Obituaries by LocationFebruary 18, 1997
Mrs. Louella V.M. Silliman
Mrs. Louella V.M. Silliman, 71, of 910 E. Lizard Creek Road, Lehighton, died Monday in the St. Luke Hospital, Fountain Hill, Bethlehem. She was the widow of Jacob R. Silliman.
Born in Ashfield, she was a daughter of the late Clinton and Maude (Muthard) Freeby.
She was a member of Dinkey Memorial Lutheran Church, Ashfield.
Surviving are two daughters, Sandy, wife of Keene Gougher, and Diane, wife of Kevin Green, and three sons, Donald, Maynard and Jeffrey, all of Palmerton; two sisters, Fern of Lehighton and Mrs. Geraldine Rodrigues of Palmerton; and eight grandchildren.
The Thomas K. Thomas Funeral Home, 145 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, is in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Jeanne M. Clair
Mrs. Jeanne M. Clair, 76, of 101 S. First St., Lehighton, died in February in her home. She was the widow of Daniel Clair.
She was a saleswoman for retail stores before retiring.
Born in Dover, N.J., she was a daughter of the late Walter and Ruth (Buck) Buskee.
Surviving are a sister, Kathryn Pokluda of Clifton Park, N.Y.; a friend, Phyllis Chase of Jim Thorpe, who took care of her; and nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were private. The Richard M. Miller Funeral Home, 137 Fairview St., Union Hill, Lehighton, was in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Irene D. MacCullough
Mrs. Irene D. MacCullough, 83, formerly of Tamaqua and Mont Claire, Montgomery County, died Friday in the Brethern Village, Lititz, Lancaster County. She was the widow of Gene MacCullough.
Born in Taggartsville, she was a daughter of the late Walter and Hannah (Bickelman) Gerber.
Surviving are a daughter, Rhea I. Funk of Martinsburg, W. Va.; three sisters, Frances Eltringham and Flora Belle Swartz, both of Tamaqua, and Dolly Grimsley of Collingswood, N.J.; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Leonard F. Gehringer
Leonard F. Gehringer, 32, of 19 A Fry Road, Bechtelsville, died Sunday in the Allegheny University Hospital, Philadelphia. He was the husband of K. Dawn (Knepp) Gehringer. They observed their eighth wedding anniversary in October.
A graduate of Lincoln Technical Institute, South Whitehall Township, he was a cellular phone technician for Quality Cellular, Gilbertsville, for four years until 1995.
Born in Pottstown, he was a son of Leonard A. Gehringer of Barto and the late Jane L. (Schorpp) Gehringer.
He was a member of the Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Bally.
Gehringer was a member of the coaching staff of the Boyertown Midget Baseball League.
Surviving in addition to his widow and father are a daughter, Krysta M., and a son, Eric J., both at home; three brothers, Thomas of Birdsboro and Robert of Oley, both in Berks County, and Andrew of Barto; six sisters, Jane Kline of Reading, Louise Scavone of East Stroudsburg, Florence, wife of Todd Frederick of Quakertown, Grace Wilson of Bethlehem, Christine, wife of Larry Oswald of New Tripoli, and Marilyn, wife of John Sulzer of Slatington; maternal grandmother, Louisa Schorpp of Alburtis; and his stepmother, Mary Ann Gehringer of Barto.
Philip J. Brennan
Philip J. Brennan, 84, of the Phoebe Home, Allentown, died Monday in the home. He was the husband of Anna E. (Borger) Brennan.
He was an auditor for the General Electric Company, formerly in Allentown, for many years before retiring in 1977.
Born in Mauch Chunk, he was a son of the late David and Alice (Campbell) Brennan.
Surviving in addition to his widow are two sisters, Rosa, wife of Kermit Long of Allentown, and Sister Alice Loretta of St. Ann Convent, Bethlehem; and nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Ruth Coover
Mrs. Ruth Coover, 90, formerly of Ashfield, died Monday in the Mahoning Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Mahoning Township. She was the widow of Earl M. Coover.
A graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, she was a registered nurse at the Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia, for 19 years before retiring in 1943.
Born in Lehigh Township, she was a daughter of the late William and Emma (Mann) Benninger.
Surviving are a daughter Mary of Ashfield; a sister, Ethel Handwerk of Bethlehem; and a brother Harold of Hellertown.
Louis J. Rapone
Louis J. Rapone, 86, of 226 N. Market St., Summit Hill, died Monday in his home. He was the husband of the late Mildred (Marino) Rapone.
He was a policeman for the City of Weehawken, N.J., for 20 years before retiring, and previously was a bus driver for the Tommy Dorsey Band for two years; co-owner and operator with his brothers, Thomas of Clifton, N.J., and Dr. Julius of Carneys Point, N.J., of a liquor store in Weehawken; and a machine shop foreman for the Bethlehem Steel Corporation shipyard in Weehawken for 15 years.
Born in Italy, he was a son of the late Emidio and Celeste (Fagnano) Rapone.
He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Summit Hill, and a life member of the Knights of Columbus, Tamaqua Chapter No. 2711.
Surviving in addition to his brothers are a daughter Susan, wife of Robert Colancecco of Summit Hill; two sisters, Elsie Tonon, with whom he resided and Emma Minnervini of Englewood Cliffs, N.J.; and seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by aq sister, Rose Raponi.
The Thomas J. Parambo Funeral Home, 54 W. Fell St., Summit Hill, is in charge of the arrangements.
Franklin J. Bailey
Franklin J. Bailey, 60, of 1208 Riverview Drive, Walnutport, died Sunday in the Allegheny University Hospital, Philadelphia. He was the husband of Pearl A. (Rice) Bailey. They observed their 34th wedding anniversary in December.
He was a laborer for Alpo, Inc., Allentown, for 25 years before retiring in 1994.
Born in Kissler Valley, Lynn Township, he was a son of the late Adam S. and Naomi P. (Long) Bailey.
He was a member of the United Church of Christ congregation of New Bethel Union Church, Lynn Township.
Surviving in addition to his widow are a son, James F. of Lehighton; two brothers, Richard of Wanamakers and John of New Tripoli; five sisters, Mrs. Christine Kamp of Lenhartsville, Anna, wife of Marvin E. Handwerk, Janet, wife of Elwood K. German, and Marion, all of Slatington, and Lucille, wife of James D. Hamm of Kempton; and two grandsons.
The Campton Funeral Home, 525 Delaware Ave., Palmerton, is in charge of the arrangements.
George T. Lichtenwalner
George T, Lichtenwalner, 72, of Grange Road, Wescosville, died Saturday in a head-on accident on Sheidys Road in North Whitehall Township. He was the husband of the late Leola H. (Diehl) Lichtenwalner.
He was a bus driver for the Parkland School District for the past 28 years and a farmer in Berks and Lehigh counties for most of his life.
Born in Emmaus, he was a son of the late Harry E. and Sadie M. (Erb) Lichtenwalner.
He was a member of Solomon's United Church of Christ, Macungie, and the Grundsau Lodge No. 1, Northampton, and a former member of the Western Lehigh Lions Club.
Surviving are two daughters, Carol, wife of Barry Petroske of Alburtis, and Linda, wife of Karl Konrad of Bethlehem; two sons, Gerald of Fogelsville and Claude of Denver, Colo.; two sisters, Gladys A., wife of Allen D. Fink of Macungie, and Sadie M., wife of Andrew Keiser of Quakertown; five brothers, Stanley C. and Theodore N., both of Macungie, Arthur T. of Allentown, Walter H. of Vera Cruz and Harry S. of New Tripoli; and four grandchildren.
Jay E. Holder
Jay Edwin Holder, 70, of White Haven, died Feb. 10 in his home. He was the husband of Clara Ruth (Hamm) Holder. They were married for 44 years.
He and his wife formerly published The Journal, a weekly newspaper in White Haven. They were co-editors and co-publishers until his retirement a few years ago.
Born in Phoenixville, he was the son of the late James E. and Elsie (Dry) Holder.
He graduated from Phoenixville High School in 1944 and attended Ursinus College, graduating in 1955, after interrupting his college studies to serve in the Navy during World War II.
He was a field representative for the former Federal Security Agency (Social Security Administration), in Norristown until 1954.
Holder was appointed mayor of White Haven in 1985 and served until 1993, being elected to a full term in 1988.
He served as White Haven's representative on the Central Luzerne County Joint School District Authority for about 10 years and was a member of the American Legion for more than 40 years.
The deceased was a charter member of the White Haven Industrial Development Association and the White Haven Improvement Committee. He served on the board of directors of the former Flood Medical Center, Kidder Township, until its acquisition by the Geisinger System, and on the board of directors of the former Weatherly Water Company, having served as its secretary and executive vice president before it was purchased by Weatherly Borough.
He was a member of the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association for more than 40 years.
In 1974, he served as chairman of the community's sesquicentennial celebration.
Surviving in addition to his widow are a daughter Ruth, wife of Seth Isenberg of Weatherly; a son Jay of Spokane, Wash.; and two granddaughters.
Michael Sefchick
Michael J. Sefchick, 74, of Manville, N.J., died Sunday in his home. He was the husband of Agnes Sefchick. They were married for 50 years.
He was a tier truck driver at Johns-Manville for 36 years before retiring in 1984.
He was born in Junedale, Luzerne County.
Sefchick was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Manville; chairman of the Manville Chapter for Deborah Hospital, Browns Mills, N.J.; and a member of the Johns-Manville Quarter Century Club.
He was a Air Force veteran, having served with the 42nd Bombardment Group during World War II.
Surviving in addition to his widow are two sons, Kenneth of Manville and Bernard in Michigan; a daughter, Cynthia Meehan in Japan; four brothers, Simon of Bridgewater, N.J., George of Weatherly, Frank in Delaware and John of Edison, N.J.; a sister, Annie Uryc of Junedale; and three grandchildren.
Young survivor
An additional survivor of Mrs. Emma Young, 84, of Gilbert, who died Saturday in her home, is a daughter Margaret, wife of Earnest A. Christman of Trachsville.
Elizabeth Waice
Elizabeth Waice 27, of 104 Miner St., Coaldale, died Sunday in her home.
Born in Allentown, she was the daughter of Phyllis Reis of Coaldale and the late Robert Waice.
She was a 1987 graduate of Tamaqua High School.
Surviving with her mother are a son Robert and daughter Bianca Waice at home; two sisters, Pamela Waice of Freeland; Deborah wife of Richard Arieta of Lehighton; and a brother Michael Bubak of Lake Pocono.
The August M. Gulla Funeral Home, 130 E. Ridge St., Coaldale, is in charge of arrangements.
