Obituaries

Ted C. Ford, 89

Ted C. Ford, 89, of Ellwood City, PA, passed away peacefully,on March 2, 2020, at Northview Estates in Ellwood City. He was the son of the late Raymond and Ina Dunham Ford and was born on  February 7, 1931 in Ellwood City, PA. He is survived by his wife, of 12 years, Hazel Beltz Ford, of Ellwood City, Son; Ronald Ford of North Beaver Twp, PA, Sister; Janine Nichol and her husband John of Colorado, Stepchildren; Brenda Peffer and her husband Vic of Zelienople, PA; Sharon Swortwood of Ellwood City, Pamela MacMurdo and her husband Duke of Zelienople, PA, 4…


Balind “Bert” Birtalan, 98

Balind “Bert” Birtalan, 98, of Chewton Wurtemburg Rd., Wampum passed away Thursday, February 27, 2020 at Quality Life Services in New Castle following a short illness. Born February 20, 1922 in Ellwood City, he was the son of the late Balind and Mary (Toth) Birtalan. He was married to Victoria Valentino Birtalan for 70 years when she passed away September 9, 2016. . Bert retired from the Ellwood City Forge where he was a press operator. He was a member of the former St. Monica Catholic Church in Wampum and current member of Holy Redeemer Church in Ellwood City. He…


Bonnie K. Miles, 81

Bonnie Kay Miles, 81, formerly of Ellwood City passed away Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at UPMC Passavant Hospital following an extended illness. Born May 24,1938 in Ellwood City, she was the daughter of the late Louis and Ruth (Moyer) Bicker. She was married to William E. Miles, who passed away in 2001. Bonnie graduated from Lincoln High School. She worked at Garrett Manufacturing and at Honeywell in the shipping and receiving departments. She was a former member of Bell Memorial Presbyterian Church. Bonnie enjoyed traveling and reading. Her most cherished time was spent with her family especially her grandchildren. Survivors…


Doris Jean Mathieson, 93

Doris Jean Mathieson, 93, of Ellwood City, PA passed, peacefully, into eternal rest on February 24, 2020, at Carriage Manor Personal Care, in Shenango Township. She was the daughter of J. Ralph and Myrtle A. (Taylor) Moore and was born September 5, 1926, in Ellwood City. She is survived by her four nephews; Jeffrey Moore of Kirkland, WA, Keith Moore of Houston, TX, Timothy Moore of Summer, WA, Thomas Moore of Fuquay-Varina, NC and her caregivers and friends Jon and Patty Reno, of Ellwood City. She is preceded in death by her husband; Harold Mathieson and two brothers; Henry and…


George C. Snyder, 71

George C. Snyder, 71, of Ellwood City passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh. Born April 3, 1948 in Ellwood City, he was the son of the late Kenneth D. and Elizabeth A. “Betty” (Aromatorio) Snyder. He was married to Grace (Poholsky) Snyder for 47 years. She survives. George retired from Clark Screw Machine Products where he was a machinist. He had formerly worked at Babcock and Wilcox. He served in the Marines during the Vietnam War and was a member of the American Legion Post 749 in Wampum. George enjoyed the outdoors, especially…


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Kenneth “Dutch” Bleakney, 95

Kenneth E. (“Dutch”) Bleakney, 95, of Ellwood City, PA passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at the Butler VA Inpatient Hospice Care Center. The son of the late Eugene Bleakney and Edythe Magee Bleakney, Kenneth was born in Ellwood City on August 26, 1924. He was the proud brother to three amazing sisters: Ruth Bleakney Holzhauser (deceased), Shirley Bleakney Houck (deceased), and Norma Bleakney McClintick, of Canton, OH. Kenneth was a graduate of Lincoln High School in Ellwood City, class of 1942. Upon graduation, Kenneth enlisted and proudly served his country in the US Merchant Marines as Chief…


Richard P. Gray, 67

Mr. Richard P. Gray, 67, of Wayne Township passed away on Friday, February 21, 2020, at his residence. Mr. Gray was born on October 17, 1952, in New Castle to the late Francis and Marion (Richards) Gray. He graduated from Seneca Valley High School with the class of 1970, and then from Robert Morris University with a degree in Business. He is the President of Ellwood City Safety Appliance Co., his family business which is now in its fourth generation. He is a member of the Ellwood City Masonic Lodge #599, and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and reading. He will be…


Wanda “Breezy” Locke, 72,

Mrs. Wanda “Breezy” Locke, 72, of Perry Township passed away on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at the UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. Mrs. Locke was born on February 20, 1947, in Matins Ferry, Ohio to the late Pete and Jane (Jacobs) Taylor, Sr. She had graduated from Lincoln High School with the class of 1965. For 32 years she worked at Leeds & Northrup, later known as Heraeus, as a machine operator. Most recently she was working at Amptech in Wampum as an assembler. She is a past social member of the V.F.W. Post 252, and enjoyed crocheting, reading, and most of…


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George Jacobs, 90

Mr. George Jacobs, 90, of Ellwood City passed away on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at Concordia at Villa St. Joseph in Baden. Mr. Jacobs was born on March 15, 1929, in New Castle to the late Amon and Martha (Shaheen) Jacobs. He graduated from New Castle High School with the class of 1947. On January 30, 1947, George enlisted with the United States Marine Corp. He served with the Second Tank Battalion, Second Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force as a tank crewman, later a tank commander. He was honorably discharged from the Marines on June 30, 1952, with the rank…


Ray B. Sutherland, 59

Ray B. Sutherland, 59, of Franklin Twp., Ellwood City passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at his residence. Born August 12, 1960 in Connellsville, PA, he was the son of the late Ray Sutherland and Willa Fern (Shelling) Sutherland of Hopwood, PA. He was married to Marcia Greenberg Sutherland for 35 years as they were married June 9, 1985. She survives. Ray graduated from Laurel Highlands High School in 1978 and Penn State University with an Engineering Degree in 1985. He earned his MBA from Point Park University in 2011. Ray worked as a Civil Engineer in Land…