Saturday, December 20, 2003

Isadore Fickler | Clothier, 86

Isadore Fickler, 86, of Wynnewood, a retired children's clothier who was active with Jewish organizations, died of mesothelioma Wednesday at Lankenau Hospital.
Mr. Fickler grew up above the children's clothing shop owned by his parents in South Philadelphia and graduated from South Philadelphia High School. During World War II, he was a bookkeeper at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where, his daughter, Arlene, said, he was exposed to the asbestos that doctors told him caused his lung disease.
While earning a bachelor's degree at night at Temple University, he met Rose Caplan. The couple married in 1949.
For many years Mr. Fickler and his brother, Max, operated a wholesale children's clothing business in Old City. He retired in 1985.
He was member of Congregation Beth T'Fillah in Philadelphia and organized the synagogue's holiday meals for the needy. He also was financial secretary of the Weizman Lodge of B'nai B'rith in Philadelphia.
In addition to his wife, daughter and brother, Mr. Fickler is survived by a son, David, and two grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Joseph Levine & Son Memorial Chapel, 7112 N. Broad St., Philadelphia. Burial will be in Montefiore Cemetery in Rockledge.
Memorial donations may be made to Congregation Beth T'Fillah, 7630 Woodbine Ave., Philadelphia 19151.




Saturday, December 13, 2003

E.J. Nangle Sr., 77, of Berwyn

Edward J. Nangle Sr., 77, of Berwyn, died Nov. 30 at Montgomery County Hospital in Norristown from injuries suffered when his car collided with a pickup truck in West Norriton Township, 15 days after his wife's death. He was a former member of the Lower Providence Township police force and a retired SEPTA bus driver.
His wife of 52 years, Claire Lauth Nangle, 73, died Nov. 15 of heart failure at Montgomery County Geriatric Center in Royersford, where she had been a resident for six years. He visited her every day.
"They were devoted to each other," their daughter Trish Luberda said. "The nurses would find them napping together every afternoon."
Mr. Nangle grew up in Ardmore. At 15, he lied about his age and enlisted in the Navy. During World War II, he served on the USS Franklin and other aircraft carriers in the South Pacific. After his discharge, he was a bus driver for what was then the Schuylkill Valley Bus Co. in Norristown. His future wife was one of his passengers. She was commuting from Norristown to her job at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. The couple were married in 1951.
In the 1950s and 1960s, he worked for Montgomery County as a radio dispatcher in the District Attorney's Office, and as a guard in the Montgomery County Prison. From 1964 to 1971, he was a police officer in Lower Providence Township before going back to work as a bus driver for SEPTA. He retired in 1992. Mrs. Nangle, who grew up in Jim Thorpe, worked as a sales clerk for Sears Roebuck & Co. in Norristown and at other part-time jobs after her children were grown. She loved to play Bingo, Luberda said, and to go bowling and dancing with Mr. Nangle.
Mr. and Mrs. Nangle were longtime residents of Trooper before moving to Berwyn in 1992.
The couple are survived by another daughter, Barbara D'Antonio; sons Edward Jr. and Craig; and 11 grandchildren. Mr. Nangle is also survived by three brothers.
A Funeral Mass for Mrs. Nangle was Nov. 19 at St. Colman Roman Catholic Church, Lancaster Avenue and Argyle Road, Ardmore, Pa. 19003. A Funeral Mass for her husband was said Tuesday at St. Colman's. They were buried in St. Denis Cemetery in Havertown.
Memorial donations may be made to the church.












November 27, 2003

WATSON, R. KENNETH, JR.

Age 50, of Aston Township, PA. Died Thursday, November 27, 2003 at Riddle Memorial Hospital.
He was a State Boiler Inspector for Pennsylvania Labor and Industry. He was previously employed at the Philadelphia Naval Yard as a Boiler Inspector for 15 years.
He was devoted to his home and family and served as a coach for the Aston Valley Baseball League.
He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Diane (nee Nicholls) Watson; two sons, Kenneth R. Watson and Brian D. Watson, both at home; his mother, Evelyn (nee Hess) Watson of Pennsauken, NJ; three sisters, Linda Corson of Palmyra, NJ, Diane Watson of Palmyra, NJ and Karen Basciani of Pennsauken, NJ. Also survived by several aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces.
Funeral service 10 AM Thursday from Fellowship Baptist Church, 209 Bethel Rd., Concord Twp., PA. Interment Media Cemetery, Media, PA. Friends may call 7:00 to 9:00 PM Wednesday and 8:30 to 9:30 AM Thursday at The MINSHALL-SHROPSHIRE FUNERAL HOME, Middletown (Rte #352) & Knowlton Rds., Middletown Twp., Media, PA.




November 27, 2003

James Ruggeri | Quality-control director, 91

James Ruggeri, 91, of Havertown, a retired quality-control supervisor for the Boeing-Vertol helicopter division, died Monday at Mercy Suburban Hospital in East Norriton of complications from Alzheimer's disease and pneumonia, which resulted in heart failure.
Mr. Ruggeri was raised on a farm in Hammonton, N.J., and joined the Navy as a teenager. He trained at the Naval Submarine Base in Connecticut and subsequently served as a gunner's mate on the USS Tennessee, USS Chicago and USS Bushnell. He was stationed in California and Hawaii.
After being discharged in 1933, Mr. Ruggeri married Nancy Mitidieri and settled in Philadelphia and later Havertown.
Mr. Ruggeri worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. He later joined Piasecki Helicopter in Morton, working as a quality-control supervisor. He remained with the company, which later became Boeing-Vertol, for more than 30 years.
He retired in the late 1960s.
Mr. Ruggeri bowled with several leagues, was skilled at growing near-cantaloupe-size tomatoes, and frequented flea markets, where he bought old bicycles to restore and resell.
In addition to his wife of 67 years, Mr. Ruggeri is survived by daughter, Joyce Colin, and one granddaughter.
A viewing will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, West Chester Pike and Manoa Road, Havertown. A Funeral Mass will follow at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 919 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1100, Chicago, Ill., 60611-1676.




Tuesday, November 25, 2003

Jesse Lieberman | Radiation expert, 83

Jesse Lieberman, 83, of Center City, a pioneer in radiation safety, died Sunday of heart disease and cancer at Pennsylvania Hospital.
Born and raised in Center City, Mr. Lieberman earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1941 from the University of Pennsylvania.
During World War II, he worked as a civilian developing fuel for planes at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. After the war, he returned to Penn and earned a master's degree in chemical engineering.
Starting in the early 1950s, Mr. Lieberman was the chief of occupational environment with the city Department of Public Health.
He also studied the effects of X-rays, particularly as they were used in shoe stores to help customers get a good fit. They are no longer used for that purpose.
Mr. Lieberman worked in the industrial-hygiene division at the Naval Regional Medical Center from 1972 to 1986. He never retired, working the last 17 years for Rohm & Haas Co. and running his own consulting firm, Jesse Lieberman & Associates. He could converse on ancient Greece, economics and music, his niece Sharon Ash said.
In addition to his niece, Mr. Lieberman is survived by three other nieces and a nephew.
The funeral will be at noon today at Joseph Levine & Son, 7112 N. Broad St. Burial will be in Har Zion Cemetery.




November 24, 2003

James T. Cornell | Shipyard supervisor, 81

James T. Cornell, 81, of Wayne, a retired shipyard supervisor who helped Mummers strut on New Year's Day, died Thursday at his home of complications of Parkinson's disease.
As a teenager growing up in South Philadelphia, Mr. Cornell marched with Mummers Fancy Brigades on New Year's Day.
After going to work as a carpenter at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1940, he met another carpenter, Peter A. Broomall, founder of the Broomall String Band. He became drill instructor for the string band and later was drill instructor for the Uptown String Band.
During World War II, he served in the Navy as a gunner aboard ships in the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Mediterranean. He was wounded twice and was awarded a Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster.
After his discharge, he returned to the shipyard. He retired as supervisor of the maintenance shop in 1980. For 15 years, until he retired again in 2000, he was maintenance supervisor at Rosemont School of the Holy Child.
Before moving to Wayne two years ago, Mr. Cornell had lived in Lansdowne for 40 years.
His wife, Mary Lamey Cornell, said her husband was a skilled craftsman who had built their summer home in Avalon.
In addition to his wife of 58 years, he is survived by two sons, Thomas and James; seven grandchildren, and two great-grandsons. A daughter, Jean Marie Kleinberg, died in 1978.
A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Monica Roman Catholic Church, 635 First Ave., Berwyn. Friends may call at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken.
Memorial donations may be made to Parkinson's Research, APDA Lewis House, Crozer Chester Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Upland, Pa. 19013.




November 20, 2003

Nicholas J. Cecere Jr. | Retired engineer, 71

Nicholas J. Cecere Jr., 71, a retired division director at the Naval Air Engineering Center in Lakehurst, N.J., died of complications from Parkinson's disease on Sunday at Mercy Suburban Hospital in East Norriton.
Mr. Cecere grew up in South Philadelphia and earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Drexel Institute of Technology, now Drexel University, in 1955.
He worked at Piasecki Helicopter, now Boeing, in Ridley Park, before joining the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard's Naval Air Engineering Center when it was in Philadelphia. Mr. Cecere retired in 1987.
Surviving are sister Bernice C. Colello and several nieces.
There will be a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. today at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, 428 S. Main St., North Wales. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon.
Memorial donations may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, 225 City Ave., Suite 104, Bala Cynwyd, Pa. 19004.




November 12, 2003

Herbert Simms Sr., 76, embraced work

HERBERT SIMMS SR. had a motto by which he lived: "Look for the job no one wants to have and you make it yours. That's how you will survive and be successful in the world of work."
Simms was one of the first black machinists at Yale & Towne, and later excelled in his job as a supervisor for the Postal Service.
"He was an honest, average man," his son Herb Jr. said.
Simms died of complications from diabetes Thursday. He was 76 and a lifelong South Philadelphia resident.
He attended Bok Vocational-Technical High School and graduated from Standard Evening School.
About 5-foot-10, he was handsome with flawless dark skin and a megawatt smile.
He married Thelma Stroy in 1944, but the couple later divorced. He married Ernestine Williams in 1958.
Simms enlisted in the Army during World War II. He was a corporal and served in Germany. Not much is known about his military service, because he rarely talked about it.
After leaving the Army, he worked briefly at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Then he joined Yale & Towne, working as a machinist for the local lock-makers for the next 32 years.
He later went to work for the Postal Service, starting as a mail handler and working his way up to group leader and finally supervisor.
He also served as a union steward for 17 years before becoming a chief shop steward. He retired in 1988.
Simms loved to bowl. His average was in the high 190's, and he was on the bowling team at Yale & Towne. He would wear his yellow bowling shirt with his job's name inscribed on it and had his own name imprinted on his bowling ball.
He was very involved with the Masons.
"My grandfather was a Mason for 50 years, and it was in my family," his son said. "It's part of the history of South Philadelphia. That's where all the people would meet. That's how they stayed connected."
He was a member of O.V. Catto Elks Lodge. He then joined the the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons.
He was also a past commander of Lincoln American Legion Post 89 and was the drum major of the Drum and Bugle Corps, "Lincoln Invaders."
"The drum and bugle core was the first black drum and bugle corps in the state of Pennsylvania," his son said. "I was a member, and we traveled all over the country and participated in competitions."
Simms was an outstanding ballroom dancer known for his smooth moves. He loved gospel music, but his favorite music was jazz, especially female jazz singers like Gloria Lynne, Nancy Wilson and Dakota Stanton.
He was a devoted member of New Central Baptist Church for more than 50 years and served as president of the Men's Usher Board, sang on the male chorus and a was member of the Layman Ministry.
"The last year he had a double amount on dialysis. He had a rough time, and we are kind of happy he didn't have to suffer anymore," his son said. "He was in the hospital 20 out of 30 days a month. His body was just worn out. But he never gave up."
Besides his wife and son he is survived by five daughters, Senore Simms, Hilda Bey, Conchita Fields, Kimberly Simms and Nicole Simms; two other sons, Michael and Reginald; a sister, Senore Alexander; 14 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Services: 8 p.m. Friday at New Central Baptist Church, 2003 Lombard St. Friends may call at 5 p.m. Burial will be at Eden Cemetery in Collingdale.




Thursday, October 30, 2003

John Smith - x38, Progress

John Smith x38/Progress passed away this Monday. He had asbestosis and heart problems. The funeral will be this Saturday at St Jude's church in Blackwood NJ. Details are in Wednesday's Inquirer and Courier Post.




Saturday, October 25, 2003

William T. Anderson | Docking pilot, 68

William T. Anderson, 68, of Ocean City, Md., former chief docking pilot at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died Monday of lung cancer at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Del.
For 20 years, Capt. Anderson directed tugboats maneuvering battleships, destroyers and aircraft carriers into the shipyard. His wife, Nancy Ciarmellano Anderson, said that among the vessels her husband docked were the USS Kitty Hawk, the USS Saratoga, and the USS New Jersey.
Capt. Anderson had a lifelong love of the sea. After growing up in Aldan, he enlisted in the Navy before graduating from Aldan High School. He served for two years in Pensacola, Fla., and then for two years aboard the destroyer USS Stephen Potter.
Following his discharge, he worked for 15 years aboard Taylor & Anderson Co. tugboats on the Delaware River and earned his pilot's and captain's licenses.
His wife said that after retiring in 1995, he began implementing his dream to live near the sea and boat for pleasure. Two years ago, he and his wife moved to Ocean City, Md., from their home in Broomall.
In addition to boating, Mrs. Anderson said her husband enjoyed golf, music and dancing. "He loved to jitterbug," she said. He had recently learned to tap dance. "He was light on his feet and had a great sense of rhythm," she said.
In addition to his wife of 42 years, Capt. Anderson is survived by son Ernie; daughters Gina Orr, Christy McHugh, and Bonnie Jean Sanginiti; a sister; a twin brother; and 10 grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. today at D'Anjolell Memorial Home, 2811 West Chester Pike, Broomall. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.
Memorial donations may be made to Lung Cancer Research, American Cancer Society, 1615 West Chester Pike, West Chester, Pa. 19382.




Tuesday, October 21, 2003

William Norwood Thomas, engineer, teacher, leader

William Norwood Thomas, a professional engineer, teacher, Army veteran of World War II and civic leader, died Oct. 13. He was 78 and lived in West Mount Airy.
Thomas had a varied professional career. He was a design engineer at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, the Frankford Arsenal, General Electric and Boeing-Vertol. He also worked with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. He was manager of the Hess Engineering Research Laboratory of Drexel University, and an assistant professor. He retired in 1998.
Thomas served in the Army in World War II and received battle stars for combat in France, Germany and the Mediterranean.
He and his wife, the former Virginia Dare Cutler, and a group of residents were founders of the Upper Wissahickon Civic Association.
Thomas was born in Duquesne, Pa., to Bertha and William Thomas. He attended public schools in Duquesne before entering the Army.
He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, a master's in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a master's in mechanical engineering from Drexel University.
He was a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, the American Society of Safety Engineers, the Engineers Club of Philadelphia and was a charter member of the Penn Club of New York.
Thomas enjoyed golf, dancing and an occasional game of cards. He and his wife traveled extensively through the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, largely to play golf.
"He was a caring and thoughtful person who shared his talents with all," his family said. "He was dedicated to his family, his church and his community."
Besides his wife, he is survived by a sister, Alma Burgess.
Services: 11 a.m. today at Second Baptist Church of Germantown, 6459 Germantown Ave. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Ivy Hill Cemetery.




Saturday, October 04, 2003

Mabel Hattie Pressley, matriarch

AS A STUDENT at the McMichael Elementary School back in the '30s, little Mabel Smith had a habit of jumping up and giving her teacher a big hug. "She was just adorable," said her sister, Gladys Walden. "That charisma never left her."
Mabel Hattie Pressley, a woman who loved the arts, literature, poetry and the church, a sought-after tax consultant, outstanding cook and loving matriarch of a large family, died Sunday. She was 78. She lived in Willingboro, N.J., but was a longtime Philadelphian.
Mabel had wanted to be a teacher, a goal she never achieved, but, her sister said, "She was a teacher in many ways."
"Any incorrect grammar was instantly corrected," she said. "She inspired her children with her own motto - they could do anything they set their minds to."
She was born in Philadelphia to James L. Smith, who was also known as Melvin Tarwater, and the former Mary Lee.
After she graduated as salutatorian from McMichael, she attended Sulzberger Junior High School and West Philadelphia High.
After high school, she took a job as a waitress at the former Southern Teapot Restaurant in West Philadelphia, where she also learned some of the culinary skills that would endear her to family and friends in later years.
"I would sometimes cook for the grandchildren when she was sick," Walden said. "And they would say, 'It's not as good as Mom-Mom.' "
Mabel's favorite customer at the restaurant was a tall, quiet, handsome fellow named Henry Wilson Jenkins. They married in 1943, and a child was born. They later divorced.
She held a number of jobs throughout the 1940s, including at Campbell Soup in Camden, manager of the now defunct Oxford Loan Co., and a brief stint with the Philadelphia County Board of Assistance.
Toward the end of World War II, she took jobs at the Frankford Arsenal and the Marine Corps Depot.
In 1953, she married the late Rev. Samuel David Bryant. They had four children, and owned and operated a laundry, an auto repair garage and an apartment building. That marriage also ended in divorce.
She became a tour guide at the U.S. Mint, where her charm, outgoing personality and warmth earned her the title "Miss Personality."
"That tells a lot about what kind of a woman she was," her sister said.
After that came jobs at the Internal Revenue Service and the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.
Pressley was baptized at Penn Memorial Baptist Church, later joined Monumental Baptist and then Resurrection Baptist, where she was involved in a number of church activities, including the Ever Readys women's choir.
In 1970, she met and married Deacon David Pressley Sr. They became involved with New Covenant Baptist Church and Wayside Ministries, where she became a Mother of the Church. Her husband died Aug. 11.
For a time, she was a fulltime homemaker and, her family said, "keeper of dreams for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren."
Then she enrolled in a tax preparation course at H & R Block and became a certified tax specialist.
"Just three days before she died, long after she retired, somebody came knocking on the door wanting her to work on their taxes," her sister said. "She was much in demand."
As charming as Mabel was, she could be "feisty," her sister said. "You couldn't pull the wool over her eyes. She was the boss."
She also is survived by two sons, Henry W. Jenkins Jr. and Samuel D. Bryant Jr.; three daughters, Laura L. Bryant, Sandra Bryant Good and Patricia L. Bryant; two other sisters, Norma Seamon and Joan DelLior; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Services: 11 a.m. today at Christ Temple AME Zion Church, 299 John F. Kennedy Way, Willingboro, N.J. Friends may call at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arneytown, N.J.




Sunday, September 28, 2003

Edward F. Hagan Sr. | Shipyard engineer, 78

Edward F. Hagan Sr., 78, of Newtown Square, an engineer at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for more than 40 years, died Tuesday of complications of asbestosis at Delaware County Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Hagan grew up in West Philadelphia and graduated from West Philadelphia High School. During World War II, he served in the Army as a paratrooper and participated in the Normandy invasion.
After his discharge, he went to work at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard; he retired in 1990.
His daughter Margaret said her father loved baseball and enjoyed watching the Phillies on television and attending the games.
Mr. Hagan also is survived by his wife of 57 years, Gertrude McMenamin Hagan; daughters Pamela Reid and Leah Medlock; sons Edward, Robert and Thomas; three grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
A Funeral Mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. today at St. Mary Magdalen Church, 2400 N. Providence Rd., Media. Friends may call from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.




Wednesday, September 17, 2003

John E. Byrnes | Retired machinist, 82

John E. Byrnes, 82, formerly of Haddon Township, a retired machinist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died of liver cancer Friday at his home in Palm Coast, Fla. He had lived in Haddon Township for many years before moving to Deerfield Beach, Fla., in 1981, and later to Palm Coast.
Mr. Byrnes served in the Navy during World War II as a machinist aboard the destroyer USS Jenkins. He received campaign medals for his participation in battles in Europe, Africa and the Pacific. He was cited for helping to assist medical personnel in the treatment of servicemen seriously wounded by enemy fire in the Philippines. After the war, Mr. Byrnes returned to Philadelphia, eventually settling in Haddon Township. He worked for a Philadelphia machine company for several years before he took a post at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He worked there for more than 30 years, advancing to the position of chief quarterman, machinist marine.
He retired in 1980 and moved to Florida a year later.
Mr. Byrnes was a member of organizations including the VFW, the Italian-American War Veterans and the Tin Can Sailors Association. For many years, he fished regularly at the Shore.
He was married to Olga Rebechi in 1942.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Byrnes is survived by son John E. Jr.; daughter Christine A.; a brother; a sister; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Services were yesterday.
Memorial donations may be made to the Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 3800 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange, Fla. 32129.




Wednesday, September 10, 2003

John M. DePietro | Machinist, Phils usher, 78

John M. DePietro, 78, of Glenolden, a retired machinist and an usher and ticket taker at Phillies games, died of heart failure Sunday at Hahnemann University Hospital.
For 19 years, until he was hospitalized last month, Mr. DePietro worked the Phillies games at Veterans Stadium. For many years he also was on the part-time staff at the Spectrum. "He would be at a baseball game," his son John said, "and then he would go across the street to help out with security at a concert at the Spectrum." For 14 years, until he retired in 1979, his full-time job was as a machinist for the city of Philadelphia. He had previously been a machinist for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for 15 years.
Mr. DePietro grew up in Wilkes-Barre. In 1953, he married Ann Cerra DePietro, and he moved to Philadelphia to work at the shipyard.
In the 1950s, he was an umpire for semipro baseball teams and later was a baseball coach and athletic director of the Catholic Youth Organization at St. Barnabas Roman Catholic Church in Southwest Philadelphia. He was a member of the St. Barnabas bowling team and competed in tournaments with the Professional Bowlers Association.
Active in politics, he was a judge of elections for many years and was a Republican ward leader in Southwest Philadelphia in the 1970s.
Since moving to Glenolden five years ago, he had been president of the Folcroft Seniors Club and was a member of the pinochle club in Glenolden.
"He was very social and busy," his son said, "but he always had time for us." As president of the DePietro Men's Club, he organized trips with friends and family to local sports events and to baseball spring training in Florida and on the West Coast.
Mr. DePietro is also survived by son James; a daughter, Nancy Capuano; a sister; and eight grandchildren.
A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 1 Fatima Dr., Secane. Friends may call from 9 to 10:45 a.m. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.
Memorial donations may be made to Phillies Charities Inc., Box 7575, Philadelphia 19101.




August 29, 2003

Francis X. Daly, Jr.
Retired Painter, 74

Francis X. Daly, Jr., 74 a retired Shipyard Painter, died Friday, 8-29-03, at home in Bellmawr.

A Bellmawr resident for over 41 years, he resided in Cape May, NJ for 5 years. He was born and raised in South West Philadelphia and attended West Catholic High School for Boys.

Fran was a Painter for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from the mid-1980's until retiring from the Test Lab in 1993. Previously he worked for 30 years as an Electrotyper. He also served in the Naval Reserves for six years.

He was a member of the American Legion of Brooklawn, NJ & Cape May, NJ.

Fran enjoyed fishing, boating & watching his favorite hometown sports teams. But mostly he was devoted to his family.

He was a devoted husband of the late Patricia R. (nee Black). Beloved father of Pamela (Les) McFall and Patrice (Chuck) Fisher. Loving grandfather of Ryan P. and Evan T. Fisher. Dear brother of Maude Todd, Joan Goettel, MaryLou Pastore, Ann Receveur, the late Denise Schaffer, John and Robert Daly.

Friends are invited to attend the viewing Tuesday evening (9-2-03) 7 pm to 9 pm at the Gardner Funeral Home, 126 South Black Horse Pike, Runnemede, NJ.

Memorial donations made be made in Mr. Daly's memory to the Thomas Jefferson Hospital, Division of Medical Oncology Dept., 1025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

Expressions of sympathy may be emailed to:
Condolences@GardnerFuneralhome.com




Saturday, August 23, 2003

Michael P. Pizzo | Financial analyst, 75

Michael P. Pizzo, 75, of Havertown, a retired financial analyst who was the former owner of a Penn Jersey Auto Parts in Audubon, died of heart failure Tuesday at Lankenau Hospital.
Mr. Pizzo was born in the Bronx, N.Y. He served as a fireman in the Navy during World War II.
After his discharge, Mr. Pizzo worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and then joined Boeing-Vertol in Ridley Park. He worked as a financial analyst for the firm until he left the company in the 1970s to operate his own business.
Mr. Pizzo opened a Penn Jersey Auto Parts and ran the business for 10 years before selling it and returning to Boeing-Vertol. He retired in 1990.
He was a member of the Temple Lutheran Church in Havertown and the American Legion Post No. 667. He enjoyed bowling, golf, gardening, and cooking Italian food.
He was married to Madeline Lambert Pizzo for 54 years.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Pizzo is survived by daughters Michelle M. Faber and Barbara J.; three brothers; and two grandchildren.
A viewing will be from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. today at Temple Lutheran Church, Brookline Boulevard and Earlington Road, Havertown. Services will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Glenwood Memorial Gardens, Broomall.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, One Plymouth Meeting, Suite 520, Plymouth Meeting, Pa. 19462-1316.




Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Vincent Bognanni, vet with big heart OMAHA BEACH was a surreal horror.
Vincent Bognanni waded ashore with the silly song, "Besame Mucho," playing on the landing-craft radio.
"We're lying on the sand, getting raked by machine guns, and we're hearing this song," he told an interviewer in 1994.
The song ended when the landing craft was blown up.
Then, as the desperate men struggled up the bluffs from the beach, under withering fire, the soldier with the land-mine detector suddenly froze and wouldn't go any farther.
Bognanni and his men were told to shoot the man if he didn't move. That got him under way.
Brig. Gen. Norman Cota, a fellow Philadelphian, came up to the men at the base of the bluffs and said, "C'mon, why should we die here? Let's go up there and die." And thousands did die on Omaha, the deadliest of the five beaches on the Normandy coast in the great invasion of France on June 6, 1944, during World War II. Bognanni was wounded twice, but kept fighting. He was with his outfit, the 115th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, through the war. He wound up with two Purple Heart medals and other decorations and the rank of master sergeant.
He died of cancer Thursday. He was 79 and was a lifelong resident of South Philadelphia.
Bognanni, called Jimmy by family and friends, was born in Philadelphia to Vincent and Philomena Bognanni. He graduated from Bok Vocational High School and entered the Army in 1942.
After the war, he went to work at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, starting as a tool and instrument maker and working his way up to planner and estimator. He retired in 1981 after 30 years.
He married Eva Recchuti in 1951.
Bognanni was an amazing jack-of-all-trades. He could quickly master any skill.
His son, Salvatore, a carpenter, used him on small jobs and his father took to carpentry as if he had been doing it all his life.
"He was great," his son said. "He could do anything. He could tear a motor down and put it back together, repair washing machines, dryers, sewing machines - whatever was broken, he could fix it. He taught me a whole lot.
"He was even a mathematician. He was fantastic at math. It's funny, but each of his grandchildren inherited one of his traits.
"He was a very loving father," Salvatore said. "He was very protective of all of us growing up. He never backed down from anybody. He was very tough."
But his generosity was legendary among family and friends.
"He was a very good friend," Salvatore said. "If you needed anything, he was there, not just the immediate family, but cousins, nephews and nieces, uncles, everybody."
"Vincent was a family man first and foremost," his family said in a statement.
"He put nothing ahead of his family. His fortune was his family. In his eyes, he was the wealthiest man alive, all because of his family and extended family."
His generosity extended to others as well.
"He would help a friend in need or a stranger without even thinking twice," the family said. "He knew how to do everything from tailoring to mechanical and construction. There was nothing Jimmy wouldn't tackle. No job was too small or too large."
Bognanni was a sports fan and played softball (first base) for the Navy yard team into his 50s. He was also an enthusiastic bowler, although he was never a champ. "He'd say, 'I do what I can do.' " his son said. "He was the best guy in the world. The house has been packed every day since he died. He was the kind of guy, if you met him, you loved him."
He also is survived by another son, Vincent; two daughters, Phyllis Piraine and Denise Chiaradonna; a sister, Theresa Morone, and seven grandchildren.
Services: Funeral Mass 11 a.m. today at Epiphany of Our Lord Church, 11th and Jackson streets. Friends may call at 9 a.m. at Gangemi's Funeral Home, Broad and Wolf streets. Burial will be in Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.




Thursday, July 31, 2003

John "Jack" Vishio | Supervisor, welder, 86

John "Jack" Vishio, 86, of Conshohocken, a retired sheet metal supervisor and welding instructor, died of a ruptured aneurysm Monday at Montgomery Hospital Medical Center.
Mr. Vishio, a lifelong resident of Conshohocken, graduated from Conshohocken High School in 1936.
He worked as a welder at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard during World War II. He then joined the former Clermont Engineering company, where he worked as a supervisor for 20 years until the business closed.
In the mid-1970s, Mr. Vishio joined the Limerick nuclear power plant, working as a welder until his retirement in 1982.
He continued to work part time as a welding instructor at area high schools. Mr. Vishio taught welding at Central Montgomery County Vocational Technical School in Norristown, and Dobbins Vocational-Technical School and Kennedy Vocational Training Center, both in Philadelphia. He retired from teaching about five years ago.
Mr. Vishio was a member of Local 19 of the Sheet Metal Workers Union in Philadelphia and the senior citizens group at the Plymouth Community Center. He was a parishioner at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Conshohocken, where he was an usher and frequently helped out during bingo nights. He was a Fourth Degree knight of the Knights of Columbus.
He married Anna Choinski in 1942.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Vishio is survived by a son, John Jr.; a daughter, Sandra Caterbone; and four grandchildren.
A viewing will be from 7 to 9 p.m. today and 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. tomorrow at William A. Moore Funeral Home, 708 Fayette St., Conshohocken. A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, Oak and West Elm Streets, Conshohocken. Burial will be in St. Matthew Cemetery, Conshohocken.
Memorial donations may be made to the Bells of St. Mary's, St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, 140 W. Hector St., Conshohocken, Pa. 19428.




July 22, 2003

Rosemary Murphy Hart | Newspaper ad-taker, 74

Rosemary Murphy Hart, 74, of Drexel Hill, a newspaper ad-taker, who could sell ads even to difficult clients, died Friday of complications from emphysema at Delaware County Memorial Hospital.
In the 1950s, Mrs. Hart joined the classified advertising department of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin as a part-time ad-taker. When her children were older, she worked full-time at the Bulletin until 1981. She then worked for the classified department of the Philadelphia Daily News and later sold ads for the combined Philadelphia Daily News and Philadelphia Inquirer classified departments.
"She would get the most difficult clients because she was so aggressive," her son Joseph 4th said. For several years before she retired in 1991, she sold ads for the boat sales column. "She would see ads in other papers," her son said, and would call the sellers to get them to advertise in The Inquirer and the Daily News."
Mrs. Hart grew up in South Philadelphia. After graduating from John W. Hallahan High School in Philadelphia, she worked for several years as a secretary at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. In 1952, she married Joseph J. Hart 3d. He died in 2001.
"She was very smart," her son said. "She was good at math and loved to read." He said she enjoyed music and movies and was a big fan of The Golden Girls television show.
In addition to her son, she is survived by daughters Rosemary Hart and Jeanne Schatzman; a brother; and two grandchildren.
A Funeral Mass will be said tomorrow at St. Kevin's Church, 200 W. Sproul Rd., Springfield, Delaware County. Friends may call from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and after 9:30 a.m. tomorrow at Kovacs Funeral Home, 530 W. Woodland Ave., Springfield. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon.




Tuesday, July 08, 2003

James DeAnnis; entrepreneur, community activist

A mentor, activist, and entrepreneur, James A. DeAnnis was devoted to improving his community.
Originally of Port Antonio, Jamaica, DeAnnis had been a Philadelphian since he moved here at the age of 12. He died June 28 at the age of 101.
He began his pursuit of entrepreneurship as a worker for Asher Candy Co., and eventually purchased a store at 15th and South streets. He was known for his hard work in the candy business until he lost his store during the Great Depression.
Despite that, DeAnnis did not quit. When denied employment at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, he wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. After reading DeAnnis's letter, Roosevelt instructed Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox to intervene. DeAnnis was immediately hired.
DeAnnis began work as a marine pipe-fitter. He helped build the USS New Jersey, USS Wisconsin and other vessels, and helped repair several crippled Allied warships.
After World War II, he became a licensed plumber and eventually a building inspector for the City of Philadelphia, a job from which he retired.
Outside of work, DeAnnis was devoted to his community. He is the former president of the Wissahickon Boys Club, Westside Community Council, and a life member and co-founder of Center in the Park. He was a member of Star in the East Lodge 55, F&AM, and a charter member of Steward H. McCord Chapter #49 H.R.A.M.
Longtime friend Josephine Price said: "He was a walking history book. He knew everything about the Germantown area."
DeAnnis was known for fighting for the community. He organized the old Delaware Valley Housing Association to protest and vote against high-rise low-income projects. He lived to see the demolition of all housing projects in Philadelphia.
He is survived by a son, Kenneth; daughter-in-law Mary, granddaughter Pamalyn Williams, great-granddaughter Tonya Williams, step-granddaughters Susan Shelton and Sandra Copeland, and several other relatives, extended family and close friends, J.R Wilson, Josephine Price, Beverly Goynus, and Virginia Brothers.
Services: A memorial service will be held tomorrow night at 7 at Janes United Methodist Church, 47 E. Haines St.




June 22, 2003

William J. Carr, Sr.

William J. Carr, Sr. of the Oak Valley section of Deptford, NJ on June 22, 2003. Age 87 years.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Mr. Carr later moved to Oak Valley where he has resided for the past 23 years. He worked as a Pipefitter for the Philadelphia Naval Ship Yard for more than 35 years. In his spare time he enjoyed gardening, was an avid Philadelphia Sports fan and loved spending time with his family. Mr. Carr will be remembered as being a compassionate, Loving man who was a joy to spend time with.
He is the beloved husband of the late Mary. Devoted father of Geri Cox, Mary Jane Hazel, Patricia Abbott, Kathleen Donley, William J. Jr., and Arthur Carr, Sr. Grandfather of 18. Great grandfather of 19.
Viewing Wednesday morning 8:30 to 10:30 AM in the McGuinness Funeral Home, 34 Hunter Street, Woodbury, NJ.




Friday, June 27, 2003

Vincent J. Brogley | Navy employee, 87

Vincent J. Brogley, 87, a civilian Navy employee for more than 30 years, died Tuesday of heart failure at Riddle Village, a retirement community in Media.
Mr. Brogley was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and grew up in North Philadelphia near the old Connie Mack Stadium. His sister Virginia Heinz said that, as a child, her brother sold sandwiches and newspapers to fans and collected players' autographs.
He graduated from Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia, where he played football.
In the 1940s, he went to work as an apprentice machinist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. He eventually became an analyst at the Naval Air Engineering Center in Lakehurst, N.J. After retiring as a Navy employee in 1978, he was an analyst for 10 years for Sanders & Thomas, an engineering company in Philadelphia.
Mr. Brogley married Margaret Brown in 1942. She died in the 1970s. In 1981 he married her sister, Alice. She died in 1999.
For more than 30 years, he was active with the Miraculous Medal Association in Germantown. He was a member of the Holy Name Society and was a former Eucharistic minister at St. David Church in Willow Grove.
Before moving to Riddle Village three years ago, Mr. Brogley had lived in Willow Grove for almost 20 years. He previously had lived in Philadelphia's West Oak Lane and Fox Chase sections.
In addition to his sister, he is survived by sons Charles and Daniel; a daughter, Beatrice; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; a brother; and another sister.
A funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today at St. Anastasia Church, 3301 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square. Friends may call from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m. at Videon Funeral Home, 2001 Sproul Rd., Broomall. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon.




Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Anthony P. Musnick | Naval shipyard director, 84

Anthony P. Musnick, 84, of Cherry Hill, a retired director of shipbuilding and scheduling at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died of complications from lung and liver cancer Monday at the Cadbury Nursing Home in Cherry Hill.
Born in New York, Mr. Musnick studied engineering at Manhattan College before moving to the Philadelphia area to work at the shipyard.
He remained at the South Philadelphia plant for 30 years. He was promoted to deputy director of shipbuilding and scheduling in 1963 and director of the division in 1966. He retired in 1974.
He spent summers in Marmora, N.J., where he enjoyed fishing and riding a tandem bicycle on the boardwalk with his wife, Estelle Kukuruza Musnick.
Mr. Musnick painted oils, cooked special dishes for his family, and carved toys for his grandchildren. He was a ham-radio operator; his handle was K3OST.
Mr. Musnick lived in Broomall for 50 years in a home he built. In 2001, he and his wife moved to Cherry Hill.
In addition to his wife of 60 years, Mr. Musnick is survived by daughters Carol A. Gercke and Stephanie K. Karpell, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and one sister.
Friends may call after 11 a.m. Friday at St. Anastasia Church, 3301 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, where a Funeral Mass will be said at noon. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 216 Haddon Ave., Westmont, N.J. 08108.




Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Joseph P. McCarney | Electrician, 78

Joseph P. McCarney, 78, of Media, a retired electrician and former Boy Scout leader, died in his sleep of natural causes Friday in the home where he had lived since childhood.
Mr. McCarney was born in Philadelphia and had lived in Media since he was 2. After graduating from St. James High School in Chester, he served in the Navy in England during World War II.
After his discharge, he worked as an electrician at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for 33 years.
When his three sons were growing up, Mr. McCarney was active with the Boy Scouts and was a former Webelos Cub Scout den leader.
He enjoyed fishing, camping, cooking vegetables he grew in his garden, and spending time with his grandchildren.
His wife of 33 years, Lorraine McGuirk McCarney, died in 1983. Mr. McCarney is survived by sons Thomas, Hank and Dan; daughters Ellen Hanway, Maureen Decker, Carol Clark, Catherine Herman and Eileen Baker; a sister; and 18 grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Rigby Harting & Hagan Funeral Home, 15 E. Fourth St., Media. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 9 to 10 a.m. tomorrow at the funeral home. Burial will be in Edgewood Memorial Park, Glen Mills.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 625 Ridge Pike, Conshohocken, Pa. 19428.




April 30, 2003

Julian Holowchak | Retired engineer, 71

Julian Holowchak, 71, of Logan, a native of Ukraine and a retired engineer for the Department of Defense, died of complications after brain surgery April 23 at Albert Einstein Medical Center.
Mr. Holowchak moved to Chesapeake City, Md., in 1949 from Ukraine and then to Bristol in 1951. He joined the Army in 1954, serving as an infantryman in Korea before being discharged in 1955.
He studied at Pennsylvania State University's Abington campus for two years and then attended Drexel University.
He moved to Logan in 1960 and worked for Philadelphia's Licenses and Inspections Department for a few years in the early 1960s.
He earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1966 from Philadelphia Military College (now Widener University).
Mr. Holowchak worked as a mechanical engineer for the Defense Department in Lakehurst, N.J., and later at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard until 1971. He worked at the Defense Department's Personnel Support Center in South Philadelphia for 26 years, retiring in 1997.
Mr. Holowchak was active in the Ukrainian American community. He belonged to the St. Sophia Society and played center-forward for the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals soccer team in the 1950s.
Mr. Holowchak is survived by his wife of 45 years, Olena Pak Holowchak; daughters Chrystyna McIntyre, Roxolana Holowchak and Alexandra Webster; a son, Andrij; and five grandchildren.
Friends may visit at 6 p.m. tomorrow at Nasevich Funeral Home, 109 E. Tabor Rd., Olney. A service will be held at 8:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, and a Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 at Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church, 1627 W. Cayuga St., Logan. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, 438 Cedar Rd., Elkins Park.




April 14, 2003

MARTINELLI ALEXANDER M., April 14, 2003, ``UNCLE DO', of S.W. Phila., loving husband of Phyllis (nee Scotese), devoted father of Susan (Michael) Ciancaglione; brother of Evelyn Gillespie, Paul and Michael Martinelli. Relatives and friends and members of V.F.W. Post 822 are invited to his VIEWING AND FUNERAL MONDAY 8:30 A.M., THE STIGALE MEMORIAL HOME, 6316-18 Elmwood Ave. Funeral Mass 10:30 A.M. St. Irenaeus Church. Interment Holy Cross Cem.




April 14, 2003

HUGHES, THOMAS F.

On April 10, 2003, Thomas of Erial, NJ age 63 years.
Beloved husband of Joan F. (nee Martino). Survived by daughter Tara Lee (Jeffrey) Hughes-Edel of Voorhees, NJ. Brother Robert (Rita) Hughes of Williamstown, NJ. Sister's Elaine Jones of Jonesboro, GA, and Carol Lazzaro of Naples, FL.
Thomas was a pipe coverer/fitter with the Phila. Navy Yard. He served in the U.S. Army and was a member of the K of C Council #9193.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the viewing Tuesday 7-9pm and Wednesday 8:45-9:15 am at the ORA L. WOOSTER FUNERAL HOME - 51 Park Blvd., Clementon, NJ. Mass of Christian Burial 10:00 am at St. Edwards R.C. Church. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery




April 12, 2003

Eleanor Jean Delaney | Homemaker, 79

Eleanor Jean Delaney, 79, a homemaker in West Chester, died Tuesday in Chester County Hospital after suffering a heart attack.
Mrs. Delaney devoted herself to her family, but she was also a dedicated rock collector and gardener and taught Sunday school classes at Advent Lutheran Church, where she had been a member.
She was also a longtime Girl Scout leader. She began leading troops at age 18, said her son Alan, and was invited to meet Lady Agnes Baden-Powell when the founder of Girl Scouting visited Philadelphia in 1941.
Born in Philadelphia, Mrs. Delaney graduated from Olney High School in 1941. During World War II, she worked as a secretary at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. During her tenure there, she watched the launch of two celebrated battleships, the USS Wisconsin and the USS New Jersey.
During a postwar stint as a secretary at Temple University, she met Horton Delaney, who was a graduate student there. The two married in 1949. Mr. Delaney died in 2000.
Besides Alan, survivors include two other sons, Blaine and Don; daughters Jean Popeck and Beth Evangelista; 12 grandsons; and one granddaughter.
A viewing will be held at 9 a.m. today at Mauger Givnish Funeral Home, 24 Monument Ave. in Malvern, followed by a service at 10. Interment will be in Lawnview Cemetery in Rockledge.




March 26, 2003

Charles E. Cooper, beloved coach

YOU MIGHT not have appreciated the advice you got from Charles Edward Cooper at the time he gave it, but when you looked back you thought maybe he had something after all.
"We didn't always appreciate what he was telling us," said his daughter, Toni Yvette Rudisill, "but looking back, I'm glad I listened."
"He was the kind of guy who would give you advice soon after you met him."
Cooper, retired Philadelphia Naval Shipyard supervisor, an organizer and coach of athletic teams in nearly every sport, founder of a busy van service and devoted churchman, died Thursday. He was 65 and lived in North Philadelphia.
He was born in Winding Gulf, W.Va., the fifth of eight children of Denver David Cooper and Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell Cooper.
He was educated in the Beckley, W.Va., school system and graduated from Stratton High School in 1954. He came to Philadelphia in 1955.
Cooper joined the Army in 1960 and served three years.
He worked for Connelly Containers, the Philadelphia Tribune as a courier and the U.S. Mint before going to the shipyard, where he was supervisor of supplies. He retired in the early 1990s after more than 30 years of service.
His work with athletic teams was a big part of his life. He organized and coached the Allegheny Rams football team and managed the Allegheny Angels girls' softball team.
He also started and coached other teams in baseball and basketball.
"He enjoyed working with young people," his daughter said.
And the young people responded. He was their mentor and surrogate father as well as their coach.
"For some of the kids, he was the only father they had," Toni said.
"He was very demanding. He wouldn't settle for anything less than your best."
The kids called him "Mr. Coop."
"Even after he stopped coaching, he still went to the games," his daughter said.
"He was a dependable, hard-working man," she said. "He was a well-respected and loved community leader."
Cooper was active with the Christian Hope Baptist Church, which he joined in 1966. He participated in many church activities and was a member of the senior usher board, board of trustees, Pastor's Aide Society and was church treasurer.
He and his wife, the former Shevla Jean Render, of Mount Hope, W.Va., were married in 1963.
After his retirement, Cooper began operating a van service that took private school children to their schools and ferried church groups and members of other organizations to various events.
He took a delegation to the Million Man March in Washington in 1995.
"He was known to many as a kind, loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle and brother," his daughter said. "He spent his life reaching out to others."
Cooper enjoyed traveling. He and his wife would go back to their roots in West Virginia, and also visited other points in the South as far away as Florida. He also traveled to France and Spain.
He was an avid fisherman. He had his own boat when he was young, but in later years was content to take party boats out of Crisfield, Md.
He was also a fervent fan of local pro sports teams.
"He created long and lasting friendships," his daughter said. "Sometimes he would tell me things I didn't want to hear, but I see now that he made a real difference in my life."
Besides his wife and daughter, Cooper is survived by two sons, David Harold and Derome Edward Cooper; four sisters, Arnethia Stokes, Vera Hillian, Wanda Diane Copney and Derondia Hines; two brothers, Robert Cooper Sr. and James Cooper, and eight grandchildren.
Services: 11 a.m. today at Christian Hope Baptist Church, 26th Street and Girard Avenue. Friends may call at 9 a.m.
Burial will be in Mount Peace Cemetery, 31st Street and Lehigh Avenue.




March 22, 2003

Andrew J. Fabian | Ex-Navy Yard worker, 43

Andrew J. Fabian, 43, of Mount Ephraim, a former employee of the Philadelphia Navy Yard who started his own business when the yard closed, died of a heart attack Thursday at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden.
Mr. Fabian was born in Camden. He grew up in Bellmawr and was a 1978 graduate of Triton Regional High School in Runnemede. He studied for two years at Drexel University.
Mr. Fabian then worked several jobs, including positions at a printing press and a manufacturing company, before he joined the Philadelphia Navy Yard workforce in the early 1980s. He served an apprenticeship in electronics, then repaired and maintained ship computers and radar systems.
When the yard closed in 1996, Mr. Fabian started a construction and handyman business.
In 1985, he married Robin O'Neill. The couple had been students in the same kindergarten class and later in the same high school but didn't begin dating until several years after graduation.
Mr. Fabian enjoyed making furniture and stained glass for family members and friends.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Fabian is survived by son Andrew; daughter Michelle; parents Charles and Regina Sorbicki Fabian; two sisters; and a brother.
A viewing will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Gardner Funeral Home, 126 S. Black Horse Pike, Runnemede, where services will begin at 8 p.m.




February 9, 2003

Daniel E. Molony

MOLONY DANIEL E., age 52 on Feb. 7, 2003, sadly missed by his best friend and wife, Barbara, 2 sisters, 2 brothers and 3 children. Relatives, friends, and members of the James Froggy Carr N.Y.A. and the I.L.A. Local 1291 are invited to his Funeral Mon. 11 A.M. and Services 1 P.M. MURPHY-RUFFENACH FUNERAL HOME, 3rd and Wolf Sts. Int. New St. Mary's Cem., Bellmawr, N.J.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Daniel's memory may be made to The American Cancer Society, 1626 Locust St., Phila., PA 19103.




February 11, 2003

John E. Rightley, 76, body-shop owner

JOHN E. RIGHTLEY, auto- body-shop owner, WWII veteran and all-around character, died Saturday of congestive heart failure. He was 76 and lived in Broomall.
Born in Chester in 1926, Rightley grew up as one of 13 children in West Philadelphia. He enlisted in the Navy at 17 and served in the Pacific with the 56th Construction Battalion, known as the "Seabees." While stationed in Guam, Rightley helped to build airstrips and roads.
In 1951, he met Jeanne Armstrong in Wildwood, N.J., and the two were married the next year, settling in West Philadelphia before moving to Broomall in 1954.
Rightley worked as a welder in the Philadelphia Navy Yard before opening John's Auto Body in Broomall in 1954. His son Jeffrey worked for his father for the past 30 years and runs the shop.
Jeffrey recalls that his father loved putting people on. "One time my mother walked in and he's watching the History Channel. Something about the sea. She asked what he was watching and he told her 'Oh, the Loch Ness monster died and they're bringing him to the surface.' "
Rightley's neighbor, Dan Pellegrino, remembers the same jokester. "He always had a funny story. You didn't know whether to believe him or not."
"He had a nickname for everybody," said his wife, Jeanne, whom Rightley nicknamed "Je-sus Christ Jeanne." "Every time I took a wrong turn in the car, he'd say, "Oh, Jesus Christ, Jeanne!' " she laughingly recalled.
"My friends call me that. I have a friend who has a friend who's never met me but asks her, 'How's Jesus Christ Jeanne?' "
Rightley also nicknamed Gregory "Dudley" Smith, an employee at John's for 25 years whom he loved as his own son.
Rightley semi-retired from the shop about a decade ago, although he still came in every morning to open up the place and feed the stray cats he allowed to stay there. Rightley, who stood 5-feet-8 and had wavy, white hair and brown eyes, wore blue shirts and blue pants almost exclusively. On Sundays, he and Jeanne would dress up and go out for breakfast. Rightley enjoyed French toast and eggs with corned beef hash.
Rightley suffered from diabetes and macular degeneration, an eye disease that left him with only peripheral vision two years ago.
Before his vision deteriorated, Rightley loved to sail his family along the Delaware River in his 38-foot boat called "Wishes and Dreams."
He sailed in style, Jeanne remembers. "He would put John Philip Sousa on and open up the horn, and everyone would know he was coming."
Rightley loved Sousa, as well as classical music like Brahms and Beethoven, and the songs of the Three Tenors.
"He treated us like his kids and always took care of us," neighbor Pellegrino said of him and his wife, Krissy. "We could ask him anything."
He was widely and affectionately known as the "Old Man," said Jeffrey. "Even old men called him the Old Man. His presence just demanded respect. He was like an icon."
"The Old Man was a jack of all trades. He had a common knowledge about the mechanics of all things. He changed pickup trucks more than people change their underwear," kidded Jeffrey of his father, whose most recent truck was a navy 2002 Ford F-150.
"He's quite a character," said Jeffrey. "He's gonna be sorely missed. He was a mentor, teacher, boss and father. I lost it all in one swoop."
Besides his wife and son Jeffrey, he is survived by another son, John M.; a daughter, Jan; three brothers, James, Robert and Joseph; two sisters, Helen Monroe and Margaret Nash, and four grandchildren, Joseph, Jessica, Ty and Jennifer.
Services: Viewing tomorrow 9-10:30 a.m. at the D'Anjolell Memorial Home, Broomall. Mass 11 a.m. at St. Anastasia Church, Newtown Square. Rightley will be cremated.
Contributions may be made in Rightley's memory to the American Diabetes Association, One Plymouth Meeting, Suite 520, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 or to Macular Degeneration Research c/o Wills Eye Hospital, 840 Walnut St. Phila, PA 19107.




January 31, 2003

Anthony J. Nicodemo | Pipe fitter, 79

Anthony J. Nicodemo, 79, a retired pipe fitter who was a prisoner of war during World War II, died Tuesday of pneumonia at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Philadelphia.
A lifelong resident of South Philadelphia, Mr. Nicodemo joined the Army in 1943. He was sent to Europe, where he was reported missing in action in January 1945. For several months, his family, including his father, Pascal, a Philadelphia mounted police officer, did not know what had become of him.
But in April 1945, word came from the War Department that Mr. Nicodemo had been liberated from a German prison camp.
Mr. Nicodemo returned to civilian life and a job at the Philadelphia Navy Yard as a pipe fitter. He also worked at the Quartermaster Depot. He retired more than 15 years ago.
Mr. Nicodemo is survived by his wife of 56 years, Olga; sons Anthony, Joseph and Ronald; a daughter, Terry; two brothers; and six grandchildren.
A viewing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. today at Baldi Funeral Home, 1331 S. Broad St. A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Monica Catholic Church, 17th and Ritner Streets. Burial will be at SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Marple Township.




January 29, 2003

Vincent G. Iannello | Carpenter, 87

Vincent G. Iannello, 87, a retired carpenter, died Monday of multiple organ failure at Mercy Hospital in Darby.
He had been a longtime resident of Drexel Hill.
Born in Italy and the oldest of four children, Mr. Iannello trained as a cabinetmaker before being brought to West Philadelphia in 1934 by his father, Giovanniti, the first in the family to emigrate.
Mr. Iannello served in the Marine Corps and then, after he was discharged in 1940, was a civilian employee of the Philadelphia Navy Yard during World War II.
As a carpenter, he worked for several construction companies in the Philadelphia region, including the last 20 years with Daniel Keating Construction of Villanova. He retired in 1982.
Mr. Iannello is survived by his wife of 61 years, Rita; a son, Vincent; daughters Marie Shirlow and Frances DeStefano; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A Funeral Mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, Turner Avenue between Bond and Marvine Avenues in Drexel Hill. Friends may call at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Marple Township.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Bernadette Church, 1035 Turner Ave., Drexel Hill, Pa. 19026.




January 25, 2003

Harry J. Applegate

Harry Joseph "Bud" Applegate, 50, of 3204 Old Tanbark Road, luray, died Friday, Jan. 24, 2003, at his home. Mr. Applegate was born March 28, 1952, in San Diego, Calif., and was a son of the late Harry Elmer Applegate and Mary Cecelia Rafferty Applegate of Bellmawr, N.J.
He was raised and lived in Bellmawr, N.J. until 1974. He was an Navy veteran and a program analyst for the Department of Defense, retiring in 1999. He was member of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.
On Oct. 4, 1974, he married Barbara Ellen Perrott, who survives. In addition to his mother and wife, he is survived by a son, Patrick Joseph Applegate of Anchorage, Alaska; two daughters, Kristine Marie Avandee, of Woodbridge and Elizabeth Ann Applegate of Luray; two brothers, Thomas Applegate and Kenneth Applegate, both of New Jersey; two sisters, Nancy Alminde and Beth Einsel, both of New Jersey; and two grandchildren.
Father Christopher Lemme will conduct the funeral Mass 11 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church. Burial will be at Beahm’s Chapel Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Bradley Funeral Home in Luray with a Rosary at 4 p.m.




January 22, 2003

John McGinley | Retired electrician, 60

John "Jack" McGinley, 60, a retired electrician, died Monday of complications associated with rheumatoid arthritis at his home in Aston, Delaware County. He was a resident of Aston for 31 years.
Mr. McGinley grew up in Southwest Philadelphia and graduated from John Bartram High School in 1960 before joining the Navy. He served as a radarman aboard the destroyers USS Douglas H. Fox and USS Barney.
After the service, he learned the electrical trade while working at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He then spent 21 years with Scott Paper, retiring in the mid-1990s.
Mr. McGinley was a devoted family man who loved to spend time at his summer home in North Wildwood, N.J.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Donna; daughters Lori McGinley, Donna Gatta and Shirley Tardif; one brother; and five grandchildren.
A viewing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. today at Minshall-Shropshire Funeral Home, Middletown and Knowlton Roads, Media. A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 256 Concord Rd., Aston. Burial arrangements are private.
Memorial donations may be made to the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, 219 N. Broad St., Suite 2, Second Floor, Philadelphia 19107.




December 20, 2002

Frank Dombkoski, 82, decorated vet

FRANK C. Dombkoski, Army Air Corps veteran of World War II who flew 66 combat missions in the Mediterranean theater, retired employee of the old Frankford Arsenal and the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and a businessman, died Tuesday. He was 82 and lived in Bridesburg.
Dombkoski received the Air Medal with two clusters for his service as a gunner with the 47th Bombardment Group of the 86th Squadron, one of the busiest combat units in the war.
The 47th saw action at the critical battle of Kasserine Pass in Tunisia in 1943, where it flew a sortie every two minutes, and later supported troops during the invasion of Sicily.
The unit endured two years and 10 months of continuous combat duty and won many citations before it was rotated home at the end of the war in Europe in 1945.
Dombkoski was born in Philadelphia to Konstanty and Stella Dombkoski. Although he did not graduate from high school, he earned his GED in the service. He attended Drexel University for three years after the war.
He worked with his father, who operated an auto repair garage in Bridesburg, where his mechanical aptitude became apparent.
He worked at the old Frankford Arsenal until it closed in 1977. He helped develop a diagnostic system for tanks, so that commanders could have an idea of how long the engines would run before needing repair. The technology was later transferred to automobiles.
Moving on to the Naval Shipyard, Dombkoski worked with the Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station, recalibrating gauges.
"Now they just throw them away," said his son, Stephen P. Dombkoski.
"They used to fix them."
He retired in 1986.
While working at these jobs, he and his wife, the former Fay Dadura, operated the Kensington Dress Co., making dresses on contract with manufacturers.
"My father would repair the sewing machines," his son said. "My mother ran the business."
The couple also ran Fay's Fashion Boutique in Bridesburg for a time. His wife died in 1993.
He and his wife were great dancers. Any affair that included dances saw them cutting the rug with great gusto.
Dombkoski was also a connoisseur of good food, especially Polish fare, and he and his wife enjoyed going out to restaurants.
"He was famous for his potato pancakes," his son said. "He would travel to Wilkes-Barre and return with 55 gallons of batter."
The whole family would pitch in to fry the pancakes, called placki z kartofli in Polish, for any event that called for a lot of food.
Dombkoski was a skilled craftsman who made stained-glass lamps in the Tiffany style, and made opal jewelry in his home workshop.
But his passion in later years became flying radio-controlled model planes, which he made himself.
He and fellow members of the Northeast Philadelphia Radio Control Club would go to the grounds of the old Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry to fly the planes. "Many a time he would go tramping through the mud to retrieve the planes," his son said. His father was also a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics.
He was active with his church, St. John Cantius, as a lector and was a member of the Holy Name Society and the Golden Agers.
He also was treasurer of the Polish Beneficial Association Group 60, a member of Men of Malvern and the American Legion.
"He was always available to us," Stephen said. "He was always willing to help. We got a lot of good advice from him."
Dombkoski also is survived by another son, Frank P.; two daughters, Margaret and Theresa Dombkoski; a brother Walter J; a sister, Sue Dombkoski; his companion, Hollie Jarecki, and three grandchildren.
Services: Funeral Mass 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. John Cantius Church, Thompson Street above Orthodox.
Friends may call at 6 this evening at the Sucharski Funeral Home, 2324 Margaret St., and at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow.
Burial will be in Holy Redeemer Cemetery, Richmond Street near Orthodox.


December 04, 2002

Joseph G. Lieb Jr.

LIEB JOSEPH G. JR., age 46, on Dec. 2, 2002, formerly of Grays Ferry, beloved husband of Marie (nee Whalin), loving father of Joseph, Kristy and Jillian, beloved son of Joseph ``Reds' and the late Helen (nee Hoeke), dear brother of Charles, Gregory (Kathy), Timothy (Bonnie), Mary Beth McGuire (James) and James, dear brother-in-law of Joseph Whalin, Michael Whalin and Kathy LaBarr (Thomas), sadly missed by his many cousins, nieces and nephews. Relatives, friends and members of Friends for Joe Lieb, Boiler Makers of the Phila. Naval Ship Yard and Local 1201 are invited to his Viewing Thurs. Eve. 6 to 9 P.M. and Funeral Mass Fri. 9:30 A.M., Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 3rd and Reed Sts., Phila., PA 19147. Int. SS. Peter and Paul Cem. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in Joe's memory to Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. Arr. by MURPHY-RUFFENACH FUNERAL HOME




November 26, 2002

Anthony J. Pratico Sr. | Estimator, 69

Anthony J. Pratico Sr., 69, a retired planner and estimator who enjoyed coaching youth sports, died Saturday of a heart attack at his home in Northeast Philadelphia. Mr. Pratico worked at the Philadelphia Navy Base for 37 years as a planner and estimator, traveling the world to take part in refurbishing Navy ships on active duty. He retired in 1989.
Mr. Pratico, who had been a resident of the Northeast since the early 1960s, coached baseball and other youth sports for Far Northeast AA, Parkwood YO and St. Anselm CYO.
He grew up in South Philadelphia and graduated from Southeast Catholic High School, now St. John Neumann High School, in 1952. He was an Army veteran.
Mr. Pratico is survived by his wife of 46 years, Anna; sons Anthony Jr. and Francis; three sisters; two brothers; and five grandchildren.
Viewings will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 9 to 10 a.m. tomorrow at John F. Givnish Funeral Home, 10975 Academy Rd.
A Funeral Mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at St. Anselm Catholic Church, 12669 Dunks Ferry Rd. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem.




November 21, 2002

Alexander Coles, cared for the elderly

THE OFTEN lonely and forsaken residents of the Riverview Home had one thing to brighten their lives: The daily arrival of Alexander Coles. Coles, a resident care aide in the men's section of the home, always arrived bright and cheerful, usually with a joke to make his charges laugh, always with an attitude easily perceived - that he loved them all.
He would take care of their needs, encourage them with hope and humor, take them on excursions - frequently on his day off - make sure they could see the ball games on TV, buy them little presents.
"They'd be waiting for him to show up," his wife, the former Diane Simmons, said. "Many of them were alone. They had no families that cared about them, or no families at all. He gave them something to look forward to."
Coles, employed for seven years at the city's home for the ill and aging in the Northeast, Army veteran of Vietnam, union official, history buff and devoted family man, died of a heart attack Friday. He was 52 and lived in Frankford.
He was born in Philadelphia and raised by his grandparents, William H. and Laura Coles. He graduated from Edison High School and enlisted in the Army in 1967. He trained with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Benning, Ga., where he received an award for a 50-mile run completed in one day.
Coles served in Korea before being shipped to Vietnam as a member of the Special Forces. He was discharged in 1970.
He worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as an electrician until it closed. He then went to work for the city at the Riverview Home. He became a shop steward with Local 159, AFSCME District Council 33.
"He fought for his fellow union members when he needed to," his wife said. "He was always into fairness for everyone. That was his life. He was always that way." She met him after he left the Army and they were married in 1970. "You meet someone and you just know that he's going to be your soul mate," she said.
With the Riverview patients, "he had a special gift for encouragement," his wife said. "If it was somebody's birthday, he'd go out and buy them a present. He bought an alarm clock for a man who tended to oversleep and miss breakfast.
"He'd get a Sixers hat for a man. Just little things that mean so much. His heart was with his job. The men will miss him terribly."
When the men went on excursions to the Pennsylvania Dutch country, or Atlantic City or Baltimore's Inner Harbor, Coles went with them, even on his days off, helping them in and out of the bus, getting them into their wheelchairs.
"He loved his work," his wife said. "The residents loved him. He was like their buddy."
"He was a nice, quiet man," said Donald Moore, president of Local 159. "He really cared about the men. He was excellent at his job."
"He was a giving person," his wife said, "a giving husband, a loving father. Everybody took to him."
Coles enjoyed fishing along the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, liked a good game of chess. But his addiction was reading history books.
"I told him he should have been a history teacher," his wife said.
He also was a dog lover, and was considerably broken up a year ago when the family dog, Damien, a Rottweiler, died at the age of 7.
"He would tuck us in at night," Diane said of the dog. "He would make sure we were safely in bed before he'd go downstairs to his own bed."
The family was considering getting another dog, perhaps this Christmas, but his wife said she couldn't think about that now.
Coles also is survived by two daughters, Monique and Alexandria; two sons, Lamarr Coles, a police officer assigned to the 19th district, and Andre Coles, and six grandchildren.
Services: 11 a.m. tomorrow at Rose of Sharon Apostolic Church, 1216 W. Lehigh Ave. Friends may call at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Ivy Hill Cemetery, Wadsworth and Woolston avenues.




November 19, 2002

Charles A. Sizer, an old-fashioned dad

CHARLES A. SIZER was an old-fashioned dad. Not overly affectionate maybe, but always there when he was needed.
"We sat on mom's lap," said his daughter, Patricia Hill.
The kids might not have sat on Dad's lap, but they knew that whatever they needed he would be there for them.
"He was a good provider," his daughter said. "He took care of us."
Sizer, who worked for 29 years as a carpenter at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, was a wizard with wood, standout bowler, Navy veteran and devoted grandpop. Sizer died Thursday. He was 82 and had lived in Roslyn before moving to a nursing home in Blue Bell in recent years.
He was born in Philadelphia the 12th of 14 children of Walter and Estelle Sizer. He grew up in North Philadelphia and was educated in Philadelphia public schools.
Sizer served in the Navy in World War II, then went to work as a carpenter at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He came back to Philadelphia in 1956 and started at the Naval Shipyard. He retired in 1985.
He married the former Helen Johnson in 1940. She died in 1997.
When he was living in Mount Airy, Sizer set up a woodworking shop in his garage, where he turned out bookcases, dressers, chests and various other items of furniture.
He might have had a tidy business selling his handmade furniture, but he did it all for his family.
"Whatever we wanted he made for us," Patricia said.
When he wasn't working in his shop, he might be enjoying a solitary game of pool in the family room, or bowling with his buddies.
"He was a good bowler," his daughter said. "He bowled in two leagues."
When Patricia and her husband, the Rev. Ronald K. Hill, bought a big house in Willow Grove, her father set to work converting it into a duplex.
"He did it by himself," she said, "although we helped him. He was a tough boss; we were expected to jump."
Sizer was always willing to put himself out wherever he was needed, and church was one place where he was needed.
He was a member of Woodcrest United Church of Christ, Thouron Street and Mount Pleasant Avenue, Mount Airy, then a couple of years ago, joined McKinley Memorial Baptist in Willow Grove.
"Mom was very active in church," Patricia said, "but Dad would do anything to help out."
The arrival of grandkids melted the old man's heart. "He was very active in their lives," his daughter said. "The grandkids loved him. He willingly gave his time to them."
Sizer also is survived by two sons, Charles Sizer Jr. and Ronald Sizer Sr.; five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He outlived all his siblings.
Services: 11 a.m. Thursday at McKinley Memorial Baptist Church, 214 Cedar Ave., Willow Grove. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Ivy Hill Cemetery, Wadsworth and Woolston avenues.




November 5, 2002

Stanley J. Pontoski | WWII veteran, 84

Stanley J. Pontoski, 84, a retired Philadelphia Naval Shipyard worker who survived the sinking of a destroyer in the South Pacific during World War II, died Saturday of lung cancer at Holy Redeemer Hospital.
He was a resident of Northeast Philadelphia and had lived for many years in Glenside.
Mr. Pontoski, who served in the Navy from September 1940 to December 1946, was a machinist's mate aboard the destroyer USS Gwin when it was torpedoed by the Japanese in July 1943 during the Battle of Kolombangara off the Solomon Islands. Sixty-one men from the ship perished. The Gwin and her crew received five battle stars for service in World War II; Mr. Pontoski earned a total of eight, along with a Philippine Liberation ribbon, among other medals.
Mr. Pontoski, who grew up in Philadelphia and learned plumbing at a trade school, was a mechanic at the Navy Yard, retiring in 1976.
He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2819.
Mr. Pontoski is survived by his wife of 41 years, Patricia; sons Paul, Thomas, Stephen, Michael and Joseph; daughters Therese Harkey and Kathleen Vrijmoet; and 14 grandchildren.
A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today at Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church, Roosevelt Boulevard and Unruh Street. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial arrangements are private.
Memorial donations may be made to the St. Francis Inn, a soup kitchen for the homeless, at 2441 Kensington Ave., Philadelphia 19125.




October 29, 2002

Rev. Lafayette Gooding, Zion Hill pastor

ON THE Sunday morning after the fifth fire struck the Zion Hill Church of God in Christ in 1981, there was the pastor, up to his knees in water in the basement, cleaning up.
The Rev. Lafayette F. Gooding Jr. was a determined man. He not only intended to rebuild the Germantown church so he could continue to bring the word of God to his congregation, he wanted to hold services that very day.
And he did.
As some of the parishioners who gathered in the balcony of the church's Fellowship Hall wailed and lamented the disaster, the work of arsonists, Gooding preached his usual sermon of love and forgiveness.
Gooding, pastor of Zion Hill since 1971, whose ministry included healing and prophecy, former president of the Pentecostal Network of Philadelphia and the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity; a popular radio preacher and 30-year employee of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died Wednesday. He was 83 and lived in West Oak Lane.
The fires that plagued Zion Hill over a six-month period in 1981 were blamed on arsonists, but no one was ever arrested and the motive was not known. But they didn't deflect Gooding from his mission.
"His faith in God was unshaken," said his son, Lafayette F. Gooding 3rd. "He was a miracle man."
Gooding was born in Kingston, N.C., the second of 16 children of Lafayette and Almeata Gooding. The family moved to Philadelphia and Gooding graduated from Central High School in 1939.
He served in the Navy during World War II, then majored in electronics at Temple University. He graduated from Manna Bible School in 1963 and attended the Manhattan Institute of Technology and the Berlitz language school. He received his doctor of divinity degree from the American College of the Bible in 1970. He and his wife, the former Ollie Williams, a classical pianist, were married in 1961.
Gooding was employed by the Naval Shipyard as an electrician, electrical inspector and electrical supervisor. He was one of the first African-American supervisors at the yard.
He later was employed at the Naval Facilities Engineering Command in Warminster.
In 1974, he took early retirement to devote full time to his ministry. He had already assumed the pastorate of Zion Hill, a Pentecostal church, then located at Morton and Armat streets. A few years later, it moved to its present location on Washington Lane near Chew Avenue.
He took his ministry into prisons and hospitals, and he visited shut-ins. Wherever people needed him, he was there.
"Many people were blessed by his life," said his son, a minister at Jehovah Shalom Church, 15th and Christian streets. "He constantly wanted to help people know who they were, to love God and to love others."
Gooding conducted successful healing services, but always insisted the healing was done by God, not him. "His was a holistic ministry. He wanted to help the whole person," his son said.
His broadcasts for 15 years on radio station WNAP in Norristown were a "three-minute hot shot," his son said, bringing the word of God in highly concentrated form to his listeners.
Almost inadvertently he became what his son called a "beacon of hope" for immigrants trying to enter the country, and then helping get them settled here.
"He started with one person and word spread that he could help," his son said. "He helped hundreds of individuals and families from all over the world."
"I'm grateful for what God has done in my life," his son said, "allowing him to be my father."
Gooding is also survived by three daughters, Delores Little, Corinthia Washington and Veronica Thornton; two sisters, Gladys Phillips and Frances Gooding-Evans; a brother, Ben Gooding, and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Services: 10:30 a.m. today at Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, 60th and Callowhill streets. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Ivy Hill Cemetery, Wadsworth and Woolston avenues.




August 24, 2002

Joseph Tomasetti

TOMASETTI--``SAUSAGE' Aug. 24, 2002, JOSEPH T.; beloved husband of Shirley (Teaf); devoted father of Donna Mary and Joseph (Debra); dear grandfather of Amanda, Olivia and Alanna; uncle of Pete and Pat Gable and Susan DeLucia.

Relatives and friends invited to Viewing Tues. 7-9 P.M. CARTO FUNERAL HOME, INC., 2212-14 S. Broad St. and Wed. 9-10 A.M. at Our Lady of Calvary Church, 11024 Knights Rd., Phila., PA 19154. Funeral Mass 10 A.M. Int. Sunset Memorial Cemetery.

Joe Sausage of 17 shop passed away, one of the nicest guys that worked at PNSY.




July 27, 2002

A. Weir Stedman, 80, art patron, industrialist

A. Weir Stedman, 80, of Haddonfield, a former plumbing supplies manufacturer whose donation to Rutgers University established an art gallery on the school's Camden campus, died of pneumonia Tuesday at Virtua-West Jersey Hospital Voorhees.

In the early 1970s, Mr. Stedman donated funds for a Rutgers University endowment to honor his parents.

Margaret Weir Stedman was an artist. Alonzo W. Stedman, founded a plumbing equipment manufacturing business in Camden. An art gallery seemed a perfect way to memorialize his mother, the artist, and his father, a man whose business prospered in the local community, said Mr. Stedman's wife, Janice Chupp Stedman.

In 1975, the Stedman Art Gallery opened in the university's fine arts building.

Mr. Stedman was born in Camden and graduated from Moorestown Friends in 1939. He earned a a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Dartmouth College in 1943. That year, he married Janice Chupp and later began working in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard's chemical lab.

In 1945, Mr. Stedman entered the Navy, serving at bases in Michigan and Washington, D.C., until his 1946 discharge. When he returned home, Mr. Stedman became an executive at his father's firm, Standard Tank & Seat Co. in Camden. He became president of the company when his father retired in the late 1950s. Mr. Stedman closed down the company in 1974 and then operated several liquor stores, which he later closed.

He was named the South Jersey Chamber of Commerce's most outstanding citizen in 1970 and served on several boards, including those of South Jersey National Bank, the Camden County YMCA and the United Fund of Camden County, now the United Way. He also served as president of the South Jersey Manufacturers Association.

A member of the First Presbyterian Church of Haddonfield, Mr. Stedman was president of the board of trustees and president of the congregation.

In addition to his wife of 59 years, Mr. Stedman is survived by sons David Alonzo and Alan Lowe; daughter Janice Margaret Stedman Peterman; and seven grandchildren.

Friends may call from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. today at the First Presbyterian Church of Haddonfield, 20 E. Kings Highway, Haddonfield, N.J. 08033, where funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. Burial is private.

Memorial donations may be made to the church.




July 22, 2002

ROBERT J. ROGERS

Of Turnersville, NJ age 71. Beloved husband of Eleanor (nee Wagner).

Devoted father of Deborah Rogers and Robert F. (Barbara) Rogers. Loving grandfather of Robert C.

Mr. Rogers was an Army Veteran of the Korean Conflict. He worked at the Brooklyn & Philadelphia Naval Yards for 31 years retiring in 1986.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing and funeral Friday 8:30-10:30am at the EGIZI FUNERAL HOME 119 GANTTOWN RD. WASHINGTON TWP., NJ. Mass of Christian Burial 11:00am at St. Charles Borromeo RC Church Washington Twp. Interment New St. Mary's Cemetery, Bellmawr.




July 18, 2002

Harry B. Doyle | Foundryman, 80

Harry B. Doyle, 80, a retired foundryman and decorated veteran of World War II, died Sunday of complications associated with Alzheimer's disease at Calvert Manor Healthcare Center in Rising Sun, Md.

Mr. Doyle, who grew up in South Philadelphia, had been a resident of Brookhaven for more than 35 years.

He served in the Army during World War II, taking part in the D-Day invasion of Omaha Beach. He was later wounded in France and awarded a Purple Heart.

Mr. Doyle was a foundryman who poured iron for more than 30 years at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. He retired in 1987 and moved to Florida, but in the late 1990s he moved back north to Galena, Md.

Mr. Doyle was a longtime Mummer, marching in the parade's Fancy Division with the Golden Sunrise New Year's Association. His last parade was in the early 1990s.

Mr. Doyle is survived by his wife of 60 years, Dorothy; sons Robert and James; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. today at Oliver H. Bair Suburban West Chapel, 8500 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby. Services will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the funeral home. Friends may call at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Arlington Cemetery, Drexel Hill.

Memorial donations may be made to Americans to Conquer Cancer and Alzheimer's Disease Now, Box 5065, Hagerstown, Md. 20741.




Saturday, June 01, 2002

Leonard Chunn | Union worker, 101

Leonard Chunn, 101, retired business manager for Laborers Union Local 332, died last Saturday of kidney failure at his home in North Philadelphia.

A native of Georgia, Mr. Chunn came to Philadelphia in the late 1930s and went to work at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He began working for Local 332 in the early 1940s and remained a union member for the rest of his life. He retired as business manager in the 1970s.

Mr. Chunn was active in church work, teaching Sunday school at Jones Tabernacle African Methodist Episcopal Church, where he was a member for many years. He later joined Wayland Temple Baptist Church.

He was a longtime Phillies fan.

Mr. Chunn is survived by a sister, Azzie Gaither; a granddaughter, Teresa Welton; grandsons Harold and Michael Williams; three great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. His wife of 65 years, Virginia, died in 1992. His daughter, Edythe, died in 1999. His son, Leonard Jr., died several years ago. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Wayland Temple Baptist Church, 2500 W. Cecil B. Moore Ave. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Eden Cemetery, Collingdale.




Thursday, May 30, 2002

Charles J. Martin | Retired machinist, 84

Charles J. Martin, 84, a retired machinist, died Sunday of heart failure at his home in Secane, Delaware County. Mr. Martin, a native of Maryland, had lived in Secane for more than 50 years.

Mr. Martin worked as a machinist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for 25 years, retiring in the early 1970s. He then continued to work at Radnor House, a condominium complex in Radnor, as a maintenance man until 1998.

A Navy veteran of World War II, Mr. Martin belonged to Amvets of Clifton Heights. He also was a Mason.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Annie; a son, C.J.; a daughter, June Carreno; one sister; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A calling hour will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. tomorrow at Doyle-Stonelake Funeral Home, 85 E. Baltimore Ave., Lansdowne. No services are planned. Burial will be in Mount Moriah Cemetery, Southwest Philadelphia.




Monday, May 27, 2002

John J. McWilliams
Engineer, 82

John J. McWilliams, 82, a retired logistics engineer, died Friday at the Virtua Rehab Center in Mount Holly of pneumonia. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he lived in Southampton, Burlington County, for 46 years.

After working at the McGuire Air Force Base for 10 years, Mr. McWilliams became a logistics engineer at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, and later the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and the Aegis Project in Moorestown.

Mr. McWilliams served in the Army Air Corps for four years during World War II as an airplane mechanic.

An active member and an usher at the Sacred Heart Church in Mount Holly for 25 years, Mr. McWilliams also was a bingo worker for 30 years and a Cub Scout leader of Sacred Heart Pack 32. More recently, he was a member of the Holy Eucharist Church in Tabernacle.

Mr. McWilliams also belonged to the Knights of Columbus Santa Maria Council 1179, where he was a Grand Knight and a fourth-degree member of the John Tatum Assembly. He also was a member of the the American Legion Eden Stanley Post 294 of Pemberton.

He enjoyed family life; playing the piano and organ; helping his wife write her autobiography; camping trips with his sons and the Cub Scouts, and doing home-improvement projects.

Mr. McWilliams is survived by his wife of 61 years, Mary M.; sons, John J. Jr., James, Robert, Thomas, and Leonard; daughters, Mary Pike, Roseann Thomas, and Rita Homen; 21 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be held Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lee/Givnish Funeral Home, 317 High St., Mount Holly. A funeral liturgy will be said at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Holy Eucharist Church in Tabernacle. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Hainesport.

Memorial donations may be made to the Virtua Rehab Center Richmond Unit, Memorial Health Alliance, 62 Richmond Ave., Mount Holly, N.J. 08060.




Thursday, May 23, 2002

Joseph R. Gahagan Sr. | Retired engineer, 79

Joseph R. Gahagan Sr., 79, of West Chester, a former engineer for Ford Aerospace and for the Navy, died of cancer Monday at Paoli Memorial Hospital. Mr. Gahagan was born in Scranton and grew up in Englewood, N.J.

After graduating from St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, he served in the Army Signal Corps in the Pacific during World War II.

After the war, he spent a year building radar towers in Alaska and then worked for Philco Co. in Philadelphia for several years.

He interrupted his career with Philco to earn a degree in electrical engineering from Villanova University in 1954.

After Philco was purchased by Ford, Mr. Gahagan became senior project manager in the 1970s for the Sidewinder Missile Project for Ford Aerospace in Willow Grove. His wife of 51 years, Rita Boland Gahagan, said he traveled to Kuwait and other countries to explain the missile's technology to foreign governments.

After retiring from Ford Aerospace in 1981, he was an engineer for 14 years for Navsses (Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station) at the Philadelphia Naval Base.

He and his wife, longtime residents of Broomall, moved to Hershey's Mill retirement community in West Chester in 1997.

His home was furnished with a pool table. "He loved to play," his wife said, "and he was good at it."

In addition to his wife, he is survived by sons Joseph, James, and Patrick; daughters Rita Schaefer and Maureen Valko; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. today at SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, 1325 Boot Rd., West Chester. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple.

Memorial contributions may be made to Jefferson Palliative Care and Hospice, Gerhard Building, 130 S. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr, Pa. 19010.




May 18, 2002

WINDSOR, Robert T. ("Turk" 38 Shop)

On May 18, 2002. Of Wallingford. Beloved Husband of 51 years to Jean Seiverd Windsor, father of Robert T. Windsor Jr. of Palm City, FL, Michael Windsor of Middletown Twp., George Windsor and Nancy J. Windsor of Wallingford, brother of John L. Windsor and the late Margaret Alexander.

Also survived by ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The Funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 10 AM in St. John Chrysostom Catholic Church, Providence Rd. (Route 252), Wallingford. Interment Chester Rural Cemetery. Friends may call Tuesday eve from 6:30 to 9 PM and Wednesday from 8 to 9:30 AM at the NOLAN-FIDALE FUNERAL HOME, 2316 Providence Ave., Chester.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Crozer Hospice, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Upland, PA 19013.




May 9, 2002

Mark Mackie | Won honors in Vietnam, 52

Mark Mackie, 52, of Abington, a retired shipfitter at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard who was awarded two Bronze Stars for his service in Vietnam, died of leukemia Monday at Abington Memorial Hospital.

As an Army medic during the war, Mr. Mackie served for 13 months in a 23d Infantry Division battalion that saw some of the war's heaviest fighting. During a series of battles in 1970, he carried wounded men from the field and helped save their lives.

In April of that year, Mr. Mackie's battalion came under heavy attack. Mr. Mackie carried wounded soldiers from a field surrounded by booby traps. He managed to take three men to safety before tripping a wire that triggered an explosion of shrapnel. Several pieces lodged in both of his legs.

Mr. Mackie was hospitalized in Vietnam and returned to the United States in January 1971. He was awarded numerous commendations for his service, including two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts, said Edward J. Lowery, executive director of the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service and Education Center Inc., a nonprofit veterans assistance agency.

Mr. Mackie returned from the war and worked at several jobs before becoming a shipfitter at the Navy Yard, where he installed floors and decks on ships, and coworkers gave him the nickname, "Monk."

In the mid-1990s, Mr. Mackie was injured on the job and was forced to retire. He stayed home to take care of his 4-year-old son Kyle T., while his wife, Kathy A. White Mackie, went to work.

In 1998, Mr. Mackie was diagnosed with leukemia, beginning years of treatment that included chemotherapy and a bone-marrow transplant. After a period of remission, the cancer reappeared in February.

In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Mackie is survived by his mother, Margaret Downing Mackie; father William; and a brother.

A viewing will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. tomorrow and 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the William R. May Funeral Home, Easton Road and Keswick Avenue, Glenside. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial is at Hillside Cemetery in Roslyn.

Memorial donations may be made to the Abington Memorial Hospital Foundation c/o the Nurse Development Fund, 1200 Old York Rd., Abington, Pa. 19001.




May 08, 2002

Anthony J. Pappalardo | SEPTA employee, 43

Anthony J. Pappalardo, 43, of Swedesboro, a inventory management specialist for SEPTA, died of a heart attack Saturday at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Pappalardo moved to Drexel Hill with his family when he was young. He attended Upper Darby High School and Folcroft Vocational Technical School, where he studied welding, graduating in 1977.

Almost immediately, he began working as a welder at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where he stayed for 17 years.

Mr. Pappalardo joined SEPTA eight years ago, working as an inventory specialist who purchased equipment for the company.

He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Miriam "Mimi" Truax Pappalardo; sons A.J., Billy, Nicholas and Zac; a brother; and a sister.

Friends may call from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. today at Donohue Funeral Home, 8401 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today at St. Bernadette Church, 1035 Turner Ave., Drexel Hill. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.

Memorial donations may be made to the Pappalardo Children's Fund in care of Mellon Citizens Bank, State Road and Lansdowne Avenue, Upper Darby, Pa. 19082.




March 22, 2002

James Arthur "Tic Toc" Casson

CASSON Of North Wildwood, N.J., March 22, 2002, JAMES ARTHUR ``TIC TOC', age 45, husband of Judy (nee Abruscato), father of Genevieve, son of Jack and Mary Casson, brother of Jack Casson and Dawn Marcelis, 5 nieces and nephews.

Mass of Christian Burial Monday 12 Noon, St. Ann Church, 2900 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood, N.J. where friends may call from 10 A.M. Interment St. Mary's Cem., Lower Twp., N.J. Arr. INGERSOLL-GREENWOOD FUNERAL HOME, North Wildwood, N.J.




March 18, 2002

Mario Di Bussolo | Shipyard carpenter, 81

Mario Di Bussolo, 81, of West Chester, a retired carpenter for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died Wednesday of complications from a stroke at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Coatesville.

Mr. Di Bussolo was born in South Philadelphia but grew up in Vasto, on the coast of Abruzzi, Italy. He and his family had moved back to their hometown when Mr. Di Bussolo's father became ill.

Just before turning 18, Mr. Di Bussolo returned to the United States to avoid losing his American citizenship and being drafted into Mussolini's army. Shortly after he returned to South Philadelphia, he received a draft notice from the U.S. Army.

"The drill sergeant would bark orders, and he was like 'No capisce [don't understand]' " English, said Mr. Di Bussolo's son, Joe.

Trained in Italy as a master cabinet maker, Mr. Di Bussolo was assigned to build bridges for U.S. soldiers to cross and then destroy them so the unit would not be followed. He was shot in the leg during the Normandy invasion but continued with his unit to the Battle of the Bulge. Mr. Di Bussolo was awarded the Purple Heart. After his discharge, Mr. Di Bussolo returned to South Philadelphia, where he married Millie Bonavolonta and worked as a carpenter at the Naval Shipyard. He retired in the mid-1980s and moved to West Chester five years ago.

In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Di Bussolo is survived by another son, Frank, and two grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass was Saturday at SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, 1325 Boot Rd., West Chester. Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Philadelphia, 325 Chestnut St., Suite 1120, Philadelphia 19106.




February 27, 2002

MAYO, JOSEPH L. (BUD)

Age 74, of Thorofare, died Tuesday at his daughters home in Mickleton. Mr. Mayo was born in Camden and lived in Thorofare for 43 years. He retired 9 years ago after working as a machinist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Husband of the late Mary L. Mayo. He is survived by 5 daughters Barbara LaGrossa of Maple Shade, JoAnn Mayo of Delray, FL, Deborah Mercer of Brigantine, Mary Lou Boyer of Deptford, Michelle Moore of Mickleton, a son Louis Mayo of West Deptford, 3 brothers Thomas of Westville Grove, Kenneth of Audubon Park, William of Chesilhurst, and 13 grandchildren. Relatives & friends may visit with the family Saturday from 8:30 to 9:30am at SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 47 Main St., Mantua. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10AM Saturday in St. Patrick's RC Church, Cooper St., Woodbury. Burial will be in the Eglington Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Hospice of Moorestown VNA, 907 Pleasant Valley Ave., Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054




February 22, 2002

Fletcher F. Pierce, loved his garden

NOTHING MADE Fletcher F. Pierce happier than puttering in his garden.

He loved to put on a pair of old pants, get on his hands and knees and spend hours doting on his garden.

Pierce grew the most beautiful hibiscus and the tallest, most breathtaking calla lilies.

His luscious garden was the talk of his West Philadelphia neighborhood. Pierce wasn't shy about boasting about his garden; he was proud of it, and often gave flowers to his family and friends so they could enjoy it, too.

His favorite place to visit was Longwood Gardens where he would walk endlessly admiring the flowers and plants.

Pierce's love of gardens brought him so much happiness. It kept his mind and his body busy as he grew older.

Pierce, owner of Pierce Real Estate in West Philadelphia, died Feb 15 of a heart attack. He was 89 and a longtime West Philadelphia resident.

Born in Wilson, N.C., he graduated from Darden High School and then went to work for North Carolina Mutual Insurance Co. in Darden.

In 1940, he moved to West Philadelphia and worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

During World War II, he served in the 92nd Infantry (Buffalo) Division, the legendary and heroic troop of black soldiers who fought and beat some of Hitler's toughest troops in the Italian campaign.

Samuel Peters, Pierce's next-door neighbor and friend, served in the same division.

Although the men did not know each other during the war, they were both members of the Philadelphia Chapter of the 92nd Infantry (Buffalo) Division, for which Fletcher served as historian.

"He fought in Italy and saw a lot of action," Peters said. "It was very intense and the area was mountainous, rugged terrain. He didn't dwell on it, though."

"When we talked about the war it was more about where we went on leave, places we got baths in, which was a treat for us, and little villages we visited. Most of us guys don't like to talk about it. We won't even share it with our wives, it brings up too many hard memories."

Peters said every year on Memorial Day, he, Pierce and other veterans placed a wreath at the Black Soldiers Monument, now on Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

"He was a very charitable person," Peters said. "He donated flowers for the memorial most of the time."

While on leave in 1943, Pierce married Lucille Helen Russell. They were wed for 52 years. She died in 1995.

After the war, he attended the Wharton Evening School at the University of Pennsylvania for six years and received a business certificate.

In 1954, he began his real estate career with Letson Realty. Five years later he opened his own office in West Philadelphia.

His niece, Jaki Pierce Mungai, said her "Uncle Fletch" was a very proud, dignified man who had a hearty chuckle and enjoyed a good laugh.

"We were very close," she said. "He didn't have any children and neither did any of his siblings, except my father. After his wife passed, we started a family dinner every Sunday. He would come over and we learned a lot about my family from his early childhood stories."

Pierce told her about how when he got in trouble his father would send Mungai's father to catch him for his punishment.

He told stories about his two grandmothers, one African and one Indian, sitting on the porch watching him and his four siblings. As the last surviving sibling, he enjoyed reliving those memories.

Pierce used his success to help others. He was a longtime contributor to many charities, including the United Negro College Fund, Hampton Institute and Habitat for Humanity.

He is survived by many nieces and nephews.

Services: 10 a.m. today at Reeve Memorial United Presbyterian Church, 50th and Aspen streets. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Fernwood Cemetery in Delaware County.

Donations may be sent to Elvira B. Pierce Scholarship Fund, 6021 W. Columbia Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19151.




February 7, 2002

John Bellis | Former Delran official, 77

John Bellis, 77, a retired systems analyst and former member of the Delran Board of Education, died of a heart attack Tuesday while driving to his Delran home. Mr. Bellis, a school board member from 1964 to 1977, was part of the administration that built Delran High School. Completed in 1975, it provided a hometown school for students who had attended nearby Riverside High School.

A World War II Navy veteran, Mr. Bellis served on the destroyer Frank Knox. He was assigned to jam the radar signals of German ships.

When he was discharged, he went to work as an electrician at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and helped build the battleship New Jersey, now a museum in Camden.

He later joined the staff at the Frankford Arsenal in Philadelphia, where he worked for 33 years as a systems analyst, supervising computer operations. He retired in 1978, but almost immediately went to work for the Delran School District as an attendance officer. He retired from that post in 1988.

Mr. Bellis was a member of many Delran-area organizations, including Knights of Columbus Council 1436, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3020, and the Delran Senior Citizens Club. In 1990, he ran for the school board again, but lost.

Mr. Bellis was married to Ruth E. Walker Bellis for 45 years before she died in 1992. Four years later, he married Veronica Duffy Jordan; she, her late husband, and the Bellises had been best friends. Together, the couples owned a vacation house and a Shore deli together. After Mr. Bellis and Mrs. Jordan lost their spouses, they found each other.

"I know my mom would have blessed their marriage," said Mr. Bellis' son, Stephen.

In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Bellis is survived by a daughter, Barbara Doganieri, and nine grandchildren.

Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. tomorrow and 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Sweeney Funeral Home, 337 Bridgeboro St., Riverside. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Bridgeboro and Hancock Streets, Riverside. Entombment will be in the church mausoleum. Memorial donations may be sent to the Matt Talbot Emmaus Institute in care of Msgr. William Dombrow, Resurrection of Our Lord Church, 2000 Shelmire Ave., Philadelphia 19152.




February 7, 2002

Robert L. Souels | Retired welder, 80

Robert L. Souels, 80, a retired welder who was active in church work, died of a heart attack Sunday at his home in the East Oak Lane section of Philadelphia. Before moving to East Oak Lane about 12 years ago, he had been a longtime resident of West Philadelphia.

Mr. Souels worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as a welder for more than 25 years. After he retired in the 1980s, he worked for a few years as an instructor at the Opportunities Industrialization Center.

Mr. Souels had a long association with Wayland Temple Baptist Church in North Philadelphia. He was treasurer for 42 years and served on the board of trustees from 1951 until his death. On Saturdays, he helped distribute food to poor people as a member of its community development committee. He also sang in the choir and served on the scholarship committee.

A graduate of Central High School, Mr. Souels was active in the NAACP.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Bertha; two sisters; and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Wayland Temple Baptist Church, 2500 Cecil B. Moore Ave. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Westminster Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd.




February 5, 2002

Charles John Schock | Service-station owner, 85

Charles John Schock, 85, of Ocean City, N.J., former owner of Shock's Atlantic Service Station in Roxborough, died of heart failure Friday at his home.

Mr. Schock, who had lived in East Falls for many years until his retirement in 1980, was raised in Roxborough and graduated from Roxborough High School. For several years, including during World War II, Mr. Schock worked in the machine shop at the Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia.

In 1953 he put on a khaki uniform, black bow tie, and gray leather cap with the red Atlantic logo and opened his station at Henry Avenue and Walnut Lane. Customers could purchase a tune-up or a lube job and receive a free set of pheasant tumblers if they bought eight gallons of gas.

The station is now Shock's Sunoco and is run by Mr. Schock's sons, Charles Jr. and John.

A fisherman and boating enthusiast, Mr. Schock had owned a home in Ocean City since 1964. After his retirement, he spent summers at the Shore and winters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

He was a member of the Roxborough-Manayunk Lions Club.

In addition to his sons, he is survived by his wife of 60 years, Madeleine Gallagher Schock; a daughter, Rosemary Fitzpatrick; three sisters; 13 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A daughter, Madeleine Popelars, died in 1993, and another daughter, Claire Wuest, died last year.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. today at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church.

Contributions may be made to the church, 146 Rector St., Philadelphia 19127.




January 5, 2002

Dominic Monte | Former business owner, 78

Dominic Monte, 78, of South Philadelphia, a retired owner of A&M Welding Service and an active church member, died Tuesday of cancer at his home.

Mr. Monte had a difficult childhood, said his daughter Diane Tumolo. He spent several years in foster care before being sent to St. Francis Home for Boys in Eddystone, Delaware County, at age 11. The experience left him determined to become a good parent, she said.

"He was a model of what a husband and father and grandfather should be," she said.

During World War II, he worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as a welder and helped build the battleship New Jersey.

In 1944, he married the former Lucy DiFalco and the two settled in South Philadelphia and began raising a family.

The couple, however, encountered heartache, losing two young children - Lucille at age 2 and Joseph, who was 5 months old. After their daughter died of the kidney disease nephrosis in 1950, he helped raise money for research into combating the disease.

Instead of becoming bitter about his losses, "my father decided to devote himself to his church," his daughter said. He became chairman of the St. Vincent de Paul and Holy Name Societies at Epiphany Church in South Philadelphia.

In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by sons Michael and Joseph; another daughter, Lucille DiLuzio; and 16 grandchildren. Another son, Edward, died in 1986 at age 22.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 9:30 a.m. today at Epiphany Church, 1121 Jackson St., Philadelphia. Friends may call at 8:30 a.m. at Pennsylvania Burial Co., 1327 Broad St. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon.

Memorial donations may be made to the church, at 1121 Jackson St., Philadelphia 19148.




January 4, 2002

Thomas P. Hannigan | Former police captain, 81

Thomas P. Hannigan, 81, of Southwest Philadelphia, a former Philadelphia police captain, died Saturday of brain cancer at home.

Mr. Hannigan grew up in South Philadelphia and graduated from Southeast Catholic High School, now St. John Neumann High School. He served in the Navy during World War II and joined the police force in 1950.

He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War, and after his discharge in 1952, he returned to the Police Department and began a steady climb through the ranks. He was made a lieutenant in 1953 and promoted to captain in 1965, taking charge of the Ninth Police District, which includes the Art Museum area.

In 1967, he resigned from the force to take a job in security with the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He retired in 1985.

Mr. Hannigan is survived by his wife of 45 years, Angela; sons Thomas Jr. and John; a daughter, Kathleen; one brother; and four grandchildren.

Services will be held at noon tomorrow at Southside Baptist Church, 5 E. Oak Lane, Glenolden. Burial is private.




January 3, 2002

James J. Gray, 87, founder of funeral home

James Jethro Gray, 87, of Wyndmoor, a funeral director and founder of the James J. Gray Funeral Home in West Philadelphia, died of complications from Alzheimer's disease on Saturday at the Masonic Home of Pennsylvania in Lafayette Hill.

Mr. Gray founded the funeral home nearly 50 years ago at the corner of Thompson and Allison Streets. He started the business after graduating from Eckel's School of Mortuary Science of Philadelphia, where he had studied during the day while working nights at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

Mr. Gray was motivated to join the profession after seeing what he thought was incompetent work by other funeral directors, said his wife, Evelyn Deas Gray. Mr. Gray sometimes donated funeral services and often didn't pressure families whose bills remained unpaid, she said.

"When he retired, I went over his books, and he was owed nearly $60,000," Mrs. Gray said. "He was a pushover."

An Army veteran, Mr. Gray served in New Guinea and the Philippines during World War II. He was a Mason, a member of Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church, and a member of the Quaker State Funeral Directors' Association.

Mr. Gray was married to Mildred Vincent Gray who died in 1987. He married Evelyn Deas Gray in 1990.

After years of refusing to retire, Mr. Gray finally left the business because of deteriorating health. Mrs. Gray sold the business - which still carries Mr. Gray's name - and three years ago Mr. Gray moved into the Masonic Home of Pennsylvania.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Gray is survived by daughter Millicent Lownes Jackson; stepchildren Michelle Gould and Eric W. Bray; and two grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church, 5620 Wyalusing Ave., Philadelphia. Friends may call from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Burial will be at Mount Lawn Cemetery, Sharon Hill.




December 28, 2001

James Barber, former legislator

James David Barber, 80, a barber and nine-term state representative from West Philadelphia during the 1970s and 1980s who chaired the powerful House Health and Welfare Committee, died Sunday at St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington.

Mr. Barber, a native of Columbia, S.C., moved to Philadelphia as a teenager with his family and graduated from Overbrook High. He worked as a machinist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and later opened a restaurant and three barber shops in West Philadelphia.

In 1947, he met and married Rebecca Nedab. She died in 1998.

Mr. Barber started his political career as a Democratic committeeman in 1947. In 1968, he won his first term as state representative for the 190th District, running as an anti-machine candidate. He held the seat until 1986, when he was defeated in the Democratic primary by Vincent Hughes.

Mr. Barber became the first chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, after a bitterly contested internal election, in 1972.

The caucus, he said in 1974, was designed to get black ward leaders and black elected officials together so they could "get a piece of the political pie instead of the crumbs" he felt they had been getting. As chair of a key House committee, he became one of the most powerful black politicians in the state.

But he always tried to present himself as a man in touch with the working people of his district. Criticized during a feisty 1982 primary as being out of touch with voters because he had no official office, Mr. Barber brushed the charge aside, saying his barber shop at 4085 Lancaster Ave. was the best way to keep in contact with his constituents.

"I could open a fancy office and wear a suit," he said at the time, but added that fewer people would come to see him. "They know Jim Barber, the barber, and they know where to find me."

Mr. Barber professed to have little concern about losing an election. "When you serve the people, you don't have too much worrying to do. I continue to cut hair, where I can have a rapport with people. I haven't got above cutting hair."

During his political career, Mr. Barber served on a governor's task force for special-needs children and on the prison board. He also enjoyed horse racing and playing cards.

"He had a great sense of humor and strong determination," said his daughter, Diane Hannah, of Newark, Del. "My father had a very strong will to the end." In addition to his daughter, Mr. Barber is survived by two grandsons and two nephews.

A viewing will be held tomorrow at 9 a.m., with funeral services at 11, at the White Rock Baptist Church, 53d and Chestnut Streets, West Philadelphia. Burial will be in Fernwood Cemetery.




December 13, 2001

Anne C. Bettinger

Alumnus of St. Mary's R.N. School of nursing, and a retired Occupational Nurse from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

Interment Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Minersville, PA




November 01, 2001

George E. Coffman | Electrician, 77

George E. "Bud" Coffman, 77, of Southampton, an electrician at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died Sunday at Virtua-Memorial Hospital Burlington County in Mount Holly.

His daughter, Diane, said he had suffered a heart attack on Friday.

Mr. Coffman had resided in Southampton for 10 years. He previously lived in Collingswood and Philadelphia and was born in Bryn Mawr.

A veteran of World War II, Mr. Coffman served in the Navy for nearly six years. He was stationed in Bainbridge, Md.; Newport, R.I.; Washington, D.C.; and New York City. His daughter said he also had served in the Mediterranean. He was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Area Medal.

After his discharge in 1948, Mr. Coffman worked for the government as an engineer for the next 34 years. In addition to the shipyard, he worked for the Directorate of Technical Operations for the Defense Industrial Supply Center in Philadelphia.

In addition to his daughter, he is survived by his wife, Elizabeth "Betty" E. Hansbury Coffman; a son, Richard; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, and a brother.

Friends may call after 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Bradley Funeral Home, Route 73 and Evesham Road, Marlton, where funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Arlington Cemetery, Pennsauken.




October 29, 2001

Joseph F. Moore Sr., 90; supervised city prisons

Joseph F. Moore Sr., 90, who put Philadelphia prisoners to work learning a trade and producing useful items, died of pneumonia Wednesday at the Torresdale branch of Frankford Hospital. He was a resident of East Torresdale, where he had lived since 1964.

Mr. Moore was born and raised in the city's Brewerytown section and enlisted in the Navy when he was 17. He served on the Dobbins, a repair ship, in the Pacific. After his discharge, he returned to Philadelphia to work as a shipfitter at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard until World War II, when he reenlisted. During the war, he served as a Seabee in the South Pacific. Later, he worked as a civilian for the Navy and then for the Army at bases in California.

In 1953, Mr. Moore began working for the City of Philadelphia, supervising maintenance at Holmesburg and Moyamensing Prisons and the House of Corrections, and at the Home for the Indigent, later renamed Riverview.

In 1954, he was appointed institution industries supervisor for Philadelphia prisons. For the next 19 years, until his retirement, Mr. Moore supervised such traditional prisoner occupations as shoemaking and innovative operations such as an electrostatic paint shop used by prisoners to refurbish furniture in city offices and a dry-cleaning plant where prisoners cleaned guards' uniforms.

His son John said Mr. Moore set up a cannery next to the Holmesburg farm and worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture teaching prisoners to package surplus beans and rice for easier distribution.

The prisoners also manufactured police nightsticks and recycled lead slugs used at the firing range at the Police Academy into bullets.

John Moore said his father was especially proud of the Ping-Pong tables, pup tents and gym mats the prisoners made for the city Department of Recreation.

Mr. Moore was the first president of the Father Judge Father's Association and was a past president of the East Torresdale Civic Association. He also was former president of the Correctional Industries Association. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

In addition to his son John, he is survived by son Joseph Jr.; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. His wife of 71 years, Mary, died in June.

A Funeral Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. today at St. Katherine of Siena Church, 9700 Frankford Ave. Friends may call at 9 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem.




October 19, 2001

Kathryn Bradford | Materials engineer, 77

Kathryn Mary Needham Bradford, 77, of Marlton, a former materials engineer at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died of heart failure Tuesday at East Texas Medical Center in Clarksville, Texas, where her son Kendell lives.

Mrs. Bradford had lived in Marlton for more than 40 years. She was born in Meyersdale, Pa.

A World War II Navy veteran, she worked for 26 years as a civilian materials engineer for the Navy, first at the Navy yard in Washington, D.C., and later at the Naval Air Engineering Center at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard until her retirement in 1975.

Mrs. Bradford was a member of the Moorestown chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She also was a member of Grace Episcopal Church in Haddonfield.

Besides her son Kendell, she is survived by another son, Harlan N.; a stepson, Carl B.; a stepdaughter, Marian W.; a grandson; and a brother. She was the widow of Marion H.

Friends may call from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Kain Funeral Home, 8 W. Kings Highway, Haddonfield. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Grace Episcopal Church, 19 E. Kings Highway, Haddonfield. Burial will be private.




September 12, 2001

Joseph W. Fucci | Navy Yard supervisor, 67

Joseph W. Fucci, 67, a retired supervisor at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died Friday of colon cancer at Temple University Hospital.

He had been a resident of the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia.

Mr. Fucci worked for more than 30 years at the Navy Yard, starting as an apprentice coppersmith and retiring in 1988 as a production supervisor.

Mr. Fucci, who grew up in Kensington, graduated from North Catholic High School in 1951. He was an Army veteran.

An excellent athlete, Mr. Fucci stood out in softball and soccer.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; sons Joseph, Michael and Robert; a stepdaughter, Tina Keller; a stepson, John Keller; 10 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 9:30 a.m. today at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, Belgrade Street and Allegheny Avenue. Friends may call at 8 a.m. at Reilly Funeral Home, 2632 E. Allegheny Ave. Burial will be in St. Dominic Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be sent to Temple University Hospital Cancer Center, 3401 N. Broad St., Philadelphia 19140.




September 11, 2001

Mary M. Quinn | Navy base employee, 79

Mary M. Quinn, 79, a retired employee of the Philadelphia Navy Base, died Sunday at Virtua-West Jersey Hospital Marlton after a massive stroke.

Mrs. Quinn, a resident of Marlton, was a contract administrator at the base until she retired in 1976. She then worked as a bookkeeper for St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church in Marlton until about nine years ago.

She was graduate of Holy Child Academy in Sharon Hill, Delaware County.

Mrs. Quinn is survived by her husband, John; a daughter, Regina; and four grandchildren.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church, Willow Bend and Evans Roads, Marlton. Burial will be private.




September 03, 2001

William T. Cuppen Sr. | Shipyard worker, 82

William Thomas Cuppen Sr., 82, a Philadelphia Naval Shipyard worker for nearly four decades, died Wednesday.

Mr. Cuppen was born in Chincoteague, Va. In the 1940s, he moved to Philadelphia and served in the Navy during World War II. He retired from the yard in the late 1970s.

He was a Mason.

Mr. Cuppen is survived by his wife, Eva; eight children; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Friends may call from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at Jones Memorial Methodist Church, 49 E. Haines St., with a Masonic service to follow from 10 to 11. A final viewing will run from 11:15 until the funeral service at 11:30.




August 31, 2001

GOLUB THOMAS J.

Suddenly on August 29, 2001 of Cherry Hill, NJ, age 47. Beloved son of Anthony and Eleanor Golub. Dear brother of Robert, Stephen, Anthony, Edward, Patricia, Marie and Kathleen. Also survived by many neices & nephews. Thomas had worked for The Philadelphia Naval Ship Yard and was currently employed by the Cherry Hill Post Office. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing Saturday 8-9am in THE SCHETTER FUNERAL HOME 304 West Rt 70, Cherry Hill, NJ. Mass of Christian Burial Saturday 9:30am in Queen of Heaven Church Cherry Hill. Entombment Calvary Mausoleum, Cherry Hill.




August 19, 2001

Edward R. O'Brien | Plumber, Rotarian, 73

Edward R. O'Brien, 73, a plumber and past president of the Upper Darby Rotary Club, died at his Newtown Square home Tuesday of mesothelioma, a form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.

Mr. O'Brien was born in Reading and raised in Southwest Philadelphia. He attended public school in Philadelphia and earned an associate degree in heating and ventilation at Temple University. While attending plumbing school at night, Mr. O'Brien worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

He opened Edward O'Brien Plumbing & Heating at 53d Street and Baltimore Avenue. Mr. O'Brien moved the business to Drexel Hill in 1968, eight years after moving his family to Springfield, Delaware County. He retired last April. During his plumbing career, he served as president of the Philadelphia Master Plumbers; Pennsylvania Plumbing and Cooling Contractors; and National Association of Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors.

Mr. O'Brien took an active role in Rotary clubs and the Masons. He served as president of Upper Darby Rotary Club in 1985 and as governor of Rotary District 7450, covering Southeastern Pennsylvania, in 1989.

Mr. O'Brien joined the Hamilton Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania in 1962. He then transferred to Springfield-Hanby Lodge No. 767 in the 1970s. He was also a member of the Masons' Scottish Rite and LuLu Temple Shrine.

Mr. O'Brien was a member of Advent Lutheran Church of West Chester for six years, where he volunteered as a communion assistant and was on the Hospitality Committee. Before that, he was a member St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Springfield, also serving on church committees there.

He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Violet L.; sons Robert N. O'Brien of Springfield and Russel P. de Furia; a brother and sister; and two grandchildren.

A viewing, followed by a Masonic service, will be held 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Frank C. Videon Funeral Home, Sproul and Lawrence Roads, in Broomall. A second viewing will be held 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, followed by an 11 a.m. service, at Advent Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Fernwood Cemetery in Upper Darby.

The family suggests memorials be contributions to Advent Lutheran Church, 1601 Green Lane, West Chester, Pa. 19382.




August 19, 2001

Dominic Benevento | Retired welder, 78

Dominic Benevento, 78, a retired welder and Marine Corps veteran of World War II, died Wednesday of leukemia at his home in Bellmawr.

Before moving to Bellmawr, Mr. Benevento had been a longtime resident of Woodlynne.

Mr. Benevento grew up in Camden and graduated from Camden High School. He served in the Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946, drawing duty in the South Pacific.

After the war, he went to work as a welder at the old New York Shipyard in Camden, and after that facility closed in 1967, he moved across the Delaware River to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He retired in 1984.

Mr. Benevento took great pleasure in supporting his children and grandchildren in their activities. He also was a devoted Eagles fan who enjoyed debating their merits with friends and spending Sunday afternoons watching games on television with his family.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Josephine; sons Don and Robert; daughters Joann Teschko and Carol McGuigan; two sisters; one brother; and 12 grandchildren.

Services will be at noon Tuesday at Gardner Funeral Home, 126 S. Black Horse Pike, Runnemede. Friends may call at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Arneytown.

Memorial donations may be made to the Williams Syndrome Association, Box 297, Clawson, Mich. 48017.




August 16, 2001

Daniel McDevitt | Government worker, 72

Daniel McDevitt, 72, a Korean War veteran and a longtime government worker who was a frequent spectator in Delaware County courtrooms, died of cancer Sunday at Delaware County Memorial Hospital. He lived in Westbrook Park for nearly 50 years.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. McDevitt earned the nickname "Bones" as a youth because he was extremely thin, a family member said. He was a graduate of St. Agatha's Elementary School and St. Thomas More High School.

Mr. McDevitt served in the U.S. Army 82d Airborne Division from 1946 to 1947, and in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1948 to 1952, which included active duty in the Korean War.

Mr. McDevitt had a long government career, working at the U.S. Naval Shipyard for four years, and then as a contracting officer for the Naval Air Engineering Center in Philadelphia from 1957 to 1975. He then worked with the Defense Personnel Support Agency, also in Philadelphia, for 12 years.

Retiring from government service in 1987, Mr. McDevitt took a position as a purchasing agent at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania until 1995.

Family members described Mr. McDevitt as kind, happy and generous, and they said he was dedicated to his church and to his family. They said he enjoyed trips with his wife, Susan, to her native Ireland.

Mr. McDevitt could often be seen sitting in on trials at the Delaware County Courthouse, his family said, and he was present throughout the high-profile John E. du Pont murder case. Many times he sat in courtrooms to watch his son, Deputy District Attorney Daniel J. McDevitt. And by coincidence in 1991, Mr. McDevitt and his wife served on the same jury in a civil case, something his son said he had never heard of since.

He was a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Catholic War Veterans, and the Knights of Columbus, De La Salle Council 590, in Springfield, where he often worked as a bartender.

Mr. McDevitt is survived by his wife, Susan Howley McDevitt; sons Daniel J. and Sean P.; daughters Marie Palmieri and Theresa Negron; three sisters; and 11 grandchildren.

A viewing will be held at the O'Leary Funeral Home on Springfield Road in Springfield tonight beginning at 6. A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Holy Cross Church, Springfield Road and Bishop Avenue, also in Springfield. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Broomall.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sponsor-a-Student Program, Holy Cross School, 240 Bishop Ave., Springfield, Pa. 19064.




August 9, 2001

Charles H. McMahon | Design engineer, 91

Charles H. McMahon, 91, a retired assistant chief design engineer, died of complications from pneumonia Saturday at Atlantic City Medical Center-Mainland Division, Pomona.

He was a longtime resident of Oaklyn and Brigantine. He had a winter home in St. Petersburg, Fla., for more than 30 years.

Mr. McMahon retired in 1963 from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where he had started work in 1929 as a copyist.

During his career, he worked on the battleships New Jersey and Washington and the aircraft carrier Kittyhawk, built across the Delaware River by the former New York Shipbuilding Co., family members said. Over the years, he worked as part of the design crews for the engines of PT 7 and PT 8, the Talos shipboard missile-delivery system, and steam and hydraulic aircraft-launching systems.

Mr. McMahon was a graduate of Drexel Institute of Technology.

He enjoyed traveling, camping, fishing, boating, reading, repairing his camper, and remodeling his home.

He is survived by his sons, Charles H. Jr., Robert A. and Daniel R.; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was the widower of Ethel Prickett McMahon.

Services were held yesterday under the direction of Foster's Funeral Home, Collingswood. Burial was in New St. Mary's Cemetery, Bellmawr.




July 28, 2001

Carnes Harding,

Carnes A. Harding, 81, of Rockhill Mennonite Community, Sellersville, formerly of Mount Laurel, N.J., and Media, died Saturday.

Born in Anad, Mont., he was a son of the late Jason and Hazel (Wall) Harding. He was a graduate of Dallas High School, Philadelphia. He was an electrician for 37 years at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He also owned a window cleaning business. He was a U.S. Navy Seabees veteran of World War II, serving as an electrician in the South Pacific. He was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church, Glen Mills, and Fellowship Baptist Church, Mount Laurel, N.J., attended Penn Valley Church, Telford, and was a Sunday school teacher and a dea~con of his church.

He was preceded in death by his infant daughter and two grandchildren.

Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Betty (McCall) Harding; sons, David, Souderton; and James, Boothwyn; daughter, Peggy Mellen, Moriches, N.Y.; eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren; and brothers, Keith, Candler, N.C.; Kenneth, Tunkhannock; and Darrel, Hollywood, Fla.

Relatives and friends may attend the funeral at 11 a.m. Thursday from the Williams-Bergey-Koffel Funeral Home, 667 Harleysville Pike, Route 113, Franconia. Interment will be in Sellersville Cemetery. Friends may call from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday. Memorial donations may be made to Cambodia Missions Fund, c/o Hope Valley Community Church, 134 Main St., Pennsburg, 18073.




July 25, 2001

Anthony G. Scavello; trained homing pigeons

Anthony G. "Tot" Scavello, who trained and raced homing pigeons so successfully that his home was overflowing with trophies, died Saturday. He was 85 and lived in Bala Cynwyd.

Scavello graduated from Lower Merion High School, where he played football. He also played semi-pro football for the Belmont Hills Indians.

After serving in the Navy during World War II, he worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for 15 years. After that he worked for his family construction business, Scavello Brothers, until he retired seven years ago.

But his passion was for the pigeons he raced for 74 years. At times he owned as many as 250 birds, which raced anywhere from 10 to 600 miles.

He is survived by his wife, Philomena; three daughters. Mary D. Bloguszewski, Anne Marie Daywalt and Joan Scavello; two sons, Tony and Richard; three sisters, Jewel Giangiulio, Peggy Simpson and Dolores Brandt; nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Services: 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Justin Martyr Church, 1222 Hagysford Road, Narberth. Friends may call from 7 to 9 tonight at Koller Funeral Home, 6835 Ridge Ave. Burial will be in Westminster Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd.




July 16, 2001

Joseph R. Antonelli | Adminstrator, 68

Joseph R. Antonelli, 68, a retired Philadelphia Naval Shipyard administrator, died Friday from cancer at his Cherry Hill home.

He lived in Cherry Hill for the last 35 years, and was born and raised in Philadelphia.

Mr. Antonelli was an administrator for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where he worked for 32 years before retiring in 1985.

He served in the Army from 1953 to 1955, and then entered the Army Reserves.

He was a graduate of South Philadelphia High School.

He was a Philadelphia Eagles fan, and enjoyed home remodeling, boating, fishing, and spending time with his pet German shepherd Thunder.

He is survived by his wife, Donna Wichanski Antonelli; daughters, Paula Ursino, Laura Antonelli and Maria Antonelli; and four grandchildren.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow and from 8 to 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Schetter Funeral Home, 304 W. Route 70, Cherry Hill. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Queen of Heaven Roman Catholic Church, Route 70, Cherry Hill. Entombment will be in Locustwood Memorial Park, Cherry Hill.




July 13, 2001

Robert T. Benckert Jr. | Former machinist, 43

Robert T. Benckert Jr., 43, of Upper Darby, a former machinist, died of multiple organ failure Tuesday at Lankenau Hospital.

Mr. Benckert, a dialysis patient for a number of years, was reared in Southwest Philadelphia.

He joined the Navy while a junior at John Bartram High School in Southwest Philadelphia and later worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for 12 years before retiring in 1992.

Family members said he would be remembered for his off-beat sense of humor and his dedication to his children.

He is survived by his former wife, Joanne M. Perry Benckert; sons Michael, Bobby and Matthew; daughter Kristine; his parents, Robert T. Sr. and Margaret Benckert; and two sisters.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today at M.F. Williams Funeral Home, 33 W. Baltimore Ave., Clifton Heights. Burial will be private.

The family suggests contributions to Wynnewood Dialysis Unit, Lankenau Hospital, 100 Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, Pa. 19096.




July 11, 2001

Walter F. Williams, mortician

Walter F. Williams Sr., 79, veteran funeral director and church deacon, died Thursday of heart failure at St. Francis Nursing Home in Darby.

Mr. Williams moved to Aldan recently after living above his funeral home in Southwest Philadelphia for nearly 30 years.

During his four decades as a funeral director, Mr. Williams handled thousands of clients. For most of his career, he held a second job as a machinist, saying he liked the work and valued the pay.

The same man who wrested peaceful smiles from the dead, and coaxed effort and output from factory machines, also sang baritone in the chorus of Philadelphia's Dra Mu Opera Company and was a deacon in the First Baptist Church of Paschall.

Mr. Williams was born in Philadelphia, but he graduated from high school in Carlisle, Pa.

At the start of America's involvement in World War II, Mr. Williams found work at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. He became a skilled machine operator, but he never lost sight of his long-held ambition to become a funeral director.

After the war, Mr. Williams worked as a machinist and trained as a mortician.

During his studies at the old Eckels College of Mortuary Science in Center City, Mr. Williams drew praise from his instructors for his painstaking approach to "restorative art."

Mr. Williams earned his funeral director's license in 1949. He worked part time for a South Philadelphia funeral home while continuing as a machinist, in Bethayres and in Folcroft.

Mr. Williams opened his own funeral home in 1971. In time he would become partners with a cousin, Harold Palmer, and then with Palmer's son, Harry.

Mr. Williams was ordained a deacon in 1974, marking his complete immersion in the Baptist faith he had accepted after his marriage. Raised in the A.M.E church, he converted "when we got married and I told him I was not going to change," said Christine, his wife of 50 years and a lifelong Baptist.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Williams is survived by son Walter Jr.; daughter Christine Calista; six grandchildren; and a sister.

There will be a viewing from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Williams & Palmer Funeral Home, 7103 Woodland Ave. There will be a viewing tomorrow from 5 to 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Paschall, 2114 S. 71st St. Funeral services will follow at the church. Burial will be Friday in West Laurel Hill Cemetery.




July 10, 2001

Ruth Elizabeth Patton, homemaker

RUTH ELIZABETH "Ruthie" Patton, a homemaker and former Navy Yard worker who enjoyed listening to the blues, watching TV game shows and solving crossword puzzles, died Saturday of apparent heart failure at Green Acres Rehabilitation Center. She was 86 and lived in North Philadelphia for about 20 years.

She was the mother of former Deputy Fire Commissioner Donald Patton, who died in April 1998. Her two other sons, Howard Jr. and Charles, retired from the Philadelphia Police Department after long and illustrious careers. Howard Jr. reached the rank of captain and Charles was a lieutenant.

Ruthie Patton was an active parishioner at Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Catholic Church until its closing. She later worshiped at St. Elizabeth's, St. Stephen's and St. Martin de Porres.

Born Ruth Morris in Philadelphia, she attended Girls' High School. She met her late husband, Howard F. Patton, at a social function and married him in the early 1930s after a brief courtship.

She was a domestic worker, then became a welder at the Navy Yard during World War II before becoming a full-time homemaker. "You could say she was happy-go-lucky," said Veronica Pleasant, a sister. "But, on the other hand, she also had a stubborn streak."

Ruth Patton jammed to the blues and especially liked songs by B.B. King. She sometimes reminisced about her club hopping days when she caught many famous acts at long-gone nightspots including Pep's, the Blue Note and the Showboat.

She played along with the TV contestants on "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune," read romance novels and enjoyed the challenge of a good crossword puzzle.

"You could bring her a crossword-puzzle book and she was in her glory," her sister said.

Ruth Patton had "an eye for decorating" and could craft tasteful knickknacks from items most people discarded. She created beautiful Afghans and sweaters for her family and drew and painted landscapes for her own amusement.

In addition to two of her three sons, Patton also is survived by two daughters, Ursula Patton Temple and Melba Patton Guy; one other sister, Dorthea Merchant; 14 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

Services: Viewing from 9 to 11 a.m. on Thursday at St. Athanasius Catholic Church, Limekiln Pike and Walnut Lane.

Mass of Christian Burial at 11 with burial at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery on Cheltenham Avenue.




July 9, 2001

Angelo Sylvester | Police officer, 80

Angelo Sylvester, 80, a retired detective sergeant in the Philadelphia Police Department, died of congestive heart failure June 30 at the Atlantic City Medical Center-Mainland Division, Pomona.

He had lived in Mays Landing, Atlantic County, for the last three years, and previously lived in Clayton, Mount Laurel, North Wales and Philadelphia, where he was born and raised.

Mr. Sylvester worked in the Philadelphia Police Department from 1950 until retiring in 1970. He then worked in the state Department of Unemployment Security office in Philadelphia.

An Army veteran of World War II, he served in the Aleutian Islands. After the war, he served in the National Guard and then the Army Reserve, retiring in 1968 as a captain.

Early in life, Mr. Sylvester worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

He was a graduate of South Philadelphia High School and the Philadelphia Police Academy, and he was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police.

He is survived by his sons, Robert J. and John A.; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother. He was the widower of Sunday Gallo Sylvester.

Friends may call from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. today at the McGuinness-Washington Township Funeral Home, 573 Egg Harbor Rd., Washington Township. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today at SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, Ganttown Road, Turnersville. Entombment will be in Calvary Mausoleum, Cherry Hill.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Box 650309, Dallas, Texas 75265-0309.




July 8, 2001

Odessa J. Curtis | Wife and mother, 80

Odessa J. Curtis, 80, a caring wife and mother of four, died early Thursday of a stroke at Integrated Health Systems of Whitemarsh.

Mrs. Curtis grew up in St. Louis. She met her husband, Philadelphia native Gaynes D. Curtis, when he was stationed with the Army near St. Louis.

The couple moved to Philadelphia, where Mrs. Curtis worked as a Navy Yard seamstress during World War II.

She later worked for John Wanamaker stores in accounts receivable, then began a career in the auditing department of Mellon Bank. She retired in 1979.

Mrs. Curtis was widowed in 1996 after 53 years of marriage.

She was a longtime member of St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church.

In recent years, Mrs. Curtis had struggled with Alzheimer's disease, but the memories she left for those who loved her remain constant.

"She was caring, giving, a great cook who always had an open door," daughter Sandra E. Dunham said.

Mrs. Curtis is also survived by sons Royce and Gaynes; another daughter, Gail; two sisters; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

There will be a viewing from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Vincent de Paul, 109 E. Price St. The funeral will follow. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham.




July 7, 2001

Robert T. Benckert Jr. | Former machinist, 43

Robert T. Benckert Jr., 43, of Upper Darby, a former machinist, died of multiple organ failure Tuesday at Lankenau Hospital.

Mr. Benckert, a dialysis patient for a number of years, was reared in Southwest Philadelphia.

He joined the Navy while a junior at John Bartram High School in Southwest Philadelphia and later worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for 12 years before retiring in 1992.

Family members said he would be remembered for his off-beat sense of humor and his dedication to his children.

He is survived by his former wife, Joanne M. Perry Benckert; sons Michael, Bobby and Matthew; daughter Kristine; his parents, Robert T. Sr. and Margaret Benckert; and two sisters.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today at M.F. Williams Funeral Home, 33 W. Baltimore Ave., Clifton Heights. Burial will be private.

The family suggests contributions to Wynnewood Dialysis Unit, Lankenau Hospital, 100 Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, Pa. 19096.




July 06, 2001

Anthony J. Rollo | Retired engineer, 77

Anthony J. Rollo, 77, of Drexel Hill, a retired test engineer for jet-propulsion engines, died at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital on Tuesday of complications from kidney surgery.

Mr. Rollo had lived in Yeadon before moving to Drexel Hill in 1981, the year he retired from the Philadelphia Navy Base.

Family members said he was best remembered for his love of gardening and his ability as a craftsman.

After graduating from South Philadelphia High School in 1942, he worked at the Philadelphia Navy Base except for service in World War II. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 and worked as a mechanic. In 1962, just months before the Cuban missile crisis, he joined the Air Force Reserve.

Mr. Rollo was a member of American Legion Post 214 in Upper Darby.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Lucy P. Clementone Rollo; children Marian M. DiGirolamo, Anthony J. Jr. and Peter R.; five grandchildren; and a sister.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.at Spencer T. Videon Funeral Home, 400 Shadeland Ave., Drexel Hill. A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Andrew Roman Catholic Church, 3500 School Lane, Drexel Hill. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon.

The family suggests contributions to Catholic Charities Appeal, 222 N. 17th St., Philadelphia 19103.




June 25, 2001

James J. Golden | Ex-Navy Yard rigger, 88

James J. Golden, 88, of the Wissinoming section of Philadelphia, died of heart failure Saturday at the Frankford Campus of Frankford Hospital.

Raised in Port Richmond, Mr. Golden rode the rails across the country during the Depression looking for jobs. For a time, his family said, he made his living as a prize fighter.

During World War II, he was a rigger at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, helping to build the battleships USS New Jersey and USS Washington.

For more than 50 years, he was a member of Local 401 of the International Brotherhood of Structural and Ornamental Ironworkers.

A 50-year member of the Loyal Order of Moose, he was the oldest member of Division 87 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; five sons, James M., Joseph P. and Richard F., all of Philadelphia, Daniel W. of Horsham and Robert M. of Cinnaminson, N.J.; and 13 grandchildren.

A viewing at 9 a.m. Wednesday at St. Bartholomew Roman Catholic Church, Harbison and Cheltenham Avenues, will be followed by a 10 a.m. Funeral Mass. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem.




June 15, 2001

Florence R. Schmitt | Government secretary, 44

Florence Ranalli Schmitt, 44, of Drexel Hill, a former secretary for federal agencies, died Wednesday at Vitas Hospice House of Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia after a five-year battle with cancer. She formerly lived in Upper Darby and West Philadelphia.

Mrs. Schmitt was employed by the federal probation department at the federal courthouse at Sixth and Market Streets in Philadelphia. She previously worked as a secretary at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

After 15 years of service, she went on medical leave three years ago, her family said.

Surviving are her husband of 10 years, Francis X. Schmitt; her father, Phillip Ranalli Sr.; and two brothers.

A viewing will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday at Videon Funeral Home, Sproul and Lawrence Roads, Broomall. A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Bernadette Roman Catholic Church, Turner Avenue, Drexel Hill. Burial will be private.




June 13, 2001

Thomas J. Boylan, 78, naval engineer

Thomas J. "Toddy" Boylan, 78, of Cinnaminson, an engineer who helped build the USS New Jersey and who was a well-known neighborhood Santa Claus, died last Wednesday at Kennedy Memorial Hospitals-University Medical Center/Cherry Hill.

Mr. Boylan, a Philadelphia native who graduated from West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Boys, was a World War II veteran who served on the Custer, an attack transport that deployed Marines to the island of Kyushu, Japan, in preparation for a possible invasion of that country's main island.

But Mr. Bolan always held a strong affinity for the "Big J," a battleship he helped build in the 1940s as a pipe fitter's apprentice.

"He would always say, 'That's my ship,' " said his daughter Martha Conda. "He was real proud of his work on the New Jersey."

Mr. Boylan would tell his family stories of working on the battleship when it was in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. His small size allowed him to crawl through the battleship's pipes.

A highlight of her father's later life, Conda said, was accompanying Gov. Christie Whitman on the ferry that ushered the homecoming USS New Jersey back to Philadelphia in 1999.

"My father told the governor about how one time he actually got stuck in the pipes," Conda said.

After the war, Mr. Boylan landed a job as an engineer with ITE/Gould Brown Boveri in Chalfont, Bucks County, where he worked on the circuitry of military submarines and ships.

Mr. Boylan enjoyed playing Santa Claus for local children for 30 years. He stopped the Christmas before last.

"My father was not a tall man," Conda said. "He would tell the kids that Santa Claus was really an elf."

Mr. Boylan was among the first parishioners of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Cinnaminson, which was founded in 1962.

He was a member for several decades of the Men of Malvern, a group of Catholic men who each year would take a trip to Malvern, Chester County, for a weekend of prayer and reflection.

"He was real outgoing," Conda said. "His three things were his church, his buddies and his family."

Mr. Boylan was also a volunteer firefighter for the Cinnaminson Fire Company.

In addition to Conda, he is survived by two other daughters, Eleanor Grogan and Anne Hanstein; 10 grandchildren; and two brothers. His wife, Ann, and a sister died earlier.

Services were held Monday under the direction of Snover/Givnish's of Cinnaminson. Burial was at Lakeview Memorial Park in Cinnaminson.

Memorial contributions can be sent to Holy Cross High School, Education Foundation Office, Route 130, Delran, N.J. 08075.




June 4, 2001

Matthew DiSerio; led carrier-overhaul effort

Matthew J. DiSerio, 67, who headed up the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard's overhaul of aircraft carriers for much of his career, died Thursday at Kennedy Memorial Hospitals-University Medical Center/Cherry Hill after battling Gaucher's disease.

He had lived in Cherry Hill for the last 36 years and was born in Astoria, N.Y.

Mr. DiSerio was known as Mr. SLEP for his role in the creation of the Aircraft Carrier Service Life Extension Program (SLEP), including lobbying for the concept. He led the program from its inception in 1979 until he retired in 1988.

The program allowed the Navy to perform extensive overhauls of the nation's fossil-fuel aircraft carriers, extending their 30-year life spans by 15 years for a quarter of the cost of building a new carrier, said Bob Gorgone, who succeeded Mr. DiSerio as program manager.

SLEP eventually became a verb used in the Navy for the extensive overhauling of a ship, he said.

Mr. DiSerio was responsible for the idea that a ship could be divided into "mini-ships," with the data on each section being entered into a different computer file, Gorgone said.

Mr. DiSerio oversaw the SLEP work on the first five ships overhauled at the shipyard - the Saratoga in 1980, followed by the Forrestal, Independence, Kitty Hawk and Constellation.

He received the Superior Civilian Service Award, the Navy's second-highest honor for civilian employees, in 1986.

Mr. DiSerio worked on Navy programs for 41 years, beginning his career at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1951 and continuing there until its closing in 1965, when he came to Philadelphia.

After retiring, he worked as a senior engineer for the CDI Marine Co., based in Blackwood, Camden County.

He was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School. He attended the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and the Pratt Institute, also in New York.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Trudy M. Smith DiSerio; a son, John; daughters Janine Chernavsky and Karen Copsetta; six grandchildren; and a brother.

Services were held yesterday under the direction of the Schetter Funeral Home, Cherry Hill.

Memorial contributions may be made to the National Gaucher Association, Suite 101, 11140 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md. 20852-3106.




May 25, 2001

Jesse B. Moody

Jesse B. "Sonny" Moody, a civilian military equipment specialist and avid sports and science fiction fan who was devoted to his family and his church, died of a heart attack May 16 while vacationing with his wife near San Antonio, Tex. He was 52 and lived in West Chester for 18 years.

For the last 15 years, Moody worked at the Naval Inventory Control Point on Robbins Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia, where he provided technical advice on costs and parts to repair airplanes. He previously was a machinist at Leeds and Northrop and at the Naval Shipyard, where he worked on submarines.

Born in Philadelphia, Moody graduated from Roman Catholic High School, where he played football. He earned an associate's degree at Delaware Valley Institute of Technology and also attended Cheyney University and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Moody met his wife at a Delta sorority party in Germantown and they married a couple of years later in 1971.

"What I liked about him was his wry sense of humor and the fact that he loved people," his wife said.

"He was very friendly. It didn't matter who you were, if you had two ears he was going to talk to you."

A dedicated parishioner at Ss. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, Moody was an usher for 17 years who insisted that his children and grandson attend Catholic schools. He was involved in community events and was a member of the Order of the Knights of Columbus.

He also was a diehard Eagles fan and followed Temple football and hoops.

He proudly wore a ring his son earned while playing football at Georgia Tech.

Moody also is survived by one daughter, Adena; two sons, Jesse and Jeremy; his mother, Prenthy Coleman Moody; two sisters, Bernadette Taplin and Antoinette Moody-Sharp; one brother, Kevin, and one grandson.

Services: A viewing from 9 to 11 a.m. today at Ss. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, on Boot Road, in West Chester. Services at 11 with burial in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, on Cheltenham Avenue.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the American Diabetes Society, One Plymouth Meeting, Plymouth Meeting, Pa. 19462.




May 8, 2001

Henrietta Baker

Henrietta Baker, a former school dietician and a leader in her church and community, died Thursday. She was 78 and lived in North Philadelphia.

For many years Baker worked at the Most Precious Blood Catholic Church school cafeteria, eventually becoming the dietician. In 1972, she resigned to care for her grandson, Brian, who had special needs and medical challenges. "Henrietta's unselfish acts of love and devotion never wavered for her family," said a family member.

She was a member of Most Precious Blood Church, which later merged with St. Martin de Porres Church, where she sang on the choir, taught sewing to senior citizens and often was called upon to volunteer her time for the Parish Community Social Service Ministry. She was a charter member for 25 years of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver Court 187. She served as grand lady for two terms, vice grand lady for eight terms and lecturer for a number of years. Baker also was a charter member of Sister Theo Bowman Chapter 34, 4th degree. Baker was a member of a social club, the Ladies of Joy, where she served as president, coordinating various activities such as leisure trips and shopping sprees.

For a number of years, she worked as a judge of elections for the 32d Ward, 31st Division and was financial secretary and business manager for Turner Street Clean Block Organization. Born in Greenwood, S.C., Baker came to Philadelphia when she was one years old. During World War II, she worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and was one of the few black women to work as an electrician on the battleship USS Wisconsin from 1942 to 1943.

Survivors include her husband of 58 years, Donald Baker; two sons, Donald Jr. and Wayne; a daughter, Cheryl Baker Branham; nine grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and a sister, Bernice Sims. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Martin de Porres Church, 2340 W. Lehigh Ave., where friends may call two hours earlier. Burial will be in Greenmount Cemetery.




April 26, 2001

Raymond R. Flinn | Inspector, 65

Raymond R. Flinn, 65, a shipyard inspector, died of esophageal cancer Monday at his Gloucester City home.

He was a lifelong Gloucester City resident, and was born in Camden.

Mr. Flinn was an inspector at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard until retiring in 1993. Later, he worked as a custodian for St. Mary's Grammar School in Gloucester City.

He served in the Army from 1957 to 1959 and then in the Army Reserve.

Mr. Flinn was a lifelong parishioner of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Gloucester City. He was a third-degree member of Knights of Columbus Council 674 in Gloucester City.

He was a member of the Gloucester City Democrat Club, the Gloucester City Historical Society, and the Gloucester County Historical Society.

He was a graduate of Brown Preparatory School in Philadelphia.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Bernadette M. Bernard Flinn; daughters Donna Marie Williamson and Colleen Kain; three grandchildren; a brother; and a sister.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. tomorrow at the McCann Funeral Home, 851 Monmouth St., Gloucester City. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 426 Monmouth St., Gloucester City. Burial will be in New St. Mary's Cemetery, Bellmawr.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Msgr. Lucitt Needy Children's Christmas Fund, 426 Monmouth St., Gloucester City, N.J. 08030.




April 13, 2001

Nichelle 'Nikki' Smith

Nichelle C. "Nikki" Smith, an active member of her church and a former employee of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died Tuesday after a long illness.

She was 39 and lived in Coatesville. Formerly of Philadelphia, she was a graduate of Bok Vocational Technical High School where she majored in tailoring. She attended Temple University for two years. After leaving Temple, the former Nichelle Langley worked at the shipyard from 1984 to 1992, where she completed an apprenticeship in engineering.

Before she became ill she had been self-employed as a tailor in Coatesville. Smith was a member of New Life in Christ Fellowship in Coatesville. A family member said "she was a faithful and active member, contributing her time and energy to many different tasks. She previously was a member of New Welcome Baptist Church and attended Solid Rock Baptist Church, both in Philadelphia.

Survivors include her husband, Minister Clarence G. Smith Jr.; a son, Clarence G. III; a daughter, Christina N. Culler; her parents, Thomas and Myrtle Kimbrough Langley; and a brother, Charles H. Dickerson. A sister, Pamela Dickerson, is deceased.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at New Life in Christ Fellowship, 23 S. 5th Ave., Coatesville, where friends may call two hours earlier. Burial will be in Rolling Green Memorial Park in West Chester. Contributions may be made to Clarence Smith Jr., c/o New Life in Christ Fellowship, 23 S. 5th St., Coatesville, Pa. 19320.




April 13, 2001

A. Wesley Woodland | Production manager, 83
A. Wesley Woodland, 83, formerly of Norristown, a tool-and-die maker before he went into production management, died Monday at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre after a brief illness.

Originally a tool-and-die maker at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and for the former Synthane-Taylor Co. in Oaks, Montgomery County, he switched to production management. He worked for Teleflex Inc. in North Wales; Berg Electronics in Harrisburg; Exxon Corp.'s facility in Exton; and Videotek Inc. in Pottstown.

Mr. Woodland, a Norristown native, graduated from Norristown High School and then served in the Navy during World War II as an aerographer's mate aboard the Casco. He also served on another ship and took part in the Philippines campaign, receiving several commendations.

He resided in Norristown for many years and later lived in Emmaus, Lehigh County, before he moved to Wescosville, also in Lehigh County, 10 years ago.

He was a 32d-degree Mason and a former Boy Scout leader in Audubon. He enjoyed deep-sea fishing.

He is survived by children, Carol W. Cornish, Karen H. Aaron, Dale W. and Michael; three brothers; three sisters; and four grandchildren.

Friends may call after 10 a.m. today at Williams-Bergey-Koffel Funeral Home, 667 Harleysville Pike (Route 113), Franconia Township, Montgomery County. A Masonic service will be held at 10:45 a.m., with a funeral at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Limerick Garden of Memories, 44 Swamp Pike, Limerick.

The family suggests contributions to National World War II Memorial, Suite 501, 2300 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, Va. 22201.




April 10, 2001

Harry Kadransky | Certified public accountant, 83

Harry Kadransky, 83, of Upper Darby, a certified public accountant for nearly 50 years, died of lymphoma Sunday at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Kadransky served clients until a year ago, when illness forced him to retire. He started his accounting practice in 1951, working out of his home. Most of his clients were small businesses.

He was an accomplished ballroom dancer, his family said, and regularly attended local dance sessions with his wife as his partner. He later met his second wife at a ballroom dance.

He was born in South Philadelphia, and graduated from South Philadelphia High School in 1935 and from Temple University in 1939 with a business degree.

During World War II, Mr. Kadransky worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as an electrician.

He was a member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

His first wife, Jeanette Gerson Kadransky, to whom he was married for 45 years, died in 1988.

He is survived by his wife of nine years, Ellen Cogan Kadransky; daughters Gloria Rabinowitz and Sally Borgman; stepsons Erik Strangeways, Gregory Strangeways, Peter Watkins and Timothy Gold; and four grandchildren.

Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow at Temple Israel, Bywood Avenue and Walnut Street, Upper Darby. Burial will be in Mount Jacob Cemetery, Darby.




April 5, 2001

Lillie T. Dawson | Active homemaker, 100

Lillie Twining Dawson, 100, a homemaker who walked three blocks to her last birthday party in February, died Friday of injuries suffered in a fall at her home in White Horse Village, Newtown Square. She formerly lived in Clifton Heights.

Mrs. Dawson liked to be active and take on challenges, her family said.

When she was 96, she went jet skiing with a grandniece on Chesapeake Bay and enjoyed the ride so much that she repeated it several times.

She drove until she was 94.

She also enjoyed walking and was still taking regular strolls until a month before her death. For her birthday on Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, she walked from her daughter's home to hers for the birthday celebration.

Mrs. Dawson loved animals and often used to show dogs at obedience shows.

"She always wanted to try something new," said her daughter, Barbara J. Dawson, who lived nearby.

Mrs. Dawson attended schools in Clifton Heights and studied at Banks Business College in Philadelphia, earning a certificate as a bookkeeper and secretary.

She worked for local companies, including an auto agency. During World War II, Mrs. Dawson worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in purchasing.

Her husband of 48 years, James A. Dawson, died in 1967. Other survivors are daughter Jean Dracup; two grandchildren; and three great-grandsons.

Visitation will be at 7 p.m. tomorrow and 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Williams Funeral Home, 33 W. Baltimore Ave., Clifton Heights. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Clifton United Methodist Church, 113 South Springfield Rd., Clifton. Burial will be in Montrose Cemetery, Upper Darby.




April 4, 2001

Raymond J. Cochard | Construction executive, 77

Raymond J. Cochard, 77, of Havertown, who rose from carpenter to executive during a 45-year career in the construction business, died of complications from cancer Monday at Integrated Health Services nursing home in Broomall.

Mr. Cochard was associated with major projects in the area that included hospitals, highways, skyscrapers, marine construction and colleges.

After graduating from Bartram High School in 1942, Mr. Cochard received a medical deferment from military duty during World War II and took up carpentry. He was an apprentice at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

After the war, he worked on marine terminals along the Delaware and soon became general superintendent for R.E. Carrick Co., his family said.

In 1971, Mr. Cochard left Carrick to become vice president of Shamrock Construction Co. of Cherry Hill. Three years later, he cofounded General Concrete Construction Corp. of Lansdowne. In 1980 he joined Mergentime Corp. as vice president of construction. He retired in 1992.

His wife of 43 years, Helen Brennan Cochard, died in 1991.

Surviving are sons Raymond Jr., Stephen and Mark; two brothers; a sister; and five grandchildren.

A viewing will be held at 7 p.m. today at Donohue Funeral Home, 330 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square. A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. John Neumann Roman Catholic Church, Highland Avenue, Bryn Mawr. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Broomall.




ROY R ROEMER SR 75 of Louisville, KY. died monday March 12 2001 at home Born in Philadelphia PA, formerly of National Park, NJ.he lived in Louisville,Ky.since 1970.

MR. Roemer worked in publications for the Naval Ordnance Station in Louisville, Ky. He also worked for at the former naval air station at the Philadelphia Naval SHIPYARD.

He was a former member of the Army MARS, South Jefferson Republican Club and the Florence Masonic Lodge.

He was also the past president of the National Park Volunteer Fire Co. National Park N.J.

Surviving are his son Roy R Jr of Louisville and two grandsons.

Services will be 12 noon Thursday at Arch L Heady &Son Funeral Home, 8519 Preston Highway,Louisville Ky,40219,where friends may call 3 to 8 pm.Wednesday. Burial will be in Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Ky.

Contributions may be made to the Fraze Animal Rescue Foundation, P.O. BOX 421, New Albany, IN 47151.




March 19, 2001

Louis Levy | Retired draftsman, 83

Louis Levy, 83, of West Deptford, a retired draftsman at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, died of complications of Parkinson's disease Thursday at Underwood-Memorial Hospital, Woodbury. He had lived in Deptford for 45 years.

After graduating from Trenton High School in 1935, Mr. Levy became a draftsman at the shipyard, served in the Army during World War II and the Korean War, and then returned to the shipyard, where he worked until his retirement as a quality-assurance specialist in 1977.

After his retirement, he worked part time as a gateman for several years at the Atlantic City Race Course.

Mr. Levy was a member of Congregation Beth Israel of Woodbury.He enjoyed playing tennis and golf and going to the Atlantic City casinos, where he played poker. He also enjoyed horse racing and crossword puzzles.

Mr. Levy is survived by his wife of 45 years, Myrna Brooks Levy; a daughter, Judy; and two sisters.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Berschler Shenberg & Blady Funeral Chapels, 5341 Route 38, Pennsauken. Burial will be at Crescent Burial Park, Pennsauken.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Chelsea Pier 62, Suite 305, New York, N.Y. 10011.




March 15, 2001

Michael Netzko | Shipyard worker, 84

Michael Netzko, 84, a Philadelphia Naval Shipyard employee and a weekend accordionist, died of complications from Parkinson's disease Saturday at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, Camden.

He had lived in Pennsauken since 1963, and he was born and raised in Philadelphia.

Mr. Netzko was a pressure tank tester at the shipyard from 1939 until retiring in 1974. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers.

A Marine Corps veteran of World War II, he served in 1945 and 1946.

On weekends, Mr. Netzko played the accordion at weddings, taprooms and cabarets. He was a life member of Philadelphia Musical Society Local 77, having joined in 1955.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Anna Mary Dudzinski Netzko; a son, Michael R.; a daughter, Lorraine; and a sister.

Friends may call after 8:30 a.m. today at the Stephenson-Brown Funeral Home, 33 W. Maple Ave., Merchantville. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 43 W. Maple Ave., Merchantville. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Philadelphia.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 43 W. Maple Ave., Merchantville, N.J. 08109.




March 15, 2001

Robert Fass, Bellmawr official

Robert J. Fass, 74, chairman of the Bellmawr Zoning Board for the last 15 years, died of complications from lung cancer Sunday at his Bellmawr home.

He had lived in Bellmawr since 1971, and was born and raised in Madison, Wis.

Mr. Fass served on the zoning board for more than 30 years.

"He was a gentleman who brought pride and dedication to his work," Mayor Frank Filipek said. "He knew the job better than anybody I ever knew. He loved the town of Bellmawr," and he learned about zoning matters by going out and observing what was being done.

"Everything he did stood out," Filipek said. "He was a good friend, a family man, and an asset to the borough."

Mr. Fass was an industrial hygienist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, starting work there in 1966 and retiring in 1987.

A Navy veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he was a chief hospital corpsman and a chief petty officer. In Korea, he served with the First Marine Division and received two Presidential Unit Citations and a Korean Presidential Unit Citation. He served 22 years, retiring in 1966.

Mr. Fass was a 1960 graduate of Navy Nuclear Power School in New London, Conn.

He was a past president of Fleet Reserve Association Chapter 57, where he was a member of the board of directors.

He served on the Camden County Veterans Advisory Committee and held the position of adjutant.

He was a parishioner of Mary Mother of the Church in Bellmawr. He was a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

Mr. Fass was a graduate of Marshfield (Wis.) High School and received an associate degree from Camden County College in Blackwood.

He was passionate about horse racing, and in the last several years he was part-owner of Koluctoo Kris, a thoroughbred.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary T. Roetz Fass; sons Robert J. Jr., Thomas M., Richard J. and David M.; daughters Judith A. Gray, Monica T. Fass and Elaine M. Wydra; 15 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and his mother, Margaret Sitzman Fass.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m. tomorrow at the Gardner Funeral Home, 126 S. Black Horse Pike, Runnemede. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. tomorrow in Mary Mother of the Church, Braisington Avenue, Bellmawr. Burial will be in New St. Mary's Cemetery, Bellmawr.

Memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan Hospice, 5 Eves Dr., Suite 300, Marlton, N.J. 08053.




March 7, 2001

Harry Garrett Sr., 78, dedicated to his family

Harry Garrett Sr., a retired city employee who was dedicated to his family and the community, died Friday of complications of coronary arterial disease. He was 78 and lived in West Philadelphia.

Garrett worked as a heavy equipment operator for the city for 36 years. He had previously worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and for home building contractors in South Jersey.

"Garrett was a hard worker who was dedicated to any job he held," said a family member. ". . .Garrett was known as a family man and a good neighbor."

His wife and high school sweetheart, the former Dora Turner, said, "My husband was a good man. We had 55 years of working together in unity."

On the block where they lived, Garrett was known as the neighborhood contractor and fisherman. He also was known for the beautiful remodeling jobs he did on his home and those of neighbors. When he went on his fishing trips and caught fish, everyone on the block had fish.

With Garrett working days and his wife working nights, they were able to coordinate efforts so they never needed babysitters in raising their six children, all of whom completed high school and two obtained college degrees.

Recently, the family had a difficult decision to make. Garrett was a candidate for open heart surgery, however he was not strong enough to sustain it. They decided to forego the surgery in exchange for a reasonably good quality of life.

Knowing that her husband could die at any time, Dora Garrett said, "I prepared myself for the fact that my husband could leave without notice. He did that on Friday morning."

Like so many other young men during the Depression, Garrett had dropped out of high school to help support the family. In 1943, he enlisted in the Army and participated in the Invasion of Normandy and in campaigns in the Asiatic-Pacific theater.

He had been an active member of Lodge 120 of the Masonic Order and belonged to the Golden Age Club of District Council 33.

Survivors also include two sons, Harry Jr. and Vincent; three daughters, Phyllis G. Dorn, Cheryl Robinson and Olivia; four sisters, Lucille Dowson, Annie Lair-King, Nomia Singleton and Viola Holmes; a brother, Elijah "Sonny" Garrett; 15 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. A son, Roy, was killed in 1997, the victim of an attempted carjacking.

A service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at First Corinthian Baptist Church, 5101 Pine St., where friends may call one hour earlier. Burial will be in Rolling Green Memorial Park in West Chester.




February 17, 2001

John R. Stull, Sr. (71 Shop Head)

On February 17, 2001. Of Media, formerly of Drexel Hill. Beloved Husband of the late Lillian T. (nee Gasdor), devoted father of Patricia Stull Lunkenheimer, Barbara (B.J.) Hoffman, John (Jack) R. Jr., Lynne M. Stull and Kathy Harkisheimer, dear brother of Beatrice Winters and Paul Stull. Also survived by twelve grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral on Thursday after 8:15 AM at THE CAVANAGH-PATTESON FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 43 E. Baltimore Ave., Media, followed by a Funeral Mass in the Church of St. Bernadette, Turner Ave. between Bond & Marvine Aves., Drexel Hill at 10 AM. Interment Holy Cross Cem. Friends may call at CAVANAGH-PATTERSON Wednesday eve 5 to 8 PM. PLEASE OMIT FLOWERS. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the American Brain Tumor Assoc., 2720 River Rd., DesPlaines, IL 60018 would be greatly appreciated.




February 4, 2001

John T . Tuscano, 73

John T . Tuscano, 73, of Lakeland, Fla., died Feb, 4 2001 at home.

Born in Philadelphia PA and formerly of Mount Laurel NJ, Mr. Tuscano was a retired supervisor for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia.

He was a member of St Anthony's church in Lakeland, the VFW Post of North Lakeland and the Naval Shipyard union.

He was an Army veteran of World War II.

He is survived by his wife, Mary A.; a son, John Jr.of Absecon; two daugthers, Susan of Tampa, Fla., and Lori Brenner of Bristol,Pa; three bothers Frank and Thomes both of Philadelphia Pa, and Robert of NORTH Carolina; sister, Philonena Gray of Lakeland; and four grandchilder.

Services were Feb. 6 at St Anthony's Church in lakeland .Arrangements were by Trinty Memorial Garden & Funeral Home,Lakeland.

Memorial contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice of Polk COUNTY, 105 Arneson Ave .; Auburdale, Fla. 33809; or to St Anthony's Church 802 Marcum Road, Lakeland. Fla. 33809.




January 29, 2001

Esther B. Monroe
Homemaker

Esther Barnes Monroe died of complications from pneumonia Wednesday at Rancocas Hospital, Willingboro.

She had been a resident of the Riverhouse in Edgewater Park since 1957. She was born in Philadelphia and raised in Philadelphia and Mantua, Gloucester County.

Mrs. Monroe, a homemaker, was dedicated to her family, her Catholic faith, and the enjoyment of being a host for social events, family members said.

In her earlier years, she was a fashion model and a jewelry buyer at Kind Jewelers in Philadelphia.

Mrs. Monroe was a parishioner of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Beverly, where she was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society.

She was a volunteer with Meals on Wheels in Burlington County for about decade.

She was a 1937 graduate of Mater Misericordiae Academy in Merion, Montgomery County, and she attended Rosemont College.

During World War II, Mrs. Monroe worked in the drafting department of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

She enjoyed traveling and took trips to Egypt, Italy, South America, Bermuda, Scandinavia and Alaska.

She also enjoyed entertaining, whether for intimate groups or grand holiday parties, often designing and making her own dresses for special occasions.

She is survived by her sons, William Winfield Jr. and Christopher David; a daughter, Honor Santos; 11 grandchildren; a brother; and three sisters. She was the widow of William W. Sr.

Friends may call from 9 to 11 a.m. today at the Page Funeral Home, 302 E. Union St., Burlington City. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. today at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Warren Street, Beverly.




January 19, 2001

Frank Maffei, 82, Army vet who loved to sing

They called Frank Maffei "The Mockingbird of South Philly" because he enjoyed belting out old tunes while strolling down Passyunk Avenue or playing rummy with his friends.

But the Mockingbird's voice was stilled on Monday when he died at St. Agnes Hospital following complications from a Dec. 30 fall on Passyunk. He was 82 and lived in South Philly all his life.

"He was an outgoing person. A kind person," said his wife, Grace. "We had a lovely relationship. We never had an argument in the 12 years we were together. He made me feel special because he always wanted me beside him."

Educated in public schools, Frank Maffei worked briefly for the post office before joining the Army during World War II. He served in Guam and was involved in the Guadalcanal campaign during his four-year hitch before his honorable discharge in 1945.

When he returned to Philadelphia, he worked as a warehouseman at the Navy Yard, until retiring about 25 years ago when he underwent triple-bypass surgery. But he survived, partly because he always had a song in his heart.

Maffei married his first wife, Bertha Prete, in the mid-1940s. She died in the late '80s and, in 1988, he married Grace Simonetti Baldino, who also had recently been widowed.

"People said we married too soon," she said. "But he told them, 'Look, we're already 70 years old. What am I supposed to do, court her for a couple of years?' "

Maffei was a dog lover who liked to dance to Lawrence Welk's "champagne" music.

His wife said her husband was a "clean-cut man" who was fussy about his clothes. He also liked to play the ponies at area race tracks.

Maffei also is survived by one son, Ralph; two stepdaughters, Mary E. Torretti and Anna Maria Della Pia; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by one sister and four brothers.

A viewing is from 7 to 9 tonight at the Ruffenach Funeral Home, 21st Street and Snyder Avenue. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Monica's Church, 17th and Ritner streets. Burial is at Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery, in Springfield.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Deborah Hospital Foundation, 2 Bala Plaza, Suite 300, Bala Cynwyd, Pa. 19004.




January 15, 2001

Nicholas P. Caccavo, 77, devoted to family

Nicholas P. Caccavo, a retired federal employee and a man who took friendship and citizenship seriously, died Friday. He was 77 and lived in South Philadelphia.

Nick Caccavo was an electronics technician. He worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from 1948 to 1960, then at the Naval air engineering center at Pomona, N.J., until 1967 and finally at the Naval air center at Lakehurst, N.J., until he retired in 1980. For three years after retiring he remained at Lakehurst as a consultant.

Raised in the 9th and Dickinson streets neighborhood of South Philly, the son of immigrant parents, Caccavo believed it was important to be involved in matters that affect your neighborhood and family.

He and his brother-in-law, Fred DeBerardinis, whom he had known since high school, frequently attended City Council meetings and community town meetings together.

"He was very civic-minded," said DeBerardinis. "He was always ready to assist anyone who had any kind of emergency. He always had a house full of TVs and radios to repair for friends and neighbors. Nick had many, many friends and he will be greatly missed by everyone, especially me."

Gina Apadula, one of his daughters, said, "He was the best father anybody could ask for. He did everything with us and took us everywhere and taught us everything. He was so interested in life, reading and learning, and he passed that on to us."

She said, "Friends were in and out and he ran for everybody who needed him. If it was 3 a.m., he'd go. He was very family-oriented. He took my brother scuba diving, the Boy Scouts, just anything he could. He'd get us there if we were involved in school functions."

There was also music in the Caccavo home. He played the guitar professionally at weekend events, such as weddings, and belonged to the musicians union.

Friends and family described Caccavo as a meticulous, well-organized man who was a model for others. Family members who once groaned at being ordered to hold still for more photos by the amateur photographer today are grateful that dad was there to chronicle so many events, with dates and names carefully recorded on the backs of the photos.

A recipient of cornea transplants when it was still a pioneering procedure, Caccavo in recent years was a volunteer driver who took the blind to social events.

A graduate of Bok Vocational Technical High School, Caccavo served in the Navy during World War II as a radioman aboard LST No. 492. His nickname in the service was "Little Chief." An officer writing to Caccavo's parents described their son as "the most popular" man in the crew.

He participated in the Normandy Invasion and the battle of Okinawa in the Pacific. Upon his discharge as radioman first class he had received three battle stars. After the war he attended Temple University for three years.

Survivors also include his wife of 51 years, the former Anna Tortoreto; a son, Nicholas V.; another daughter, Lisa Caccavo; five grandchildren; and a sister, Antoinette DeBerardinis.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Calvary Temple, 3301 S. 20th St., where friends may call two hours earlier. Burial will be in New St. Mary's Cemetery in Bellmawr, N.J.

Contributions may be made to Wills Eye Hospital.




January 5, 2001

John C. Bailey Sr.

Retired painter, 89

John Clifford Bailey Sr., 89, a devoted churchman and retired ship painter who labored at his craft in Philadelphia and South Carolina, died Monday of an intestinal disorder at Albert Einstein Medical Center.

He had been a longtime resident of West Oak Lane.

Mr. Bailey grew up in Atlanta, where he developed a deep and enduring relationship with the Baptist church.

He and his wife, Geneva, settled in Charleston, S.C., where Mr. Bailey worked at the naval shipyard and became active in the area's civil-rights movement. He led a tenants' group that pressed the U.S. Postal Service to improve mail delivery in the African American neighborhood of Read Hill.

Mr. Bailey was transferred to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1945. He soon became an active member of Jones Memorial Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon and a trustee. He was instrumental in founding a Boy Scout troop at the church.

Mr. Bailey retired from the shipyard in 1978 and operated his own house-painting firm for many years.

A devoted Mason and a committed follower of local and national politics, he rarely missed a date at the polls.

In addition to his wife of more than 60 years, he is survived by a son, John Jr.; a daughter, Juanita Highsmith; two granddaughters; and five great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday at Jones Memorial Baptist Church, 20th and Dauphin Streets. Services will follow. Burial will be at Forest Hills Cemetery in Huntingdon Valley.




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