Obituaries by LocationSara Ann Steiner
Sara Ann Steiner, 15, of Prospect died Tuesday in a two-car accident in Slippery Rock Township.
She was a student at Slippery Rock High School and enjoyed sports.
Surviving are her parents, Michael and Mary Jo Pawlowski Steiner of Prospect; a brother and a sister, Matthew and Gemma Steiner, both at home; her maternal grandparents, Joseph and Adella Pawlowski of Pittsburgh’s South Side; her paternal grandmother, Marie Steiner of Pittsburgh; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by a sister.
STEINER - Friends of Sara Ann Steiner, who died Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2002, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today and Friday at OLECHOWICZ FUNERAL HOME, 133 South 18th St., South Side, Pittsburgh. A funeral prayer service will be held at 9:15 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. John Vianney Parish, St. Henry Church, Arlington section of Pittsburgh. Burial will be at St. Adalbert Cemetery , Carrick.
Lorraine ‘Lori’ Rovito
Lorraine “Lori” Rovito, 54, of Bangor, Maine, formerly of Butler, died at 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, 2001, after a long illness.
Born July 10, 1947, in Butler, she was the daughter of Patrick T. Rovito and Ethel Rovito Meredith.
A 1965 graduate of Butler High School, she had worked at the Someplace Else Restaurant in Butler and was well known for her creative cooking stills. In 1980, she relocated to Bangor, where she was regionally successful as a free-lance artist.
Ms. Rovito is survived by a son, Eric Rovito of Bangor; five sisters, Patricia Patterson, Christine Minehart and Sharon Macklin, all of Butler, and Kathleen Benson and Carol Heckman, both of Colorado; and two brothers, Kevin Rovito of North Carolina and Thomas Rovito of Butler. Also surviving are two granddaughters.
Private services will be held in Marblehead, Mass.
Raymond L. Rau
Raymond L. Rau, 58, of Portersville died Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2002, at St Francis Hospital in New Castle of an apparent heart attack.
Born Oct. 26, 1943, in Pittsburgh, he was a son of William and Margaret Karvanick Rau.
He was employed as a salesman with Northland Ford in Zelienople, where he worked for 16 years.
Mr. Rau was a member of the Polish Falcons, Pittsburgh.
He was a Catholic.
He was a veteran of the Vietnam War.
He is survived by his wife, Marlene Schweiger Rau; two sons, Stephen Rau of Clearfield and Scott Rau of Butler; two daughters, Ms. Stephanie Rau of Natrona Heights and Ms. Shawn Davison of Gibsonia; a brother, James F. Rau of South Park; a sister, Linda Marie Rau of Florida; and 17 grandchildren.
A blessing service was held Wednesday afternoon, with the Rev. William Ritzert of St Matthias Roman Catholic Church officiating. Arrangements were made by the Kinsey-Volz Funeral Home, Evans City.
Margaret Marie Crissman
Margaret Marie Crissman, 43, of 319 Bessemer Ave., Lyndora, died at 4:13 a.m. Friday, at the Chicora Medical Center following an illness.
Born in Butler on March 20, 1958, she was the daughter of Alice Timblin.
She was employed by Slippery Rock University at Boozel dining hall for more than 10 years until her illness forced her retirement in April.
She had participated in Butler area bowling leagues and enjoyed playing pool.
She is survived by her mother of Lyndora; three daughters, Tracy Nickolls of Karns City and Mrs. Floyd (Jennifer) Pisor and Shawna Crissman, both of Lyndora; a son, Shane Crissman of Lyndora; her boyfriend, Nick Sopel of Lyndora; and a grandson.
Her husband, Jeffrey Crissman, who died Oct. 29, 1993, preceded her in death.
CRISSMAN - Friends of Margaret Marie Crissman, who died December 28, 2001, will be received at the GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME, 201 East Cunningham St., Butler, from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home with the Rev. Mary Sickels of the North Butler Presbyterian Church officiating.
Ralph H. Hill
Ralph H. Hill, 88, of 501 Market St., Freeport, died at 9:27 p.m. Thursday at Alle-Kiski Medical Center, Allegheny Valley, Harrison Township, after a three-year illness.
Born June 5, 1913, in Freeport, he was the son of Ralph A. and Blanche Beaumont Hill.
A 1933 graduate of Freeport High School, Mr. Hill had been employed as a steelworker for 8-0 Melt Shop of Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp., Brackenridge, until his 1974 retirement after 43 years of service.
Mr. Hill was a member of Armstrong Lodge F and A. M., Coudersport Consistory and South Butler Grange.
He was a member of Freeport United Presbyterian Church, where he served as elder and trustee of the church.
Mr. Hill enjoyed woodworking, carpentry, hunting, gardening and watching television.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Margaret Wetzel Hill of Freeport; a daughter, Janet Kay Hill of New Kensington; a son, Wilbur H. Hill of Harrison Township; a sister, Margaret Brothers of Saxonburg; and three brothers, Joseph Hill of Leechburg and Warren and Robert Hill, both of Freeport. Also surviving are three granddaughters and two great grandchildren.
HILL - Friends of Ralph H. Hill, who died Thursday, Dec. 27, 2001, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at KRYNICKI FUNERAL HOME, 1007 Freeport Road, Natrona Heights. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home with the Rev. Matt Fry of the Freeport United Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Park, Lower Burrell.
Elsa Pflugel Holoweckyj
Elsa A. Pflugel Holoweckyj, 82, of Russellton died Saturday at her home.
Born Jan. 27, 1920, in Regensburg, Germany, she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pflugel.
She emigrated to the United States in 1951 and settled in Rural Ridge, Allegheny County, before moving to Clinton Township.
Mrs. Holoweckyj was a homemaker and cook and enjoyed doing needlepoint and reading.
Her husband, Wasyl Holoweckyj, preceded her in death.
Surviving are a daughter, Heidi M. Holoweckyj of Butler; two sons, Frank S. Holoweckyj of Lower Burrell and Butch B. Holoweckyj of Butler; and a sister, Cathy Zwick of Germany. Four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren also survive.
HOLOWECKYJ - Friends of Elsa A. Pflugel Holoweckyj, who died Saturday, Dec. 28, 2002, will be received from 2 to 5 p.m. today at SIWICKI-YANICKO FUNERAL HOME, 23 McKrell Road, Russellton. Services will be private.
Vance M. Smith
Vance M. Smith, 75, of Vero Beach, Fla., formerly of Richland Township, Gibsonia, died suddenly on Wednesday.
Born April 10, 1926, in Hickory, he was the son of Vance M. and Jane Minerva Morgan Smith Sr.
Mr. Smith was a World War II veteran of the Army.
He was the founder and former president of Bakerstown Container Corporation.
Mr. Smith was a member of Bent Pine Golf Club in Vero Beach, Fla., Oakmont Country Club, and Rolling Rock Club in Ligonier.
He was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown.
Mr. Smith is survived by his wife of 50 years, Elizabeth Crawford; two daughters, Barbara Rigby of Sugar Land, Texas, and Shelly Camissa of Oakmont; a son, Vance M. Smith III of Pittsburgh; four sisters, Olive Ferrel of Hickory, Dorothy Walker of McDonald, Roberta Ferrar of Neenah, Wis., and Elsie Smith of McMurray; and three brothers, James Arthur and Robert Smith, both of McDonald, and Richard Smith of Hickory. Also surviving are eight grandchildren.
A brother preceded him in death.
Private services will be held Sunday at the Inn at Oakmont. Private burial will be Monday in Crawford Memorial Cemetery in Emlenton.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association Scholarship Fund.
Arrangements are being handled by SCHELLHAAS FUNERAL HOME, Heckert Road, Bakerstown.
Floyd H. ‘Herky’ Wiles
Floyd H. “Herky” Wiles, 78, of Butler died at 7 p.m. Friday at the Butler Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Born July 12, 1923, in Kaylor, Armstrong County, he was the son of Floyd and Vernie Guthrie Wiles.
He retired from the 2 Aisle Department at the former Armco after 43 years.
He was a World War II Army veteran.
He was a member of VFW Post 249 and the St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Chicora.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Reitz Wiles, whom he married Oct. 7, 1946.
Also surviving are a daughter, Janie Flis of Poland, Ohio; two sons, Barry Wiles of Butler and Allen Wiles of East Butler; a sister, Mrs. John (Grace) Corsini of East Brady; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
WILES - Services for Floyd H. “Herky” Wiles, who died Friday, Dec. 28, 2001, will be at 11 a.m. today at YOUNG FUNERAL HOME, 127 W. Jefferson St. The Rev. Joseph Kiewra, his pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery .
Rosemarie Gibson
Rosemarie Gibson, 75, of Evans City died Friday at her home.
Born July 20, 1926, in Butler, she was a daughter of John H. and Anna Porach Chuba.
She and her husband, Carl, developed and operated Gibson Orchards north of Evans City for more than 40 years.
She was a member of St. Fidelis Roman Catholic Church in Meridian.
She also was a member of the Zenska Jednota First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association.
Her husband, Carl R. Gibson, whom she married May 3, 1947, survives.
Also surviving are a son: Carl Gibson of Evans City; a daughter, Dr. Barbara Gibson Benninger of Butler; a sister, Mrs. Rita Ann West of Butler; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by four brothers.
GIBSON - Friends of Rosemarie Gibson, who died Friday, Dec. 28, 2001, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Geibel Funeral Home, 201 E. Cunningham St. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday from St. Fidelis Roman Catholic Church in Meridian. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery .
Herbert R. McKinney
Herbert R. McKinney, 74, of Mars died Saturday at the Wexford House Nursing Home following an illness.
Born Oct. 18, 1927, in Wexford, he was a son of Vivian “Pete” and Edna McCormick McKinney.
He was a retired truck driver for Wexford Beer Distributor.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He is survived by two brothers, John McKinney of Zelienople and Robert McKinney of Arizona.
MCKINNEY - Friends of Herbert R. McKinney, who died Saturday, Dec. 29, 2001, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at MCDONALD-AEBERLI FUNERAL HOME, 238 Crowe Ave., Mars. Services and burial will be private. Burial will be in Crossroads Cemetery , Pine Township.
