Obituaries

Dennis “Denny” L. Cortez, 67, of North Sewickley Twp. passed away on Saturday, July 29th, 2023 at the PAM Hospital at Heritage Valley Medical Center in Beaver. Denny was born in Ellwood City on June 26th, 1956 the son of the late David R. and Katherine (Kast) Cortez. He had graduated from Lawrence County Vocational School in New Castle having learned the welding trade with the class of 1975. Denny had many different jobs, mostly truck driving and delivery. He most currently drove for Ellwood Transit. He is a member of the Lillyville Church of God where he served as…

Violet Mae Wright Strohecker Scheidemantle, 85 of Ellwood City passed away on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at her home. She was the daughter of the late Clark and Irvina (Wright) Strohecker and was born August 8, 1937, in Ellwood City. She is survived by her son Jeffrey and his wife Tracy of Spotsylvania, VA, her daughter; Susan Tomlinson of New Galilee, Sharon Dziennik of Ellwood City, daughter; Sally Scheidemantle, of New Castle, her son Brian Scheidemantle of New Castle, her siblings; Donna Jones and her husband Arnold “Spike”, Irvin Strohecker and his wife Betty, Karen Holler, Richard “Dick” Strohecker and…

Dany Gudiel Aguliar-Vazquez, 19, of Aliquippa passed away at his home on Thursday, July 21, 2023. He was the son of Martina Vazquez-Vazquez and the late Hermelindo Aguliar-Mendez, and he was born in Comitan de Dominguez, Mexico He is survived by his two brothers and many family members in Chiapas Mexico. He received the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation in the Holy Catholic Church. He came to the US as a teenager and was a server at El Paso Mexican Restaurant. He loved to joke and have a good time with his family and friends, and he will be missed…

Jack L. Brandon, 82, of Shenango Township passed away Sunday, July 23, 2023 at Canterbury Family Hospice in Lawrenceville. Born April 20, 1941 in New Castle, he was the son of the late George W. Sr. and Rebecca Baker Brandon. He was first married to Dorothy A. Connor Brandon when she passed away, then he married Cheryl Ann Reno Brandon. Jack served the country in the Army during the Vietnam War. A mechanic by trade, he worked on cars and tractors. He belonged to the Lawrence County Cycle Club. He enjoyed farming on his family farm in Shenango Township, playing…

Virginia M. Comcowich, 94, of Beaver, PA passed away Saturday, July 22, 2023, while under the care of Good Samaritan Hospice Beaver. Born December 17, 1928 in West Haven, CT, she was the daughter of the late Carmen Thomas and Alice Jasmin Thomas. Virginia lived most of her life in West Haven, CT until 2017 when she moved to Beaver, PA to be closer to her daughter and her family. She worked for many years as a bookbinder at Herlin Press and then worked at Pez until her retirement. Virginia always looked “put together” with her matching outfits, hair done,…

Jodi Lynn Piper-Minteer, 62, of Ellwood City passed away the afternoon of July 23, 2023, at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa. with her loving family at her side. Born March 1, 1961 in Ellwood City, she was the daughter of the late George O. and Catherine (Hamilton) Piper. Jodi married Jonathan Andrew Minteer on May 6, 1994. She was a1980 graduate of Riverside High School and received associate degrees in Accounting and Business Management from Beaver County Community College. Following graduation she worked at Mario’s Giant Eagle, several banks in the New Castle and Wexford areas and ultimately at Foodland…

Mrs. Grace Ciccozzi, 91, of Ellwood City passed away on Friday, July 21st, 2023 at the Good Samaritan Hospice House in Beaver. Grace was born on July 15th, 1932 in Ellwood City to the late Lugo and Mary (Maio) Ottavio. She graduated from Lincoln High School with the class of 1950, where she was in the “top ten” of her class. Grace worked at Blocher Jewelers as a bookkeeper and later for the Ellwood City Ledger as a press assistant. She is a member of the Divine Grace Parish, Holy Redeemer Church. She had volunteered for many years at Holy…

Mrs. Susan L. “Sue” Westlund, 78, of Ellwood City, passed away at 9:40 am at the UPMC Passavant in McCandless Twp., after a short, but hard battle with cancer. Sue was born on March 13th, 1945 in New Castle, to the late Joseph and Lillian (Ferrante) Evans. She was a 1963 graduate of Lincoln High School and was truly looking forward to their upcoming 60th class reunion. Sue had numerous jobs over the years besides being a loving wife and mother. She worked at the Ellwood City Knitting Mill, The Park Pharmacy and Keller’s Department Store. She and her husband,…

Mr. James R. Smilak, 74, of North Sewickley Twp. passed away on Wednesday, July 19th, 2023 at the Heritage Valley Medical Center. Mr. Smilak was born in New Brighton on September 11th, 1948 to the late Alex and Rose (Simko) Smilak. He is a member of the Beaver Falls High School class of 1966. James enlisted with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War on November 28th, 1967 and served until his honorable discharge on July 11th, 1969 with the rank of SP 4. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal. Following…

Patricia Ann (Myers) Pyles, of Zelienople, formerly Darlington passed away peacefully on July 18, 2023 at the Lutheran Passavant Senior Living Community. She was beloved wife Of Robert Thomas Pyles, who passed away May 16, 2021 at the same facility. She struggled with his absence the rest of her life, having been side by side for 70 years (married November 13, 1950). She was born April 2, 1933 to Elfreida J (Merz) Myers and Corbett Vance Myers. Her father was an engineer on the Pittsburgh Lake Erie Railroad until his retirement as well as a farmer in Darlington PA. Patricia…