Milton Rajecki
World War II veteran
Milton J. Rajecki, 92, of North Huntingdon died April 23, 2008, in Briarcliff Pavilion.
Born April 9, 1916, in Pittsburgh, he was a son of Waclaw and Maryann Pietroski Rajecki.
Prior to his retirement, he was employed as an office manager for Puritan Paint and Oil Co.
Mr. Rajecki was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, North Huntingdon.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Rajecki; a brother, Stanley Rajecki; and a sister, Jane Rajecki.
Surviving are his daughter, Patricia Lyons and her husband, Lawrence; a sister, Josephine Biel; four grandchildren, Tom and Matthew Lyons, Kristen Haugh and Jennifer Skalican; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Friends were received at James W. Shirley Funeral Home, North Huntingdon. Mass was in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church. Memorials may be sent to Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Mary Jane Clark
Mother of two
Mary Jane Clark, 85, of Butler, formerly of North Huntingdon, died April 27, 2008, in Butler Memorial Hospital.
Born Jan. 7, 1923, in McKeesport, she was a daughter of William and Mary Skelley Clay. Prior to her retirement, she was employed by Electric Power Research Institute, Waltz Mill.
She is survived by two sons, William of Butler and Kevin Clark of Bath, N.C.; a brother, William Clay; two grandchildren, Brooks and Sara Clark; nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by her twin brother, Thomas Clay; and a niece, Maggi Clay.
Friends were received at James W. Shirley Funeral Home Inc., North Huntingdon. Interment was at New St. Joseph Cemetery, North Versailles.
Helen Keilch
U.S. Army nurse
Helen M. Maystrovich Keilch, 86, of Erie died April 25, 2008, in Hamot Medical Center, Erie.
Born Dec. 12, 1921, in Westmoreland City, she was a daughter of Petar and Mildred Marinkovich Maystrovich. She served in the Army as a registered nurse during the Korean War. Prior to retirement, she worked as a registered nurse.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Keilch, who she had met while they were both serving in Tokyo during the war; her parents; twin siblings, Sava and Joseph; and a brother, Mark Maystrovich.
She is survived by two sons, Terry Keilch of Clinton Township, Mich., and Robert D. (Tammy) Keilch of Newport Beach, Calif.; two daughters, Karen and Marsha Keilch, both of Erie; three grandchildren, Holly, Jenna and Robert Keilch; and seven sisters, Mary Ralph, Anne, Sophie and Alberta Maystrovich, Joanne Baker, Zora Javor and Natalie Vuick.
Friends were received at Vincent V. Rodgers Funeral Home, Irwin.
Interment with military honors was at Irwin Union Cemetery.
Richard Mancine
World War II veteran
Richard A. Mancine, 78, of North Huntingdon died April 24, 2008.
Born June 20, 1929, in Pittsburgh, he was a son of Carmen and Geneva Colazzi Mancine.
Prior to retirement, he was employed as a truck driver for Allied Van Lines with Ryan Moving & Storage in North Huntingdon.
Mr. Mancine was a veteran of World War II having served with the U.S. Marine Corps. He was a member of Church of the Immaculate Conception, Irwin.
Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Patricia Lutz Mancine; three sons, Richard Mancine of North Huntingdon, Gary Mancini and his wife, Deborah, of North Huntingdon, Michael Mancine and his wife, Tara, of Dayton, Ohio; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a sister, Dellia Mancine.
Friends were received at Joseph F. Ott Funeral Home Inc., Irwin.
Interment was at Immaculate Conception Cemetery, North Huntingdon.
Michaela Jencka
Technical writer
Michaela A. Lucotch Jencka, 39, of North Huntingdon died April 21, 2008, in Cleveland Clinic.
Born May 28, 1968, in Greensburg, she was a daughter of Michael and Audrey Zelinsky Lucotch of Greensburg.
She was employed as a technical writer for TIMESYS Corp. of Pittsburgh. A graduate of Greensburg Central Catholic High School Class of 1985, she went on to Seton Hill College where she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English.
Mrs. Jencka was a member of Church of the Immaculate Conception in Irwin and served as a lector and was involved in the church's Rite of Catholic Initiation for Adults Program.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by her husband of 15 years, Stanley Jencka Jr.; three brothers, Michael (Carrie), Mark (Dawn) and Matthew Lucotch; father-in-law, Stanley Jencka Sr.; brothers-in-law, Timothy and Stephen Jencka; maternal grandmother, Marie Bodnar Zeliasky; nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her mother-in-law, MaryAnn Jencka.
Friends were received at Joseph F. Ott Funeral Home Inc., Irwin. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in Church of the Immaculate Conception.
Interment was at Immaculate Conception Cemetery, North Huntingdon.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to EWTN, 5817 Old Leeds Road, Irondale, AL 35210-2164.
Margaret Taber
Federal employee
Margaret A. "Peggy" Taber of Dunkirk, Md., formerly of Wall, died April 9, 2008.
Before her retirement, the U.S. Tax Court in Washington, D.C., employed her.
She is survived by her husband, Robert Taber Sr.; children, Ronald (Vicki), Daniel and Robert (Mona) Taber Jr.; grandchildren, Shannon, Rachel, Jessica and Robert James Taber; brothers, Thomas and Lawrence Dunmire; and one sister, Rose Mary Dworek.
Her parents, Harry and Jean Barrett Dunmire, preceded her in death.
Arrangements were handled by Lee Funeral Home in Owings, Md. Interment was at Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Cheltenham, Md. Memorial contributions may be made to American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 2680, North Canton, OH 44720.
Betty Norris
Antique dealer
Betty (Gray) Norris, 83, a resident of Sewickley for the past 41 years, died April 21, 2008, at Sewickley Valley Hospital.
Born Nov. 4, 1924, in Pittsburgh, she was the daughter of Robert and Nellie Winter Gray. She was a flight attendant from 1946-1948. Mrs. Norris also worked for several years as an antique dealer for the Wagon Shed in Wexford, specializing in miniatures. She was a collector of dollhouses.
As an avid gardener, she beautified the outside of her home with many flowers, trees and shrubs. There were frequent wildlife visits such as deer, turkeys and geese. Family, friends and wildlife, all enjoyed her beautiful outside haven.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 39 years, Scott Norris Jr.
Surviving are her children, Cynthia Norris of Sewickley, Scott (Susan) Norris III of LaGrange, Ky., and Robert (Margaret) Norris of Waxhaw, N.C.; five grandchildren, Jennifer Gray Dallas, Geoffrey Scott Snyder, Scott Norris IV, George Warren Norris and Robert Warren Norris II; and one brother, Matthew Gary.
A memorial service was in Presbyterian Church of Sewickley with the Rev. Dana Jones officiating. Interment was at Sewickley Cemetery.
The family suggests memorials to American Cancer Society, 320 Bilmar Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15205 or Animal Friends, 562 Camp Horne Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.
Arrangements were handled by Copeland's Sewickley.
Richard Petro
U.S. Steel employee
Richard M. Petro, 70, of North Huntingdon died April 24, 2008.
Born Dec. 2, 1937, in Elizabeth, he was a son of George and Sophie Petro. Prior to his retirement, U.S. Steel employed him as a welder/grinder. He was a member of Penn Township Christian Church, White Oak Gun Club, American Quarter Horse Association, McKeesport Sportsman's Club and North American Hunting Club.
He is survived by his girlfriend, Elizabeth Vehec; a son, Jason Petro and his wife, Alison, of Arizona; two daughters, Cheryl Petro of McKeesport and Suzanne Pozzini and her husband, Randy, of Mahonning Township; one brother, George Petro; a sister, Janet Pavlak; and five grandchildren.
Friends were received at James W. Shirley Funeral Home, North Huntingdon, where a service was held with the Rev. Don Brookshire officiating.