Obituaries by LocationMatthew S. Dickson
Matthew S. Dickson, 75, formerly of West Diamond Street, died Jan. 23 at his home in Las Vegas.
Born in Saxonburg, Oct. 2, 1927, he was the son of Joseph S. and Naomi Shriver Dickson.
He was a 1948 graduate of Butler High School and retired as a yard master for the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad.
Mr. Dickson attended the First United Methodist Church in Butler.
During World War II, he served with the Army in Japan.
He is survived by a daughter, Eileen S. Wolzok of Las Vegas; a son, Brian A. Dickson of Hobart, Ind.; and a sister, Fern Ford of Hamburg, N.Y. Four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews also survive. A brother preceded him in death.
DICKSON - There will be no public visitation. A memorial service for Matthew S. Dickson, who died Thursday, Jan. 23, 2003, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, 200 E. North St. The Rev. J. David Panther will officiate. Burial will be at Butler County Memorial Park, Butler Township.
THOMPSON-MILLER FUNERAL HOME is handling arrangements.
Rose Bandura
Rose Bandura, 88, of Vero Beach, Fla., died Tuesday at Tandem Health Care in Vero Beach after a long illness.
She was born Sept. 16, 1914, in Butler.
Mrs. Bandura was a homemaker and lived in Vero Beach since 1999.
Her husband Wally Bandura preceded her in death.
Surviving are two sons, Wally Bandura of Vero Beach and James “Bo” Bandura of Fort Thomas, Ky.; a sister, Mary Stoughton of Vero Beach; 11 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
BANDURA - Friends of Rose Bandura, who died Tuesday, May 13, 2003, will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. today at AYCOCK FUNERAL HOME, Fort Pierce, Fla. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon Thursday at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church, Vero Beach. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Fort Pierce. AYCOCK FUNERAL HOME, Fort Pierce, is in charge of arrangements.
Memorial donations may be made to St. John of the Cross Building Fund, 950 82nd Ave., Vero Beach, FL 32966; or to the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, National Headquarters, 70 E. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60601.
Fred Shemenske
Fred Shemenske, 95, of Cabot died at 4 p.m. Monday at Lund Care Center, Concordia Lutheran Ministries in Cabot.
Born in Kiev, Russia, Aug. 24, 1907, he was the son of Carl and Meta Yeske Shemenske.
He had been director of industrial relations at Chase Brass & Copper Co., Euclid, Ohio.
Mr. Shemenske was a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Cabot.
He is survived by a son, Charles Shemenske of McCormick, S.C.; a daughter, Mrs. Richard (Carol) Finlin of Granville, Ohio; and a sister, Mrs. Alma Brown of Connecticut. Seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren also survive.
His wife, Clara E. Shemenske, died Aug. 27, 1994. A brother also preceded him in death.
SHEMENSKE - There will be no visitation. A memorial service for Fred Shemenske, who died Monday, May 12, 2003, will be held at 1 p.m. June 14 at St. Luke Lutheran Church with the Rev. Barry Keurulainen officiating. Burial will be at Saxonburg Memorial Church Cemetery . FOX FUNERAL HOME, Saxonburg, is handling arrangements.
Memorial donations may be made to Concordia Haven, 120 Marwood Road, Cabot, PA 16023; or to St. Luke Lutheran Church, 330 Hannahstown Road, Cabot, PA 16023.
Ronald R. Robertson
Ronald R. Robertson, 66, of Butler died at 11:31 a.m. Saturday in the emergency room at Jameson Memorial Hospital, New Castle.
Born in Alliance, Ohio, March 29, 1937, he was the son of Alfred and Mary Kiscaden Robertson.
He retired as an automobile mechanic at Andy’s Auto Body Shop in Pittsburgh.
Mr. Robertson was a member of the First Baptist Church.
Surviving are his wife, Linda Martin Robertson of Pittsburgh; a daughter, Tina Lisko of Youngstown, Ohio; three stepdaughters, Tammy, Shelley and Valerie Martin, all of Pittsburgh; and six grandchildren.
ROBERTSON - Friends of Robert R. Robertson, who died Saturday, May 10, 2003, will be received from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at THOMPSON-MILLER FUNERAL HOME, 124 E. North St. Services will follow at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with Tom Hughes, lay pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be at North Side Cemetery .
Daniel L. Dittmer
Daniel L. Dittmer, 44, of Butler died Wednesday as the result of an automobile accident in Clearfield Township.
Born Aug. 26, 1958, in Butler, he was the son of Joseph R. Dittmer and the late Mary Elizabeth Raith Dittmer.
He had worked at the Mercedes Benz warehouse in Baltimore, Md. Prior to that, he was employed by the Fuellgraf Electric Co., Butler.
Mr. Dittmer was a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church in Herman and was a former member of the St. Mary folk group. He was a member of the Herman Volunteer Fire Department, the R.C. Men’s Club, the Ludlow Volunteer Fire Department and the Mount Jewett Sportsmen’s Club.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed spending time at his camp in Mount Jewett.
He also was a former soccer coach and a former Boy Scout Explorer post leader.
Surviving are his father of Herman; six brothers, Joseph J. Dittmer of Northfield, Ohio, James F. and Sylvester S. “Wess” Dittmer, both of Herman, and Frank L., Robert G. and Henry C. Dittmer, all of Butler; and three sisters, Mrs. Donald (Shirley) Saeler of Fenelton, Mrs. Robert (Lynda) Shuler of Butler and Mrs. Leroy (Carolyn) Geibel Jr. of Cabot.
Also surviving are 23 nieces and nephews, 10 grandnieces and grandnephews, six step-grandnieces and step-grandnephews and numerous cousins
He was preceded in death by a nephew.
DITTMER - Friends of Daniel L. Dittmer, who died, Wednesday, May 14, 2003, will be received form 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME, 201 E. Cunningham St. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, Herman. The Rev. Gary Stakem, O.F.M. Cap., will officiate. Burial will be at the church Cemetery .
A parish prayer service will be held at 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Ralph F. Claypool Jr.
Ralph F. Claypool Jr., 65, of Slippery Rock, formerly of Knox in Clarion County, died Tuesday afternoon in the Butler Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Born in Knox, March 8, 1938, he was the son of Ralph F. Sr. and Jennie E. Call Claypool.
Mr. Claypool was a truck driver, working for various companies. He was a member of the American Legion Post 243 in West Sunbury and enjoyed bowling.
Surviving are his wife, Helen L. Gullo Claypool, whom he married Oct. 19, 1991; four daughters, Mrs. Shawn (Pauline) Wuilinski of Virginia, Anne Marie and Betty Mae Claypool, both of Butler, and Mary Ruth Claypool of Washington, Pa.; three sons, Leroy Claypool of Virginia and Ralph F. and Tim Claypool, both of Butler; seven stepchildren in California and Missouri; and a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Four sisters, Betty Beck, Mrs. Wayne (the Rev. Lila) Kulp and Judith Strotman, all of Knox R.D. 1, and Mrs. John (Edith) Barty of Clarion; and a brother, Leslie Claypool of New York, also survive.
He was preceded in death by three sisters.
CLAYPOOL - Friends of Ralph F. Claypool, who died Tuesday, May 13, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at WILLIAM N. RUPERT MORTUARY, Knox. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with his sister, the Rev. Lila Kulp, officiating. Burial will be at Knox Union Cemetery .
Linda Yarger
Linda Croushore Yarger, 53, of Chapel Hill, N.C., died May 7 at the University of North Carolina Hospital, Chapel Hill, after a long illness.
Born in Greensburg, July 25, 1949, she was the daughter of Edna M. Croushore and the late Thomas Croushore.
A 1967 graduate of Hemphill High School, she attended Slippery Rock University and with her husband operated Flash Photo Lab & Studios in Slippery Rock until 1985, when they moved the business to Chapel Hill.
She was a member of the board of directors of the Orange County Animal Protection Service. She enjoyed traveling, had traveled extensively and served as a photography lecturer on cruise ships.
Surviving are her husband, James Farren “Flash” Yarger, whom she married Aug. 8, 1968; her mother, Mrs. Edna Croushore of Greensburg; a brother, Timothy Croushore of Greensburg; a niece; and a nephew.
YARGER - A memorial service and cremation was held in North Carolina.
Local visitation will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME, 201 E. Cunningham St. A memorial service will follow at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home with Warren Ihlenfeld officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to the Liver Foundation at www.liverfoundation.org.
David P. Smith
David P. Smith, 57, of Winter Springs, Fla., died unexpectedly April 21, 2003.
Born in Butler, Dec. 21, 1945, he was the son of Harold Eugene and Mary Geraldine Elsey Smith.
A 1963 alumnus of Butler High School, he had been an inhalation therapist at Butler Memorial Hospital for a number of years before moving to Florida in 1975. At the time of his death, he worked for the city of Sanford, Fla. He previously worked at LinCare Inc. in Florida for 20 years.
Mr. Smith was an Air Force veteran. He was an avid sportsman and enjoyed baseball and softball.
A brother preceded him in death.
Surviving are a sister, Shirley Pearson of Minneapolis, Minn.; and several nieces and nephews in Butler, Minneapolis, and Washington state. He also is survived by an uncle, an aunt, several cousins and a sister-in-law.
SMITH - A memorial service for David P. Smith, who died Monday, April 21, 2003, will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Butler County Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Butler Township.
John J. Pranulis Jr.
John J. Pranulis Jr., 88, of Isle Road, Butler, died at 9 a.m. Friday at The Autumn Grove Care Center in Harrisville.
Born Jan. 24, 1915, in Pittsburgh, he was a son of John and Frances Churka Pranulis.
Mr. Pranulis served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps’ 677th bomb squad, 444th bomb group.
He was a member of the St. Christopher at the Lake Catholic Church in Prospect. He also was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 249 in Butler and the Air Force Association.
Mr. Pranulis was the retired owner of the Pranulis Greenhouse in Butler.
He is survived by a sister, Lucille Stamm of Butler; a brother, Bernard Pranulis of Butler; five nieces; and two nephews.
PRANULIS - Friends of John J. Pranulis Jr., who died Friday, May 9, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the JAY BRYAN FUNERAL HOME, 443 Main St., Prospect. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Martin Pagano of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Prospect officiating. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Butler.
