Obituaries

Gerald Lee (Jerry) Cole, 82, passed away on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, after a long battle with COPD and cancer. He is survived by his wife, Linda. They were married for 61 years. He is also survived by his children, his daughter Tania (James) and grandson Rory, his daughter Shahna and his son Andrew (Kimberly A.) and grandchildren, Julianna, Patrick, and Kinley. He was preceded by both sets of grandparents, his father William, his mother Alice Elizabeth and his brother, Larry. He is also survived by his brother, Joseph Knehtel (Dongmei), nephew Joey, brother-in-law Michael Dubell (Barbara) and sister-in-law Donna…

Clyde Houk, 81, of St. Petersburg, FL passed away August 7, 2022. Born in Ellwood City PA to the late Paul &Betty (Schoen) Houk. Clyde was an Educator, from the age of 19 starting at Shenango Elementary, and many other schools from Colorado, Hawaii, Principal at Wampum Elementary and ended as a Gifted Coordinator in Ellwood City on retirement, Clyde was also a Organ and Keyboard player for many bands in the Ellwood City area. He also played with many bands in Florida. He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter Jennifer Houk and Grandsons Michael Houk and…

Ashley D. Smith, 37, of Ellwood City passed away on Sunday, August 21st, 2022 at the UPMC Jameson Hospital in New Castle. Ashley was born on June 21st, 1985 in Ellwood City the daughter of the late Robert D. “Snuffy” Smith and Loretta (Buda) Smith of Ellwood City. She had worked at the Ellport Junction and most recently she was hired at 7-Eleven in Ellwood City both places as a clerk. She is survived by her mother Loretta, brother Derek and his wife Jessica Smith of Ellwood City, niece Lenarose Smith, nephew Luca Smith, several aunts, uncles, and cousins, and…

Michele S. Burton, 74, of Ellwood City passed away on Wednesday, August 17th, 2022 at the UPMC Passavant Hospital. Michele was born on September 27th, 1947 in Ellwood City to the late Clayton and Virginia (DiFrishia) Daufen Sr.. She had graduated from Lincoln High School with the class of 1965, and attended the Wurtemburg United Methodist Church. Over the years she had worked at Heraeus, Fotia Bros., Allsy Lighting, Airway Industries, and the Ellwood City Knitting Mill. She is survived by her sons, Samuel (Tammy) Burton of New Brighton and Thomas Burton of Houston, Texas, grandchildren, Amber, Elizabeth, Samuel, Joshua,…

Melva J. Nagel, 87, of Franklin Township, passed away at Northview Estates on Monday, August 15, 2022. Born in Ellwood City on February 13, 1935, Melva was the daughter of the late Willard and Delores Cunning Crowl.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Theodore W. Nagel, on May 6, 2015.  They were married on March 2, 1953.  Melva was a graduate of CCBC and worked as a LPN at both Blair Nursing Home in Beaver Falls and Passavant Health Center in Zelienople.  She enjoyed her vegetable and flower gardens, baking and cooking and her humming birds.  Melva liked…

Matushka Anne “Anya” Hopko, née Schmemann, for the last two decades of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, and previously, for many years, of Crestwood (Yonkers), New York, fell asleep in the Lord on Thursday afternoon, August 4, 2022. She was 78 years old. At the time of her repose in the Lord, Matushka Anne was in care in a hospital in L’Annonciation (Rivière-Rouge), Quebec. She had suffered a sudden stroke on Wednesday, August 3, while with family members together on summer holiday in Lac Labelle, Quebec. Matushka Anne was the beloved wife of the late Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko (+2015). She is survived…

Mary Florence Loccisano, 95, died peacefully at Good Samaritan Hospice Beaver on Friday, August 12, 2022. She was born in Forestville, PA on December 5, 1926 to the late Michael and Angeline Isacco Carozza. She was a graduate of Lincoln High School. Mary was the adored and adoring wife of Raymond Paul Loccisano whom she married on April 12, 1948. Mary was a homemaker and a marvelous cook. In earlier years, she served as a Cub Scout den mother. A quiet woman, she possessed a generous and caring heart and was deeply loved by family and friends. She was a…