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Obituary Stories category, Page 28

Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
Volunteer firefighter was a role model of devotion to community service
Jim Smith was a volunteer firefighter’s fireman. When the Southwest Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department was ready to retire its 1932 Mack fire truck, Mr. Smith, a longtime member of the company, and fellow volunteer firefighter Tom Gressman stepped forward to buy it. James E. Smith of Greensburg died Tuesday, Nov....
Rostraver man printed his love of God for others to see
Charles Gillingham spent the last few months of his life working on a religious tract he titled “God’s Road Map to Eternal Life.” The 10-page tract was an outgrowth of his desire to spread God’s word and of his interest in artwork and printing, said his daughter Christi Crawford. “He...
Longtime Rolling Rock bartender friend of many
Butch Hammill loved people, an important trait for a man who worked 30 years as a bartender at the prestigious Rolling Rock Club in Ligonier Township and operated his own restaurant, the Meadows in Ligonier. “He was an old-school bartender. No matter where he worked, the clientele followed him. People...
Murrysville man remembered for time in Boy Scouts, love of family
When Edwin Wagner Jr. joined the Boy Scouts, he told his dad he was going to be a “lifer.” And with the help of children and grandchildren, Wagner was able to spend more than 50 years in the organization, helping troops collect badges and guiding them toward Eagle Scout awards....
Greensburg woman had ‘pride and purpose’
Jemima Klingensmith was proud of her family’s legacy. Her great-grandfather, John Stouffer, fought for the Union in then Civil War. Mrs. Klingensmith was a longtime member and onetime state president of the Daughters of Union Veterans, a group of Civil War descendants dedicated to keeping the memory of their ancestors...
North Huntingdon man remembered for love of family, travel
Marty Klanchar remembers seeing a plane used by former President Harry Truman at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Ohio — a plane his father, Donald, once helped maintain. An Air Force veteran who served at the time of the Korean War, Donald Klanchar had a passion...
North Huntingdon ironworker was drawn to high places, humor and music
Jerry Conrad wasn’t afraid of hard work or high places. A former ironworker with 30 years of experience, he used to ride up on a wrecking ball instead of an elevator to begin his shift on the upper levels of tall buildings. “He was just one of those guys; he...
Trafford electrician loved making wine, growing peppers
Domenick Cercone’s family didn’t want flowers or memorial donations their father’s memory. They had a simple request, placed in the final line of his obituary. “Please fry up some Italian hot peppers and enjoy them with a glass of your favorite wine,” it read. If Mr. Cercone were here, it’s...
Unity man was proud of service to country
Even when he was living in Illinois and Ohio, William C. Eversole was a proud Pittsburgh Steelers season ticket holder who made it to every game he could. “He always managed to either be at the games, or listen to them on the radio,” said his daughter, Jessie Jones. He...
Former Trib editor loved running and caring for animals
Lance Kristan was a calming influence in a not-so-calm profession. A longtime copy editor at the Tribune-Review, Mr. Kristan was “the last set of eyes on a story before it went into print,” said former city editor Frank Myers. “He was a very quiet, studious wordsmith. He started out as...
Mt. Pleasant man dies 2 weeks after losing wife
Although they grew up “across the pond” from each other, George Farrell and his wife, Pat, were as close as a husband and wife could be. The couple met in Pat Farrell’s native England while George was in the Air Force. They got married in 1960 and lived all over...
Greensburg immigrant strived for citizenship
For decades, Margaret M. Norman worked toward one goal — becoming a citizen of the United States. A native of the Caribbean island of Trinidad, Ms. Norman first tried to immigrate to the U.S. in the 1970s. Her application was ignored. She kept trying, with no success. Finally, in the...
Ligonier electrician known for generosity
William E. LaRue didn’t always accept money for his work as an electrician. “He was very good at bartering, he brought that trade back to life,” said his daughter, Susan Huba. When people needed help he helped them, regardless of if they could pay for it. “He didn’t feel that...
Monessen man lived a life full of passion for music
When John Paterra of Speers was performing as a vocalist with the Graham Grubb Orchestra, he remembers chatting occasionally with the group’s bass player, Ed Dacko. “He played trombone and later he played bass fiddle,” Paterra said. “He was a character.” Edward Paul Dacko of Monessen died Friday, Oct. 11,...
Trafford woman was a guardian angel at crosswalk to generations of children
Rose Ann Fullerton didn’t have a title, but children in Trafford knew that she was queen of the crossing guards, a guardian angel who saw them safely on and off the school bus. Every school day morning for 42 years, rain, snow or shine, Mrs. Fullerton was at the corner...
Latrobe teacher led by example
Esther Pevarnik strived to set a good example in everything she did. “She always said you have to act like a duck,” said her daughter, Amanda Coup. “Calm, cool and collected up top, but sometimes you had to paddle like hell underneath to make it work.” The longtime school teacher...
Former U.S. Steel CEO devoted life to Pittsburgh
David M. Roderick’s influence can be seen all over the city he loved. “He wanted Pittsburgh to be a world-class city,” said his son, David M. Roderick Jr. Mr. Roderick was the former chairman and CEO of U.S. Steel and a Latrobe resident, splitting time between there and Orlando, Fla....
Smile erased borders for Manor woman with transatlantic ties
Pat Farrell had a British accent, dual British and American citizenship and a universal appeal. Her husband, George “Sonny” Farrell, was attracted by the smile she maintained through most of her life. During their golden years, that smile opened the door for the Farrells to make friends while regularly visiting...
Murrysville woman known for creativity
Nancy Cassady liked a little bit of creative chaos in every aspect of her life, from her home to her hairstyle. “That’s how she liked her hair — big and blonde and coming out in lots of different directions,” said her daughter, Amy Cassady Eskew. Mrs. Cassady drove around town...
North Huntingdon engineer saw the world
Roger Lewis’ love of trains took him from Argentina to Pennsylvania and back again. He was born in Buenos Aires and came to Wilmerding in 1960 as an engineer in training for Westinghouse Air Brake. His career with Westinghouse would take him and his family back to Argentina for two...
Mt. Pleasant man enjoyed picking bluegrass
Homer Emerick enjoyed fishing in Wills Creek in Somerset County, but there wasn’t much that made him happier than sitting down with an acoustic instrument, a few friends, and doing a bit of picking. “His thing was always music,” said his son Scott Emerick of Kecksburg. “He had a violin,...
Family called former volunteer fireman ‘Mr. Latrobe’
Lane Mullen’s family referred to him as “Mr. Latrobe.” A lifelong resident of the city, “he just seemed to know everyone because of the fire hall,” said his sister-in-law Mary Lou Myers, referencing his 36 years as a volunteer firefighter with Latrobe’s Good Friends Hose Company No. 5. “He decided...
Ex-French President Chirac embraced European unity, opposed U.S. invasion of Iraq
PARIS — Jacques Chirac, a two-term French president who was the first leader to acknowledge France’s role in the Holocaust and who defiantly opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, died Thursday at 86. President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute in a nationally televised speech to a predecessor he said...
Latrobe veteran helped those in need, on and off the job
When she was growing up in Latrobe, Dana Coyne made her mother stop the car because she’d spotted an elderly woman carrying a bag of groceries along the street. “She said, ‘I want to carry that lady’s groceries home,’ ” her mother, Marlene Carns, recalled. “Dana liked elderly people when she...
Greensburg woman served country in World War II
When Henrietta Speakman heard her husband, David, had been captured by German forces in Africa during World War II, she decided she needed to do more to help the war effort. She joined the Women’s Army Corps while she waited for word of her husband. Mrs. Speakman did clerical work...


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