Obituaries by LocationBessie Mae Johnson
Bessie Mae Johnson, 79, of Sewickley died Sunday.
She was a homemaker and loving mother and wife who welcomed everyone into her home to share her wonderful cooking and baking.
Born Sept. 24, 1923, in Weltytown, Westmoreland County, she was the daughter of Myhrl and Elsie Myers Stairs.
She was a member of the Brush Creek Disciples of Christ Church, Cranberry Township.
Surviving are two sons and their wives, Wayne and Renee Johnson of Sewickley and Charles and Sharon Johnson of Gibsonia; three daughters, Frances Vas and her husband John of Youngwood, Westmoreland County, Sandra Koegler and her husband Irwin of Ambridge and Karen Mohn of Ambridge; 15 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Three brothers and their wives, Melvin and Connie Specht of Armbrust, Westmoreland County, William and June Specht of Florida and Thomas and Donna Specht of Alabama; and a son-in-law, Cecil Reames of Trabuco Canyon, Calif., also survive.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Francis Johnson, who died in 1994; and a daughter, Pamela Reames, who died in 2000.
JOHNSON - Friends of Bessie Mae Johnson, who died Sunday, May 4, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today and Wednesday at WALTER R. KASPER FUNERAL HOME, 548 Eighth St., Ambridge. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. Jan Weston officiating. Burial will be at Sewickley Cemetery .
George Erdos
George Erdos, 86, of 4120 Cypress St., Butler Township, died at 3:12 p.m. Monday at Butler Memorial Hospital.
Born in Highfield, Nov. 23, 1916, he was the son of Louis Sr. and Theresa Henry Erdos.
He retired in 1978 as a brick mason at Pullman Standard Co. after 42 years.
Mr. Erdos was a member of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Surviving are his wife, Hellen Grossman Erdos, whom he married June 28, 1945; two daughters, Sharon Michelitsch of Alexandria, Va., and Linda Erdos of Arlington, Va.; two sons, Richard Erdos of Broomall, Delaware County, and Gary Erdos of Yorktown, Va.; and five grandchildren. He also is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Theresa Stirling and Mrs. Ann Henricks, both of Butler, and a number of nieces and nephews.
Two sisters and four brothers preceded him in death.
ERDOS - Friends of George Erdos, who died Monday, May 5, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at THOMPSON-MILLER FUNERAL HOME, 124 E. North St. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. The Rev. Philip Williams, church pastor, and the Rev. Gary Brown, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Connoquenessing, will officiate. Burial will be at Butler County Memorial Park, Butler Township.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Foreign Mission Fund, 201 W. Jefferson St., Butler, PA 16001; or to St. John Specialty Care Center Auxiliary Fund, 500 Wittenberg Way, Box 928, Mars, PA 16046.
Pamela Cunningham
Pamela F. Cunningham, 32, of Hampton Township died Sunday in a two-vehicle accident in Hampton Township.
Born Dec. 15, 1970, in Pittsburgh, she was the daughter of Katherine Congilio Cunningham of Lawrenceville and the late M. Wayne Cunningham.
She was secretary of the Hunter Clan Scottish Association and a member of the Deer Creek Presbyterian Church.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by a sister, Ruth A. Cunningham of Richland Township; a brother, Wayne N. Cunningham of West Deer Township; and her grandmother, Ann Congilio of Saxonburg.
CUNNINGHAM - Friends of Pamela F. Cunningham, who died Sunday, May 4, 2003, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at SCHELLHAAS FUNERAL HOME, 5864 Heckert Road, Richland Township. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Raselyn Johnson, her church pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at Deer Creek Cemetery .
Memorial donations may be made to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Magdalene N. Becker
Magdalene N. Becker, 87, of Lakeland, Fla., died Saturday at Florida Presbyterian Homes.
She was born Sept. 5, 1915, in Beaverdam, Ohio, and she had been a public school and college teacher. During her career, she had taught advanced English at Butler High School, where she also was co-adviser of the Magnet yearbook.
She moved to Lakeland from Indiana, Pa., 26 years ago.
Mrs. Becker was a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, a longtime Sunday school teacher and a volunteer in missions for the Presbyterian church. She also was in Who’s Who in America.
She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Homer G. Becker.
Surviving are a daughter, Rachel B. Gibson of Sun City, Fla.; two brothers, Kenneth Neuenschwander of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Don Neuenschwander of Angola, Ind.; and a sister, Maxine Zuercher of Belle Flouche, S.C. Also surviving are three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
BECKER - Services for Magdalene N. Becker, who died Saturday, May 3, 2003, will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Glenn Moore Chapel, Lakeland, Fla. There will be no visitation. Arrangements are being handled by HEATH FUNERAL CHAPEL, Lakeland.
Martha F. Barnes
Martha F. Barnes, 54, of Zelienople died Monday at her home.
Born Jan. 20, 1949, in Fairmont, W.Va., she was the daughter of Marjorie Holt Chrislip and the late Edmond Chrislip.
Mrs. Barnes was a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and was a member and former Sunday school teacher at the Harmony-Zelienople United Methodist Church.
Surviving are her husband, Larry E. Barnes, whom she married Dec. 5, 1987; three sons, Rodney Richard of Ellwood City and Chris and Ken Richard, both of Harmony; two daughters, Rhonda Schmidt of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Valerie Richard of Harmony; and five grandchildren. She also is survived by her mother of Fairmont; two brothers, Robert Chrislip of Fairmont and William Chrislip of Boise, Idaho; and two sisters, Sandra White of Fairmont and Linda Merrifield of Dover, Del.
She was preceded in death by a brother.
BARNES - Friends of Martha F. Barnes, who died Monday, May 5, 2003, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today at BOYLAN FUNERAL HOME, 324 E. Grandview Ave., Zelienople. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Harmony-Zelienople United Methodist Church, Zelienople. The Rev. John Seth will officiate. Everyone is to meet at the church. Burial will follow at the English Lutheran Church Cemetery , Zelienople.
Theresa B. Campbell
Sunday, April 6, 2003
Theresa B. Campbell, 88, of East Brady died Saturday at Armstrong County Memorial Hospital in East Franklin Township.
Charles B. Buechele Funeral Home, East Brady, is completing arrangements. A full obituary will be in Monday’s newspaper.
Cleola M. Burke
Cleola M. Burke, 80, formerly of Dutchtown Road, died Friday at Sunnyview Home in Butler.
Born May 27, 1922, in Butler, she was the daughter of Thomas A. and Ellen “Nellie” Callahan Heasley.
She had worked as a long-distance operator for Bell Telephone at the Butler office until it closed and then at the New Castle office until she retired after 37 years.
Mrs. Burke was a member of St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Butler, the South Butler Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary and the Telephone Pioneers Organization.
Surviving are two sons, Terrance T. Burke of Butler and Lawrence E. Burke of Allison Park; two daughters, Mrs. William (Barbara) Tracy of New York City and Mrs. Tino (Jacqueline) Volpe of Wrentham, Mass; nine grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
He husband, John L. Burke, died Aug. 18, 1997.
Three brothers and four sisters also preceded her in death.
BURKE - Friends of Cleola M. Burke, who died Friday, April 4, 2003, will be received from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME, 201 E. Cunningham St. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Butler with the Rev. Harry Bielowicz, church pastor, officiating. Following cremation, her ashes will be buried beside her husband at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery .
St. Paul’s Guild and the Christian Mothers will meet at 9:35 a.m. Monday at the church to recite the rosary.
Dorothy Weisenstein
Dorothy V Edwards Weisenstein, 82, of Butler died Saturday at the Sunnyview Nursing Home.
She was born in Scottdale on May 23, 1920, a daughter of Gratta and Ruth Ferguson Edwards.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Community Alliance Church of Butler.
Mrs. Weisenstein is survived by a daughter, Barbara Payne of Charleston, S.C.; a sister, Jean Davis of Butler; and a granddaughter.
WEISENSTEIN - A memorial service for Dorothy V. Edwards Weisenstein, who died Saturday, April 5, 2003, will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Community Alliance Church.
Memorial contributions may be made in her name to VNA Hospice of Western Pennsylvania, 154 Hindman Road, Butler PA 16001.
Arrangements are being made by GABAUER FUNERAL HOME, Sylvania Hills Memorial Park, Rochester.
James M. Tonks
James M. Tonks, 96, of Foxburg died at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2003, at Laurel Manor in Emlenton.
Born July 2, 1906, in Foxburg, he was the son of Guy and Maggie Difendiffer Tonks.
For several years, he had worked at Starlight Refining Corp. in Karns City. He also had been the manager at the pro shop at St. Jude Country Club in Chicora and Foxburg Country Club.
He raised beagles, was awarded many first-place trophies for his show dogs and was a lifetime member of Fryburg Beagle Club and a member of Hilltop Beagle Club. He also was a sports enthusiast.
He attended the Memorial Church of Our Father, Episcopal, in Foxburg.
Surviving are his wife, LaVon “Bonnie: Ellenberger Tonks, whom he married in Clarion on April 18, 1931; a sister-in-law, Vera Ellenberger of Troy; close family friends, Dick and Louise Bower of Parker; and a number of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother.
At his request, there will be no public visitation. Private funeral services will be officiated by the Rev. Edward Lowrey, vicar of his church. Burial will be at Foxburg Cemetery . CHRISTOPHER M. HILE FUNERAL HOME, Emlenton, is handling arrangements.
Betty J. Morrison
Betty J. Morrison, 80, of Outlook Pointe at Saxonburg, formerly of Oneida Valley Road, died, Sunday.
Born June 5, 1922, in Butler County, she was the daughter of Robert F. and Mae Lillian Zimmerman Mariacher.
She was homemaker and had been a housekeeper for various Butler area families.
Mrs. Morrison was a member of St. Paul Roman Catholic Church and a life member of the Oneida Valley Fire Department Auxiliary.
She is survived by four nephews, two grandnephews, two grandnieces, a great-grandnephew and a great-grandniece.
Her husband, Hugh E. “Hughie” Morrison, whom she married Sept. 4, 1945, died June 15, 1996. She also was preceded in death by two brothers.
MORRISON - Friends of Betty J. Morrison, who died, Sunday, April 6, 2003, will be received from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME, 201 E. Cunningham St. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Harry Bielewicz, her church pastor, officiating. Entombment will be at Greenlawn Burial Estates Mausoleum, Mount Chestnut.
