Obituaries

Mary E. “Betsy” Kriegisch, 57, of Brown Rd., Ellwood City passed away Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at UPMC Mercy Hospital. Although in ill health, her death was unexpected. Born December 7, 1960 in Rochester, she was the daughter of the late Terrance Laykish and Donna McGovern Laykish Taormina of Brighton Twp. She was married for 35 years to Randall J. Kriegisch who survives. Betsy graduated from Rochester High School in 1979. She formerly had worked at Giant Eagle, McDonalds, and had been a lunch monitor at Riverside School District. She was affiliated with Holy Redeemer Church. Betsy truly enjoyed watching…

Thomas L. Goebel, 75, of Wayne Twp. passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family on Sunday, February 18, 2018 following a brief battle with leukemia. Born December 26, 1942 in Wayne Twp., he was the son of the late Gus and Mabel Lechner Goebel. Tom was married for 52 years to Karen Chappell Goebel who survives. He retired as a crane man from Babcock and Wilcox after 25 years of services. He then drove school bus for 24 years. Tom was a lifelong active member of the Chewton Christian Church where he served as a Deacon and…

Gerald M. Foreman, 59, of Ellwood City passed away on Friday, February 9, 2018 at the UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where he had been in the Trauma ICU after sustaining injuries in an accident on January 26. He was born on September 29, 1958 in Ellwood City to the late Gerald E. and Mary Lou Landolfi Foreman. Jerry is a member of the Riverside High School class of 1976 and attended the Community College of Beaver County. He had worked at several convenience stores in the area. Most recently he was employed at Uni-Mart in Ellwood City. An avid bowler, he…

Lillian Durbin French, 96, formerly of Ellwood City passed away Wednesday, January 31, 2018 in Littleton, Colorado. Born December 3, 1921 in Chewton, she was the daughter of the late Rev. Charles P. and Martha Smith Durbin. She was married for 62 years to Russell B. French, who passed away December 28, 2013. Lillian graduated from Lincoln High School; Indiana State Teachers College (PA); and the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned her Masters of Letters Degree in accounting. Lillian worked as a teacher at Lincoln High School until her marriage She married her husband in July of 1951 and…

Charles F. DeFonde, 65, of North Sewickley Twp. passed away on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at the Heritage Valley Medical Center. Charles was born on March 17, 1952 in Ellwood City to the late Guy P. “Nootch” and Violet Goodwin DeFonde. He had attended Riverside High School. Charles worked for many years as a truck driver for Browns Trucking and Penn DOT. He also loved to cook. He is survived by his daughter Aliegha (Austin) Cain of Fort Worth, TX, his sister Katheline (Scott) Lanza of Fountain Hills, AZ, and his brothers Kenny (Mary) DeFonde of Ellwood City, David DeFonde…