Donald L. Deibler
Donald “Wimp” Lamar Deibler, 81, of Valley View, died Saturday, October 4, 2003, at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown.
Born in Hegins Township, November 29, 1921, he was a son of the late Arthur Ray and Hannah Matilda Snyder Deibler.
He was a 1939 graduate of the former Hegins Twp. High School. He was a Master Sgt. in the US Army, having served in the European, African, and Middle Eastern Theaters during World War II, and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Valley View; a life member of the Valley View Gun Club; a member of the Elks Lodge of Ashland; the Valley View VFW; and the Valley View Fire Co.
He was a retired shipper from Penn Dye, Pine Grove.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Jean Freeman Deibler, who died in 1991.
Surviving are a sister, Mary Alice Crabbe of Charleston, SC.; nieces and nephews.
Private graveside services were held at Trinity Lutheran cemetery. Buffington-Reed Funeral Home, Valley View, was in charge of arrangements.
Sara E. Deitrich
Sara E. Deitrich, 53, of Berrysburg, died Tuesday, October 7, 2003, at the Harrisburg Hospital.
She was born on April 26, 1950 in Millersburg, R.D., the daughter of the late Henry and Emma (Weaver) Hilbert, Sr.
Surviving are her husband, Franklin H. Deitrich, Jr., at home; two sons, Brian Deitrich and Jeffrey Deitrich, both of Berrysburg; a daughter, Jody Hertzler of Halifax; a brother, Henry Hilbert, Jr. of Klingerstown; three sisters, Audrey Wetzel of Lykens, Rebecca Radel of Millersburg and Susie Heck of West Virginia; and three grandchildren.
Services were held at Hoover Funeral Home, Inc., Elizabethville, on Friday, October 10. Interment was in Riverview Memorial Gardens, Halifax. Hoover Funeral Home, Inc., Elizabethville, was in charge of arrangements.
Clair F. Evans
Clair F. Evans, 93, of Bethlehem, died Sunday, October 5, 2003, at the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Muehlenburg.
Born in Reinerton, July 28, 1910, he was a son of the late Harry A. and Susan Evans.
He was a retired Power Station operator from Bethlehem Steel.
He was a graduate of Ithaca College, with a Music Degree. He was formerly a music teacher in the Wiconisco and Hubley Twp. Schools. He was also a band leader at Landsford High School. He was a member of St. Johns United Church of Christ, Whitehall/Fullerton.
He was preceded in death by nine brothers and sisters.
Surviving are his wife, the former Dora Lehman; a son, Jan S. of Whitehall; three grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandson.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, October 8, from the Chapel of the Dimon Funeral Homes, Inc., Tower City, with Rev. Edward Gobrecht officiating. Interment was in the Fairview cemetery, Muir.
Dimon Funeral Homes, Inc., Tower City, was in charge of arrangements.
Ruth K. Evans
Ruth K. Evans, 86, of Williamstown, died Sunday, October 5, 2003, at the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Pottsville.
Born in Tower City on January 18, 1917, she was a daughter of the late Arthur and Florence Barnhardt Esterline.
She was a retired seamstress from the Garment Industry, was of the Protestant faith, and a member of the I.L.G.W.U.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George F., Sr., who died in 1975, a son, George, Jr., "Buddy" in 1995, and a sister, Dorothy Klinger in 1966.
Surviving are two daughters, Nancy J. Brennan, and Carole A. McCready, both of Williamstown; five grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.
Funeral services were held Thursday, October 9, from the Twin Valley Alliance Church, Williamstown, with the Rev. Donald Morgantini officiating. Interment was in the Methodist cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Williamstown EMS, P.O. Box 74, Williamstown, PA 17098. Dimon Funeral Homes, was in charge of arrangements.
Jesse R. Hepler
Jesse R. Hepler, 64, of Hendricks, died Wednesday, October 8, 2003, at Grandview Hospital, Bucks County.
Born in Lansdale, June 26, 1939, he was a son of the late Edgar W. and Esther A. Bucher Hepler.
He was a conductor for the Reading Railroad, working out of the Reading Terminal for over 30 years before retiring. He was a columnist for The Citizen-Standard for many years. He was a member of Salford Mennonite Church, Harleysville, and the Reading Retired Veterans Association (a club of the retired Reading Railroad employees).
Surviving are two sons, Donald A of Hendericks, and Jonathan A. of Salt Lake City, UT; four daughters, Cathleen A. Trull of spring Mount, Mary E. Hepler of Trevorton, Sandra S. Hovermale of Chapel, and Laura D. Metzler of Bethlehem; and 12 grandchildren.
Private services were held at the convenience of the family. Interment was in Old Goshenhoppen cemetery, Woxall.
Memorial contributions may be made to Wegener’s Granulomatosis Association International, PO Box 8660, Kansas City, MO 64188-8660, or the Dialysis at the Fresenius Medical Care of Sellersville, 700 Lawn Ave., Sellersville, PA 18960.
The Falk Funeral Home, Pennsburg, was in charge of arrangements.
Marie J. Herandez
Marie J. Herandez, 59, of Tower City, died Tuesday, October 7, 2003, at home.
Born in Harrisburg, June 23, 1944, she was a daughter of Helen M. Paul Shutt, Tower City, and the late John C. Shutt. She was a graduate of the former Porter Tower High School.
She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Tower City.
Surviving, in addition to her mother, are a daughter, Carmen Perez-Padilla of Portland, Maine; a sister, Linda I. Rickert of Orwin; two brothers, Preston J. Shutt of Delaware, and John R. Shutt of Tower City; four grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
Services were held Monday, October 13, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Linda Bonfiglio officiating. Interment was in St. Peter's cemetery, Orwin.
Memorial donations may be made to the family, 111 E. Grand Avenue, Tower City, PA 17098. Dimon Funeral Homes Inc., Tower City, was in charge of arrangements.
Evelyn L. Martz
Evelyn Lorraine "Pete" Martz, 70, of Sunbury, formerly of Dalmatia, died Saturday, October 11, 2003, at Sunbury Community Hospital.
Born in Herndon, March 16, 1933, she was a daughter of the late Samuel and Maude Shiffer Wolfe.
She was a retired cook from the former Mahanoy Joint High School.
She was a member of Zion Stone Valley Church of Christ, Dalmatia and its Ladies Auxiliary; and the Herndon Area Senior Citizens.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth M. Martz, who died on February 5, 1994; a grandson, Marc Klinger; and three brothers, Lawrence, Thomas, and Clair Wolfe.
Surviving are a daughter Peggy A. Klinger of Sunbury; a son James A. and Jean M. Martz of Millersburg; two sisters, Sarah Wolfe of Milton, and Grace Strawser of New Columbia; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Religious service will be held Wednesday, October 15, at 11 a.m. at the James A. Reed Funeral Home, Pillow. Visitors may call from 10 to 11 a.m. Interment will be in Stone Valley cemetery, RR, Dalmatia.
Donations may be sent to Zion Stone Valley United Church of Christ, RR, Dalmatia, PA 17017. James A. Reed Funeral Home, Pillow, is handling arrangements.
Herbert R. Rohland
Herbert R. Rohland, 79, of Lavelle, died Tuesday, October 7, 2003, at Ashland Regional Medical Center, Fountain Springs.
Born in West Palm Beach, Fla., January 11, 1924, he was a son of the late Otto F. and Freida Hessel Rohland. He and his wife had resided in California for many years, and had lived in Lavelle for the past eight years.
He was a Navy veteran of the Korean War.
He was a retired sheet metal mechanic, having been employed by Lockheed Aircraft Co. and Boeing Aircraft Co., both in California, retiring in 1986.
He was of the Protestant faith, and a member of the Disabled American Veterans.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Gertrude Mitchell.
Surviving are his wife, the former Shirley S. Wolfgang, a patient at Tremont Health & Rehabilitation Center, Tremont, whom he married
on September 12, 1967; a son, Donald of Shingle Springs, Calif.; two step-daughters, Shirley Ann Wolfgang of Lavelle, and Bonnie M. Brown of Hyde Park, Utah; two sisters, Evelyn Long of Desert Center, Calif., and Esther Hawk of Terre Haute, Ind.; three grandchildren; nine step-grandchildren; 23 step-great-grandchildren; three step-great-great-grandchildren.
Private services were held at the convenience of the family. Stephen R. Rothermel Funeral Home, RR1 Klingerstown, was in charge of arrangements.
John E. Schmoltze
John E. “Chunny” Schmoltze, 86, of Hatboro, died Sunday, October 5, 2003, in Hegins.
Born in Ashland, January 17, 1917, he was a son of the late Frank and Lillian Leverentz Schmoltze.
He was a Navy veteran of World War II. He was a former Boy Scout leader for Troop 136, Warminster, for many years.
He had worked for Brewsters’ Aircraft, Kellett Aircraft, and recently retired from Lankford Landscaping, Warrington.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marion Shucker Schmoltze; three brothers, Harry, Elmer, and Raymond; and a sister, Margaret Trauger.
Surviving are a son, John W.; two grandsons, John Jr., and Nathaniel; a niece, Gail Maser, three nephews, Gene, Ronald, and Raymond Schmoltze; and numerous grandnieces and grandnephews.
Services were held Wednesday, October 8, in Hatboro.
Frank E. Umlauf, Jr.
Frank E. "Tapo" Umlauf Jr., 82, of Ashland, died Friday, October 10, 2003, at Bucktail Medical Center, Renovo.
Born in Girardville, he was a son of the late Frank E. Sr. and Jessie Lynd Umlauf. He was a 1938 graduate of Girardville High School.
He was a Navy veteran of World War II.
He worked as a pipefitter and electrician most of his life.
He was a member of Primitive Methodist Church, Girardville; Pipefitters Union, Local 524, Scranton; Girard Hose Company No. 1, Girardville; Western Clinton Sportsman Association, Renovo; and a 50-year member of Ashland Lodge 294, F.&A.M.;
He was preceded in death by his wife, the former Alice Humes; and three brothers, Lynd, John and Richard.
Surviving are two daughters, Doris Tomeo of Danville, and Cathy Walls of Elizabethville; a sister, Lois Damiani of Ashland; four grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, October 15, from William F. McDonald Jr. Funeral Home, Girardville. Pastor David Berry will officiate. Interment will be in Odd Fellows cemetery, Frackville. William F. McDonald Jr. Funeral Home, Girardville, is handling arrangements.
