slusarz of Erie, Pennsylvania; a brother, Kenneth McNary Neill and his wife, Karen, of Sarasota, Florida; and by a number of nieces and nephews.
One son, David Dwight Neill, preceded him in death.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Friday, December 29, 2006 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8.
Services will be held at the Thompson - Miller Funeral Home, Inc. on Friday, December 29, 2006 at 8:00 p.m. with Pastor Randall Ietto of Zion's Praise Tabernacle Church officiating.
Contributions may be made to Zion's Praise Tabernacle Church, 131 Jenny Drive, Butler, Pennsylvania 16001.
Alton J. Phipps
November 14, 1915 - December 23, 2006
Alton J. Phipps, age 91, of Sherman Avenue, East Butler, Pennsylvania, died Saturday, December 23, 2006 at 1:55 a.m. in the Butler Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Born November 14, 1915 in Girard, Texas, he was the son of Claude E. and Ethel O'Neill Phipps.
Mr. Phipps retired as a supervisor for Leon Creek Power Plant.
He was very active as a layman in churches in Texas, Indiana and Arkansas. He was a member of North Main Street Church of God. He was a member of the 60 Plus and the Keenagers Sunday School class. He and his wife, Dorothy, served as ministers of visitation at North Main Street Church of God.
Mr. Phipps was a veteran of the U.S. Air Corp and WW II.
Mr. Phipps is survived by his wife, Dorothy A. Sweet Phipps, whom he marriage on August 9, 1940, one son, Reverend A. C. and Nita Phipps of Troy, Michigan; one grandson, Reverend Ryan and Andrea Phipps of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; three sisters, Mrs. Geneva Davis of San Antonia, Texas, Mrs. Claudine Strackbein of Cedar Park, Texas, and Mrs. Betty Lou Waymer of Georgetown, Texas; and by a number of nieces and nephews.
A brother preceded Mr. Phipps in death.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Tuesday December 26, 2006 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be held at the Thompson - Miller Funeral Home, Inc. on Wednesday December 27, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. with his son, Pastor A. C. Phipps of the Evanswood Church of God in Troy, Michigan and his grandson, Pastor Ryan Phipps of Discovery Christian Church in Southside Campus, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania officiating. Reverend David Brown and Reverend Kenneth C. Hall of North Main Street Church of God will also be officiating. Interment will follow in Gruenwald Cemetery.
Lisa M. Cupps
January 23, 1962 - December 18, 2006
Lisa Michelle Cupps, age 44 of Dolphin Drive, Butler, Pennsylvania, died Monday, December 18, 2006 at her residence surrounded by her family.
Born January 23, 1962 in Butler, PA she was the daughter of William D. Stevenson and Charlene Novak.
Mrs. Cupps was a Schoolteacher for South Butler School District. She was a Girl Scout Leader for KTTGS and a volunteer for Butler Baseball Association. She was a member of Alpha Beta Sorority of Grove City College. She was a former member of Butler Junior Women's Club. Lisa enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She was an active volunteer in her community and she enjoyed scrap booking and organizing and planning events for others.
Lisa was an alumni of Butler High school. She graduated from Grove City College with a degree in Elementary Education. She earned her Master's Degree at Westminster College. She had also earned her certification in Guidance Counseling.
Mrs. Cupps is survived by her husband, Stephen E. Cupps, whom she marriage on June 18, 1988, one son, Erik Stephen Cupps, one daughter Stephanie Michelle Cupps, both at home; her parents William D. and Charlene Stevenson of Butler, Pennsylvania; one brother David Stevenson of Butler, Pennsylvania; three nieces, two nephews, one uncle, two aunts, and a number of cousins.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 from 7 to 9 p.m. and also on Thursday, December 21, 2006 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be held at the St. Andrew's United Presbyterian Church on Friday, December 22, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Merry H. Meloy of St. Andrew’s officiating. Entombment will follow in Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum.
Contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, Butler County Unit, P. O. Box 3014, Butler, Pennsylvania 16003.
