Archive - May 2012 - Obituary
May 30th
Valjean Rae Ward, 54, of Emporium, died Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at UPMC Montefiore, Pittsburgh, after a short illness.
She was born April 4, 1958 in Ridgway, daughter of the late John L and Ruth M. (Watson) Ward.
She worked at Elcam in St. Marys and lived most of her life in Ridgway and the past few years in Emporium. She attended Emporium churches and Sheltered Workshop of Ridgway.
May 28th
Thomas W. Wickett, 67, of 26037 Lake City Rd., died Saturday evening, May 26, 2012, at his residence.
He was born Sept. 20, 1944 in St. Marys, son of the late Raymond and Leona (Kenard) Wickett.
He married Virginia Lee Vantassel on June 4, 1971. She preceded him in death on Nov. 11, 1991.
Mr. Wickett had resided in Lake City for the last 19 years and was a former Ridgway resident. He was Catholic by faith. He had served in the Pennsylvania National Guard for several years. He had been employed by Penn Pallet for five years.
Jane C. Bebble Lecker, 96, of 318 John St., St. Marys, where she made her home with her daughter, and formerly of Elk Towers, died on Sunday, May 27, 2012.
She was born April 21, 1916 in St. Marys, a daughter of the late Charles and Mildred Tierney Bebble.
On Nov. 8, 1941 in Sacred Heart Church, she married the late Leo F. Lecker, who preceded her in death on July 2, 1968.
May 25th
Barbara Dianne (Marshall) Beers, 64, of Coquille, Ore., passed away on May 21, 2012 at her residence after a yearlong illness.
She was born June 4, 1947 in Ridgway, daughter of the late James B. Marshall and Lucille E. (Hostetlar) Marshall of DuBois, who survives.
On May 6, 1967, she married her lifelong partner, James Beers, who survives.
May 24th
James A. Newlon, 56, of 224 Harbridge Dr., Ridgway, died unexpectedly Thursday morning at his residence. He was born Oct. 12, 1955 in Mansfield, Ohio son of the late Kenneth and Joyce (Cowger) Newlon. He married Rebecca J. Burkett on Oct. 22, 1977 she survives. He had resided in the Ridgway area for the last 26 years and was a former Apollo resident. He was Protestant by faith. Jim was a member of the Ridgway Elks Club where he was a past exalted ruler, he was also a member of the American Legion Post #208, and the V.F.W. He was a graduate of the Kiski Area High School in 1973.
May 23rd
Constance M. "Connie" Beaver, 73, of 113 Grove St., Johnsonburg, died Tuesday evening, May 22, 2012, at Pinecrest Manor in St. Marys following a brief illness.
She was born on Sept. 2, 1938 in Ridgway, daughter of the late Costek and Mildred Seifert Olszewski. On July 4, 1959, she married David C. Beaver, who survives.
James F. Powell Jr., 57, of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, died Tuesday, May 15, 2012.
Born Feb. 23, 1955, he was a son of the late James F. Powell Sr. and Elizabeth "Betty" Jane (Simchick) Powell. He was engaged to Ann Curtin-Sinclair of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
May 22nd
Joseph F. Spowal, 83, of Ridgway-Johnsonburg Road, Johnsonburg, died early Tuesday morning, May 22, 2012 following a brief illness at the Good Samaritan Hospice at Concordia Lutheran Ministries in Cabot.
He was born May 19, 1929 in Pittsburgh, son of the late Giacomo "Jack" and Theresa Stoudt Spowal.
On Nov. 21, 1970 in Johnsonburg, he married Cecilia Marrone, she survives.
He had resided in Johnsonburg since 1974, formerly of Gibsonia and Smethport.
Sandra "Sandy" Calkins Kowalski, 72, of 2605 Rosalyn Trail, Long Beach, Ind., died on Sunday afternoon, May 20, 2012, at her residence following a longtime battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
She was born Dec. 2, 1939 in Johnsonburg, daughter of the late James and Thelma Snyder Calkins.
On Jan. 30, 1960 in Holy Rosary Church, Johnsonburg, she married Stanley Kowalski, he survives.
She resided in Long Beach, Ind. for the past 47 years.
May 21st
Thomas C. Detwiler, 60, of 42 Cottage Lane, Ridgway, died Sunday evening, May 20, 2012 at his residence following a lengthy battle with cancer.
He was born Jan. 8, 1952 in St. Marys, the son of Jane L. (Evans) Detwiler and the late Earl M. Detwiler.
He married Kathleen M. Liscinski on Dec. 28, 1974, and she survives.
