Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Records, 1947-2010
Fern E. Dixon
SCOTLAND, Pa. - Fern E. Dixon, 91, of 3884 Lincoln St., died Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998, at Chambersburg (Pa.) Hospital.
Born July 31, 1907, in Hamilton Township, Pa., she was the daughter of the late J. Harvey and Lydia Clara Lutz Reamer.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest B. Dixon, in 1974.
She was a member of Scotland United Methodist Church.
She is survived by a son, Jay H. Dixon of Fayetteville, Pa.; two sisters, Viola M. Runyon of Chambersburg and Pearl R. Hartzell of Fayetteville; and a brother, Russell Reamer of Pleasant Hall, Pa.
She was preceded in death by her stepmother, Ethel B. Reamer, and four brothers.
Services will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Fogelsanger-Bricker Funeral Home, 112 W. King St., Shippensburg, Pa. The Revs. Charles L. Kind and Lonnie S. Shover will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Greene Township.
Viewing will be Sunday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Scotland United Methodist Church, Scotland, Pa. 17254.
Carrie M. Vanderau
WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Carrie M. Brechbiel Vanderau, 90, formerly of 9706 Five Forks Road, died Thursday, Sept. 24, 1998, at Quincy United Methodist Home, Quincy, Pa.
Born July 2, 1908, in Upton, Pa., she was the daughter of the late David A. and Effie M. Wallech Brechbiel.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Anthony W. Vanderau, in 1977. They were married March 29, 1927.
She was a homemaker.
She is survived by a son, Laban A. Vanderau of Waynesboro; a sister, Rhoda Wolford of Greencastle, Pa.; two brothers, Charles T. Brechbiel of Mapleton Depot, Pa., and David E. Brechbiel of Upton; two granddaughters; two great-granddaughters; nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by three sisters, Mary Laughlin, Bessie Crider and Vesta Flory; and six brothers, Clarence M. Brechbiel, Silas J. Brechbiel, Paul W. Brechbiel, Howard A. Brechbiel, Harry A. Brechbiel and Aaron W. Brechbiel.
Services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Miller-Grove Funeral Home, 521 S. Washington St., Greencastle. Pastor Roger K. Myers will officiate. Burial will be in Parklawns Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Chambersburg, Pa.
The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Q.U.M.H. Benevolent Care Fund, P.O. Box 128, Quincy, Pa. 17247.
Ernest Kessinger
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Ernest "Sam" Kessinger, 81, of 924 Parkside Court, and formerly of 37 Hazel St., died Tuesday, Sept. 22, 1998, at Penn Hall Nursing Home.
Born March 16, 1917, in Markes, Pa., he was the son of the late George S. and Maude Hopkins Kessinger.
He was a 1935 graduate of Lemasters High School.
Early in life, he was employed by Landis Tool Co., farmed, and later owned and operated Kessinger's Grocery Store for 28 years until it closed in 1977. He then worked for the former South Central Community Action Agency. He retired in 1993 after 10 years as court crier in the Franklin County Court House.
In 1956 he originated Sam's Night, later known as Sam's Gang, at Chambersburg YMCA for underprivileged youth.
He received the 1998 George G. Eppinger Award from Chambersburg YMCA and an honorary Paul Harris Fellow award from Chambersburg Rotary Club in 1991.
He was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church, and was a former youth Sunday School teacher.
He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Rice Kessinger; two sons, N. Lee Kessinger of Chambersburg and Thomas A. Kessinger of Dillsburg, Pa.; a foster daughter, Susan Stempien of Chambersburg; and four grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by three sisters and five brothers.
Services will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at St. Paul United Methodist Church. The Revs. Robert Cook and Guy Baer will officiate. Burial will be in Parklawns Memorial Gardens.
The family requests the omission of flowers. Visitation will be one hour prior to services in Memorial Chapel of the church.
Memorial donations may be made to Partners with Youth, c/o YMCA, 570 E. McKinley St., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201; or to St. Paul United Methodist Church Building Fund, 750 Norland Ave., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.
Arrangements are by Robert G. Sellers Funeral Home, Chambersburg.
Merle S. Appenzellar
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Merle S. "Happy" Appenzellar, 85, formerly of 554 Stanley Ave., died Tuesday, Sept. 22, 1998, at Falling Spring Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Chambersburg.
Born Dec. 26, 1912, in Chambersburg, was the son of the late Harry and Nellie Henneberger Appenzellar.
He was preceded in death by his wife, S. Gladys Aller Appenzellar, in 1966.
He worked at the former Stanley Co. in Chambersburg as a night watchman. He also worked a milk route for the former Shively's Dairy, Chambersburg.
He was a member of First Baptist Church, Chambersburg.
He had been a hunter.
He is survived by a daughter, Nancy Farrow of Chambersburg; four sons, M. Fred Appenzellar of Huntsville, Ala., Robert E. Appenzellar of Chambersburg, the Rev. Larry L. Appenzellar of Elmira Heights, N.Y., and Richard L. Appenzellar of Florida; two sisters, Julia Appenzellar and Gladys Appenzellar, both of Williamsport; two brothers, Harry Appenzellar of Chambersburg and David Appenzellar of Hagerstown; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a grandson, a sister and three brothers.
Services will be Friday at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 741 S. Coldbrook Ave., Chambersburg. The Rev. Vernon T. Edward will officiate. Burial will be in Lincoln Cemetery, Chambersburg.
There will be no viewing. Visitation will be Friday one hour prior to services at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Building Fund of First Baptist Church, 741 S. Coldbrook Ave., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.
Arrangements are by Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home, Chambersburg.
Mary Ellen Gingrich
GREENCASTLE, Pa. - Mary Ellen James Gingrich, 77, of 54 Apple Drive, died Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998, at her home.
Born Jan. 31, 1921, in Fulton County, Pa., near Hancock, she was the daughter of the late Thompson M. and Anna Comerer James.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard D. Gingrich Jr., in 1993. They were married Sept. 18, 1948.
She was a graduate of Hancock High School and a 1936 graduate of Strayer College in Washington, D.C., with a degree in business.
She had been employed as a legal secretary for attorneys Alvord and Alvord, and as an executive secretary for National Lead Paint and Varnish Association, both in Washington. She later worked at Citizens National Bank in Greencastle.
She was a member of Grace United Church of Christ, Greencastle. She served on the Altar Committee, as a Sunday School teacher and as a member of Women's Guild.
She was a member of Greencastle-Antrim Women's Club and Greencastle Loyal daughters.
She is survived by a son, Jay H. Gingrich of Greencastle; a brother, Roy M. James of Clearwater, Fla.; a niece; and a nephew.
She was preceded in death by a brother, W. Scott James, in 1995.
Services will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at Miller-Grove Funeral Home, 521 S. Washington St., Greencastle. The Rev. Perry S. Hanson will officiate. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Greencastle.
There will be no viewing. The family will receive friends Sunday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. prior to services at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to Grace United Church of Christ, P.O. Box 448, Greencastle, Pa. 17225; Hospice of the Good Shepherd, 2700 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, Pa. 17201; or Conococheague Institute Development Campaign, P.O. Box 375, Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.
Eugene F. Rockwell
ST. THOMAS, Pa. - Eugene F. "Sonny" Rockwell, 70, of 7596 Cumberland Circle, died Monday, Sept. 21, 1998, at Chambersburg (Pa.) Hospital.
Born Nov. 20, 1927, in Mercersburg, Pa., he was the son of the late Ernest F. and Blanche Shaffer Rockwell.
He attended the former Mercersburg High School.
He had worked as a carpenter for DeRose Modular Homes of Chambersburg. He was a security guard for Grove Worldwide, Shady Grove, Pa., retiring in 1994 after 20 years.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War.
He was a member of United Methodist Church of St. Thomas.
He was a member of Grove Retirement Club of Shady Grove, Detrich-Brechbill American Legion Post 612 of St. Thomas, Wesley Yeager American Legion Post 606 of Fort Loudon, Pa., and 40-8 Military Club of Chambersburg. He was a life member of Clarence Armstrong VFW Post 6241 of Mercersburg.
He is survived by his wife, Nettie Pine Rockwell, whom he married March 6, 1954; three sons, Perry Eugene Rockwell and Terry Lee Rockwell, both of St. Thomas, and Ricky Allen Rockwell of Chambersburg; a sister, Elizabeth Bennett of Mercersburg; two brothers, William R. Rockwell of Fort Loudon and Paul L. Rockwell of Mercersburg; and four grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Harry and Robert Rockwell.
Services will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Lininger-Fries Funeral Home, 47 N. Park Ave., Mercersburg. The Rev. Paul F. Crawford Jr. will officiate. Burial will be in Parklawns Memorial Gardens, Chambersburg. Military graveside services will be conducted by Detrich-Brechbill Honor Guard.
The viewing will be Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial donations may be made to United Methodist Church of St. Thomas Building Fund, Box 248, St. Thomas, Pa. 17252.
Judy A. Bucklew
WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Judy Ann Bucklew, 51, of Tritle Avenue, and formerly of Fairplay, Chewsville and Smithsburg, died Monday, Sept. 21, 1998, at Waynesboro Hospital.
Born May 13, 1947, in Hagerstown, she was the daughter of the late Charles E. and Thelma L. Rohrer Cline.
She is survived by her husband, John F. Bucklew Sr.; a son, John F. Bucklew Jr. of Waynesboro; two sisters, Mary L. Dagenhart and Shari D. Drury, both of Hagerstown; two nieces; and two great nephews.
She was preceded in death by a son, Michael B. Bucklew, in 1984.
Services will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Davis Funeral Home, 12525 Bradbury Ave., Smithsburg. The Rev. Ronald Key will officiate. Burial will be in Cedar Lawn Memorial Park, Hagerstown.
The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Wilbur R. Fahrney
WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Wilbur R. "Wib" Fahrney, 77, of 600 W. Third St., died Monday, Sept. 21, 1998, as the result of an automobile accident on Pa. 997 near Nunnery Hill in Quincy Township, Pa.
Born Aug. 9, 1921, in Franklin County, Pa., he was the son of the late Ira B. and Ella E. Newcomer Fahrney.
A U.S. Army veteran, he served during World War II in the Philippines.
Early in his life, he was employed by area body shops. Before retiring, he worked as a painter at Fairchild Aircraft Manufacturing in Hagerstown.
He was a member of Waynesboro Church of the Brethren.
He was a member of William Max McLaughlin VFW Post 695, Waynesboro, and Cascade American Legion Post 239 in Cascade. He was a former member of Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 1191, Waynesboro.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Larue Johnston Fahrney; a daughter, Linda K. King of Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.; two sons, Larry W. Fahrney of St. Augustine, Fla., and Wilbur B. Fahrney of Daytona Beach, Fla.; seven sisters, Beulah Rock of Baltimore, Lela Coover, Reba Hoover and Pearl Carbaugh, all of Waynesboro, Alice Hamsher of Hagerstown, Bernice Oberholzer of Greencastle, Pa., and Hazel Harbaugh of Cascade; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a grandson, Michael Fahrney; five sisters and four brothers.
Services will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Grove Funeral Home, 50 S. Broad St., Waynesboro. Pastor Wilbur F. Besecker will officiate. Burial will be in Price's Church Cemetery near Waynesboro.
The family will receive friends Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
