Mary Galensky
Charter member of Rillton VFD Ladies Auxiliary
Mary Galensky, 96, a resident of St. Anne Home in Greensburg, formerly of Rillton, died Feb. 26, 2008.
Born Sept. 22, 1911, in Rillton, she was a daughter of Frank and Catherine Almasio Gastaldo.
She was a member of St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Herminie and its Altar Rosary Society. Mrs. Galensky was a member of Madison Golden Agers and Norwin Chapter 70 AARP and a charter member of Rillton VFD Ladies Auxiliary.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Galensky; a great-great-grandson, Joey Donovan; and her sister; Meri Gastaldo.
She is survived by her two sons, Frank "Rich" Galensky and his wife, Joanne, of North Huntingdon and Larry Essing and his wife, Mary Louise, of North Carolina; two daughters, Felicia Acalotto and her husband, Ettore, of North Huntingdon and Sylvia Fletcher and her husband, John, of North Huntingdon; nine grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Friends were received at Joseph W. Nickels Funeral Home Inc., Herminie. Mass was in St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Herminie with the Rev. John Harrold officiating. Interment was at Irwin Union Cemetery.
Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Anne Home, 685 Angela Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601.
Stephen Elek
Machinist
Stephen J. Elek, 84, of North Huntingdon, died Feb. 27, 2008, at Mountainview Specialty Care Center, Greensburg.
Born June 6, 1923, in West Mifflin, he was a son of Steve and Regina Elek.
Before his retirement, he was employed as a machinist by Nuclear Automation with 40 years of service. Mr. Elek was a member of St. Agnes Church in North Huntingdon and its Men's Club and served as an usher and volunteered for many church events. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, who served in the Pacific Theater.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Alice Kovac Elek; one son, Stephen M. Elek and his wife, Christine, of Bethel Park; one daughter, Kathryn Elek of Houston, Texas; a sister, Regina Markosky; and two granddaughters, Elizabeth and Elena Elek.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Wilma Elek and Irene Kiswardy.
Friends were received at James W. Shirley Funeral Home Inc., North Huntingdon. Mass was in St. Agnes Church, followed by interment at St. Elias Cemetery, West Mifflin.
Betty Dudley
Homemaker
Betty May Rees Dudley, 83, of Turtle Creek died Feb. 26, 2008.
Born Sept. 30, 1924, in Ardara, she was the daughter of Ethel and Charles Rees.
An energetic homemaker, she was known for her green thumb and the thousands of Christmas cookies she baked each year. Each of her family members and various friends from her church will treasure the hand-crocheted afghans she made. Until recent years, she sang in her church choir, bowled frequently and enjoyed going to play bingo.
Surviving are her husband of 63 years, Richard Dudley; children, R. Keith (Marlene) of Monroeville, Dennis (Andrea) of Glenshaw and Jeff Dudley of Midland, Mich., and Jill (Richard) Sabol of Canonsburg; grandchildren, Brian, Kate, Shannon and Cassandra Dudley, Andrew and Jennifer Sabol and Erin Markel; a great-grandchild, Kendall; sister- and brother-in-law, Ernie and Jean Philpot; and one brother, Jack Rees.
Preceding her in death were her parents and siblings, Donald Rees, Jane Patoski, Miriam Rees and Sue Barnett.
Friends were received at Jobe Funeral Home, Turtle Creek. A service was held in Whitaker United Methodist Church. Interment was at Penn Lincoln Memorial Park, North Huntingdon.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Whitaker United Methodist Church.
Florence Starke
Cashier at shop
Florence I. Miller Starke of Delmont, died March 1, 2008.
She was a daughter of Emerson and Florence Swauger Miller.
Mrs. Starke was a cashier at the Wonder Bread Thrift Shop in Monroeville for 19 years and then worked at the Brick Oven (Donut Chef) in Delmont for 10 years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Starke; brothers, Paul and Emerson Miller; and sisters, Bonnie Ward and Donna Jean.
Surviving are her children, Kathy (Dennis) Hickman, Joyce "Lynn" (Albert) Furney and Joseph (Carol) Starke; two grandsons, Dennis Hickman and Harry Joseph Lang; three great-grandchildren, Joshua, Brittany and Dylan; and siblings, Walter and Russell Miller, Dorothy Lesowsky, Callie Boyle, Rachel McWilliams and Margaret Derkas.
There will be no visitation. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. March 15, in Norwin Church of the Nazarene, North Huntingdon. Vaia Funeral Home Inc. in Delmont is handling the arrangements.
Interment will be at Twin Valley Memorial Park, Delmont.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Excela Hospice of Westmoreland County, 134 Industrial Park Road, Suite 1600, Greensburg, PA 15601.
Anna Kitchen
Born in England
Anna Bunting Kitchen, 86, of Irwin, died Feb. 28, 2008.
Born Sept. 9, 1921, in Ardwick, Manchester, England, she was a daughter of Henry and Catherine O'Connor Bunting.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Kitchen.
Surviving are sons, David Kitchen and his wife, Peggy, of Irwin and Alan Kitchen of Marion Center; grandchildren, Cherish Kitchen, Leah Schurr, Sonya Laird and Tracy Kitchen-Minko; and six great-grandchildren.
Friends were received at William Snyder Funeral Home, Irwin.
William Rustic
Quality assurance specialist
William A. Rustic, 61, of North Huntingdon, died March 1, 2008, at UPMC Presbyterian, Oakland.
Born Aug. 7, 1946, in Braddock, he was a son of Anthony and Anna Mae Conroy Rustic.
He was employed by the U.S. Department of Defense as a quality assurance specialist with 20 years of service. Mr. Rustic was a member of the Single Action Shooting Society and served as territorial governor of River Junction Shootist Society.
A veteran of the Army, he served during the Vietnam War.
Surviving are his wife of 39 years, Nancy Englert Rustic; his daughter, Amy Rustic of Greensburg; a sister, Pat Cottrell, of Turtle Creek; and a niece, Natalie Yates of Monroeville.
Preceding him in death were his sister, Michele Yates; and his parents.
Visitation was at the James W. Shirley Funeral Home Inc., North Huntingdon.
Myrtle Hunter
Great-grandmother
Myrtle E. O'Neal Hunter, 91, of North Huntingdon, formerly of Spring Hill, Fla., died Feb. 19, 2008.
Born March 27, 1916, in Wheeling, W.Va., she was a daughter of Harvey and Charlotte Brown O'Neal.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William Hunter; and a sister, Phyllis Vrudny.
Surviving are children, Darlene Case and her husband, Duane, of Lynchburg, Tenn., Saundra Davidson and her husband, Fred, of Beverly Hills, Fla., and Kim Hunter and his wife, Karen, of North Huntingdon; nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-granddaughter.
A memorial service was held at William Snyder Funeral Home, Irwin.
Viola Ratzer
Great-great-grandmother
Viola L. Ratzer, formerly of White Oak, died March 1, 2008.
Born Sept. 23, 1910, in Cumberland, Md., she was the youngest child of William and Elizabeth Yost Smith.
She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in North Versailles and for many years had been a Sunday school teacher at Bryn Mawr Church of Christ in White Oak. The matriarch of five generations, she loved to tell stories of the past and had a "sweet tooth" like no other.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, John Ratzer; a sister, Bertha Harris; brothers, William, Troxell and Elwood Smith; an infant son, Larry Ratzer; a great-grandson, Michael Witz; and a son-in-law, Harold Douglas.
She is survived by her children, Lavona Douglas of Irwin, Howard (Ostrid "Ozzie") Ratzer of Mahtowa, Minn., and Donna (Timothy) Hess of North Versailles; 13 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; and longtime family friend, James Gaudy.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today, Wednesday, at James W. Shirley Funeral Home Inc., North Huntingdon. A service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in St. John's Lutheran Church, North Versailles, with the Rev. Richard Krug officiating. Interment will be at Jefferson Memorial Park, Pleasant Hills.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church.
Martha Predajna
Operated Mister Donuts
Martha J. Lewis Predajna, 75, of Hempfield Township, died Feb. 25, 2008.
Born Oct. 24, 1932, in Beaver County, she was a daughter of Charles and Lillian Gehly Lewis.
Along with her husband, she owned and operated Mister Donuts in Greensburg and Monroeville. Mrs. Predajna retired from Medco in North Versailles.
She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Irwin where she was involved in the Stephen's Ministry. She was the treasurer of Amerola Sports Inc. of Pittsburgh. She enjoyed oil painting, was a gourmet cook and also enjoyed cake decorating but, most of all, she enjoyed her grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband, David Predajna; a son, Jeff (Debbie) Predajna of Indianapolis; a daughter, Shelli (Mark) McKee of Bridgeport, W.Va.; three grandchildren, David and Kristin Predajna, and Jenna McKee; sister, Ruth (Samuel) Valore; sisters-in-law, Frances Predajna and Mildred Diehl; and a brother-in-law, Glenn Diehl.
Friends were received at First Presbyterian Church in Irwin for a service with the Rev. Ronald Wakeman officiating. Arrangements were by Vincent V. Rodgers Funeral Home, Irwin.
At the request of the family, memorial donations are suggested to Excela Health Hospice, 134 Industrial Park Road, Suite 1600, Greensburg, PA 15601.
Cleo Diffenderfer
Business school graduate
Cleo C. "Carolyn" Boyer Diffenderfer, 83, of Chambersburg, formerly of Hagerstown, Md., died Feb. 21, 2008.
Born in Lewistown, Pa., she was a daughter of Willis and Elizabeth Wolfkill Boyer. She graduated from Lewistown High School in 1941. Mrs. Diffenderfer attended Chambersburg Business College, where she also taught shorthand.
She was employed at Letterkenny Ordinance Depot and the federal Public Housing Authority and was secretary to the vice president of sales of Chambersburg Engineering Co.
She was an administrative assistant and member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Hagerstown, Md. She also served two terms as president of the Ladies Auxiliary, BPOE 600 in Chambersburg and belonged to AARP Chapter 3261.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, N. Kenneth Diffenderfer; a sister, Doris Rodgers; and brothers, Kenneth and Richard Boyer.
She is survived by sons, Dennis Diffenderfer and his wife Ruthie, of Irwin and Scott Diffenderfer and wife, Kim, of Greencastle, Pa., four grandchildren, Julie of Pittsburgh, U.S. Army Capt. David of Fayetteville, N.C., and Andrew and Abby of Greencastle, Pa.; a sister, B. Joyce Frey, a brother, Robert Boyer, two sisters-in-law, Helen Boyer and Bernice Boyer; close family friend, Ruth Keller; and two brothers-in-law, Tom (Marilynn) Diffenderfer and Don (Carolynn) Diffenderfer.
A service was in the chapel of Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home, Chambersburg.
Interment was at St. Thomas Cemetery.
Memorial donations are suggested to Menno Haven Benevolent Care Fund, 2011 Scotland Ave., Chambersburg, PA 17201.
Mary Ann Zawasky
Lived in Irwin
Mary Ann Tellinger Zawasky, 77, of Irwin, died March 2, 2008.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer "Herk" Zawasky Sr.; and siblings, Emma Brick and Tony Tellinger.
Surviving are her sons, Elmer "Herk" Zawasky Jr. of Monroeville and Chris Zawasky and his wife, Sherri, of Ligonier; grandchildren, Nicole, Anthony, Jordan, Peyton, Megan, Kayla and Erin; and great-grandchildren, Hadley and Abigail.
Private arrangements were handled by Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home, Turtle Creek.