Obituaries by LocationErnest L. Kean
Ernest L. Kean, 55, of 306 S. Home Ave., Butler Township, died at 5:45 a.m. Friday at Butler Memorial Hospital.
Born in Wilkensburg, Jan. 5, 1948, he was the son of Ernest L. Kean and the late Audra Shean Kean.
He was a traffic coordinator at Marmon Keystone’s M/K Division in East Butler
His life was centered around his family and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he served locally as bishop, scout master, and scout committee chairman and in numerous stake callings including high councilman and a stake clerk and a councilor in the Stake Young Men’s presidency. His was a life of love and Christian service; his family and many friends will sorely miss him.
He served three years with the Army in Germany.
Surviving are his wife, Stephanie Anderson Kean; two sons, Roger and Alan Kean, both at home; two daughters, Mrs. Ethan (Vanessa) Eberle of Butler and Margaret Kean at home; his father of North Huntingdon; and a sister, Mrs. William (Grace) Roberts of Pleasant Unity.
He was preceded in death by an infant daughter.
KEAN - Friends of Ernest L. Kean, who died Friday, July 25, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at THOMPSON-MILLER FUNERAL HOME, 124 E. North St. Visitation also will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 365 Saw Mill Run Road, where services will follow at 11:30 a.m. with Bishop Richard Hartung officiating. Burial will be at Butler County Memorial Park, Butler Township.
Memorial donations may be made to the donor’s favorite charity.
Paul L. Hutchison
Paul L. “Hutch” Hutchison, 83, of 180 Weckerly Road, Penn Township, died at 6:30 a.m. Sunday at the Butler Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Born in Cooperstown, May 7, 1920, he was the son of W. Brady Hutchison and Vista Shaw Hutchison.
He retired in 1982 as a supervisor in 2 aisle at Armco-Butler Works after 39 years.
Mr. Hutchison was a member of the Summit United Presbyterian Church in Jefferson Township, where he had been a trustee and served as treasurer of the Cemetery association for 30 years. He also had been active in the Boy Scouts in Jefferson Township.
He was a World War II Army veteran and served in five major battles in Europe including Normandy.
He was a member of the Armco Veterans Club, Victor Lodge 694 F&AM, Saxonburg American Legion, Joseph T. Black VFW Post 249, the AARP and was a charter member of the BUCO Trailer Club. He enjoyed camping, traveling, hunting and gardening.
Surviving are his wife, Nancy Kathleen Hutchison, to whom he was married for 62 years; a son, Larry Paul Hutchison of Las Vegas, Nev.; two daughters, Sandy Smith and Mrs. Timothy (Sheri) Amerson, both of Butler; five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a daughter and two brothers.
HUTCHISON - Friends of Paul L. “Hutch” Hutchison, who died Sunday, July 27, 2003, will be received from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday at Summit United Presbyterian Church. Services will follow at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the church with the Rev. Paul Roberts officiating. Burial will be at the church Cemetery .
Memorial donations may be made to Summit United Presbyterian Church, 181 Caldwell Drive, Butler, PA 16002.
THOMPSON-MILLER FUNERAL HOME is handling arrangements.
Frederick J. Gilliland
Frederick J. Gilliland, 73, of New Wilmington died at 2:58 p.m. Friday at Jameson Hospital, New Castle.
Born in Sharon, March 17, 1930, he was the son of Samuel Joseph and Jessie Irene Hilkirk Gilliland.
A graduate of New Wilmington High School, he had worked at the Sharon Steel-Farrell Plant for 17 years and then worked in the maintenance department at St. Francis Hospital in New Castle for 12 years.
He was a life member of 27 years of the New Wilmington Volunteer Fire Department and enjoyed hunting, fishing and most sports. He also belonged to the New Wilmington Camera Club, Tri-State Country Music Association Chapter 3, and the Civic League of New Wilmington Township. He attended the United Brethren Church of New Castle.
Surviving are his wife, Nancy L. McKinnis Gilliland, whom he married May 19, 2001; two stepsons, Roger Horkey of Darlington and Richard Horkey of Fort Gordon, Ga.; a brother, James E. Gilliland of New Wilmington; a sister, Janet G. Winfield of Yuba City, Calif.; and five grandchildren.
His first wife, Aleta V. Bowman Gilliland, died Dec. 13, 1976. Twin children also preceded him in death.
GILLILAND - Friends of Frederick J. Gilliland, who died Friday, July 25, 2003, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 10 to 11 am. Tuesday at SMITH FUENRAL HOME, 310 W. Neshannock Ave., New Wilmington. Services will follow at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. John Wiseman, pastor of the Untied Brethren, and the Rev. Richard Molgaard, retired pastor of the Kittanning Church of God, officiating. Burial will be at Haywood Cemetery , West Middlesex.
Memorial donations may be made to New Wilmington Fire Department.
James F. Crooks
James F. Crooks, 86, of Cabot died Saturday at Abbyhill Assisted Living Home, Butler.
Born in Coaldale, March 2, 1917, he was the son of Isaac Frank and Hattie Foore Crooks.
He retired from Allegheny Ludlum Steel in Brackenridge and was a World War II Army veteran.
Mr. Crooks was a member of the Mount Zion Baptist Church, Prospect.
His wife, wife Mary V. Crooks, died May 9, 2002.
He is survived by a son, James C. Crooks of Prospect; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
CROOKS - Friends of James F. Crooks, who died Saturday, July 26, 2003, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today at FOX FUNERAL HOME, Saxonburg. Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Martin Pagano, his church pastor, officiating. Burial will be at Summit United Presbyterian Church Cemetery , Jefferson Township.
Rev. Alexander Campbell Wilson
The Rev. Alexander Campbell Wilson, 81, of Cabot, formerly of Grove City and Harrisville, died at 7:33 p.m. Sunday at Butler Memorial Hospital.
Born in Philadelphia, Sept. 17, 1921, he was the son of Lyman Childs Wilson Sr. and Floye Joslin Wilson.
A World War II Army veteran, he was a graduate of Reformed Episcopal Theological Seminary, Geneva College and Princeton Theological Seminary.
During his career as a Presbyterian minister, he was a student supply pastor at the First United Presbyterian Church of Chester, W.Va., and at Oakland United Presbyterian Church from 1949 to 1951; a missionary for United Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions in Malakal, Sudan; and pastor at Mill Creek United Presbyterian Church, Hookstown, from 1963 to 1967, and at Westminster United Presbyterian Church, Burgettstown.
He was associate executive presbyter, Western New York Presbytery and then served at First Presbyterian Church of Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Harmony United Presbyterian Church of Harrisville.
In retirement, he served at Manor Presbyterian Church, Westmoreland County; New Wilmington Presbyterian Church; East Main Presbyterian Church, Grove City; Irwin Presbyterian Church, Stoneboro; and Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church, West Sunbury.
Surviving are his wife, Alma Simmons Wilson, whom he married in Philadelphia on Aug. 16, 1943; three sons, Donald Campbell Wilson and his wife Peggy of Calgary, Canada, Paul Alexander Wilson and his wife Ellen of St. Paul, Minn., and the Rev. George Lyman Wilson and his wife Dianna of Sheboygan, Wis.; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A brother, Lyman Childe Wilson and his wife June of Philadelphia also survive.
WILSON - A memorial service for the Rev. Alexander Campbell Wilson, who died Sunday, July 20, 2003, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Harmony Presbyterian Church, Harrisville. The Rev. John McElwain, church pastor, and the Rev. Jefferson Moore, pastor of Jefferson Center Presbyterian Church of Saxonburg, will officiate.
Memorial donations may be made to Grace Memorial Hospital, c/o Joanne Miller, 33 Lake Drive, Grove City, PA 16237. The hospital is in Brazil.
CUNNINGHAM FUNERAL HOME, Grove City, is handling arrangements.
Jackie C. Renforth
Jackie Conrad “Big Daddy” Renforth, 79, of Ormond Beach, Fla., died Saturday, July 19, 2003, at Ormond Memorial Hospital.
He was born April 21, 1924, in Butler.
A disabled World War II Army veteran, he received the Purple Heart and was a member of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 84, the VFW and the Elks Club in Florida.
He had worked at Callery Chemical for 17 years and then lived in Attleboro, Mass. In 1976, he moved to Daytona Beach and retired in 1988 from the Daytona Beach Parks and Recreation Department. He enjoyed genealogy and fishing.
Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Florine Renforth; four sons, Jackie, Robert, David and Kelly Joe Renforth, all of Florida; three daughters, Carol Bellman of Las Vegas, Nev., and Darlene Teracino and Robin Renforth, both of Florida; a brother, Howard Renforth of Florida; a sister, Jeannie Motonak of Butler; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was today at Volusia Memorial Park, Ormond Beach.
Memorial donations may be made to DAV Chapter 84 Memorial Fund, 605 Eighth St., Holly Hill, FL 32117.
Kevin Douglas Orr
Kevin Douglas Orr, 42, of Sarver died at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Alle-Kiski Medical Center in Harrison Township.
Born Aug. 4, 1960, in New Kensington, he was the son of Samuel Charles and Linda Thomas Orr.
He had worked as an assembler at Medrad in Indiana Township for five years.
He had served in the Army.
Surviving are his wife, Christine Marie Sutter Orr, whom he married May 24, 2003; two brothers, Timothy Orr of Harrison Township and Bruce Orr of Tarentum; four sisters, Mrs. Paul (Juanita) Roy of Benson, N.C., Mrs. Jerry (Kathy) Larson of Tarentum, Linda Orr of State College and Mrs. Prime (Jennifer) Roderiguez of New Kensington; and his stepfather and mother, James M. and Linda Thomas Orr Seagriff of Brackenridge.
His father preceded him in death.
ORR - Friends of Kevin Douglas Orr, who died Tuesday, July 22, 2003, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at KRYNICKI FUNERAL HOME, 1007 Freeport Road, Natrona Heights. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home with the Rev. John Maloney officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Park, Lower Burrell.
Charles J. Mellish
Charles J. Mellish, 94, of Poland, Ohio, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown.
Born Feb. 14, 1909, in Kaylor, he was the son of Joseph and Annie Passage Mellish.
A World War II Navy veteran, he attended Youngstown College and The Butler Business College. He had owned and operated Mellish Frame & Wheel Alignment in Poland for more then 60 years and retired in 1989.
Mr. Mellish was a member of Amvets Post 44 and New Life Assembly of God.
He is survived by his wife, Joan Carolyn Armstrong Mellish, whom he married Aug. 27, 1966; a daughter, Brenda Vitullo of Austintown, Ohio; and a granddaughter. Also surviving are two brothers, William Mellish of Chicora and Paul Mellish of East Brady.
Nine brothers and a sister preceded him in death.
MELLISH - Friends of Charles J. Mellish, who died Monday, July 21, 2003, will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. today at HIGGINS-REARDON FUNERAL HOME, 2726 Center Road, Poland, Ohio. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Marvin W. McNair
Marvin W. McNair, 62, of West Sunbury, formerly of Washington, D.C., died Sunday at Butler Memorial Hospital.
Born Oct. 8, 1940, in Valley City, N.D., he was the son of Arthur Warner McNair and the late Barbara Lucille Marvin McNair.
He retired from the Office of Personnel Management as an inspector of background security. When he died, he was an independent contractor for the Office of Personnel Management.
Mr. McNair served in the Army in the early 1960s.
Surviving are his father of Fargo, N.D.; a sister, Linda Quast of Morgan, Minn.; two brothers, David and Michael McNair, both of Fargo; and eight nieces and nephews.
McNAIR - A memorial service for Marvin W. McNair, who died Sunday, July 20, 2003, will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at YOUNG FUNERAL HOME, Main Street, West Sunbury. The Rev. Dennis Bogda, pastor of St. John’s Byzantine Catholic Church, will officiate. Burial will be in North Dakota.
Holly Ann Leonberg
Holly Ann Leonberg, 55, of Zelienople died July 5 at Butler Memorial Hospital.
Born Jan. 12, 1948, in Harmony, she was the daughter of Daniel Peffer and the late Regina Ross Peffer.
She is survived by her husband, John R. Leonberg, whom she married April 20, 2002, in Mars; her father of Zelienople; and a brother and sister, Gregg Peffer and Christine Constantino, both of LaPorte, Texas.
LEONBERG - A memorial service for Holly Ann Leonberg, who died Saturday, July 5, 2003, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Oak Grove Lutheran Church, New Sewickley Township, Beaver County, with the Rev. Ed Robbins, officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to Butler County Children & Youth Services, P.O. Box 1208, Butler, PA 16003.
BOYLAN FUNERAL HOME, Zelienople, is handling arrangements.
