Obituaries by LocationVictor W. Maire
Victor W. Maire, 75, of Butler died at 2 p.m. Monday at his home.
Born Dec. 26, 1927, in Butler, he was the son of Catherine Maire and the late Victor August Maire.
He retired from the hot mill at Armco-Butler Works and served in the Army during World War II.
Mr. Maire was a member of the VFW and the Lyndora American Legion.
He had a model railroad shop in his home and belonged to several railroad enthusiast groups including NARCOA, Ohio Valley Rail Cars, Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad Volunteers, Kiski Junction Railroad Volunteers, Pennsylvania Railroad Historical Society and the C&O Historical Society.
Surviving are his wife, Thelma Uncles Maire, whom he married Oct. 8, 1973; three daughters, Mrs. William (Carol) Wise of Butler, Mrs. William (Denise) Fuehrer of Greenville, S.C., and Karen Gordon of Alexandria, Va.; five grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
Also surviving are his mother of Butler; a brother, John F. Maire of Butler; and several nieces and nephews.
His first wife, Irma Rizzi Maire, preceded him in death.
MAIRE - Friends of Victor W. Maire, who died Monday, July 14, 2003, will be received from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday at YOUNG FUNERAL HOME, 127 W. Jefferson St. Services will follow at 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. David Maitland, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Graveside services will be at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Centre Cemetery in Hyde, Clearfield County, with the Rev. James Weibley, pastor of Centre Grove Methodist Church, officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the VNA Hospice, 154 Hindman Road, Butler, PA 16001.
Stephen N. Beck
Stephen N. Beck, 51, of Riverview, Fla., died May 19, 2003, at his home.
Born Jan. 9, 1952, in Lyndora, he was the son of Peter “Babe” and Nellie Beck.
He worked for his family’s business, FloRayNell’s, in Lyndora, for many years before moving to Riverview and becoming a natural hobbyist.
Mr. Beck has been a professional ichthyologist working for many tropical fish farmers and a fossil field trip leader of paleontologist for the Museum of Science & Industry. He also was a volunteer with the Tampa Bay Fossil Club for many years; and he has contributed and received certificates from the Natural History Museum from The Florida State Museum of Gainesville, The Smithsonian Institution of Washington, D.C., the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh, for a collection of fossils from his Pleistocene site in Citrus County, Fla.
He was a ride and show greeter at Universal Studios, Orlando.
He donated his eyes for a gift of restored sight to the Central Florida Lions Eye and Tissue Bank of Florida.
Surviving are his wife, Veronica Beck; a brother, Peter A. Beck of Ohio; and aunts, uncles, nephews and cousins.
Mary J. Shidemantle
Mary Jane Shidemantle, 63, of Portersville died Tuesday at her home after a long illness.
Born July 7, 1940, in Portersville, she was the daughter of the late Steven and Katherine Stickle Dudash.
Mrs. Shidemantle was a member of the Park United Presbyterian Church, Zelienople.
She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Samuel (Michelle) Covert of Harmony and Mrs. William (Marcia) Ringeisen of Connoquenessing; a son, Keith Shidemantle of Portersville; and a sister, Stephanne Martin of New Castle. Also surviving are two grandsons and three step-grandchildren.
Her husband, Clair Shidemantle, died in 1981.
SHIDEMANTLE - Friends of Mary Jane Shidemantle, who died Tuesday, July 15, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at GLENN-KILDOO FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, 219 E. Grandview Ave., Zelienople. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home with the Rev. Andrew Shaffer, pastor of Camp Run United Presbyterian Church, officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to Zelienople Public Library, 227 S. High St., Zelienople, PA 16033.
Charles J. Cornetti Jr.
Charles J. Cornetti Jr., 71, of Prospect died Wednesday at his home.
Born May 6, 1932, in West Winfield, he was a son of Charles J. Sr., and Teresa Heasley Cornetti.
He was an Army veteran of the Korean War and had retired from the maintenance department at Armco-Butler Works.
Mr. Cornetti was a member of St. Christopher at the Lake Roman Catholic Church in Prospect, American Legion Post 778 and the Knights of Columbus.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed camping.
Surviving are his wife, Marjorie Fassinger Cornetti, whom he married June 18, 1955; three sons, Keith D. Cornetti and Brian C. Cornetti and his wife Valerie, all of Prospect, and Steven R. Cornetti of Zelienople; a daughter, Diane Bryan, and her husband Barry of Prospect; and two grandsons, Justin and Tyler Bryan. He also is survived by two brothers, Thomas Cornetti, and his wife Lynda of Butler and Dale Cornetti, and his wife Victoria of Boyers; and two sisters, Mary Ellen Lewis, and her husband Clarence, and Karen Hinderliter, and her husband Kenneth, all of Butler.
An infant daughter, Sharon Lynn Cornetti, preceded him in death.
CORNETTI - Friends of Charles J. Cornetti Jr., who died, Wednesday, July 16, 2003, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME, 201 E. Cunningham St. A Mass of Christian burial will be follow at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Christopher at the Lake Roman Catholic Church, 229 N. Franklin St., Prospect, with the Rev. Matthew Tosello as celebrant. Burial will be at Greenlawn Burial Estates, Mount Chestnut.
A parish rosary will be recited at 8:40 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
John B. Stone
John B. Stone, 87, of Waynesburg died at 6:55 a.m. Thursday at his home.
Born Nov. 1, 1915, in Brownsville, he was the son of Samuel J. and Anna Jackson Stone.
A 1933 graduate of Brownsville High School, he graduated from California State Teachers’ College in 1937, earned his master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1957 and taught in the Berlin Brothers Valley School District in Somerset County from 1937 to 1942. He then was an industrial arts teacher at Waynesburg High School from 1946 to 1955 and taught at Baldwin Whitehall High School from 1955 until his retirement in 1976.
He was a member of the National and Pennsylvania education associations.
Mr. Stone was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and belonged to Waynesburg Masonic Lodge 153 F&AM, Uniontown Lodge of Perfection and was a life member of the Pittsburgh Syria Temple.
During World War II, he served in the Army Medical Corps.
His wife, Dr. Ruth Wells Stone, whom he married July 31, 1942, died April 7, 1986.
Surviving are a daughter, Krista S. Kuhl of Mars; and his twin brother, James E. Stone of Brownsville.
STONE - Friends of John B. Stone, who died Thursday, July 17, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at MILLIKEN and THORCKMORTON FUNERAL HOME, 197 N. Maiden St., Waynesburg. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home with the Rev. Kathy Higgins officiating. Burial will be at Greene County Memorial Park, Morgan Township.
Waynesburg Masonic Lodge 153 F&AM will hold a memorial service at 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Leroy Albert Paul
Leroy Albert Paul, 80, of Cutchogue, N.Y., died June 16, 2003.
Born June 3, 1923, in Saxonburg, he was the son of Chester H. Paul and Della Muder. His grandparents, the John Muders, came from Germany in 1831 with the John Roebling family, inventor of wire rope and the builder of the Brooklyn Bridge, and helped settle Saxonburg.
Mr. Paul, a 1941 graduate of Butler High School, served in the Army from October 1944 to January 1946 in Co. M., 346th Infantry that saw action in Germany and Central Europe during the Ardennes and the Rhineland campaigns in World War II.
He graduated in 1948 from Allegheny College, Meadville, with a bachelor’s degree in business. He then returned to Saxonburg and along with his brother, Chet, bought and operated the Chester H. Paul & Sons General Merchandise Store. In the early 1960s, he moved to Long Island, N.Y., where he was a self-employed accountant and retired in January 1993. In June 1993 he had a massive stroke.
Mr. Paul was an active member of the Mattituck Presbyterian Church, Cutchogue. He was an avid sportsman and especially enjoyed fly fishing. He was a financial supporter of World Vision based in California, a philanthropic organization that supports children in need.
He is survived by his spouse, Martha Paul; three daughters, Jennifer Forstell of Serverna, Md., Mary Batthany of Delhi, N.Y., and Ann Burger of Cutchogue; a son, Jonathan Paul of Concord, N.C.; 14 grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Chet; and two sisters, Irene Buck of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Helen Marshall of Saxonburg.
Funeral services were June 22 at the Mattituck Presbyterian Church with the Rev. George Gaffga officiating. Burial followed at Cutchogue Cemetery .
Memorial donations may be sent to the Mattituck Presbyterian Church Youth Ministry, Route 25, Mattituck, NY 11952.
Ellen P. Fiscus
Ellen P. Fiscus, 41, of Cowansville, formerly of Owings Mills, Md., died Wednesday afternoon at Butler Memorial Hospital of injuries received in a two-vehicle accident on Route 68 in Fairview Township.
Born March 22, 1962, in Montgomery County, Md., she was the daughter of Harold Matthew and Anna Tarr Pickett.
A 1980 graduate of Owings Mills High School, she was a customer service specialist at Alltel, Kittanning. She also was a cheerleader advisor for East Brady and enjoyed motorcycling and camping.
Ms. Fiscus attended the First United Methodist Church, Kittanning.
Surviving are her parents of Kittanning; a son and a daughter, Joshua N. and Sarah E. Fiscus, both at home; a brother, Russell P. Pickett of Indiana, Pa.; and her companion, Daniel Lingenfelter of Cowansville. A niece, a nephew, a grandnephew, and several aunts and uncles also survive.
FISCUS - Friends of Ellen P. Fiscus, who died Wednesday, July 16, 2003, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at BAUER FUNERAL HOME, 515 N. McKean St., Kittanning. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church, Kittanning, with the Rev. Dr. Allyn Ricketts officiating. Burial will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to Kidney Dialysis or American Heart Association.
Martha M. Steere
Martha M. Steere, 43, of 112 Morningside Drive died at 3:27 p.m. Friday at the home of her parents.
Born in Norfolk, Va., April 3, 1960, she was the daughter of George and Norene McMillin Steere.
She was a member of the Covenant United Presbyterian Church.
A 1979 graduate of Butler High School, she received her nursing degree from Mira Costa College, Oceanside, Calif.
In addition to her parents of Butler, she is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Joseph (Kathy) Vargo and Mrs. John (Gail) Walchesky, both of Butler; a brother, Robert Steere of Butler; and many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.
STEERE - Friends of Martha Steere, who died Friday, July 18, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at THOMPSON-MILLER FUNERAL HOME, 124 E. North St. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Ginger Ditullio officiating
Memorial donations may be made to United Cerebral Palsy, 114 Skyline Drive, Butler, PA 16001; Albert Gallatin Hospice; or the Butler County Humane Society, 1015 Evans City Road, Renfrew, PA 16053.
Erma L. McGinnis
Erma L. McGinnis, 87 of Boyers died at 3:38 p.m. Friday at United Community Hospital, Grove City, after an illness.
Born Feb. 7, 1916, in Butler County, she was the daughter of George and Edith Stevens Hamilton.
She was a lifelong member of the Boyers United Methodist Church. She also belonged to the Over 50 Club, the AARP of Slippery Rock, the United Methodist Women, the Jolly Models and a retired teachers association.
Mrs. McGinnis was a graduate of Grove City High School and Slippery Rock University and retired from teaching in the Moniteau School District in the late 1970s.
Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Stan (Joann) Wolfe of Enola and Doris McGinnis of Havre-de-Grace, Md.; a son, Robert L. McGinnis of Boyers; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lewis E. “Ez” McGinnis, who died Dec. 28, 1995.
McGINNIS - Friends of Erma L. McGinnis, who died Friday, July 18, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at YOUNG FUNERAL HOME, West Sunbury. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with her church pastor, the Rev. Kathleen Soltis, officiating. Burial will be at the Old Annandale Cemetery .
