Obituaries

The Rev. John “Jack” H. Houdeshel, 92, of Willow Valley Retirement Community entered the Church Triumphant Saturday, November 21, 2015.  Born in Baltimore, he was the son of the late Chauncey and Naomi (Resh) Houdeshel. He was a graduate of Hyattsville (MD) High School, and Maryville (TN) College and went on to Princeton Seminary where he earned his Master of...

Mary W. Bitterman, age 82, departed to be with the Lord at her home South of Willow Street, PA on November 20, 2015.  She was the loving wife of Chester A. Bitterman, Jr.Born in Lancaster to Ralph and Sadie (Herr) Witmer, Mary was raised on the farm of her grandmother (Alice Herr) on the East end of Millersville.  She went...

William James Leninger, II, 62, of Elizabethtown, died on Monday, November 16, 2015 after a brief illness. Bill was born July 15, 1953, the son of the late William James Leninger and Joyce (Hawthorne) Embly.Bill graduated from Donegal High School, and resided at Masonic Villages.Billy was well known for his ceramics and tie dye, and had a particular love of...

William E. Krantz, 99, of Meadow Ridge at Willow Valley, Willow Street, died November 15 after a month-long illness.He was born September 18, 1916 in Buffalo, New York, the son of Enos Herr and Blanche Glasgow Krantz.  He was a resident of Lancaster all of his adult life, residing at 621 North School Lane for forty-four years prior to moving...

William G. Pontz, Jr., 79, of Lancaster passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, November 10, 2015.  He was born in Lancaster, PA, a son of the late William G. Pontz, Sr. and Dorothy Root Pontz.  He was preceded in death by his brother Jack B. Pontz and stepmother Dorothy G. Pontz.  Bill was a 1954 graduate of J.P. McCaskey...

Charles “Chilly” LohinIt is with sadness the Lohin family announces the passing of Charles Lohin, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. With great joy, we celebrate his extraordinary life.Charles was born fittingly on Independence Day 1930 to Charles and Julia Lohin, immigrants from Czechoslovakia. He knew hard work watching his father come home from the mines black with coal...

Dorothy E. Goss, 97, of Willow Street, passed away on Monday, November 16, 2015 at Hamilton Arms.  She was wife of the late Raymond W. Goss to whom she was married for 65 years.  Born in Lancaster, PA she was the daughter of the late George and Bertha (Lonkowski) Good.She spent her life as a homemaker dedicating herself to her...

Mildred M. Harnish, 93, a resident of Landis Homes, died peacefully from complications of Parkinson’s Disease, on Saturday, November 14, 2015 while surrounded by her family.She had been married 59 years to the late Clayton K. Harnish who died in 2001.  Born in Pequea Township, she was the daughter of the late Jacob K. and Fanny Mellinger Sangrey.Mildred had worked...

Jacob “Jake” F. Lefever, Jr., 92, of Lancaster, died Friday, November 13, 2015 at the Mennonite Home, where he had resided for the past month.He was married 68 years to Barbara M. Eshleman Lefever.  Born in Marticville, he was the son of the late Jacob F., Sr. and Katie Thomas Lefever.Early in life Jake had been a farmer.  He then...

Claire Lundberg Ashby of Lititz, Pa died suddenly and unexpectedly at home on Wednesday, November 11, 2015 at age 71.  Words cannot express the family’s feeling of grief at the loss of their loving wife, mother, sister and grandmother.  She was the devoted wife and best friend of Richard J. Ashby, Jr., the loving mother of Douglas R. Ashby (husband...

David Michael Slaugh“David the Goldsmith”David Michael Slaugh, 68, well known downtown Lancaster jeweler, died unexpectedly at home on Monday, November 9, 2015.  He was the husband of Cynthia A. Pagotto to whom he was married 31 years.Born in Lancaster, David was the son of the late James R. Slaugh Sr. and Clare Kruschinsky Slaugh.In addition to his wife, Cynthia, David...

Peter Schrank, Jr., 85, of Lancaster, passed away on Friday, November 6, 2015. He was the loving husband of Ruth M. (Humphreville) Schrank.Born in Columbia, PA, he was the son of the late Peter Schrank Sr. and Anna (Stoeger) Schrank.After attending Columbia High School, Peter studied at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.He then went on to work at Permutit in...

William “Bill” M. Hollman, 61 of Lancaster, left us on Sunday, November 1, 2015.Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Marion James Hollman and Mozelle Morgan Hollman.Bill was a graduate of J. P. McCaskey High School.  Earlier in life he was very active in sports.  Bill had a lot of friends and was greatly loved by everyone...

Kenneth C. Sahm, 86, of Lancaster, died Friday, November 6, 2015, after a 20 year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. A resident of Lancashire Hall for nearly 5 years, he was born at home in Penn Township, Lancaster County, PA, on March 11, 1929, to the late Harry L. and Minnie (Rudy) Sahm.  The youngest of 4 brothers and 1 sister,...

Ann C. Walton, 56, of Lancaster, PA passed away  on Thursday, November 5, 2015 at Lancaster General Hospital after a lengthy illness.Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late C. Wayne and Rosanna Broadt Creasy.Ann fought a long, hard battle with her illness.  She was a devoted friend and a most loving mother to her son, Alan whom...

Ann Davis Knapp, 94, of Moravian Manor Lititz, formerly of 332 Valleybrook Drive, Lancaster, died on Friday, October 30, 2015.  She was the wife of the late Edgar I. Knapp who died in 1974.  Born in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of the late George W. Davis, Jr. and Virginia Barr Davis.  She moved to Lancaster with her family during...

Mildred Cox Welde was born in Detroit Michigan on November 8, 1931 and passed from this life on October 25, 2015.She  graduated from Bob Jones University with a BS degree in Elementary Education.  Mildred was an elementary school teacher in Pasadena California, Boyton Beach, Florida  Dallas Texas, and Kimberton Pennsylvania.  She received recognition as a leader in Future Teachers of...

Gloria M. Nixdorf, 82, of Lancaster, passed away on Saturday October 31, 2015 at Lancaster General Hospital.  She was the loving wife of the late Jere L. Nixdorf.Born in Lancaster, PA, she was the daughter of the late Vincent S. and Barbara M. (Chambers) Good.Gloria retired from the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic.She was a member of First Reformed Church in...

Paul R. Gring, 91, of Lancaster, passed away on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at Lancaster General Hospital.  He was the loving husband of Elfriede Koerber as well as to his first wife, the late Edna Mae (Culp) Gring.Born in Reading, PA, he was the son of the late Harvey and Esther (Luppold) Gring.He proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corp...

Richard M. Sayres, 61, of Leola, died on Tuesday, October 27, 2015.Richard was a graduate of Lampeter Strasburg High School and the Culinary Institute of America in New York.   He was the Executive Chef of The Inn At Leola Village.  He enjoyed philosophy, sports and was a big fan of Michael Jordan and Bruce Springsteen.  Surviving are two sons, Ian...