Obituaries

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, 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, 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….

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…

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, 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…