Dec 20, 2013

Instrumental in starting Washington Rides

Richard Kent Alvarez, 75, of Burgettstown, died Friday, December 20, 2013, in his home.

He was born May 16, 1938, in Clarksburg, W.Va., a son of the late Eugene and Mary Vega Alvarez.

Mr. Alvarez owned and operated Alvarez Refrigeration, was employed by Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel and was maintenance director for Burgettstown School District.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a member of McDonald Rod and Reel, Bur-Lang Club and Richard Vaux Masonic Lodge.

Mr. Alvarez was dedicated to his community, serving on Burgettstown Borough Council for 40 years and was instrumental in starting Washington Rides, a transportation system for local senior citizens.

On February 5, 1977, he married Clara Battisti, who survives.

Also surviving are his three daughters, Maria Mendak of Langeloth, Alicia Suehr of Paris and Sheree Zimmer of Robinson Township; brothers Henry (Lucy) Alvarez of Clarksburg, W.Va., and Paul (Edith) Alvarez of Langeloth; a sister-in-law, Mary Alvarez of Burgettstown; six grandchildren, Sarah (Susie) Alvarez Mendak, Jenny Jo Mendak, Nora, Anna and Ben Suehr and Sydney Zimmer; and many nieces and nephews.

Deceased, in addition to his parents, are five brothers, Herman, Eugene, Joseph “Kelly,” David and Louie Alvarez.

Friends will be received from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday in Taucher Funeral Home, 23 Erie Mine Road, Burgettstown, where a blessing service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, December 23, with the Rev. Richard Tusky officiating. Interment will follow in Grandview Cemetery, Florence.

For further information or to leave a condolence, please visit www.taucherfuneralhome.com.

Brownsville resident enjoyed reading the Bible

Nancy O. Gillis Bane, 85, of Brownsville, died Thursday, December 19, 2013, in Uniontown Hospital.

She was born March 14, 1928, in Deemston Borough, a daughter of the late Robert and Elizabeth Baker Gillis.

Through the years, Mrs. Bane was very active in Bible Baptist Church, Hiller, where she was a lifelong member.

She enjoyed sewing, cooking, baking, reading the Bible and working outdoors.

On April 28, 1951, she married Francis E. Bane, who died October 19, 2009.

Surviving are two sisters-in-law, Agnes and Arlene Gillis, both of Centerville Borough, and several nieces and nephews.

Deceased, in addition to her parents and husband, are two sisters, Erma Weaver and Margaret Neale, and three brothers, Chauncey, Robert and William Gillis.

Friends will be received from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday in John B. Greenlee Funeral Home, 2830 Main Street, Beallsville, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, December 23, with Pastor Gary W. Smith officiating.

Interment will be in Westland Cemetery, Brownsville. A guest book and personal condolences may be accessed at www.GreenleeFuneralHome.com.

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother

Florence Joanne Midgley Boyd, 86, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, mother-in-law and friend, died Thursday morning, December 19, 2013, in Wesbury United Methodist Nursing Center, Meadville.

She was born July 15, 1927, in Heidelberg, daughter of George and Lorena Midgley.

She graduated from Bridgeville High School in 1945 and received her registered nurse diploma three years later.

On Oct. 12, 1948, she married the love of her life, the Rev. Gene W. Boyd. They spent 56 years together until he passed away in 2002.

During her life, she worked 55 years in the nursing profession, offering help and comfort to many in City Hospital and Hillside Home, both in Meadville.

Other interests included singing in the Fifth Street Presbyterian Church choir, reading, tending to her flowers and spending time with family and friends.

Surviving are her five children, Carolyn Holmes of Washington, Dr. Cathy Owens of Hermitage, Cynthia (Richard) Leavell of Corvallis, Ore., David Boyd of Washington and Douglas (Judy) Boyd of Sterling, Va.; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.

Mrs. Boyd had a life full of love and happiness and will be missed dearly.

Family and friends may call from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the time of service, Monday, December 23, in Dickson Funeral Home & Crematory, 130 North Second Street, Conneaut Lake, with the Rev. Mark Frailey of Fifth Street Church, Conneaut Lake, officiating. Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery, Conneaut Lake.

Please sign a guest book at hatheway-tedesco.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to Dickson Funeral Home & Crematory, Rocco R. Tedesco III, supervisor, 130 North Second Street, Conneaut Lake, PA 16316.

1956 – 2013

Harold Floyd Cain Jr., 57, of Bulger, passed away Thursday, December 19, 2013, in Weirton (W.Va.) Medical Center.

He was born November 19, 1956, a son of Harold F. Cain Sr. of Clinton and the late Mary E. Pierce Cain White.

Mr. Cain worked for Viper Transport as a truck driver and Applebee’s in Robinson Township.

Surviving, in addition to his father, are his children, Harold F. Cain III and Amanda Lee Cain, both of North Carolina.

Deceased, in addition to his mother, are a brother, Larry G. Cain, and a sister, Linda L. Cain.

Friends will be received from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday in Lee & Martin Funeral Home, 73 Highland Avenue, Burgettstown. Interment will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, December 23, in Chestnut Ridge Cemetery, Paris.

GM press operator was U.S. Army veteran

William M. Dobosh Sr., 85, of Venetia, died Friday, December 20, 2013, in Consulate Health Care of North Strabane.

He was born October 7, 1928, in Elrama, a son of Mitro and Anne Kayzmchak Dobosh.

Mr. Dobosh was retired as a press operator with the former General Motors Fisher Body Work in West Mifflin.

He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a member of American Legion Post 613 in Finleyville.

Surviving are a son, William Dobosh Jr. and Becky of Venetia; a daughter, Jan Ellen Grieve of Venetia; and several nieces and nephews.

His wife, Gale Cushey Dobosh, died in November 2012.

Friends will be received from noon to 2 p.m., the time of services, Monday, December 23, in Kegel Funeral Home Inc., Tim P. Kegel, supervisor, 3560 Washington Avenue, Finleyville. Private interment will be in Finleyville Cemetery.

William R. Grego Sr. of McMurray, formerly of Houston, passed away Friday, December 20, 2013, in Washington Hospital.

Arrangements are entrusted to Salandra Funeral Service Inc., 724-745-8120. A complete obituary will be published in later edition.

U.S. Army veteran was retired truck driver

Robert L. Lunsford, 77, of Houston, died Thursday, December 19, 2013, in Canonsburg Hospital.

He was born June 9, 1936, in Sylvester, Ga., a son of Russell and Willa Mae Murphy Lunsford.

Mr. Lunsford was employed as a truck driver for Overnight Trucking, retiring in 2005.

He was a former member of Payne Chapel A.M.E. Church, Canonsburg.

Mr. Lunsford was a veteran having served with the U.S. Army.

He was a member of Canon Lodge 186 IBPOE of W in Canonsburg and American Legion in Pittsburgh.

Surviving are his wife, Esther Maxwell Lunsford; five children, Veronica Sorice of Canonsburg, Candy Lemmons of Washington, Valia Burgess (Scott) of Havre de Grace, Md., Vivian Cadogen of Baltimore, Md., and Jamie LeMon (Erica) of Ellicott City, Md.; 10 grandchildren, Nicole Calderon (Mauricio), Bobby Lemmons, Jordan Burgess, Bianca Tickner (Steven), Easton LeMon, Alexandria and Cambridge Cadogen, Gerik and Xavier Proctor and Shane LeMon; a great-grandson, Julian Alexander LeMon; a sister, Delores Brown of Washington; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A daughter, Cindy LeMon Vega, is deceased.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in McIlvaine-Speakman Funeral Home Ltd., Robert K. McIlvaine, owner/supervisor, 27 Cherry Avenue, Houston, PA 15342, where services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, December 23, with Valia LeMon Burgess officiating. Condolences may be left by viewing an obituary at www.mcilvaine-speakman.com.

Phillip L. Redman, 69, of Clarksville, died Friday, December 20, 2013.

Arrangements are incomplete and under the direction of Behm Funeral Home, Inc., Jefferson. A complete obituary will be published in a later edition.

Jessop Steel retiree proud of children, grandchilden

Sam Romano, 83, of Washington, died Friday, December 20, 2013, in UPMC-Shadyside hospital, Pittsburgh, after a brief illness.

He was born October 4, 1930, in Washington, a son of the late Felix and Lucretzia Allowatt Romano.

Mr. Romano was a 1948 graduate of Washington High School and went on to be a grinder at Jessop Steel. He then was part-owner of Crescent Hills Coal Company Inc., from where he retired in 1982.

He was an avid Steelers fan and was very proud of his children and grandchildren.

Mr. Romano was a member of Alpine Lodge, Washington, where he ran its bingo for more than 50 years, Edwin Scott Linton Post 175 of American Legion, Washington Pulaski Club and Washington Lodge 776 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks.

He was married to the former Beverly Ann Shook for 53 years. Mrs. Romano survives.

Also surviving are two sons, Stanley (Barbara) Romano and Samuel F. Romano, and two daughters, Shawn (Ben) Trapuzzano and Colleen (Jimmy) Mancini, all of Washington; a sister, Joanne (Mike) Kolycheck of Washington; seven grandchildren, Emily, Katie and Samuel Trapuzzano, Marie and Mario Romano and Savanna and Olivia Mancini; three stepgrandchildren, Benjamin (Lauren) Trapuzzano, Michael (Janet) Trapuzzano and Ashley Trapuzzano; four stepgreat-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Deceased are three brothers, Frank, Anthony and Dominic Romano; and two sisters, Teresa Urso and Frances Zacour.

Friends will be received from 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday in Piatt and Barnhill Funeral Home, 420 Locust Avenue, Washington, where a blessing service will be conducted at 12:15 p.m. Monday, December 23, with the Rev. Carmen A. D’Amico officiating. Interment will follow in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Township, where Edwin Scott Linton Post 175 of American Legion will be affording full military honors. Memorial contributions may be directed to Veterans Administration at www.volunteer.va.gov or to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh at www.givetochildrens.org. Condolences may be expressed at and photos uploaded to www.familyremembers.com.

Piatt and Barnhill Funeral Directors, Inc., Charles R. Piatt, owner/supervisor, and Lawrence K. Donovan, funeral director

Belle Vernon Giant Eagle pharmacist

Samantha M. “Sammy” Thompson, 26, of Sturgeon, formerly of Canonsburg, died suddenly Thursday, December 19, 2013, in St. Clair Hospital, Mt. Lebanon.

She was born October 31, 1987, in Pittsburgh, a daughter of Ralph “Butch”and Donna Cross Thompson of Canonsburg.

Miss Thompson was a graduate of Canon-McMillan High School, attended Gannon University and earned her doctorate from Duquesne University School of Pharmacy. She was employed as a pharmacist at Belle Vernon Giant Eagle.

Surviving, in addition to her parents, are her fiancé, Andrew J. Little of Sturgeon; a brother, Arthur (Erin) Kaste of West Virginia; a sister, Danielle Thompson of Confluence; grandparents Mary Cross of Canonsburg, Vivian Thompson of McDonald and Ralph Thompson of Canonsburg; nieces and nephew Amelia, Joshua and Isabel; and her fiancé’s parents, Cheryl and Chester Little of Oakdale.

Friends will be received from noon to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday in Thomas-Little Funeral Service Inc., 314 West Lincoln Avenue, McDonald, 724-926-2800. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 24, in St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church, McDonald. Interment will follow in Woodruff Memorial Park, North Strabane Township.

Please sign a guest book at thomas-littlefuneralservice.com.