Karan S. Verdier
Karan S. Verdier, 52, a resident of The Village of Laurel Run, Fayetteville, formerly of 3415 Old Route 30, Orrtanna, died Monday, March 26 at her residence.
Born Dec. 27, 1948 in Keyser, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late Lee Vance and Demarius Fearer Parsons. She was marriage to Linwood R. Verdier on Jan. 22, 1969.
Mrs. Verdier was a 1966 graduate of the Anne Arundel High School, Glen Burnie, Md. She was a homemaker.
She was a member of the fibromyalgia Support Group of Waynesboro for three years. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed fishing.
Surviving are two daughters, Monica L. Verdier of South Mountain and Mandy K. Hendrix of Gettysburg; a son, Clinton J. Verdier of Orrtanna; a sister, Betty L. Ames of Glen Burnie, Md.; two brothers, Dennis V. Parsons of South Plainfield, N.J. and Gary L. Parsons of Brooklyn, Md.; and six grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Thursday, March 29 at the Chapel of Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home, Chambersburg, with Rev. Patrick B. Jones and Rev. Clinton Bingaman officiating. Interment was in Parklawns Memorial Gardens, Chambersburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 452 East King Street, Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.
Kenneth E. Hawbecker
Kenneth E. Hawbecker, 66, 541 Briar Lane, Chambersburg, died Friday, March 30 at the V.A. Medical Center, Martinsburg, W.Va.
Born Oct. 6, 1934 in Chambersburg, he was the son of Kenneth L. and Eleanor Wolf Hawbecker.
Mr. Hawbecker had attended Chambersburg High School. He had been employed in the mobile home industry. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the U.S. Army.
He was of the Protestant faith. Mr. Hawbecker was a member of the Charles M. Nitterhouse Post No. 1599 VFW, Chambersburg.
He was the last of his immediate family.
Funeral services and interment will be private in the Parklawns Memorial Gardens, Chambersburg.
Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home Inc., Chambersburg, was in charge of the arrangements.
Lena P. Cowgill
Lena P. Cowgill, 79, a resident of Shippensburg Health Care Center, formerly of 6223 Angle Road, Chambersburg, died Monday, April 2 at her home.
Born Sept. 11, 1921 in Morgan County, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late Adam K. and Alice Farris Gloyd. She was marriage to Mr. Cowgill on May 15, 1938.
Mrs. Cowgill was a salesperson at Kmart, Chambersburg, before retiring. She had also worked for W.T. Grant Co. She was a member of Marion United Methodist Church, Marion. She enjoyed gardening and sewing.
Surviving are a daughter, Wanda C. Gross of Chambersburg; two sons, Herman L.Cowgill of Annapolis, Md. and Howard L. Cowgill of Chambersburg; two sisters, Beulah Mawyer of Culpepper, Va. and Rosie Spielman of Berkeley Springs, W.Va.; two brothers, Charles Gloyd of Paw Paw, W.Va. and Raymond Gloyd of Great Cacapon, W.Va.; two granddaughters and four grandsons; four great-grandchildren; one step-great-granddaughter; two half-sisters; and seven half-brothers.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 5 at the Chapel of Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home, 333 Falling Spring Road, Chambersburg, with Rev. Guy W. Camp II officiating. Interment will be in Parklawns Memorial Gardens, Chambersburg.
Friends may call one hour before the service at the funeral home.
Lula B. Keefer
Lula B. Keefer, 86, a resident of Menno Haven, Chambersburg, formerly of 1484 Edenville Road, died Sunday, April 1 at her residence.
Born May 2, 1914 in Chambersburg, she was the daughter of the late Amos M. and Carrie B. Plum Keefer.
Ms. Keefer was a 1951 graduate of Huntington College, Huntington, Ind. In 1960, she formed a partnership with her sister, Janet K. Johnson, and established Hamilton Heights Market on Edenville Road, Chambersburg. She continued in that business until retiring in 1985.
In her earlier years, she worked at the former Stanley Co., Chambersburg. She then moved to York where she attended Beauty Culture School and worked at Woolworth Co. Since she had pursued a career in the Missions Field at Huntington College, she was assigned as a social worker to the Rescue Mission, Lancaster, for a brief time. She returned to Chambersburg and secured a job as office manager with the former J.J. Newberrys, where she worked until establishing her own business.
Ms. Keefer was a member of King Street Church, Chambersburg, where she was a charter member of the Buds of Promise Sunday School class and had taught fifth-grade Sunday School for many years. She was also the pianist for the Junior Department at the church.
Surviving are two sisters, Viola B. Brechbill and Janet K. Johnson, both of Chambersburg; and a brother, Melvin M. Keefer of St. Thomas. She was preceded in death by one sister and one brother.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, April 4 at the Chapel of Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home, Chambersburg, with Rev. Lester F. Stine and Rev. Paul B. Baker officiating. Interment was in Stenger Hill Cemetery, Fort Loudon.
Memorial contributions may be made to the King Street United Brethren Church, Generation Next, 172 East King Street, Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.
Martha M. Shannon
Martha M. Shannon, 89, of Chambersburg, died Sunday, April 1 at the Falling Spring Nursing and Rehab Center, Chambersburg.
Born Aug. 19, 1911 in Orrstown, she was a daughter of the late Clark R. and Amanda K. Weaver Hoffman. She was marriage to Samuel E. Shannon Sr., who died June 29, 1974.
She was a member of King Street United Brethren Church, Chambersburg and a member of its Buds of Promise Sunday School class. She was a former member of the Golden Age of Shippensburg Senior Citizens Club.
Surviving are seven children: Samuel E. Shannon Jr., Richard E. Shannon, Donald R. Shannon and and Cynthia S. Jones, all of Chambersburg; Kenneth L. Shannon of Fayetteville; and Joyce K. Timmons and Linda L. Bricker, both of Mercersburg; 19 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and one step-great-grandson. She was preceded in death by one sister and one grandson.
Funeral services were conducted on Wednesday, April 4 at the Robert G. Sellers Funeral Home, Chambersburg, with Rev. Lester F. Stine and Rev. Paul B. Baker officiating. Interment was in Parklawns Memorial Gardens, Chambersburg.
Rhoda V. Dunkle
Rhoda V. Dunkle, 86, of 323 Stouffer Ave., died Tuesday, March 27 in her home.
Born Aug. 7, 1914 in Hamilton Township, she was the daughter of the late John A. and Ellie G. Strike Butler. Her husband, Charles W. "Dunk" Dunkle died on June 12, 1976.
Mrs. Dunkle was a 1933 graduate of Chambersburg High School. She was employed at the former Stanley Company for 43 years until her retirement in 1976. She had attended Mt. Olivet United Brethren Church.
Mrs. Dunkle was a member of Burt J. Asper Post 46 American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, a former member of Charles M. Nitterhouse Post 1599 VFW Ladies Auxiliary and its 40 et 8 club and a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees No. 1063.
She is survived by a number of nieces and nephews, as well as great- and great-great-nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two sisters and two brothers.
Graveside services were held Saturday, March 31 in Lincoln Cemetery with the Rev. Paul B. Baker officiating.
The family requests the omission of flowers. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association Franklin/Fulton Division, 225 East King St.
Arrangements were made by Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home Inc.
Charles August Bikle, M.D.
Charles August Bikle, M.D., 92, of Luther Ridge, Chambersburg, died at his residence Sunday, June 10, after a lengthy illness.
Born Aug. 23, 1908 in Guilford Township, he was a son of the late Philip M. and Harriette M. Brown Bikle.
He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Chambersburg, where he had been active on its property committee. He was a member of the following: Franklin County Medical Society where served as treasurer and president; the Pa. Medical Society (a former delegate and vice president); American Medical Association; Pa. Academy of Dermatology; American Academy of
Dermatology; Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce where he served as director; Chambersburg Hospital Board of Directors were he became the first physician ever elected to the board and to serve as its chairman. He was also a member of the Chambersburg Lions Club, one of the founders of the Institute for Retired Persons, the A.A.R.P., Masons, Chambersburg Area Development Corporation and the Totem Pole Theater Board of Directors in Fayetteville.
He was a graduate of Chambersburg High School, Class of 1926; a graduate from Gettysburg College in 1930; and a graduate of University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1939. Dr. Bikle completed residency in Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania in 1955.
He taught high school science in Sharon Hill, Pa. for five years. He then practiced general family medicine from 1940-1952 in Shippensburg and Dermatology in Chambersburg from 1955-1978.
Surviving are his wife of 68 years, S. Elizabeth Yaukey Bikle; two sons, Charles Henry Bikle of Billings, Mont. and Daniel David Bikle of Mill Valley, Calif.; one daughter, S. Christine Mummert of Harrisburg; and five grandchildren.
Dr. Bikle was preceded in death by four brothers, including his twin.
Memorial services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, June 15 from the Trinity Lutheran Church, 26 W. Commerce Street, Chambersburg, with Rev. Dr. Neal O. Hiveley officiating. Interment will be private in Lincoln Cemetery, Chambersburg.
There will be no public viewing; however, the family will receive friends following the service in the church’s social hall.
The family requests the omission of flowers. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chambersburg Hospital, 112 North 7th Street, Chambersburg, or to Hospice of the Good Shepherd, 2700 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.
Arrangements are being handled by the Robert G. Sellers Funeral Home, 297 Philadelphia Avenue, Chambersburg.
Cleveland B. Neil
Cleveland B. Neil, 75, Willow Hill, died Saturday, June 9 at the Chambersburg Hospital.
Born March 25, 1926 in Willow Hill, he was the son of the late Charles L. Neil and Martha E. Weaver.
Mr. Neil was self-employed in retail distribution. He had served in the U.S. Army.
Surviving are a son, Robert L. Neil of Lewistown; four daughters, Sharon Crader of Fannettsburg, Lois Elms of Willow Hill, Susan Pressel of Dillsburg and Cindy Pottle of Massachusetts; two brothers, Donald G. Neil of Willow Hill and Charles D. Neil of Sharon; a sister, Eva M. Miley of Shippensburg; a companion, Grace E. Fleming; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Benjamin Neil; eight brothers and five sisters.
A memorial service was held on Wednesday, June 13 at Shady Pine Mennonite Church, Willow Hill, with Rev. Marlin A. Neil officiating. Interment was private.
Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Fleming, P.O. Box 142, Willow Hill, Pa. 17271.
John L. Agett Funeral Home, Dry Run, was in charge of the arrangements.
