Obituaries

Floyd L. Mayberry, 74

Floyd L. Mayberry, 74, of Portersville Rd., Ellport passed away Friday, Oct. 9, 2015 at UPMC Passavant Hospital following a lengthy illness. Born Nov. 6, 1940 in Ellwood City,he was the son of the late Floyd E. and Betty Russell Mayberry. He was married for 56 years to Judith A. Grady Mayberry as they were married Sept. 23, 1959. She survives. Floyd was a lifelong mechanic. He worked at many local companies including 27 years at Halstead Industries, three years at SSD Distribution, three years at Trinity Industries and eight years at BNZ Materials. He also worked at Timpano Motors…


Valerie R. Shablesky, 56

Valerie R. Shablesky, 56, of Summit Ave., Ellwood City passed away Friday, Oct. 9, 2015 at her residence following a two year illness. Born April 17, 1959 in Ellwood City, she was the daughter of the late Raymond “Corky” and Janna Shaffer Hulick. She was married for 12 years to Mark Shablesky who survives. Val graduated from Riverside High School. She worked at Co Part as a dispatcher for 15 years. Val enjoyed flower gardening, relaxing at the beach, and sitting outside on her back porch. She was a Pittsburgh Pirate and Steeler fan. Her most cherished time was spent…


Jerome J. “Jerry” Cowan, 81

Jerome J. “Jerry” Cowan, 81, of Slippery Rock Twp. passed away on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015 in the Carriage Court assisted living facility. Mr. Cowan was born on April 20, 1934 in Ellwood City to the late Wilbert and Fay G. Gallaher Cowan. He is a member of the Lincoln High School class of 1952, where he had played football and baseball. Mr. Cowan enlisted with the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 24, 1954 and served with the 497th Recon Tech Squadron until his discharge on Oct. 8, 1957. He had been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Good…


Joseph B. Bellissimo, Sr., 89

Joseph B. Bellissimo, Sr., 89, of Hershey, Pa., formerly of Ellwood City and Pittsburgh, died on Sept. 25, 2015. Born July 17, 1926 in Derry, Pa., he was the son of the late Vincenzo and Antoinette Cosentino Bellissimo. Mr. Bellissimo graduated in 1944 from Lincoln High School, Ellwood City and attended music schools in Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Julliard Conservatory of Music in New York City. He was a member of the French horn section of the West point Army Orchestra. He played as a member of the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra and principle French horn with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra….


No Picture

E. Ruth Allen, 87

E. Ruth Allen, 87, of Market St., Zelienople passed away Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 at UPMC Passavant Hospital following a brief illness. Born Jan. 14, 1928 in Portersville, she was the daughter of the late Ray E. and Lulu R. Aiken Miller. She was married to Lewis Allen who passed away in June of 2014. Ruth retired from the banking industry having worked at numerous banks in the area, including the former Lawrence Savings and Trust. She was Presbyterian by faith. Ruth enjoyed baking, crocheting, and working with leather. She loved her animals. Survivors include daughter, Diana “DeDe” Kaminski of…


No Picture

John D. Yoho, 86

John D. Yoho, 86, of Ellwood Road (Wayne Twp.) died on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 at his residence following a brief illness. Born Jan. 12, 1929 in New Castle, he was the son of the late John E. and Irene Houk Yoho. He was married for 65 years to Norma Weingartner Yoho who survives. John retired from Jewel Tea Company where he was a truck driver. He was an active member of the Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church having served as an Elder, former Deacon, and he also served on the Cemetery Board. He was a member of the F&AM Lodge…


Paul H. Schlemmer, 70

Paul H. Schlemmer, 70, of Hickernell Road, Perry Twp. passed away Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Hospice in Wexford following a short illness. Born Feb. 22, 1945 in Ellwood City, he was the son of the late Earl Emery and Mary Melzina Smith Schlemmer. He celebrated 50 years of marriage to Violet Jean Schaffer Schlemmer as they were married on May 28, 1965. She survives. Paul was a lifelong service and delivery man before he started his own business in 1996, Superior Water and Salt Delivery. He was a Perry Township Supervisor, served on the Board of…


No Picture

Joseph M. DiFrischia, 80

Joseph M. DiFrischia, 80, of Chippewa Twp. peacefully passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015 in his residence surrounded by his loving family. DiFrischia was born on July 28, 1935 in Fombell to the late Dominic and Margaret Williams DiFrischia. Joe had served with the U.S. Army from Nov. 27, 1953 until his discharge on Nov. 9, 1956. He had served in Germany during the Korean War Era as an equipment repairman. Following his service with the Army, Joe worked at the Babcock and Wilcox Steel Mill in Beaver Falls as a spell hand in the extrusion department for 35…


Sandra K. Suhre, 72

Sandra K. Suhre, 72, of Lookout Ave., Ellwood City, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015 at Valencia Woods Nursing Center in Valencia, Pa. Born on Jan. 21, 1943 in Warren, Ohio, Sandra was the daughter of the late Richard and Martha Crocker Douce. She married Fred Suhre in 1962. Sandra enjoyed cooking and shopping, but most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her husband, children and granddogs. Sandra is survived by her husband, Fred, at home, a son, Fred (Debbie) Suhre, of Ellwood City and a daughter, Terri Suhre (Chris Harlacher) of Port Vue, Pa., a sister, Barbara…


Shermanetta I. Kondrasuk, 87

Shermanetta I. Kondrasuk, 87, formerly of R.J. Schill Manor, Ellwood City, passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening, Sept. 30, 2015 at Golden Hill Nursing Home in New Castle. She was born in Ellwood City on Dec. 6, 1927 to the late Robert Arnold Young and the late Mary A. Bennett Young. She graduated from Lincoln High School and worked as a clerk at J.C. Penney in Ellwood City. Shermanetta was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church in Ellwood City, where she was active in the Methodist Women. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death…