Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Records, 1947-2010
A. Evelyn Hess
A. Evelyn (Besecker) Hess, 84, of 3580 West Ave., Greencastle, died at 12:57 a.m., Saturday, March 22, 2008, in her home. She had been in failing health.
Born Dec. 18, 1923 in Greencastle, she was the daughter of the late George F. and Mary Catherine (Diehl) Besecker. She lived her early life in Greencastle until the age of 11, when her family to Hagerstown, Md.
She and her husband, John Hess Jr., were married Jan. 22, 1960. They moved to their present residence shortly after the marriage.
Mrs. Hess served as a crossing guard for the Hagerstown Police Department for seven years. She later worked for the Waynesboro Knitting Mill.
She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Frank L. Carbaugh American Legion Post 373 Ladies Auxiliary, Harry D. Ziegler V.F.W. Post 6319 Ladies Auxiliary, all of Greencastle.
Mrs. Hess enjoyed traveling.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two daughters, Nancy J. Nichols of St. Thomas and Nancy S. Hess of Chambersburg; three sons, Ronald G. Hess of Greencastle, Gary Hess of Dry Run and Rick A. Hess of Greencastle; 15 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; one sister, Mary E. Waltrick of Hagerstown; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one daughter, Charlotte F. St. Clair; and one sister, Anna E. Knepper.
Services were held the morning of Wednesday, March 26 in Miller-Bowersox Funeral Home, Greencastle with Rev. Wilbur Sites and Pastor Denise Horn officiating.
Burial followed in Cedar Hill cemetery, Greencastle.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Hospice of the Good Shepherd, 2700 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, PA, 17202.
Abram E. Shank
Abram Everett Shank, 91, of 14435 Marsh Pike, Hagerstown, Md. died at 9 a.m. Thursday March 20, 2008 in the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Lois and J. Daniel Long of 11255 Welsh Run Road, Greencastle.
Born Sept. 3, 1916 at the family farm on Lehman's Mill Road, Reid, Md., he was the son of the late Isaac R. and Caroline (Wolfinger) Shank.
He attended Rock Hill School and Reid School and graduated from Hagerstown High School in 1932. With his wife Bertha, Abram farmed until his retirement.
He was a member of the Old Order River Brethren. In addition to farming, his interests included reading, especially the Bible. In his later years, he cut squares for quilts for the Cumberland Valley Relief Center.
He and his wife, Bertha Irene (Niswander) Shank were married Nov. 12, 1942. She died April 1, 2001.
He is survived by a son, I. David Shank of Greencastle; two daughters, Naomi Mae Stutzman of Mertztown and Lois Irene Long of Greencastle; a sister, Lois C. Shank of Hagerstown, Md.; 13 grandchildren; 19 greatgrandchildren.
In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by a brother, Paul W. Shank.
Services were held the morning of Monday, March 24 in the Upton Church Of The Brethren, 8490 Warm Spring Road, Greencastle, with the Old Order River Brethren Ministry officiating.
Burial will be in the Cedar Hill cemetery, Greencastle.
Arrangements were handled by the Harold M. Zimmerman And Son Funeral Home, Greencastle.
The family requests that flowers be omitted.
John O. Springer
John O. Springer, 81, of 73 Homestead Dr., Greencastle, died at 12:40 p.m. Monday, March 24, 2008 in the Chambersburg Hospital following a lengthy illness.
Mr. Springer was a life long resident of Upton until moving to his Greencastle home in December 2006.
Born April 17, 1926 in Waynesboro, he was the son of the late Paul C. and Mary K. (Kershner) Springer.
He was a 1944 graduate of Greencastle High School and was a U.S. Army Corps veteran during World War II. Upon his honorable discharge from the service, he joined his Father in the family business, Springers Garage in Upton where he worked until he retired in 1985.
He was a life long member of the St. Stephens Lutheran Church near Upton where he had served on church council and was on the original building committee when the church was built.
Mr. Springer was a life member of the Harry D. Zeigler V.F.W. Post 6319 of Greencastle and a member of the Conococheague Institute near Mercersburg.
He and his wife, Miriam (Hissong) Springer were married May 22, 1949 in Lemasters. They volunteered with the former Contact program in Chambersburg and with Lutheran Social Services.
He served on the Board Of Associates with the Citizens National Bank Of Greencastle and served on the Upton Community Improvement Club.
Mr. Springer enjoyed traveling and was an avid baseball and NASCAR fan.
In addition to his wife of 58 years, he is survived by three daughters, Deborah S. (wife of Clair) Walls of St. Thomas, Linda L. (wife of Ronald) Eiker of Greencastle and Cathy A. (wife of William) McCain of Doylestown; a son, John Paul Springer of Greencastle; six grandchildren, Bryan Walls, Amy Flagle, Emily Shank, Ellen Eiker, Jordan Springer and Jantzen Springer; and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 28 in St. Stephens Lutheran Church, 8835 Lemar Rd., Greencastle, with Rev. Alan R. Wilson officiating.
Burial with military graveside honors by the Chambersburg V.F.W. Post 1599 Honor Guard will be in the Cedar Hill cemetery in Greencastle.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the Harold M. Zimmerman And Son Funeral Home, 45 S. Carlisle St., Greencastle, and at the church one hour before the service on Friday.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the St. Stephens Lutheran Church, 8835 Lemar Rd., Greencastle, Pa. 17225.
The Greencastle V.F.W. will hold a memorial service at the funeral home at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Ruth Stumbaugh College
Ruth Stumbaugh College, 79, of Lufkin, Texas, died Wednesday, March 19, 2008, in a local hospital.
Born April 7, 1928 in Chambersburg, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Pearl Stumbaugh.
Upon graduation from high school, she worked for a number of years as a legal secretary and auditor to the law firm of Wingert, Long and Wertime in Chambersburg. At age 58, she went back to school to continue her education. She was inducted into Gamma Beta Phi Society and was listed among Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges.
Mrs. College mentored and counseled numerous people throughout her life.
She did over 30 years of volunteer work, primarily with the mentally challenged.
Mrs. College was a former Girl Scout leader.
She was a member of First Lutheran Church, and as a youth, played the piano and organ for her church.
She is survived by her husband, David H. College of Lufkin; daughter and son-in-law, Linda College Sowarby and Gene Sowarby of Woodville, Texas; son, David E. College of Katy, Texas; sisters, Kate Cordell and Gladys Leininger, both of Chambersburg; brother, John Stumbaugh of Chambersburg; grandchildren, Elissa Sowarby Moore of Diboll, Texas, Jon Sowarby of Woodville, Laura College of Houston, Texas and Jennifer College Waldman of San Antonio, Texas; four greatgrandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by sisters, Edna Stoner and Mildred Slichter; and brother, Ralph Stumbaugh.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Lutheran Blind Mission at First Lutheran Church, 1001 Atkinson Drive, Lufkin, Texas 75901.
Services were held the morning of Friday, March 21 at First Lutheran Church, with Pastor Michael Monterastelli officiating.
Burial will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park.
Arrangements were handled by Gipson Funeral Home, Lufkin, Texas.
Rose Marie Finniff
Rose Marie Finniff, 85, of Fort Loudon Road, Mercersburg, died at 3:46 a.m. March 22, 2008 in the Chambersburg Hospital, Chambersburg.
Born March 19, 1923 in California, she was a daughter of the late William and Rose Mc- Monigal Huffman.
As a young woman she worked as a nurse's aid at Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh. The majority of her life was spent as a homemaker.
She was a life long member of St. Luke's Catholic Church, Mercersburg.
She is survived by her husband, George W. Finniff Sr., whom she married April 19, 1947; a son, George W. "Sam" (husband of Shirley) Finniff Jr. of Greencastle; two granddaughters; and three great grandsons.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by three sisters and four brothers.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated the morning of March 26 in St. Luke's Catholic Church with Father Daniel Menniti officiating.
Burial was in Fairview cemetery, Mercersburg.
Arrangements were handled by Lininger-Fries Funeral Home Inc., Mercersburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lutheran Home Care Services, 2700 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, PA 17201.
Raymond W. Lesher
Raymond W. Lesher, 93, a resident of the Penn Hall Nursing Center, Chambersburg, and formerly of Scott Road, Zullinger, died at 1:25 a.m. Friday, March 21, 2008 in the nursing center.
Born May 13, 1914 in Washington Township, he was the son of the late Jacob A. and Carrie E. (Miller) Lesher.
He and his wife, Mae (Shank) Lesher, were married May 30, 1939. She died Dec. 1, 1997.
Mr. Lesher retired in 1981 after 46 years of service from the Landis Tool Company of Waynesboro.
He was a member of the Christ Reformed Church of Hagerstown, Md. He was a member of the Boy Scouts of America for 40 years where he was a troop leader of the Order Of The Arrow Troop, and served on the Mason Dixon Council. He served on the Girl Scouts Council where he was camp director for several years.
Mr. Lesher was past president of the Zullinger Community Association, a member of the Waynesboro Fish And Game Association, Waynesboro AARP Chapter 739 and helped with the Meals On Wheels program.
He was the last of his immediate family.
He is survived by nine nieces and four nephews.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Verda Lesher and Elva Lenharr.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 26 in the Green Hill cemetery, 953 S. Potomac St., Waynesboro, with Rev. Becky Hoover officiating.
It was Mr. Lesher's request that there be no public viewing and that flowers be omitted.
Arrangements were handled by the Harold M. Zimmerman And Son Funeral Home of Greencastle.
Mary C. Oberholzer
Mary C. Oberholzer, 94, a resident of ManorCare Health Services of Wilmington, Del. and formerly of Brown's Mill Road, Greencastle, died Monday evening, March 17, 2008 in the nursing center.
Born Feb. 20, 1914 in New Franklin, she was the daughter of the late Russell and Edna (Barnhart) Summers.
She was a homemaker and had worked at the former ASBA Manufacturing Co. of Greencastle.
Mrs. Oberholzer was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Greencastle.
Her husband, Samuel N. Oberholzer, died in July 1978.
She is the last of her immmediate family.
She is survived by a daughter, Arlene Martin of Wilmington, Del.; two grandchildren, Gretchen Boyd of Wilmington and Michael Martin of Washington D.C.; and three great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Betty L. Oberholzer, on January 26, 1992; brothers, Jacob Summers, Allen Summers, Edward Summers, Archie Summers and Lester Summers; and sisters, Viola Hoover and Edith Fuller.
Services were held the morning of Tuesday, March 25 in the Harold M. Zimmerman And Son Funeral Home, Greencastle, with Rev. Martin H. Horn officiating.
Burial was in the Parklawns Memorial Gardens in Chambersburg.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Alzheimers Associates Memorial Fund, 2306 Kirkwood Hwy., Wilmington, DE. 19805 or to Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund, The Stockton Building Suite 100, 261 Chapman Rd., Newark, DE. 19702.
Margaret V. Brewbaker
Margaret V. (Koons) Brewbaker, 92, a resident of Manor- Care Health Services, Chambersburg, and formerly of 165 E. Walter Ave., Greencastle, died at 8:35 p.m., Friday, March 21, 2008, in the nursing home.
Born Oct. 11, 1915 in Cearfoss, Md., she was the daughter of the late G. Clinton and Rayetta (Pittinger) Koons.
She and her husband, the late Raymond D. "Bill" Brewbaker, were married Sept. 25, 1937. They moved to Walter Avenue in 1969. Mr. Brewbaker died on Aug. 2, 1980.
Mrs. Brewbaker was a homemaker.
She was a member of Calvary Bible Church, Greencastle.
Mrs. Brewbaker enjoyed spending with her family, cooking, shopping and gardening.
She is survived by two daughters, N. Jean Kemmet of Hagerstown, Md. and Mildred "Millie" Kugler of Greencastle; one son, Richard D. "Rick" Brewbaker and wife Toni of Greencastle; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two sisters, Nancy Copenhaver of Greencastle and Ruth Crunkleton of Greencastle; one brother, Melvin Koons of Chambersburg; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by one sister, Annabelle Mummert; and two brothers, Donald Koons and Harry Koons.
Services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, March 26 in Miller-Bowersox Funeral Home, 521 S. Washington St., Greencastle, with Rev. Glenn Miller officiating.
Burial will follow in Cedar Hill cemetery, Greencastle.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the services Wednesday afternoon, in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Rescue Hose Company, 842 S. Washington Street, Greencastle, PA 17225, or The Greencastle Antrim Baseball/Softball Association, P.O. Box 125, Greencastle, PA 17225.
