The Indiana Gazette
Page 4 — Wednesday, May 11, 2016
OBITUARIES Sally Abrams Sally Claster Abrams, 85, of Indiana, passed away Friday, May 6, 2016, at St. Andrew’s Village. The daughter of the late Maurice and Jean Ives Claster, Sally was born July 9, 1930, in Pittsburgh. She graduated from New Kensington High School in 1948 and attended Cornell University and Chatham College before meeting the love of her life, Leonard Abrams, at Penn State University. They were married in 1951 and became active members of the Indiana and Indiana University of Pennsylvania communities for over 60 years. Sally continued her education at IUP, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She furthered her education by earning her master’s degrees in both English and student personnel services. After graduation, she remained at IUP as the head of the IUP Centennial Committee, starting the festivities by presenting Jimmy Stewart with an honorary doctoral degree. Upon completion of the yearlong celebration, she became an assistant director of financial aid and an active supporter of IUP student life until she retired on June 30, 1993. Sally loved working with her wonderful co-workers and students and was in-
volved in numerous university committees during her tenure on campus. Deeply involved with the Indiana Citizens’ Ambulance Service board, she served as board president for one term. Upon moving into St. Andrew’s Village, Sally became involved in the Residents’ Association, serving as its president. Sally is survived by her daughters, Betsy BuzzelliClarke and husband Merlyn, of Stroudsburg; Nancy Segal, of Philadelphia; and Marilyn Howard and husband Wayne, of Allentown. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Ina Abrams, of Indiana; and her beloved granddaughters, Michele Buzzelli, Sara Segal and Rachel Howard. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Leonard Abrams; and her brother, Joel Claster. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. until the time of the memorial service at noon Sunday at Robinson-Lytle Inc., Indiana. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly suggests memorial contributions be made to St. Andrew’s Village, 1155 Indian Springs Road, Indiana, PA 15701. www.robinsonlytleinc. com
Helen Hadden Helen N. (Pennington) Hutchinson Hadden, 77, formerly of Lovejoy, died Sunday, May 8, 2016, at St. Andrew’s Village in Indiana. Family and friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Rairigh Funeral Home Ltd. in Hillsdale, where an 11 a.m. funeral service will be
held Thursday with local preacher Daryl Dishong officiating. Interment will follow at the Rowley Cemetery, Hillsdale. Helen’s children extend a special thank-you to the staff of St. Andrew’s Village for their extraordinary care and kindness to their mother and family over the years.
Harry Jones Harry Donald Jones, 93, of Indiana, left the blue marble of spaceship earth on Saturday, May 7, 2016. He was born Feb. 25, 1923, in Punxsutawney. Until his son Stephen was old enough to read, Stephen thought the sign coming into Punxsutawney said “birthplace of Harry Jones.” Harry graduated from Indiana High School in 1941. He was an ensign in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he attended Bucknell University and graduated with a chemical engineering degree. Harry married Zureta Timberlake “Timmi” Jones on June 29, 1957. He was the owner of Jones Furniture Company located at 1019 Philadelphia St., Indiana, and later worked for R&P Coal Company until he retired. He was a lifelong member of the Indiana Fire Association and past secretary of the Indiana Borough Parking Authority. Harry was also a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and was a Mason. He loved to travel, and he and Timmi crisscrossed the country in a camper many times. In later life he enjoyed traveling to see his family. He also enjoyed restoring antique furniture in his spare time. He was a formidable Scrabble and bridge player and took no prisoners as anyone who played against him can attest. Anything chocolate …. that was his!
Amelia Smithbauer Amelia M. “Millie” Smithbauer, 73, of Blairsville, died Monday, May 9, 2016, at St. Andrew’s Village, Indiana. Born Nov. 11, 1942, in Philadelphia, she was a daughter of Robert Long and Mary (Apple) Long. She was a member of Hebron Lutheran Church, Blairsville. Millie was an artist. She enjoyed crafting and card making. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, David J. Smithbauer, Blairsville; daughters Karen Faser and husband John, Blairsville, and Eileen Gess, Marion Center; grandchildren John D. Faser, Jake Faser, Glenn
Gess III and Gauge Gess; sisters Mary Stover and husband Ken, Doylestown; Lori Coleman and husband Al, Rhode Island; and Carol Young, Erie. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Barbara Calles; a sonin-law, Glenn Gess Jr.; and a grandchild, Jessica Gess. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the James F. Ferguson Funeral Home Inc., Blairsville. Her funeral service will be at 8 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home with the Rev. Brett Dinger officiating. www.jamesfergusonfu neralhome.com
Sherryl Uptegraph Sherryl L. (Beveridge) Anderson Uptegraph, 69, of Penn Run, passed away Tuesday, May 10, 2016, at Beacon Ridge Nursing Home, Indiana. She was born in 1946 in Norvelt to William and June River Beveridge. She was a member of the Independent Traditional Holiness Church, Indiana. Sherryl was employed as a nurse’s aide and activities director for 25 years at Torrance State Hospital. Sherryl is survived by her husband, James Uptegraph, Penn Run; three children, Holly L. Stiles and husband Jody, Penn Run; Robert M. Anderson Jr., and girlfriend Rita Matty, Blairsville; Kipp A. Anderson and wife Rhonda, Acme; three stepchildren, Susan Schrecengost and husband Eric, Shelocta; Carolyn Fox, Blairsville; Michael Uptegraph and wife Holly,
Creekside; five grandchildren, Dalton, Alan, Travis, Adrynn and Jodilyn; eight stepgrandchildren, DJ, Mitchell, Hannah, Luke, Kyle, Megan, Kevin and Kole; one great-granddaughter, Emma; one brother and one sister, William Beveridge and wife Marcie, Greensburg, and Jaydene Helms and husband Herbert, Connellsville. She was preceded in death by her parents. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the BowserMinich Funeral Home, Indiana, where a funeral service will be held Saturday with the Rev. John Williamson officiating. Interment will be private. Complete arrangements will be published in Thursday’s Indiana Gazette. www.bowserminich.com
TOMORROW’S FUNERALS HADDEN, Helen N. (Pennington) Hutchinson, 11 a.m., Rairigh Funeral Home, Hillsdale SMITHBAUER, Amelia M. “Millie,” 8 p.m., James F. Ferguson Funeral Home, Blairsville
Comcast to pay $490M
We bid him a fond farewell. He is survived by his children, Michal Jones-Stewart, of Shelocta; Stephen Jones and wife Laura, of Tucson, Ariz.; Jenny Jones-Moats and husband John, of Phoenix; and Jeffrey Jones and husband Mark Secord, of Lisbon, N.H. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Diane (Brad) Neal, of Seneca Falls N.Y.; Colleen (Jason) Epstein, of South Plainfield, N.J.; and Russell and Andrew Stewart, of Fredericksburg, Va.; great-grandchildren Noah and Hunter Epstein, of South Plainfield N.J.; Kady (Zac) Dewald, of Midland, Mich.; and Steven Neal, of Seneca Falls, N.Y. Harry was preceded in death by his wife, Timmi, who died in 2010. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Alice Shields Jones and M. Rae Jones; and brothers Elias “Kiyi,” Jack and Rae and his sister, Rachel. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., June 4, at the Unitarian Church, 285 Twolick Drive, Indiana.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia-based Comcast Corp. has paid its founder’s widow nearly $490 million in perks and to cash out life insurance policies in her name. Founder Ralph Roberts was 95 when he died in June and his widow, Suzanne, 94, was paid $326 million to cover perks her husband was awarded in 1992. The cable television giant also paid $164 million to end insurance policies on Suzanne Roberts’ life
that were becoming expensive because of her age. The payments were detailed in regulatory filings last month. Comcast says the cost to the company will be less than the $490 million paid out, however, because of corporate tax benefits and because the cash value of the life insurance policies was more than what was paid to Roberts’ widow. In all, the payments will cost the company about $154 million.
N. Korea offers good look at Kim SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean state media today released high-resolution headshots of more than two dozen top officials, including leader Kim Jong Un, that appear to be missing something Pyongyang-watchers have come to expect: signs of retouching. It’s common for photos of Kim released through North Korea state channels to show signs of manipulation, though North Korea officials deny altering images. So it’s unusual to receive a pore-level view of the young leader. Chang Yong Seok, a North Korea expert at Seoul National University, said the North might be trying to sell a more natural and positive image of Kim and his senior officials following the ruling-party congress that ended Monday. He said the authoritarian country might be trying to create an image as a “normal country” that is not much different from others. Analyst Cho Han-bum at the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Unification said North Korea may want to portray Kim as humble yet confident.
and Candy Aultman, both of Shelocta, and Don Rupert, Elderton; and numerous cousins. Preceding Charles in death were his parents; uncle and aunt William and Emily Heckman; and uncle Joseph Heckman. A memorial service will be conducted Saturday at the Sagamore Wesleyan Methodist Church with the Rev. Thad Taylor and the Rev. Casey Heckman officiating. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the John A. Lefdahl Funeral Home to assist with funeral expenses. w w w. l e f d a h l f u n e r a l home.com
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The state-run Korean Central News Agency also released photos of 27 other members of North Korea’s top leadership — 20 in suits and seven in military uniform. Kim is the only one grinning, and the only one seen without a lapel pin bearing the faces of his grandfather, national founder Kim Il Sung, and father, Kim Jong Il. One top official was looking much better than some had expected: Ri Yong Gil, who South Korean intelligence officials had said was executed months earlier.
ISIS advances toward Palmyra
BEIRUT (AP) — Islamic State militants advanced toward the Syrian city of Palmyra today, threatening to besiege the world-famous ancient site only several weeks after the government recaptured it from the extremists. Media allied with the group and other activists said IS fighters seized a strategically located but deserted rocket-launching site close to an air base less than 40 miles from Palmyra. For the government forces, the capture effectively severs a highway linking Palmyra to the government-controlled T-4 air base and the provincial capital Homs, threatening government supply routes. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other activists confirmed the reported IS advance. The development comes after intense clashes with government troops near the air base, and a week after the extremist group advanced toward natural gas fields to the north. Al-Bayan radio reported that IS militants took control of the deserted site, seized two government checkpoints guarding the air base and downed a military helicopter to the north of the base. The Observatory also reported the downing of the warplane but said the fate of its crew remains unclear. Today’s capture “helps in severing the supply routes of the (Syrian) army from T-4 base to Palmyra, and tightening the siege on the city,” the IS-linked radio report said.
RAISING CASH COLONIAL TOYOTA recently made a $5,000 donation to the Raising Stars Foundation, which will use the money to build a school in rural Haiti. Pictured, from left, are Chuck Spadafora, of Colonial Motors; Dan Mock, Raising Stars founder; CJ Spadafora, of Colonial Motors; and Barbara McCombie, wife of the late John McCombie, who founded Raising Stars. The bell they are holding was sculpted by John McCombie before he passed away in July.
Charles Locher Charles Sheridan Locher, 55, of Shelocta, passed away Monday, May 9, 2016, while at Beacon Ridge. The son of Charles and Ethel Mae (Heckman) Locher, he was born Nov. 16, 1960, in Kittanning. Charles was a 1978 graduate of Ford City High School. He had been employed by Townsend Apple Fruit Farm. His interests included hunting, watching NASCAR and working on lawn mowers. Surviving are his aunts and uncles, Harold (Kay) Heckman, Robert (Emma) Heckman and Veda Heckman, all of Shelocta, and Louise LaFace, Nevada; close friends Dave Fleming
KIM JONG UN
JAMIE EMPFIELD/Gazette
Planning commission approves site plans By SEAN YODER
syoder@indianagazette.net
A plan for townhomes along Indian Springs Road remains tabled with the White Township Planning Commission. Code Enforcement Officer Matt Genchur said Tuesday that officials had not heard any updates yet since the April commission meeting, when there were still a few deficiencies with the plan. He also updated the commission on a backand-forth between developers Globalstar Partners LLC and the Conservation District about issues with its proximity to McCarthy Run and the locations of some storm basins.
The commission approved a final minor subdivision for FBF Transport at 535 Fenton Road. About 2.69 acres will be subdivided off from FBF’s 132 acres there and attached to a smaller 0.433-acre parcel. PA American Water got approval for a final site plan that would add a 1,350-square-foot chemical addition building at 1034 Waterworks Road. Genchur said they are also upgrading some of their containment areas for chemical delivery and are replacing raw water intake screens. Two storage buildings at 170 College Lodge Road, the Tree Monkeys Tree Service site, were
approved through a final plan. The buildings will be 115 by 140 feet and 15 by 70 feet. Assistant Township Manager Chris Anderson
said the site is exempt from stormwater regulations since it doesn’t meet the minimum threshold of impermeable surface.
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