Obituaries by LocationFebruary 14, 1997
Dr. R. Roy Ronemus
Dr. R. Roy Ronemus, 75, of 355 N. 11th St., Lehighton, a retired podiatrist and school director, died Thursday in his home. He was the husband of Lucille (Snyder) Ronemus. They observed their 49th wedding anniversary in August.
A 1943 graduate of the Temple University podiatry program, he maintained a private practice in Lehighton for 44 years before retiring in 1990.
During that time, he had staff privileges at Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital, Lehighton, the Palmerton Hospital and the former Allentown Hospital. He currently had honorary privileges at Gnaden Huetten.
Dr. Ronemus was a member of the Lehighton Area School District Board of Education from 1961-73, and served as its president for eight years.
Born in Nesquehoning, he was a son of the late R. Roy Sr. and Annie (Watkins) Ronemus.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Lehighton, where he was a trustee and an ordained elder.
The deceased was a director of the Lehighton Cemetery Association and also belonged to the Lehighton Rotary from 1948-90, where he was also a past vice president.
A graduate of the former Nesquehoning High School, he was an Army veteran of World War II, having served with the Combat Medical Corps of the 124th Calvary. He participated in the China-Burma-India Theater and was a recipient of three Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart medal.
Dr. Ronemus was a life member of Merrill's Marauders, past vice commander of the C.B.I. Veterans Association and a member of the Elwood Miller AMVETS Post 106, American Legion Post 314 (for 51 years) and V.F.W. Post 256, all of Lehighton.
He was a life member of the American Podiatric Medical Association and the Elks Lodge No. 1284, Lehighton, having belonged to the latter lodge for 44 years.
He also belonged to F. & A.M. Lodge No. 621, Lehighton; the Lehigh Consistory, Valley of Allentown; the Irem Temple, Dallas; and the Irem Shrine Circus.
Surviving in addition to his widow are two sons, James R. and Robert R. III, both of Lehighton; two daughters, RuthAnn, wife of Trevor Shellhammer of Lehighton, and Mary Jane Koski of Plano, Tex.; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He was also preceded in death by a brother Thomas, who died in June, 1996.
The Kenneth N. Phifer Funeral Home, Third and Alum streets, Lehighton, is in charge of the arrangements.
Cletus J.H. Lutz
Cletus J.H. Lutz, 45, of 200 Willow Ave., Slatington, died Wednesday in his home.
He was the co-owner of Lutz and Moyer Antiques, Slatington.
Born in Pen Argyl, he was a son of Cletus H. Lutz of Nazareth and the late Arlene June (Rice) Lutz.
Surviving in addition to his father are a brother Jeffrey in North Carolina; a sister, Elizabeth E., wife of Felix Schuch of Nazareth; and paternal grandmother, Nellie (Foster) Lutz Martocci, residence unknown.
Clinton H. Scherer
Clinton H. Scherer, 85, of 1833 17th St. S.W., Allentown, died Wednesday in the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township. He was the husband of Anne P. (Ridnack) Scherer. They observed their 36th wedding anniversary last March.
He was an electrician for the Bethlehem Steel Corporation for 35 years before retiring in 1975.
Born in Perkiomenville, he was a son of the late Frank E. and Annie E. (Kolb) Scherer.
He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Allentown, the Mountainville Fire Company and the Pensioneers Club of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation.
Surviving in addition to his widow are three sons, Donald G. of Colonial Heights, Va., Norman R. of East Greenville and Clinton E. of Allentown; four daughters, Marlene, wife of Kenneth Hohe of Emmaus, Marilyn Haldeman of Wernersville, Berks County, Darlene Gregory of Bowmanstown and Diane, wife of Richard Miller of Hellertown; a brother, Earl V. Sr. of Allentown; a stepdaughter, Judith Hausman of Emmaus; 18 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, four step-grandchildren and seven step-great-grandchildren.
Peter M. Kahora Sr.
Peter M. Kahora Sr., 74, of 6982 Phillips Road, Germansville, formerly of East Brunswick, N.J., and St. Petersburg, Fla., died Thursday in the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, after being stricken at Cedarbrook, South Whitehall Township. He was the husband of Frances (Romatowski) Kahora. They observed their 50th wedding anniversary in June.
A machinist, he worked for the General Cable Corporation, St. Petersburg, for 12 years before retiring in 1982, and previously had worked for Johnson and Johnson, Somerville, N.J., for 30 years.
Born in Minersville, he was a son of the late Andrew and Pauline (Smuzenitza) Kahora.
He was a member of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Orefield.
Kahora was a Navy veteran of World War II.
Surviving in addition to his widow are three sons, Edward P. of Flemington, N.J., Robert P. of South Brunswick, N.J., and Peter M. Jr. of New Tripoli; three brothers, Andrew of Whiting, N.J., George of Carteret, N.J., and Joseph of Bricktown, N.J.; two sisters, Mary, wife of John Hnat of Portland, Ore., and Ann, wife of Walter Plucinski of Ocala, Fla.; and seven grandchildren.
Ralph L. Ranck
Ralph R. Ranck, 81, of Emmaus, formerly of Allentown, died Thursday in the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township. He was the husband of Hazel A. (Starner) Ranck. They observed their 55th wedding anniversary in December.
He was a district manager for American District Telegraph in the Allentown, Reading and Scranton areas for 32 years before retiring in 1978.
Born in Allentown, he was a son of the late Ralph and Madeline (Wentz) Ranck.
He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church, Allentown, where he was a vestry member and usher.
Ranck was an Army veteran of World War II, having been in the first volunteer group from Allentown.
Surviving in addition to his widow are two daughters, Ann Louise, wife of Raymond Shelhamer of Kunkletown, and Bonnie K. Wilson of Wescosville; a sister, Madeline Brobst of Allentown; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Peter Horoschak
Mrs. Dorothy Horoschak, 70, of Lansdale, formerly of Lansford, died Wednesday in the North Penn Hospital, Lansdale. She was the wife of Peter Horoschak. They observed their 47th wedding anniversary in November.
A member of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, she was a seamstress for 40 years for the former Pool and Son Clothing Manufacturers, Lansdale, and Hatfield Trousers. Previously, she was employed by the former Kiddie Kloes, Lansford.
Born in Lansford, she was a daughter of the late John and Anella (Kosala) Hebda.
She was a member of St. John Byzantine Catholic Church, Lansford.
Surviving in addition to her husband are a son Philip of Lansdale; a brother Leonard of Ellenton, Fla.; three sisters, Agnes Moyer of Tamaqua, Rose of Lansford and Sally Zakarosky of Hammonton, N.J.; two granddaughters and nieces and nephews.
John F. Ingebrethsen
John F. Ingebrethsen, 72, of Penn Forest Streams, Jim Thorpe, formerly of Westbury, Long Island, N.Y., died Tuesday evening in the Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital, Lehighton. He was the husband of Dorothy (Renham) Ingebrethsen of Jim Thorpe. They observed their 47th wedding anniversary on June 24.
He was a retired engineer for the New York Telephone Company, having worked in the Metropolitan area.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was a son of the late Frank and Veronica (Bradley) Ingebrethsen.
He was a member of St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church, Lake Harmony.
Ingebrethsen was a Navy veteran of World War II, having served in the South Pacific.
Surviving in addition to his widow are six children, 10 grandchildren and a brother.
The Edward F. Melber Funeral Home, 524 Center St., Jim Thorpe, is in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Helen U. Lawson
Mrs. Helen U. Lawson, 89, formerly of 605 W. Mahanoy Ave., Mahanoy City, formerly of Tamaqua, died Thursday, Jan. 23, in the Shenandoah Manor, where she was a guest since May, 1996. She was the widow of Francis Joseph Lawson, who died in 1959.
She worked for several years at the former Atlas Powder Company, Reynolds.
Born in Mahanoy City, she was a daughter of the late John and Elizabeth (Sherpensky) Sluzalis, and had lived in Mahanoy City for most of her life and in Tamaqua for 10 years.
She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Mahanoy City, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and the Golden Agers and Senior Citizens, both of Mahanoy City.
Surviving are three brothers, John of Springfield, Ill., Francis of Pinellas Park, Fla., and William of Mahanoy City; and nieces and nephews.
He was also preceded in death by a brother Joseph and a sister, Aldona Dombroskie.
Funeral services were held in Mahanoy City. The Louis Truskowsky Funeral Home, Mahanoy City, was in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. John Thompson
Mrs. Sarah J. Thompson, 62, of Andover, Mass., died Wednesday in her home. She was the wife of John P. Thompson.
She was a registered nurse and visiting nurse in New York City, N.Y.
Born in Mahanoy City, she was a daughter Sarah Burke of Weatherly and the late Dr. Clemens Burke.
The deceased was a nursing instructor then acting director of the nursing school at Lowell General Hospital until 1969. In 1987, she began work at Elder Services of The Merrimack Valley specializing in the Family Care for Adults Program until her retirement in 1995.
She was a member of St. Augustine Church, Andover, and was past president of Mass Council for Adult Foster Care.
She attended Hood College in Frederick, Md., and graduated from Cornell University, New York Hospital School of Nursing.
Surviving in addition to her mother and husband are a daughter, Amy J. of Cambridge, Mass.; three sisters, Patricia Hametz of Weatherly, Nancy Burke of Safety Harbor, Fla., and Susan Marley of Virginia Beach, Va.; two brothers, Stephen of Savannah, Ga., and Timothy of Olympia, Wash.; and nieces and nephews.
Rev. Laurence J. Young
The Rev. Laurence J. Young, 87, of Carmel, Ind., formerly of Edelman, died Tuesday in the St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, Ind. He was the husband of Martha S. (Berry) Young.
He was pastor of St. Matthew United Church of Christ, Lynnville, from 1981 until retiring in 1991.
He entered the ministry at the age of 56 and served Methodist churches in Neola, Kellersville and McMichaels, all in Monroe County, from 1964-66. He then served for a year on the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Church in Decatur.
He was a visiting pastor in Huntingburg and interim pastor in Augusta, both in Indiana, and a pastor in Youngstown and Lewis, both in Ohio.
Earlier, he worked for the former Chipman Knitting Mills, West Easton.
Born in Belfast, he was a son of the late Floyd and Emily (Hearn) Young.
He was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Edelman, and sang with the Wesley Methodist Quartet in the 1930s and 1940s.
Young was an Army veteran of World War II.
He played baseball with the AA team and was a troop leader for the Boy Scouts, both in Edelman.
Surviving in addition to his widow are a daughter Eileen, wife of Robert Detweiler of Nazareth; a son, Raymond L. of Jefferson, Ind.; a stepson, Robert Berry of Indianapolis; 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
