A-2 - THE PRESS AND JOURNAL, Wednesday, February 18, 2015
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Obituaries
Willis Shrauder
Gertrude Myers Gertrude K. Myers, 81, of Middletown, entered into eternal rest on Monday, February 9, at Masonic Village, Elizabethtown. She was born on September 11, 1933 in Lykens, and was the daughter of the late George Sr. and Grace Miller Kohler. Gertrude retired from the Dauphin County Treasurer’s Office; she was a former president of the Union Hose Co. Ladies Auxiliary, former member of The Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 332, Middletown, and a former member of the Dauphin County Republican Women’s Committee of Middletown. She loved bingo, attending Hershey Bears hockey games, reading, spending time at her summer home in Canada, fishing, and spoiling her loving grandchildren. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son Charles L. Myers Jr., brothers Raymond Kohler, Terry Kohler, Charles Kohler, and George Kohler Jr., and sister Gladys Breslin. She is survived by her loving husband of 62 years Charles L. Myers; daughters Kathy J. Kiessling and husband Stephen of Londonderry Township, and Diane L. Hepner and husband Tony of Middletown; sisters Barbara Wolfgang of Middletown, Janet Knarr of Klingerstown, Mary L. Chubb of Halifax, and Nancy Snyder of Millersburg; and four loving grandchildren Holly Hepner Criniti, Kelly Hepner, Daniel Hepner, and Christopher Kiessling. Service for Gertrude: Friday, February 13 at Matinchek and Daughter Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., Middletown, with Pastor Gary George officiating. Burial was at Middletown Cemetery. The family has requested in lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in
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Dorothy Krupilis Gertrude’s name to the Masonic Village, Gift Plan/Health Care Center, 1 Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022-2199. The family has entrusted the care of the Matinchek and Daughter Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc. to handle the arrangements. Online condolences can be sent to www.matinchekanddaughterfuneralhome.com.
Patricia Gutshall
Patricia A. Gutshall, 81, of Middletown, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, February 14, at the Middletown Home. For more information, please visit our website at www.matinchekanddaughterfuneralhome.com.
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Dorothy A. Krupilis, 93, of Middletown, entered into eternal rest on Monday, February 16, at ManorCare, Elizabethtown. She was born on May 13, 1921 in the Village of Park Place, Mahanoy City, and was the daughter of the late Joseph and Emily Swartz Casper. Dot was a former employee of Hershey Foods, Doubleday and Olivetti Corporation. She was a member of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Middletown and a graduate of Mahanoy Township High School Class of 1939. She was fondly called “Mimi” by her family. Dot was a loving, giving, sharing person and will be sorely missed by family and friends. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of over 60 years, Charles S. Krupilis, a sister Helen, and brothers Joseph and William Casper. She is survived by her son Charles “Gravy” J. Krupilis Sr. and wife JoAnn of Middletown; grandsons Michael C. Krupilis and wife Jill, and Charles “Chuck” J. Krupilis Jr. and wife Karen, all of Middletown; greatgrandchildren Dylan, Kody, Zack, Gabrielle and Natalie; and several nieces and nephews. Services for Dorothy: Friday, February 20, at 11 a.m. at Matinchek and Daughter Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 260 E. Main St., Middletown, with the Rev. Dr. J. Richard Eckert, her pastor, officiating. A viewing will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will follow the service at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Dorothy’s name to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Union and Spring Sts., Middletown, PA 17057. Online condolences can be sent to www.matinchekanddaughterfuneralhome.com.
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Willis R. Shrauder, 100, of Middletown, passed away Tuesday, February 10, at home. He was the widower of Helen Shrauder. Born September 21, 1914 in Steelton, he was the son of the late Arthur R. and Mary Battorf Shrauder. Willis was a member of Odd Fellows, Middletown Anglers and Hunters, and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church; and he was an avid fisherman. Willis also was preceded in death by a brother Elwood Shrauder. He is survived by son Ray E. Shrauder of Warranton, Va.; daughter Joyce Foerster of Middletown; four grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Compassionate Care Hospice, 1513 Cedar Cliff Drive, Camp Hill, PA 17011. Arrangements by Cremation Society of Pennsylvania, Inc.
Terry Musgrave Terry DeWayne Musgrave, 73, of Middletown, entered into eternal rest peacefully on Sunday, February 15, at Colonial Park Care Center in Harrisburg, surrounded by his devoted family. He was born on September 24, 1941 at Harrisburg Hospital, and was the son of the late Anna M. Musgrave. Terry was retired as a photographer from the Pennsylvania State Museum, after which he managed the 7-Eleven convenience store on the square in Middletown for many years. He attended Valley Baptist Church and was a member of Middletown Liberty Hose Fire Company. His hobbies included photography, reading, spending time at the Jersey and Delaware beaches, and playing the slot machines at casinos. But most importantly he enjoyed spending time with his loving family and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his grandfather William E. Musgrave and stepson Scott Lee Royer. He is survived by his loving wife of 29 years, Bertha E. Fox Musgrave; son Scott T. Musgrave of Harrisburg; daughter Bethany A. Musgrave of Harrisburg; stepchildren Lisa I. Krepps and husband Steven, Steven Royer and companion Cindy Morris, and Timothy Royer and wife Ronnie, all of Middletown; grandchildren Jason, Mandy, Patrick, Kevin, Timothy, Ashley, Tiara, Tasia, and Tony; and great-grandchildren Ella and Cullen. Memorial services for Terry: Saturday, February 21 at 11 a.m. at Valley Baptist Church, 1190 N. Union St., Middletown, with the Rev. Jerry Cowan officiating. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions can be sent in Terry’s honor to his church, Valley Baptist Church, 1190 N. Union St., Middletown, PA 17057. The family has entrusted the care of the Matinchek and Daughter Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc. to handle the arrangements. Online condolences can be sent to www.matinchekanddaughterfuneralhome.com.
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Supervisors join county rehab program By Eric Wise
Press And Journal Staff
The Londonderry Twp. supervisors have voted 3-0 to join the Dauphin County Land Bank, a program designed to get abandoned, blighted properties back on the tax rolls. Supervisors Mike Geyer, Bart Shellenhamer and Ron Kopp voted in favor of signing on as a participating municipality. Supervisors Anna Dale and Mel Hershey were absent. Skip Memmi, representing the county and the land bank, outlined the program for the supervisors and provided photos of two properties in Susquehanna Twp. that are the land bank’s current projects. The first project, a rehabbed home in Susquehanna Twp., is back on the market. Memmi said the land bank will never use eminent domain, a government seizure of private property, to acquire real estate for its projects. He also said that the land bank’s projects are chosen to eliminate blight, not to make money. Land bank projects do not attract private investors because they have lower potential for profit, so Memmi said they are not competing with “house flippers.” The land bank encourages municipal officials to suggest blighted properties that it could acquire. When properties are in the land bank’s possession, the land bank’s directors decide whether to raze or rehabilitate the buildings on
the property. Steve Letavic, the township’s manager, endorsed the program and heartily encouraged the board to sign the memorandum of understanding with the land bank. Kopp questioned why anyone would refuse to participate, as eliminating blighted properties increases the value of surrounding homes and gets the property itself back on the tax rolls. Memmi explained that after the project is completed and the property is sold, the collectors of property taxes agree to provide half of the tax money back to the land bank for five years. Memmi said the land bank had an opportunity to acquire a property in Steelton from its mortgage holder at no cost, but the Steelton-Highspire School Board refused to sign a memorandum of understanding with the land bank. “We would appreciate members of municipalities reaching out to the school district to encourage them to join,” he said. He plans to approach the Lower Dauphin School Board in March. Londonderry Twp. is the 11th municipality to join the program, and the second in the Lower Dauphin school District to join. Hummelstown also joined the program. Eric Wise: 717-944-4628, or ericwise@pressandjournal.com
Two Londonderry sections targeted for municipal sewer By Eric Wise
Press And Journal Staff
Two areas of Londonderry Twp. could be targeted for connection to municipal sewage systems under a proposed plan the township is now drafting for submission to state environmental officials. The township held a public hearing outlining the plan in January, and supervisors continued discussing it during their Feb. 2 meeting, and raised additional questions. Currently Londonderry has about 5,230 residents in 1,885 residences of which only seven are served by municipal sanitary sewer. Eliminating the need for pumping and inspections of on-lot sewage treatment systems may enhance a home’s retail value in the township where the median owner occupied home value is estimated to be $154,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Residents of Londonderry Estates, located off Steinruck Road, could face the cost of connecting to municipal sewage treatment in Derry Twp. At least 1-in-4 on-lot disposal systems – septic tanks – are failing in these 46 homes along Woodcrest Drive and Pasture Drive, official said. The plan estimates that these property owners would pay a tap-in fee of $5,650 to connect to the system, plus $56 monthly costs. The tap-in fee pays for residents’ share of sewage capacity and the cost of bringing the sewer laterals to their street. Londonderry Estates would add about 12,000 gallons per day to the system. Londonderry Estates residents also would be responsible for the cost of connecting the sewage lines from their home to the sewer main, which varies depending on the lot size and conditions – anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000. That cost would also include abandoning the lines connected to the property’s septic tank. Other costs include a sewage grinder pump, which may range from $500 to $1,500. Application fees of $50 or more often become part of the process in some locales, although Londonderry has not considered this fee. Homeowners would remain responsible for keeping lines on their property and the sewage grinder pump in working order. The $1.5 million project to connect Londonderry Estates could begin construction in four to six years, with all homes connected in seven years. However, as noted by Steve Letavic, township manager, Londonderry has not finalized its plan, which will be submitted to the state Department of Environmental Protection. This year’s proposal is the township’s first update to the state under the Sewage Facilities Act (Act 537) since 1999. Department officials may approve the
schedule the plan proposes, or they may force the township to get the neighborhood and its failing systems connected in less time. Jeff Burkhart, the township’s planning and zoning officer, said residents with failing systems have few options for dealing with wastewater disposal on their own property. Septic systems may develop a variety of problems, stemming from the eventual failure of a drain field, a shutdown in natural decomposition of wastes due to contamination from solvents and from homeowners who neglect to pump their systems which all accumulate oils, grease and sludge over time. Burkhart said digging a sand mound to improve a drainfield may offer years of improvement, but simply delays the problem. Londonderry’s draft plan would also bring municipal water and sewer to residents along and in developments near Route 230. This $25 million project covers the largest area slated for public water and sewer in the township. The township’s engineers have recommended connecting this group of properties, equal to 3,600 singlefamily homes, to Middletown’s wastewater treatment facility. An alternative directing sewer lines serving the eastern portion of the township to Derry Twp.’s facilities was rejected. Plans for the areas along Route 230 include 900 homes in School Heights Village and 1,600 in Lytle Farms, neither of which has even started construction. Other areas included in this proposal are Newberry Road, Lauffer Hill, East Harrisburg Pike, Colebrook Road, Braeburn Road and South Deodate Road. Crestview Village, Pine Manor and Cedar Manor mobile home parks will also be connected to the sewer lines under the plan. Under the proposal, Londonderry Township will add about 900,000 gallons per day to Middletown’s system, when all the areas are added and developments are completed. The township’s engineers project a onetime $5,175 tap-in fee and $50 monthly cost for these property owners, who will also encounter the connection costs, purchase of a sewage grinder pump and an application fee, if any. Just 13 Londonderry properties, seven of them residential, are connected to the Derry Township Municipal Authority’s system, although the only property connected to the system recently is Love’s truck stop along Vine Street near Route 283, said Wayne Schutz, assistant manager for the authority. The Rutter’s store and gas station located near Love’s is served by an on-lot system. Eric Wise: 717-944-4628, or ericwise@pressandjournal.com
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