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Obituary Stories category, Page 30

Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
Proud Air Force veteran had ‘sense of patriotism’
Jack Pletcher was proud of his 20 years of service in the Air Force — and it showed in the way he dressed, even when he was out of uniform. “He was pretty organized from being in the military,” said his wife, Mary Ann. Until his health declined in recent...
Matriarch of The Driftwood made it the place to be in Ligonier Township
Growing up with Eliza Bacher as one’s mother was a little like growing up with one’s boss. Mrs. Bacher owned and operated The Driftwood in Ligonier Township with her husband, Fred, for more than 60 years. Together, they attracted a following of faithful local customers, as well as travelers on...
Former Tic Toc waitress from Jeannette loved travel, family
Joan Silvis worked as a waitress in the Tic Toc Restaurant in Kaufmann’s at the Westmoreland Mall from the day it opened until the day it closed, and when she was working, she was all business. That is, until the day her longtime friend, Jackie Chandler of Greensburg, sent a...
Paintertown man volunteered 44 years at fire department
Eric List could be sitting at Christmas dinner, but if a fire call came in he was there. Volunteering at the Paintertown Volunteer Fire Company for 44 years, “his life revolved around the fire department,” his wife Rene List said, adding that he loved the act of firefighting and helping...
Ligonier man was lifelong volunteer, advocate for disabled
Ligonier-area residents may recall seeing Glen Scott manning the local Kiwanis chicken sandwich concession trailer during the town’s annual Fort Ligonier Days festival. Or they may have seen him driving up to local homes to deliver food prepared by the Ligonier Valley Meals on Wheels program. “When he turned 80,...
Scottdale woman ‘got herself involved in every single organization she could’
Vicki Clark of Mt. Pleasant can’t remember her mother ever sitting down to relax. “She would be involved in so much,” Clark said. “She would call every single person in per phone book, she quit her job to babysit our girls. She got herself involved in every single organization she...
North Huntingdon bus driver trekked millions of miles on the road
Driving was a major part of Mark Lazzaro’s life from the time he was a teenager. Whether it was for the Marines or a commercial bus line, Lazzaro took his driving seriously and treated his passengers with care, said his wife, Janice. “He just loved driving ever since he was...
Decorated officer served as diplomat around the world, settled in North Huntingdon
Paul Flebotte’s superior officers often used words like “quiet” and “unassuming” in his performance evaluations. His mild manners didn’t stop him from becoming a decorated officer who served in some of the military’s top diplomatic positions. “He was one of the most humble and dedicated individuals, who never sought accolades,”...
Former Penn Township business owner loved family, motorcycles
Renee Aiken loved to take weekend car rides with her dad, Richard Davis. That is, when he wasn’t on a motorcycle ride or on weekend excursions with his wife, Mary Ann. “He was very outgoing, very adventurous, he loved people, he was very social and very kind and caring and...
Greensburg veteran was a dedicated advocate for the handicapped
Whenever anyone at the Westmoreland County Blind Association’s workshop needed a voice or a hand, Ken Gulisek was there. Mr. Gulisek, whose son, Brett, was born with sight impairments and intellectual challenges, was committed to the workshop. He was grateful to the organization that provided his adult son with a...
Former Irwin police officer loved hunting, fishing, family
Mark Garbin can remember his father, Alfred, coming home for lunch and dinner, Irwin police car gleaming and his uniform pressed. “He was always working,” Mark said of his father’s 27 years with the borough police force. “He loved being a police officer and doing the right thing.” Alfred A....
Wood, glass crafter was drawn to animals in the wild and in art
Clifford Howard loved to make and collect items fashioned from wood, and then give them away. “He made carvings of different waterfowl, and he gave a lot of them to his friends,” said his daughter, Sharon Johnson. “I have a lot of his carved ducks.” In his home wood shop,...
World War II vet caddied on same golf course where his father was killed by lightning
Mel Cirincione caddied at the 1935 U.S. Open, on the same Oakmont golf course where his father was killed by a lightning strike only a year earlier. His father Frank was cutting grass on the seventh tee July 20, 1934, when he was struck and knocked 4 feet back from...
Grandma ‘B’ Shindehite of Youngwood remembered for outgoing manner, devotion to church
Blissful weekends with their grandmother “B” Shindehite were the highlight of the week for sisters Amanda Pizzutelli-Herb and Stacy Shipley. They’d have a weekend-long sleepover full of the good stuff — a trip to the park, junk food, bike rides and movies. “Grandma B’s house was always so much fun,”...
Level Green veteran Joseph Katkowski remembered for life history
Joseph Katkowski spent most of World War II taking care of soldiers in France. And it didn’t matter if they were American or German soldiers. He was always there to help, his daughter Nancy Katkowski said. Spending two years overseas as an Army medical technician, Joseph Katkowski saw plenty of...
‘Muggs’ was known and loved throughout South Greensburg
If you lived in South Greensburg, odds are you knew Lawrence “Muggs” Collier. “He basically was South Greensburg, and he knew everybody in South Greensburg,” said his granddaughter, Amanda Lehman. Mr. Collier spent his career at the borough’s PPG Industries plant. He worked part-time tending the bar at South Greensburg...
Art Institute official filled life with music
Ellis Matthews already knew how to play bass, piano and saxophone when he decided to start taking clarinet lessons at the age of 85. “He was thrilled to be able to do that at this point in life, to see how far he could get with it,” said his daughter,...
‘Gentle giant’ was workplace mentor, life of the party
At age 65, Bill Marszalek could still easily bench press more than 200 pounds. A weightlifter from his teens who stood 6 feet, 2 inches tall, he cut an imposing figure. But, for those who knew him, his jovial personality, winning smile and concern for others are what really made...
Latrobe woman dedicated to taking care of others
When Marjorie L. Sigmund graduated from Latrobe High School in the midst of World War II, she did not have the opportunity to go to nursing school like she had wanted, but that did not stop her from helping others, said one of her nieces. “All during her life, she...
North Irwin Pepsi delivery man loved his job, people
Clifford Lee Bressler loved his job as a delivery man for Pepsi Co., serving grocery store owners with soft drinks from the company’s warehouse in the Pittsburgh suburb of McKees Rocks. “He loved people,” and loved going to the “mom and pop” grocery stores, where he would become friends with...
Robert F. Kennedy’s granddaughter Saoirse Hill dies at 22
A granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 while running for president, has died. Saoirse Kennedy Hill was 22. The Kennedy family confirmed the death in a statement Thursday night following reports that a person had been found unresponsive that day at the storied Kennedy compound in...
Greensburg woman remembered for love of acting, family
When Nancy Robbins gave birth to her daughter, she knew she wanted her name to stay in the family, but she didn’t want to stick her child with a junior at the end of her name. So instead, she changed the “y” in Nancy to an “i.” “One of her...
Level Green man still delivered Meals on Wheels at 92 years old
Robert Ketenheim never tired of volunteering and helping others. When he and his late wife Theo weren’t buying extra school supplies for children who couldn’t afford them, “he was out delivering Meals on Wheels, at 92, to the folks he called ‘the old people,’ ” said his son, Bob Ketenheim....
Saint Vincent monk was skilled mechanic, leading firefighter
Equipment breakdowns weren’t a problem for Brother Stephen Nazaruk. The Benedictine monk took charge in 1981 of the machine shop serving his community at Saint Vincent Archabbey and Saint Vincent College, and he continued to be involved at the shop on the Unity campus well into his 80s. “He had...
Latrobe man was active with hobbies, church
Mickey Repko’s life got swept up in the great drama of World War II when he enlisted in the Army on March 25, 1943. What little he said about his military service over the years suggested that by the time his unit arrived in Europe, most of the fighting was...


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