Obituary Stories category, Page 37
Greensburg secretary Marjorie Taylor loved writing, painting
Before their daughter could even open her eyes and utter her first cry, Marjorie Taylor’s parents hung her out the window of their home and the attending nurse slapped her because she wasn’t breathing. “Finally then, she came to life,” said her daughter, Leslie Minteer of North Huntingdon. L. Marjorie...
Former Mt. Pleasant man loved cooking, ran a food truck
Former businessman James Lentz loved to cook, whether it was serving barbecues from his food truck at the annual Mt. Pleasant Glass Festival or joining with his wife to cook two big turkeys on Thanksgiving to feed an extended family of 40 to 50 people in his house. “He loved...
Murrysville woman led by example, volunteered at charities
Mary Funk grew up on the Murrysville Golf Course. Living in the stone house on the property, her parents owned and ran the golf course since it was built in 1928 — the year they immigrated from Glasgow, Scotland. Mrs. Funk cut the greens and tended the course. It also...
South Greensburg cancer survivor was devoted to family
South Greensburg’s Pat Urda didn’t let obstacles stand in the way of being an active supporter of her family and her community. “She was resilient,” said her daughter, Karen Peltz. “She showed perseverance in the face of adversity. She was a fabulous role model.” Mrs. Urda survived a battle with...
‘Pro’s pro’ dedicated life to golf
When John Goettlicher retired, he received a farewell note from golf legend Arnold Palmer. “The game has certainly been enriched by your presence, and I salute you, my friend,” Palmer wrote. Mr. Goettlicher spent 67 years as a golf professional, earning the admiration of others working in the industry. He...
Salem Township woman loved to work in her garden
Helen Kersten loved to garden. It was the place where she could be creative, and she had a real good sense of colors, said her daughter, Donna McDowell of Ligonier. “She had a beautiful garden,” McDowell said. “She always liked flowers that were different.” Mrs. Kersten did not rely on...
Greensburg woman remembered as ‘great teacher’
Nancy Hogue turned a job teaching for the U.S. Defense Department into an opportunity to travel all over Europe and beyond. Five years into her teaching career, Mrs. Hogue took a position teaching the children of U.S. military personnel at Air Force bases in Puerto Rico; Labrador, Canada; and Zaragoza,...
Latrobe man loved sports, family
James Hauser had just gotten back from serving in Korea when he met his wife-to-be, Virginia. “I was sitting there, and he came over and asked me to dance,” Virginia Hauser said. “We started dancing and he introduced himself. So the next time he came over, he said he was...
Greensburg Catholic schoolteacher was keen on Irish heritage
St. Patrick’s Day was one of Mary McCloskey’s favorite times of the year. The holiday allowed her to share her love of her Irish heritage with the elementary students she taught for nearly four decades at what is now Greensburg’s Catholic Aquinas Academy. “She would make a big fuss in...
Nancy Rogers Crozier, sister of Mister Rogers, devoted life to Latrobe
Nancy Rogers “Laney” Crozier eschewed the spotlight that shone on her brother Fred Rogers, of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” fame, but she devoted her considerable energy to making her own neighborhood a better place. Crozier spent her time helping her hometown of Latrobe. “She brought a lot of energy into the...
Latrobe woman never missed family’s baseball games
Nancy Gangemi never missed a chance to see one of her sons or grandchildren play baseball. Living down from the field, Mrs. Gangemi often played catch with her son, Jeffrey “Duffy” Powers, and was always in the stands cheering for her grandchildren. “She was always an avid follower of my...
DeMarino joined Marines, was World War II hero
Sante DeMarino joined his three brothers in serving with the Marines during World War II and was awarded the Silver Star for his heroism against the Japanese in a battle on the island of Saipan in June 1944. He was severely wounded during the fighting, resulting in the loss of...
Greensburg resident always put family first
Nancy Aleandri always put her family first. And with three children, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, she had plenty of opportunities to do so. “Her family was really everything to her,” said granddaughter Megan Aleandri. Mrs. Nancy Aleandri, 81, of Greensburg, died Thursday, March 14, 2019, at Westmoreland Manor. Born...
Navy veteran tended plants, stray cats
Donald Hisker had a passion for plants. The Greensburg native grew everything from tomatoes and cucumbers to petunias and irises, and he freely shared the bounty of his backyard garden as well as the benefit of his horticultural know-how. “He always had to have his tomato plants,” said his son,...
Claridge postmaster served his country in war and peace
Charles Ocepek served in the Army during World War II and worked as the postmaster for his hometown of Claridge in Penn Township. “He served his country in times of war and served his country in times of peace,” said his son, Karl Ocepek of Downington. Charles Ocepek of Claridge...
West Newton man enjoyed sharing his passions
Although Stephen Fanala worked for 45 years in the steel industry, it was his avocations that defined him. Mr. Fanala loved to fly, and he loved to teach others about hunting and trapping. “These were not just hobbies for him — these were lifelong passions of his,” said his daughter,...
North Huntingdon restaurant owner leaves legacy in Fontana’s Cafe
Mary Fontana and her husband James helped open Fontana’s Cafe in North Huntingdon well over 50 years ago. The newly married couple used extra money they had saved to help James’ parents realize their dream of owning a restaurant. “She was generous with her life, and she was especially kind...
Lynn Hoak, wife of Steelers coach, devoted life to family
While her husband was on the road as the running backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Lynn Hoak dedicated herself to her children. “She was always centered around the house and the family,” said her daughter Kelly Shuster. She would ferry them to dance lessons, skating lessons and other activities,...
102-year-old retired teacher started in one-room Derry Twp. schoolhouse
Thelma Kosmach started her teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse in the Village of Gray Station in Derry Township in the mid 1940s. She was paid $7 a month to teach first through eighth grades all subjects, including music and art. In addition to teaching, she scrubbed floors, filled the...
Devoted wife, mother, took care of injured daughter
Donna Liberatore took care of her daughter Stacie, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car wreck near Mountain View on July 4, 1990, and was hospitalized for eight months. “She was the devoted therapist, occupational therapist and speech therapist. She did a tremendous job in getting her (Stacie’s)...
Greensburg man shared woodworking talent with church, community
Ed Iezzi discovered his talent for woodworking following a real mid-life crisis. “He got interested in it when he had open heart surgery when he was 40 and he was laid up for a couple of months,” said his son, Christopher. With time on his hands, Mr. Iezzi invested in...
Longtime Jayhawks football announcer loved music, sports, news
Joe Pacelli of Trafford would have been happy enough just sitting in the front row, watching Tony Bennett perform at the Venetian Room, during a trip to San Francisco in the 1980s. But he was ready to fly himself to the moon when he saw Bennett on the street the...
Former Mt. Pleasant Sub ’n Pub owner kept upbeat attitude during cancer fight
Mary D. “Lou” Ross of Scottdale beat the odds in her 13-year battle against a rare cancer of the salivary glands, and did it with a smile on her face and positive attitude that spread to other patients undergoing treatment, according to her daughter. “She was called a miracle by...
Latrobe World War II veteran was ‘all about photography’
If Harry Frye wasn’t at a local fire or town council meeting, he was covering high school sports or taking candid photos basically everywhere he went. “It’s all about photography,” said Patrick Frye, 57, of West Chester, about his father. “He always had his camera in his hand and didn’t...
Youngwood man was ‘ahead of his time’
When Regis Klinchock saw something that needed changing, he changed it. When he saw racing promoters making more money than racers, he became a racetrack operator. When he got tired of paying high prices for fuel deliveries to his gas station, he founded his own trucking company. When he decided...
