Obituaries

Mary Jane Ruth With her family by her side, Mary Jane Ruth passed peacefully to the Church Triumphant on Sunday, November 14,  2010. The only child of Sid and Ada Grossman Roth, Mary Jane was born on January 4, 1923, in Lancaster where she resided all of her life. She was a 1941 graduate of J.P. McCaskey High School. During...

Nancy Irvin Graeter, 92, of Lancaster, PA, died Friday, November 19th at Hospice of Lancaster County, Mt. Joy. She was the widow of Paul E. Graeter, Jr. Born in Lebanon, PA she was the daughter of the late Arthur and Ellen Hartman Bowman. She was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. Mrs. Graeter worked as a...

James Edward Mink, age 49, died Tuesday, November 16th, at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital , Philadelphia,  due to complications from lung cancer. Born in Indianapolis, IN, he grew up in Lexington, KY. After serving in the U.S.  Army from 1980-1983, he served in the Kentucky National Guard from 1983-1987 while attending Murray State University in Murray, KY where he...

Margaret “Peg” Middleton Ellis, 89, a resident of The Glen at Willow Valley, died Sunday, November 14, 2010 at Lancaster General Hospital. Born in Norristown, PA, she was the daughter of the late Joseph C. and Eva R. Reifsnyder  Middleton. She was the widow of the late R. Leslie Ellis who died in May of 1998. She was a member...

Margaret “Peg” Middleton Ellis, 89, a resident of The Glen at Willow Valley, died Sunday, November 14, 2010 at Lancaster General Hospital. Born in Norristown, PA, she was the daughter of the late Joseph C. and Eva R. Reifsnyder  Middleton. She was the widow of the late R. Leslie Ellis who died in May of 1998. She was a member...

Helen L. Stolz, 69, of Blain, died Tuesday, November 16, 2010 while on vacation  in Waynesboro, VA.Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late  Paul S. and Hilda M. Wilson Newswanger.  She was the companion of Henry Keyton.  Her husband the late Thomas Stolz died in 2000.Mrs. Stolz had worked at  the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center for...

Paul Edward Graeter, Jr., 87, of Lancaster, PA died Tuesday, November 16th, at ManorCare Health Services in Lancaster. He was the husband of Nancy Irvin Graeter and had been married for twenty-two years in May, 2010.Born in Lancaster, PA, he was the son of the late Paul Edward, Sr. and Lucretia Graeter. He was a Navy senior chief with the...

Pearl S. Geesey, 92, of 366 Mt. Sidney Rd., Witmer, PA died Wednesday, November 10th, at Hospice of Lancaster  County. She was the widow of Joseph K. Geesey who died December 21, 1965. Born in E. Lampeter Twp., she was the daughter of the late Frank A. and Minnie Sweigart Nonannmocher. Pearl was a member of Community United Methodist Church...

Paul T. Eby, 87, formerly of Lancaster, passed away Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010 at Susquehanna Valley Nursing and Rehab Center. Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Maurice H. and Clara M. Trexler Eby.Paul was a pharmacist and co-owner of the former Maurice H. Eby Pharmacy, now Smithgall’s Pharmacy, Columbia Ave., Lancaster. During WWII, he served in...

Betty Jane (Werner) Aston, 89, died October 25, 2010. Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late Paul and Mary Werner. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Ray Aston. Bets will be lovingly missed by her daughters, Cynthia, wife of Elbert P. Moyer, Jr. and Suzanne, wife of George W. Swanger as well as her...

Irene M. Bailey, 83, a resident of Brethren Village, died Monday, October 18, 2010. Born January 4, 1927 in Canton, PA, she was the daughter of the late Herbert L. and Eva McGennis Bailey. Irene retired as a personnel administrator from Franklin and Marshall College in 1986 and was a member of the F&M Retiree’s. She was a member of...

Emma S. Beiler, 78, of Lancaster, died peacefully on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at Hospice of Lancaster County in Mount Joy.   She was married 52 years to Jacob R. Beiler. Born October 13, 1932 in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late John F. and Malinda E. Stoltzfus Stoltzfus. Emma was a homemaker and a member of the Spring...

Wade Schaeffer, 82, of Lancaster, ended his courageous battle with cancer on October 11, 2010 at Hospice of Lancaster County, Mount Joy.  Born in Port Washington, NY, he was the son of Oliver and Nell Schaeffer.  He was the husband of the late Suzanne Wahl Schaeffer who passed away in 1996.  He is survived by: a daughter, Diane wife of...

Estella “Betty” Beck Christman, 92, of Lancaster, died Monday, October 18, 2010 at Lancaster Regional Medical  Center. She was the wife of the late Donald H. Christman who died in 1996. Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Estella Beck. Mrs. Christman had worked 24 years at Slaymaker Lock and then for Radio Script Services...

Florence Hamilton Jess, 90, who resided at Homestead Village since 1997, died peacefully in her sleep on October 18, 2010 surrounded by her loving daughters. Florence was preceded in death by C. Donald Jess, her loving husband and best friend of 57 years. She was predeceased by her parents, Frank and Mary Hamilton, and one brother, Raymond Hamilton. Florence was...

Richard P. Drennen, 94, of Lancaster, passed away at home after a brief illness on October 28, 2010. Born in Southern Lancasterv County, he was the son of the late Milton H. and Bertha Trimble Drennen. He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Cameron Drennen in 2009. Richard worked for over 40 years at Armstrong World Industries as...

Richard “Dick” Pontz, of Brethren Village, Lancaster, died on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at age 95. Born on April 27, 1915, he was a son of Clarence E. and Emma Minder Pontz. Dick was a professional capital fund campaign director for philanthropic agencies for thirty years prior to retirement in 1986. He owned his own business, Richard Pontz & Associates,...

Richard “Dick” Pontz, of Brethren Village, Lancaster, died on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at age 95. Born on April 27, 1915, he was a son of Clarence E. and Emma Minder Pontz. Dick was a professional capital fund campaign director for philanthropic agencies for thirty years prior to retirement in 1986. He owned his own business, Richard Pontz & Associates,...

Gladys Ada Carr, 89, of Lancaster, died at home on Monday, October 18, 2010.  She was the wife of the late Joseph Carr who died in 1984. Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late George and Mary Resch Schoenberger.  Gladys, along with her late husband, had operated Boxit Disposal System for many years. She was a member...

On Friday, October 15, Ruth Humphreville died peacefully at Willow Valley. She was 85 yrs. old. Ruth was the daughter of the late Kelly and Charles “Rosey” Stoy of Lancaster. She graduated from McCaskey High School and Elizabethtown College with a degree in music education. Ruth played an active role in music as a singer and vocal director. A lifelong...