Oct 27, 2012 10 min read

Wayne Russell Coombs, 59, of Venetia, died Thursday, October 25, 2012, in the company of his hospice staff and caregivers, Theresa Alvarez and Selma Tansey. Deceased are his beloved mother, Peg, and father, Russell. Surviving are a brother, James (Sandra) Coombs; and uncles, aunts, nieces and cousins. He will be especially missed by his childhood friend, Joyce Hill of Cudahy, Wis. Mr. Coombs overcame a birth defect to graduate from Ringgold High School, Washington & Jefferson College and California University of Pennsylvania with a master of science degree awarded in distinction. His professional career was dedicated to serving persons with mental, intellectual and physical challenges. He was a caseworker and counselor at Washington Communities MH/MR, Chartiers MH/MR and Torrance State Hospital. In 2004, he retired as a rehabilitation counselor in the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation after he suffered a brain hemorrhage. Mr. Coombs loved his work, his beautiful home and especially the companionship of his faithful dog, Peanut. His impish nature, dry sense of humor and caring spirit will be missed by all who knew him. Friends are welcome from 2 to 7 p.m., the time of service, Monday, October 29, in Beinhauer Funeral Home, 2828 Washington Road, McMurray, 724-941-3211. Please add or view tributes at beinhauer.com.

Veronica Dragich, 80, of Crucible, died Friday, October 26, 2012, in Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Paul Lesako Funeral Home Inc., Carmichaels, in a later edition.

Marylou Fox, 54, of Greensboro, passed away in her home Saturday morning, October 27, 2012, with her family at her bedside. She was born March 18, 1958, in Euclid, Ohio, daughter of Mary Fellows Shingleton of Albuquerque, N.M., and the late Robert Shingleton. A member of the Covered Bridge Association, she enjoyed gardening and canning, and occasionally visiting the casinos. She was a devoted wife and mother and she looked after her family as well as taking care of others. Surviving, in addition to her mother, are her husband of 35 years, Gordon G. “Gene” Fox Jr., who she married October 29, 1977; three children and their spouses, Robert and Debbie Shingleton, and Regina Fox, all of Greensboro, and Laura and Clayton Dulaney of Waynesburg; four grandchildren, Maddison, Jackson and Gracelynn Dulaney and Lindsey Dean; sister Patricia Walker; and two brothers and their wives, Robert and Connie Shingleton and Steven and Gloria Shingleton, all of New Mexico. Deceased are a brother, Emory; brother-in-law Keith Walker; and a dear friend, George Ellis, whom she cared for in her home for several years. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and until 11 a.m., the hour of service, Tuesday, October 30, in Richard R. Herod Funeral Home, Point Marion, with Pastor Gary Whipkey officiating. Interment will follow in Garards Fort Cemetery. www.herod-rishel.com

Kenneth Ray Kyper, 77, of Smithfield, passed away Friday, October 26, 2012, in Eva Davis Personal Care Home, Masontown-Smithfield Road, Smithfield. He was born January 10, 1935, in West Brownsville, son of the late Carey E. and Margaret Brown Kyper. In addition to his parents, deceased is a brother-in-law, Eugene Lee. Surviving are sisters Juanita M. Dodds and husband George W. of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and Shirley A. Lee of Carmichaels; nieces and nephews Peggy (Derrel) Cartwright, David (Sharon) Dodds, Kathy Dodds and Kevin Hoezle, Eugene (Muriel) Lee Jr., Shirley (Stush) Maciasz, Mark (Diana) Dodds, Tracey (Larry) Morris, Stephen Dodds and Suzie, Sheila (Mike) Davis, Seth (Michelle) Dodds, Brenda Lee and Amy (David) Russo; great-nieces and nephews Micah Cartwright, Margaret Lee, Valerie (Lonny) Myers II, Jeremiah Dodds, Bobbie Jean Lee, Stephanie (Stephen) Patterson Jr., Amanda Davis, Sarah Dodds, Amanda Nitzche, Cassandra Morris, Rebecca Maciasz, Sebastian Dodds, Chandler Dodds, Jacob Dodds, Tucker Lee, Hunter Dodds, Matthew Dodds, Alex Dodds, Shannon Dodds, Giancarlo Russo, Lucca Russo, Thomas Dodds and Joseph Dodds; and seven great-great-nieces and nephews, Andy Lee, Haylee Patterson, Deserae Myers, Logan Patterson, Kimberly Lee, Nicole Myers and Jonathan McEvers. Friends and family will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and until 10 a.m., the hour of service, Tuesday, October 30, in John S. Maykuth Jr. Funeral Home, Seven River Avenue, Masontown, with Pastor Scott Teets officiating. Interment will be in Redstone Cemetery, Brownsville.

Woodrow W. “Woody” Mitchell, 85, of New Freeport, died at 8:34 a.m. Saturday, October 27, 2012, in Golden Living Center, Waynesburg, after being in failing health for the past several years. Arrangements are incomplete and are under the direction of Rush Funeral Home Inc., Rogersville. A complete obituary and funeral notice will be published in a later edition.

George “Greg” Olenick, 85, of Avella, died at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, October 27, 2012, in his home. Mr. Olenick was born August 21, 1927, in Weirton, W.Va., son of the late Michael and Barbara Pavley Olenick. He attended Brooke County High School and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict. Mr. Olenick was employed by McGraw Edison of Canonsburg as a shipper, retiring in 1979. He had lived in Avella since 1956 and was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Byzantine Rite, American Legion Bert C. Sider Post 643 and SNPJ Lodge 292, all of Avella. Mr. Olenick loved to listen to jazz and Frank Sinatra. He was the last of his immediate family. On November 14, 1948, he married Veronica Sinichko, who survives. Also surviving are two sons, Greg (Margie) Olenick of Omaha, Neb., and Rick (Bonnie) Olenick of Wellsburg, W.Va.; three daughters, Susan (Tony) Smutney of Avella, Sharon (Kirk) Wiskeman of New Kensington and Judy (Jim) Scaffidi of Mingo Junction, Ohio; 17 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren. Deceased, in addition to his parents, are five brothers, Michael, Andrew, John, William “Chy” and Joseph Olenick; and sister Mary Perhacs. Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 30, in Jerome A. Stefkovich Funeral Home Inc., located at 18 Campbell Street, Avella, where Panachida service will be held at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 31, followed by Mass of Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church – Byzantine Rite, Avella, with Father Edward Lucas officiating. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Avella. Full military rites will be accorded graveside by American Legion Bert C. Siders Post 643 of Avella.

Eugene Louis Patterson, 79, of Houston, died Friday, October 26, 2012, in Washington Hospital. He was born July 7, 1933, son of the late Charles Sr. and Rosetta Keen Patterson. Mr. Patterson was a 1953 graduate of Chartiers Township High School. He had worked for Washington Steel Corp. in the Washington and Houston plants for many years, retiring in 1998. Mr. Patterson was a veteran of the Korean War, having served with the U.S. Army. He was a member of Payne AME Church in Canonsburg, where he had served as a steward and taught Sunday school for many years. He also was a graduate of Shiloh Bible Institute in Washington. Mr. Patterson loved to fish. On June 7, 1967, he married his wife of 45 years, Ruth Dungee, who survives. Also surviving are two sons, Louis Patterson (Lori Hayes) of Houston and Robert Anderson (Tammy) of Canonsburg; five grandchildren, Naomi Witzel (Todd), Robert L. Anderson III, Ambrosia Patterson, Zarah Patterson and Alexis Patterson; and a great-granddaughter, Norah Witzel. Deceased are two brothers, Richard and Charles Patterson Jr., and sister Armelda Patterson. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday in McIlvaine-Speakman Funeral Home Ltd., Robert K. McIlvaine, Owner/Supervisor, 27 Cherry Avenue, Houston. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, October 30, in Payne AME Church, Canonsburg. Interment will follow in Oak Spring Cemetery, Canonsburg. Full military rights will be accorded by American Legion Post 902 of Houston and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 191 of Canonsburg combined honor guard. Condolences may be left by viewing the obituary at www.mcilvaine-speakman.com.

Retired Army Colonel Carl Robert Rotz, 95, of Washington, died Thursday, October 25, 2012, in Washington Hospital. He was born January 11, 1917, in Altoona, son of Ralph R. and Della Hazel Shultz Rotz. Col. Rotz graduated from Altoona High School in 1934 with a membership in National Honor Society. He then completed the advanced accounting course at Altoona School of Commerce and was employed as assistant secretary of Altoona School District until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in February 1942. After rising to rank of staff sergeant, he attended the Army Finance Corps Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the Army in January 1943. Subsequent key Army assignments included that of fiscal director first at Deshon Army General Hospital and then at Fort Wayne Ordnance Depot, staff officer in the office chief of finance, U.S. Army, Army general staff duty in the office of the comptroller on the Army, duty as comptroller of a major unified command of the Armed Forces and then as comptroller of a major overseas command of the U.S. Army. He also commanded the Army Central Accounting Office in Washington, D.C., and wound up his almost 30-year Army career serving as comptroller of the Finance Center, U.S. Army Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind. During this period, he successively rose through the Army ranks to the grade of colonel, regular Army. His military honors include the award of the Army Commendation Medal, twice being awarded the Legion of Merit of the United States of America, and award of the Distinguished Member of the Army Finance Regiment medal with name inscribed in the Army Finance Corps Hall of Fame. Col. Rotz was a graduate of the University of Maryland with a bachelor of arts degree with high honors. During his military service, he also graduated from Army Finance School, Army Command and General Staff College, Armed Forces Staff College, Armed Forces Industrial College, Army Management School and Nuclear Weapons Course of the Department of Defense Atomic Supply. Following his retirement from the Army in January 1971, Col. Rotz served as vice president for business and finance at Washington & Jefferson College, until again retiring with emeritus status in June 1982. Always active in community, his local church membership included Trinity United Methodist Church, Peters Township, and then First United Methodist Church, Washington. He was a 32nd degree Mason, a member of Hiram Lodge, F&AM, Altoona, Scottish Rite of the Valley of Altoona and Syria Temple AAONMS of Pittsburgh. His other memberships included Retired Army Finance Officers Association, Retired Officers Association, Pittsburgh Chapter of the Retired Officers Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, 70+ Ski Club and Lone Pine and Nemacolin golf clubs. On September 23, 1942, he was married to Martha McClain, who survives. Also surviving are son, Douglas McClain Rotz (Marie Livingstone-Rotz) of Lake Tahoe, Calif.; two daughters, Karen Bullock (Ken) of Alamo, Calif., and Deborah Lynn Rotz of San Diego, Calif.; three grandchildren, Kristi, Kelly and Keith Bullock. Deceased, in addition to his parents, are two brothers, Gerald Ray Rotz and Dean Richard Rotz. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Hummell & Jones Funeral Home, 420 Locust Avenue, Washington, Thomas W. Hummell, supervisor, Douglas M. Jones, funeral director, where a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 2, with the Rev. R. Keith Simmons officiating. Burial will follow in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Township. Graveside military rites will be provided by American Legion Post 175 and the U.S. Army. Memorial contributions are suggested to First United Methodist Church of Washington. Messages of condolence may be left at www.hummellandjones.com. Friends are invited to a memorial service for Susan M. Ringel Zoog, who died July 29, 2012, at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 4, in Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church, 112 West Pike Street, Canonsburg. Arrangements are by Warchol Funeral Home, Bridgeville.