Obituaries

Ray M. Keener, 68, of Ellwood City passed away on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015 at his residence. Ray was born on Jan. 7, 1947 in Pittsburgh to the late James and Lillian Pulaski Keener. Ray was an auto body technician, and had been the owner and operator of Keener’s Auto in Wurtemburg. He had previously worked at Pearsall’s Auto Village and also Timpano’s Dodge in Ellport. He is a former member of the Sons of Italy in Ellwood City and the Polish White Eagles in Chewton. Ray was a CB Radio Operator and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Ray is survived…

Joziah John “Jo-Jo” Christofferson, 4, of Ellport, passed away on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, in the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital. Joziah was born on Dec. 30, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pa. He is the son of the late Scott M. Christofferson and Holly Mulhollen Gatto-Christofferson of Ellport. Jo-Jo enjoyed camping, being in the outdoors, music, watching Barnie and the Wiggles and most of all being around people. Joziah is survived by his mother, Holly; his siblings, Carly, Kayla, Melissa, Eryn, Rachael, Cella, Xena, Audrey, Tigist, Ro, Sean, Davidson, Tyler, Keshawn, Sami, Zach, Paxton, Quinn, Austin, Hogan, Darion, Roni, Ashley, and Sayje; his…

Charlie Baird, 79, of North Sewickley Twp., Beaver Falls died Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 at his residence. Although in ill health, death was unexpected. Born July 26, 1936 in North Sewickley Twp., he was the son of the late Thomas and Josephine Baird. He was married for 33 years to Shirley Baird as they were married Oct. 30, 1982. She survives. Charlie owned and operated his own trucking company for 35 years. He then drove for FBC Chemicals in Mars until his retirement in 1998. He was also a part owner of Eisenbrown, Baird International Harvester Dealer. He was a…

Maria L. “Mimi” Allen, 27, New Castle died unexpectedly on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015 at the Jameson Memorial Hospital. Born July 7, 1988 in New Castle, Pa., she was the beloved daughter of Robert E. “Bobby” Allen and the late Teresa Shuler Kaczmarek . Mimi was a cheerleader and softball player at Union High School, where she graduated. She loved the outdoors and fishing. She loved life and family to the fullest. She was a devoted mother to her babies, Thomas “TJ” Ingram, Teresa, Aydrian and Elisea Jackson. Survivors in addition to her father and children are her brothers, Markus…

Rosella M. Shaffer Smith, 96, of Ellwood City, formerly of Wampum passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015 at UPMC Passavant Hospital surrounded by family following a brief illness. Born May 3, 1919 in Ellwood City, she was the daughter of the late Robert Herring and Mary Jane McCauley Herring . Rosella was a homemaker and also a retired custodian from the Riverside Area School District. She enjoyed playing bingo, crocheting and reading. She cherished time spent with her family and her dogs. Survivors include a daughter, Carol (Greg) Wood of Wexford; five grandchildren, Erin Wood, Justin (Jamie) Wood, Colby…

Rose Gottuso, 90, of Ellwood City, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the Ellwood City Hospital. Rose was born on March 24, 1925, in Ellwood City, to the late Biagio and Concetta Cione Cientanni. She graduated from Lincoln High School with the class of 1943. Rose had worked at the Ellwood City Ledger as a secretary, and then for the Ellwood City Area School District as a library assistant for over 40 years. She was a member of the Holy Redeemer Parish, the Golden Agers and Challenges. Rose was an avid bowler and had belonged to many bowling…

Rosemary LeClair Kaskie, 92, of Leesburg, Fla., passed away on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the Good Samaritan Hospice House in Wexford, Pa. Rosemary was born on Feb. 25, 1923, in Denver, Colo., to the late Henry Paul, Sr. and Emma Marie O’Brien LeClair. She graduated from College with an associate’s degree. She worked for the Smythe Cramer Realty Agency in Cleveland for 27 years as a real estate agent. While living in Florida, Rosemary served as a Eucharistic Minister for her church. She also had taught English to immigrants through her local library’s “Project Read” program. She enjoyed painting…

Laura E. Neupauer, 73, of Ellwood City, passed away on Sunday evening, Nov. 22, 2015, in the Ellwood City Hospital. She was born in Philadelphia on July 23, 1942, to the late Alfred E. Crowther, who died June 18, 1992, and the late Laura Davis Crowther, who died Dec. 14, 2006. Laura mainly enjoyed all her pets. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald J. Neupauer, on Oct. 8, 2013. Laura is survived by one son and two daughters: Jon Neupauer (and fiancée Karen Norris) of Ellwood City; Julia (and Dale) Taylor-Davis of…

Thomas Maxwell, 68, of Ellwood City, died unexpectedly on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015, at his residence. Born Jan. 1, 1947, in Ellwood City, he was the son of the late James A. and Elizabeth Jean McMurdo Maxwell. He was married to Joyce McDevitt Maxwell, who passed away in 2005. Tom retired in 2008 after 40 years of service as an accountant for the Heritage Valley Health System. Tom was a poster child for polio when he was eight years old. Despite his handicaps, he saved the neighbor boy from drowning in his youth. He was an avid hunter and outdoorsman,…