Obituaries by LocationSteve "Doc" Coretsky
May 6, 1926 - November 4, 2008
Steve "Doc" Coretsky, age 82 of South Duffy Road, Butler, Pennsylvania, died November 4, 2008 at 10:31 P.M. at the Good Samaritan Hospice Unit at Concordia in Cabot, Pennsylvania.
Born May 6, 1926 in Butler, Pennsylvania he was the son of the late Steve Coretsky and the late Helen Boychuk.
Mr. Coretsky was a welder for Pullman Standard for 30 years until he retired in 1982. He was a former member of St. Peter Paul Orthodox Church in Lyndora. He served his country in the 11th Armored Infantry of the US Army during WW II in France, Germany and Austria.
Mr. Coretsky is survived by his three daughters, Debra Gibson, Linda Tincha, and Amy Mudrick all of Butler, Pennsylvania; by ten grandchildren, one great-grandchild, by three sisters, Helen Purcell, of North Carolina, Katherine Stasko of Butler, Pennsylvania, Nancy Grzybowski, of New Jersey and by a number of nieces and nephews.
Mr. Coretsky was preceded in death
by his wife, Mary Alice Coretsky whom he marriage on June 16, 1956 and who passed away on January 31, 2000 and also by one son, two brothers and two sisters.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Thursday, November 6, 2008 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
A Blessing services will be held at the funeral home on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia Society, River Walk Corporate Centre, Suite 441, 333 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219.
Matthew Scott Petrosky
April 1, 1982 - November 2, 2008
Matthew Scott Petrosky, age 26 of Grimm Road, Sarver, Pennsylvania, died Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 1:33 p.m. in a motorcycle accident in Plum Boro.
Born April 1, 1982 in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania he was the son of Phyllis Ginter Smith and Michael Petrosky.
Mr. Petrosky was an apprentice for the I.B.E.W. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union #5. He was a member of North Street Christian Church. In Matthew's early years he was raised by his foster parents, Reverend Bob and Kathi Huber of Butler, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Petrosky is survived by his mother, Phyllis Ginter Smith, his sister, Josie Ginter of Bradenville, Pennsylvania; two daughters, Madison Petrosky, Mariah Petrosky; one son, Nicholas Petrosky; his maternal grandmother, Phyllis Lakin of Greensburg, Pennsylvania; his foster parents, Reverend Bob and Kathi Huber of Butler, Pennsylvania; two foster sisters, Sonya Huber Kremer, Holli Huber; and his foster brother, Nathan Huber. Matthew is also survived by his nieces Lauren, Aiden, and Haiely Eury.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, November 8, 2008 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Services will be held at the funeral home on Saturday, November 8, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. with Reverend Bob Huber and Reverend Jeff Miller of North Street Christian Church officiating. Interment will follow in North Butler Cemetery of Oakland Township.
William A. Morgan, Jr.
December 13, 1929 - November 30, 2008
William A. Morgan, Jr., age 78, died Sunday, November 30, 2008 at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Born December 13, 1929 in Butler .He was the son of the late William A. Morgan, Senior and the late Opal I (Fisher) Morgan.
Mr. Morgan started his career as an entrepreneur as a small boy delivering newspapers in Meridian, where he walked up and back a half-mile lane, all for two cents per paper.
He made his first fortune while still a business administration student at Grove City College when he noticed that service men carried their discharge papers in clear, protective sleeves. Morgan, who was working for a funeral home at the time, realized he could laminate obituaries for funeral directors to give to the families of the deceased. He soon was making more money than the college professors and made enough to buy two new cars, put himself through college and buy his first restaurant in 1953, Dight’s Diner on Washington Street, at the age of 21. This was the beginning of a chain of 52 restaurants serving Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio.
Since that time, he has had his business and office in the City of Butler. After the purchase of the diner, he built Morgan’s Wonder Boy Drive In at Bon Aire, which had the first Teletray Curb Service in Pennsylvania. About 1955, Bill became the fifth Kentucky Fried Chicken franchiser in the United States and opened a Kentucky Fried Chicken Carry Out beside the diner. The Garden Gate restaurant was purchased in 1964; and two years later Morgan’s Wonder Boy was opened on North Main Street Extension. In 1970, the restaurant chain was sold. His retirement lasted less than two years. About this time Bill was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel.
In 1972, Bill bought the Spaide Shirt Factory on Brugh Avenue, which was built in 1918. He converted it into a beautiful, professional office complex; and it received the highest award in the United States shortly after renovation, the Honor Award for Excellence in Design. The building was destroyed by fire in 2003.
He then purchased the Nixon Hotel site and the Morgan Center came into reality on East Diamond Street. He also developed 10, 000 square feet at the Tier Parking Garage into two offices.
He developed 8 acres at the Eastland Plaza for a diner, office building, and warehouse. The diner was sold in 2003; and he built its site Morgan II, a medical office building which was sold in 2007.
Mr. Morgan developed and built the first modern automatic car wash in Butler in 1969 on Route 8 North and operated it until it was sold in 1986. He again owned and operated it from February 2002 to January 2003.
In 1976, a second car wash was build on New Castle Road, with an addition of five self-service bays and was operated by Morgan until 1991. In March 2002, he again obtained ownership of the site and it opened as a laser wash. He also had a tractor-trailer fleet, which hauled mushrooms from the Butler County Mushroom Farm, a Shasta Travel Trailer Sales and contracted Stylex Homes in the area. Through his many businesses, he not only provided many jobs on his payroll but also used local contactors and suppliers. He currently owned and managed professional office buildings and a laser car wash.
A member of numerous professional organizations, a former member of the Irene Stacy Mental Health Board, was on the original Sparkplug Committee of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce board member of the Downtown Butler Renaissance Committee, served on the United Way, was chairman of the American Cancer Society in 1973; a former member of the Butler Memorial Hospital Board, was president of the Chamber of Commerce 1977-1978; presented with the key to the City of Butler in 2000 and was a Chamber of Commerce Board member in 2003. In 2005, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, and he also received the Inaugural Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the chamber, which bears his name.
He belonged to the Syria Temple and Scottish Rite and was a lifetime member of Grove City Lodge 603. He was also a member of the Butler Country Club. He was a proud member of the AA for 25 years.
He was a pilot and owned his own plane since the 1960’s. He enjoyed traveling and playing golf.
Mr. Morgan, Jr. is survived by one daughter Mrs. Jeffery T. (Nancy) McCarren of Butler, Pennsylvania, two sons, David W. Morgan and Robert C. Morgan of Butler, Pennsylvania, four grandchildren, one sister, Mrs. Eugene J. (Patricia) Houllion of Butler. three nieces and by a number of cousins.
Lois Mergenthaler devoted corporate secretary to Mr. William Morgan Jr. for forty-eight years.
Friends will be received at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Wednesday December 3, 2008 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., and on Thursday December 4, 2008 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be held at the First United Methodist Church on Friday December 5, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. with Reverend Dr. J. David Panther officiating.
Private interment will follow in Butler County Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made to Ellen O'Brian Gaiser Addiction Center, P. O. Box 2127, Butler, Pennsylvania 16003.
James E. Albert
August 6, 1919 - November 30, 2008
James Earnest Albert, age 89 of Chicora Medical Center, died Sunday, November 30, 2008 at 1:00 a.m. in the Chicora Medical Center.
Born August 6, 1919 in Connoquenessing, Pennsylvania he was the son of the late Charles Andrew Albert and the late Blanche Arnetta (Hockenberry) Albert.
In Mr. Albert 's earlier years he worked in landscaping for Eisler Nurseries then went to work for Butler Armco Steel as a torch operator where he retired in 1981. He graduate from Officer's Candidate School as a Supply and Evacuations Officer. Mr. Albert served in active duty from 1942 to 1945 in World II in the USA and European Theater. He was awarded the Bronze Star, Distinguished Unit Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, Meritorious Service Unit Award, and the Middle Eastern Service Medal. Mr. Albert earned the rank of Major in the Army Reserves from 1945 to 1955.
Mr. Albert is survived by his wife Mildred Alice (Shaffer) Albert whom he marriage on June 25, 1955, by two daughters, Deborah Bacher and Pamela Shuster, two stepdaughters Diane Critchlow and Melinda McKissick, five grandchildren, one brother Carol Albert of Florida, two sisters Freda Holliday of Pittsburgh and Myrtle Beveridge of Florida.
He was preceded in death by daughter, Ruth Arnetta Rice, four sisters, and one brother.
There will be a private family memorial service. Interment will be in Butler County Memorial Park.
Edward Joseph "EJ" Wetzel
Deceased December 30, 2008
Edward Joseph "EJ" Wetzel, age 64, of Burtner Road, Butler, Pennsylvania, died peacefully Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 8:15 p.m at the Good Samaritan Hospice in Cabot, Pennsylvania.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Edward Wetzel and the late Agnes (Schmidt) Wetzel.
Mr. Wetzel was a financial planner in the Butler and Pittsburgh area for over forty years. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he served in the Special Forces. "EJ" had a passion for motorcycles and animals. He was known for his strong determination, which was evident in his creation of SonnyBlest Acres in 1989, a boarding and training facility for horses.
Mr. Wetzel is survived by his wife, Ruth (Wright) Wetzel, whom he marriage on February 14, 1986. Two sons, Jeffrey C. Wetzel of Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Edward A. Wetzel and a granddaughter Sara of Bettendorf, Iowa, two brothers, Dick Wetzel and Jim Wetzel both of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, one sister Jane Doyle of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania also survive him.
Mr. Wetzel was preceded in death by one sister, Joy, and his mother and father.
Private services will be held.
Arrangements were completed by Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania.
Memorial donations may be made to the Butler County Humane Society, 1027 Evans City Road, Renfrew, Pennsylvania 16053.
William Francis Brackett
August 14, 1926 - December 27, 2008
William F. Brackett age 82 of Butler, Pennsylvania passed away Saturday December 27, 2008 in the Good Samaritan Hospice at Concordia.
Born August 14, 1926 in Columbiaville, New York. He was the son of the late Benjamin Harrison Brackett and Anna R. Brandt Brackett.
Mr. Brackett was a talented machinist. He was also an instrument rated pilot who enjoyed building and flying his airplane over a fifteen-year period. With his wife's assistance he also built two homes for his family.
Mr. Brackett marriage Frances Jean Worsley of Butler on February 14, 1947. Together they founded and own Brackett Machine Co. of Mt Chestnut. It serves the specialty steel industry in the U.S. and abroad for forty years. Brackett Machine Co. also developed numerous products for medical and other industries.
Mr. Brackett proudly served his country in the U.S. Marines during World War II with H Company, 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Division, where he fought on the islands of Saipan and Tinian, battled kamikaze pilots off the shore of Okinawa, and joined the forces occupying Nagasaki, Japan at the war's end. For many years he took pleasure in corresponding with his fellow Marines and with his wife Jean they enjoyed numerous Marine reunions.
He is survived by his wife Jean (Worsley) Brackett.; two sons: Timothy A. Brackett and his wife Karen and James M. Brackett and his wife Angie of Butler, Pennsylvania.; two daughters; Ronna M. Drennen and her husband Dr. James K. Drennen III of Mars, Pennsylvania. Jean Lasichak and her husband Ronald (Duke) Lasichak of Jackson, Georgia; nine grandchildren; one sister: Mrs. Pearl Vanbenschoten of Stockport, New York; a number of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by two brothers.
Family and friends of William F. Brackett will be received at The Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, 124 East North Street, Butler, Pennsylvania on Tuesday December 30, 2008 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
Funeral services will be on Wednesday December 31, 2008 at 11:00 a..m. at Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc. with the Rev. Roger G. Keller of St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church In Saxonburg, Pennsylvania officiating.
Interment will follow in Butler County Memorial Park.
Officers and members of V.F.W. Post # 249 and the American Legion Post #778 of Lyndora will conduct Military honors at Butler Co. Memorial Park.
