Obituary Stories category, Page 29
Trafford man loved family, woodworking
Dwight Witman Jr. had just turned 4 when he spent time with his future wife, Naomi, for one of the first times. The duo, who lived a block from each other in Trafford, remembered kneeling next to the bathtub playing with sailboats during Witman’s birthday party. Naomi Witman was the...
Southwest Greensburg woman had heart of gold, killer card-playing instincts
If David and Patrick Leonard got into trouble, they could expect to revisit it later in the week. “My father was a long-distance truck driver,” said David Leonard of Greensburg. “One thing I always remember is, if we got into trouble, my mother took care of it, but you got...
Clive Cussler, million-selling adventure writer, dies at 88
NEW YORK — Clive Cussler, the million-selling adventure writer and real-life thrill-seeker who wove personal details and spectacular fantasies into his page-turning novels about underwater explorer Dirk Pitt, has died, his publisher said Wednesday. Cussler died Monday at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona, said Alexis Welby, spokeswoman for publisher Penguin...
Scottdale area mail carrier was always on the go
For eight years, Harry Leighliter lived by the U.S. Postal Service creed, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.’’ Mr. Leighliter worked as a rural carrier in the Scottdale area, delivering mail to homes and businesses...
Unity woman was caring person who loved children, loved pets
Rachael Johnston of Unity had a loving heart, taking care of children in her work and babysitting relatives and loving pets — both cats and dogs. “I knew her as a very gentle, loving person. She got along very well with kids and pets,” said her uncle, Herman Lagally of...
Murrysville resident Lucille Byrne made impact on students as teacher, food service director
Lucy Byrne touched the lives of thousands of students during her career as a teacher and a school food service director. “She loved working with children and with people of all ages,” said her daughter Christina Heil. “She met many people who became lifelong friends – kitchen workers, students, teachers,...
Winemaker Dennis Narcisi remembered as ‘passionate man with a soft heart’
It seemed that Dennis Narcisi never met a grape or person he didn’t like. He was not a big man physically, just five-and-a-half-feet tall weighing only 140 pounds. But his son, Randy, remembered him as a huge person. “He was just a quiet, little guy who didn’t have a mean...
Connellsville man a ‘staunch volunteer’ who loved local history
If it was about Connellsville, Tom Rusnack was interested. Mr. Rusnack was a life member of the Connellsville VFW and AMVETS, a regular member of the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus, part of the Fayette County Cultural Trust and a board member at the Wesley Health Center. “He...
‘Ricky the Oil Man’ of Yukon had lifelong fascination with the petroleum business
Richard Catone was well known as “Ricky the Oil Man.” His reputation even extended to when his daughter Cynthia Sherwin moved into his former childhood home in Yukon. “People used to call all the time trying to pay their bills or with a question for my dad,” she said. The...
Ligonier man served his country and community
Francis Yandrick was a man who served his country and community, fighting in the Army during World War II and serving on Ligonier Borough Council. “He really did love the town of Ligonier,” said his granddaughter, Natalie Headley of Baltimore. Francis X. Yandrick of Ligonier died Friday, Feb. 14, 2020,...
Hunker man remembered for devotion to children, ingenuity
There pretty much wasn’t anything Paul Patterson wouldn’t do for his children and grandchildren. Even while working third shift at Robertshaw Controls and driving a school bus during the day, he made time to attend his daughters’ dance recitals and band competitions. “He was always with us, doing things with...
Smithton engineer was visionary family man
Cazmier Liszewski’s mind was always at work. “He was constantly doing, constantly thinking, constantly creating,” said his daughter, Patty Liszewski. As an engineer for Aerojet and Westinghouse, he worked on designs for rockets and nuclear power. At home, he rebuilt cars in his garage and tended the hobby farm that...
Long before JLo, A-Rod or FloJo, New Kensington had NoJo
Editor’s note: The original online version of this story inadvertently used a photo of a different Ken-Hi player. Long before athletes and celebrities were known by the first few letters of their names — J-Lo, A-Rod, FloJo — New Kensington had NoJo. Nolan “NoJo” Jones Jr., star of the 1957...
Former Slickville woman loved to bake, made family a priority
Eleanor Pishko embodied Pittsburgh’s wedding cookie tradition. “She loved to bake … she made over 10,000 cookies for my wedding,” Pishko’s daughter, Pamela Weirs said, remembering the day they moved the cookies to the reception venue. Pishko learned of her love for baking from her mother-in-law, Weirs said, noting that...
North Huntingdon woman had passion for travel
Eileen Vlasick and her husband, Tom, achieved a feat many people only dream of doing — visiting all 50 states. While not a goal they initially set for themselves, the couple’s passion for travel took off after they started driving to Denver to visit their sons, stopping to explore towns...
Murrysville woman lived life to help others
Patricia Loughran was the kind of person who lived her life for others. She raised seven daughters. She was director of financial aid at St. Francis University in Loretto for 18 years. She was a grief counselor at several Catholic parishes. She was an advocate for people with disabilities. In...
Greensburg woman loved to travel – Feb. 8, 2020
Dorothy Piekarski loved to travel around the world with her husband, Robert, exploring new places. “They traveled to Egypt and rode the camels. They loved traveling along the coast of California and visiting the redwood forests,” said her stepdaughter, Nancy K. Coons. Dorothy J. “Dottie” Piekarski of Hempfield died Wednesday,...
Business owner was a staple in Mt. Pleasant community
Stanley Yanuck became such a staple in the Mt. Pleasant community that customers nicknamed him “the chief.” “I think just by being the boss we just all started calling him ‘the chief,’” Yanuck’s son, Michael, said. For 46 years Yanuck operated Diamond Auto Parts along Route 819 in Mt. Pleasant...
Former Jeannette man loved family, city history
Edward Slonecki would often joke that he was “the man,” but that’s exactly what he was to his sons. “We never really had a need for anything because my father and my mother were both there to love us and support us,” Chad Slonecki said. “If he wasn’t there to...
Murrysville woman followed her calling to help others
Becky Snyder had a heart for ministry that was matched only by her boundless energy. She helped found His Hand Extended Ministry (His HEM) and its companion thrift store in Washington Township. She ran the thrift store for 12 years as a way to fund the ministry, her husband, William...
West Newton woman loved arts, crafts and the ocean
Shirley Cantini couldn’t dip her toes in the ocean often enough. “She just loved the beach,” said her daughter, Cindy Achtzehn of Madison. “We went to Myrtle Beach every year when I was younger. And we had a camping group that was my family, my brother-in-law and some good friends....
Herminie woman loved to nurture others
Nothing made Sara Heckman happier than taking care of someone else. First, it was her husband, John. Their children tell how the two married young — she as 16, he was 19. Then, there were her five children. Finally, there were her 12 grandchildren and five great grandchildren and the...
Former North Huntingdon Marine ‘happiest when his pockets were empty’
Don Kattic loved his fellow veterans so much that, whenever he presented an American flag to a veteran’s widow, he made sure to include taps. “He didn’t know how to play a musical instrument, so he would have a pretend trumpet and play taps on an old tape recorder,” said...
Trafford man always put family first
No matter the situation, James Chrise had an order of priorities — his wife, his sons and then himself. “Dad would wear the same belt for 30 years, the same pair of shoes for 30 years, so me and my brother could have what we needed,” said his son, Tom...
Murrysville engineer was constantly curious
John D. McAdoo Jr. was constantly curious, with the combined passions of an engineer and an artist. “Anything that involved making anything turned into a giant project of diagrams and research,” said his daughter, Jane Cieply. He loved to create things—including sketches, paintings, architectural drawings, to name a few. “He...
