Willis "Pete" English
Owned service station at 26th and Liberty streets
Willis "Pete" English, 70, of 708 W. 26th St., died Monday, June 22, 1998, while traveling to California.
He was born Sept. 9, 1927, in Erie, son of the late James M. and Bertha Wiegle English.
A lifelong Erie resident, Mr. English was a 1947 graduate of Strong Vincent High School. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and worked for 23 years in the stockroom of Reed Manufacturing, retiring in 1989. He was the owner and operator of the Sunoco Service Station at 26th and Liberty streets from 1955 to 1966. He also worked at Griswold Manufacturing for 11 years. He was a member of the Siebenbuerger Singing Society.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Carol Siegrist.
Mr. English is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ruth "Hennie" Karl English; three daughters, Nancy Schnars and her husband, Ivan, and Deborah Grise and her husband, Robert, all of Erie, and Cindy Anderson and her husband, Curtis, of Jacksonville, Fla.; four brothers, James M. English and his wife, Dot, of Miami, Fla., Stanley L. English of Baltimore, Md., Roger F. English and his wife, Marie, of La Mesa, Calif., and Alfred C. English and his wife, Shirley, of Dove Canyon, Calif.; two sisters, Beth Lukart and her husband, Robert, of Calif., and George Anna Poudevigne and her husband, Pierre, of Santa Ana, Calif.; five grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Scott Funeral Home, 21st and Myrtle streets, Wednesday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. A service will be held there Thursday at 1 p.m., conducted by the Rev. Rick J. Crocker of First Alliance Church.
Burial will be at Erie County Memorial Gardens.
June 22, 1998
Sebastian DiMaria
Worked for PennDOT
Sebastian "Sibby" DiMaria, 42, 1126 W. 21st St., died Monday, June 22, 1998, at Saint Vincent Health Center.
He was born on June 20, 1956, in Erie, a son of Anthony and Esther DiFucci DiMaria of Erie.
He had worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
He was a member of the Nuova Aurora and the National Club.
Besides his parents he is survived by a daughter, Caitlyn; a son, Adam; his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Philomena DiFucci of Erie; one sister, Mrs. Dennis (Angela) Cologrande of Erie; a nephew and a great-niece.
Friends may call at the John R. Orlando Funeral Home, 2122 Raspberry St., on Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. and are invited to attend a service there on Thursday at 9:30 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass at Saint Paul's Roman Catholic Church at 10 a.m., with the Rev. John Malthaner, friend of the deceased, officiating.
Burial will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
June 22, 1998
Mary Lou Taylor
CORRY - Mary Lou Taylor, 61, of 13695 W. Washington St., Corry, died Saturday, June 20, 1998, at the Corry Manor Nursing Home, following a lengthy illness.
She was born in Clarendon Oct. 4, 1936, daughter of the late Robert and Verna Graham Temple Elmquist.
She attended Corry Area High School. She worked at the former Crosscut Restaurant, G.C. Murphy's, and the former Frank & Verna's Restaurant. She worked at Erie Plastics for 23 years, until 1991. She enjoyed flowers, other plants, and being outside with nature.
She was preceded in death by a son, Harlen Taylor, in 1993, and her stepfather, Everett Elmquist.
She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Harlan Taylor; a daughter, Mrs. Michael (Lisa) Hiner of Corry; two brothers, William Temple and his wife Faye of Orlando, Fla., and Ron Elmquist and his companion Betty Bartley, of Corry; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Friends may call at the Bracken Funeral Home, 315 N. Center St., Corry, Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and may attend a service there Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Burial will be at West Lawn Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association, or to a charity of the donor's choice.
June 22, 1998
Robert E. Schies
OIL CITY - Robert E. Schies, 76, of 452 E. Bissell Ave., Oil City, died Sunday, June 14, 1998, after an extended illness.
He was born in Knox, Dec, 31,1921, a son of the late Emmett and Louell Best Hall Schies.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and served as a radio operator in the Pacific Theater with the 27th Air Depot Group.
He worked at Knox Glass Inc. as manager of cost accounting and had previously been a self-employed real estate agent. He retired from Quaker State in 1985. He enjoyed golf, buying and selling china and collecting post cards.
He was preceded in death by a half-sister, Evelyn Hall.
He is survivedby his wife of 51 years, Lilian Kay McCann Schies; three sons, Fred Schies of N. Windham, Conn., and his wife Patricia, Gordon Schies of Newington, Conn., and Daniel Schies of Norwich, Conn.; two daughters, Betty Jo Schies and Mary Ann McNulty, both of New Hartford, Conn.; four grandchildren; and a half-siser, Dorothy Hall Dunkle of Franklin.
Calling hours were private.
A funeral service was held Thurday.
Burial was at Knox Union Cemetery, Knox.
June 22, 1998
Viola Brenner McKeever
Westmoreland County resident was a Presbyterian
IRWIN - Viola M. Brenner McKeever, 86, of Irwin, died Sunday, June 21, 1998.
She was born April 16, 1912, in Irwin, daughter of the late John W. and Sarah Jane Dyer Brenner.
Mrs. McKeever was a member of the United Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Irwin.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles R. McKeever; a grandson, James McKeever; and two brothers, James and William Brenner.
She is survived by a daughter, Gloria M. McKeever of Irwin; a son, Donald R. McKeever of McKean and his wife, Linda; and two grandchildren, Jean Allison and Steven McKeever.
Friends may call at Williams Snyder Funeral Home, 521 Main St., Irwin, Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A service will be held at United Presbyterian Church of the Covenant on Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Burial will be at Irwin Union Cemetery.
June 22, 1998
Stanley Waiter
Was a former Ervite Corp. employee
Stanley Waiter, 79, 2 Gibson St., North East, died Saturday, June 20, 1998, at Hamot Medical Center.
He was born Nov. 12, 1918, in Erie.
Mr. Waiter worked for Ervite Corp. for 38 years, retiring as the maintenance supervisor in 1984. He served in the Merchant Marine during World War II.
Mr. Waiter, who was a Mason, was member of Perry-Keystone Lodge 392. He was a volunteer firefighter with West Ridge Hose Co. for nearly 18 years. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in North East.
He enjoyed fishing and hunting.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Martha Love Waiter, whom he marriage April 10, 1937; a son, William S. Waiter of Wattsburg and his wife, Barbara; and three grandchildren, Debbie Rogers, Brian Waiter and Barry Waiter.
Friends may call at Burton Funeral Home, 602 W. 10th St., Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A service will be held there Wednesday at 11 a.m., conducted by the Rev. David S. Oyler.
Burial will be at Erie Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 823 Fillmore Ave., Erie, PA 16505; or the American Diabetes Association, 3850 Walker Blvd., Erie, PA 16508.
June 21, 1998
Howard S. Kofoed
Owned vineyard and beef cattle farm
RIPLEY, N.Y. - Howard S. Kofoed, 87, of East Side Hill Road, Ripley, died Saturday, June 20, 1998 at Westfield Health Care Center.
He was born Sept. 27, 1910, in Silver Creek, N.Y., son of the late Harry and Ida Belle Harrison Kofoed.
Mr. Kofoed owned and operated Kofoed Farms on East Side Hill Road, retiring in 1989. He had grown grapes and raised beef cattle since his youth.
He enjoyed traveling.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Stanley Kofoed, and a sister, Mildred Testrake.
He is survived by his wife, Edna Reed Kofoed, whom he marriage Oct. 8, 1941; a sister, Anna Bentley of Ripley; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at Mathews Funeral Home, 104 W. Main Road, Ripley, Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service there at 11 a.m.
Burial will follow at East Ripley Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Ripley, 24 W. Main Road, Ripley, NY 14775.
June 21, 1998
Henry A. Benecki
Retiree worked for Loblaws supermarkets
Henry A. Benecki, 80, of Vestal, N.Y., formerly of Erie, died Saturday, June 20, 1998, at Vestal Nursing Center after a brief illness.
He was born July 16, 1917, in Erie, son of the late Peter and Cecilia Malinowski Benecki.
Mr. Benecki was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He worked for Loblaws supermarkets in Erie for 30 years.
He was a participant in the Cursillo movement.
He enjoyed gardening and music.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Helen Bolash; and three brothers, John, Walter and Edward Benecki.
He is survived by his wife, Wanda Rogowski Benecki, who lives with her daughter in Endicott, N.Y.; three daughters, Emily Sedziak of Erie, Margaret Tomczak of Germantown, Md., and Rita Belk of Endicott and her husband, Michael; a sister, Wanda Sherosky of Erie; eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at Edward J. Garr Funeral Home, 459 E. 12th St., Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A service will be held there Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., followed by a Mass at St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church at 10 a.m.
Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Stanislaus Church, 516 E. 13th St., Erie, PA 16503; or Vestal Nursing Center, 860 Old Vestal Rd., Vestal, NY 13850.
June 21, 1998
