Pennsylvania Obituary and Marriage Records, 1947-2010
Walter W. 'Walt' Ward
Walter W. “Walt” Ward, 66, a resident of Darby, died on November 9th at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park.
Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Walter and Carrie Ward. Mr. Ward served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
He was employed as a machinist mechanic at Distant Precision in Philadelphia for 18 years until his retirement.
Mr. Ward was a Mason and was a member of Prospect Lodge #578, F & AM located in Prospect Park.
He enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing and was skilled in woodcarving.
His family will all miss his loving ways and his guidance through life’s ups and downs. He will be remembered as a person who loved life and lived it well.
Mr. Ward was predeceased by his previous wife, Estelle Ward. He was the brother of the late Bessie Watson, Caroline Bell, Alma Maura, and William Duncan.
He is survived by his wife, Marie L. Ward; his sons, James Bowen of Media and James F. Ward of Darby; his daughters, Christine Gaydos of Leesport, Pa., Sherry Horne of Florida, and Karen Edge of Eddystone; his sister, Agnus Bell of North Carolina; his eleven grandchildren and his great-granddaughter.
His funeral service will ill be held on Saturday at 10 A.M. at the Griffith Funeral Chapel, 520 Chester Pike, in Norwood. His visitation will be on Saturday from 9 A.M. to 10 A.M. at the funeral home. His burial will be in Edgewood Memorial Park in Concord Township.
Contributions: To the American Heart Association, 5455 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43214.
Charles E. Stouffer
Charles E. Stouffer, 102, a longtime resident of Ridley Township, died on November 2nd at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland.
Born in York, Pa., he was the son of the late Victor and Jenny Stouffer. Mr. Stouffer was a resident of Ridley Township since 1950.
Mr. Stouffer was employed as a lathe operator at Westinghouse for many years until his retirement in 1972. After retirement, he worked at Wizda’s Service Center in Ridley Park for a number of years. In his earlier years while living in York County, he worked as a butcher.
Mr. Stouffer enjoyed going to the race track, and made many trips to the old Atlantic City Race Track and Delaware Park He was still driving his car at age 101.
He was a friend to many, and was always willing to help anyone in need. He will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
Mr. Stouffer is the husband of the late Helen C. Stouffer, who died in 1991. He was also predeceased by a grandson, Chad Venditti. He was the brother of the late Henry Stouffer and Evelyn Kepner.
He is survived by his daughters, Andrea Palkki of Chambersburg, Pa. and Jane Venditti of Sandy Springs, Georgia; his four grandchildren and his four great-grandchildren.
His funeral service and burial will be private.
Gloria Rose Marie Earl
Gloria Rose Marie Earl, 81, a resident of Lansdowne and a former Clifton Heights resident, died on November 1st at her residence.
Born in Delaware County, she was the daughter of the late Louis and Rose Angelo. Mrs. Earl was a resident of Lansdowne for the last 21 years, having lived in Clifton Heights for many years before that.
Mrs. Earl was employed as a food concession manager with Woolworth’s for 17 years until her retirement.
She was a parishioner at St. Eugene’s Catholic Church in Primos for many years. Mrs. Earl was an avid reader in her spare time and will be remembered as a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother.
She is survived by her husband, John P. Earl; her daughter, Patricia Mathewson of Ridley Park; her son, Richard J. Mathewson of Wilmington, Delaware; and her granddaughter, Taylor Marie Mathewson.
Her funeral service and burial will be private.
Contributions: To the Alzheimer’s Association, 399 Market Street, Suite 102, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106.
Edward C. 'Big Ed' Wilbank
Edward C. “Big Ed” Wilbank, 78, a lifelong resident of Prospect Park, died on October 31st at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park.
Born in Prospect Park, he was the son of the late John and Lillian Wilbank. He was a resident of Prospect Park all of his life. Mr. Wilbank was a graduate of Prospect Park High School.
He was employed as a letter carrier with the United States Postal Service for 38 years until his retirement.
Mr. Wilbank enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and boating, spending many hours on the local waterways. He was a breeder of beagles, and was proud of his dogs and at one time was a member of the local Beagle Clubs and the Delaware County Beagle Club. He was an avid Green Bay Packers fan.
Most of all, Mr. Wilbank will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather.
He was the brother of the late Jack Wilbank, Ada Corriston, Helen “Sis” Brown, Sara Founds, Wes Wilbank, and James Wilbank.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Myrna Smith Wilbank; his son, Edward C. Wilbank of Wilmington, Delaware; his daughter, Jill Wilbank of Prospect Park; his sister, Frances Morrison of Essington, Tinicum Township; and his grandson, Zack.
His funeral service will be held on Thursday, Nov. 5th, at 11 A.M. at the Griffith Funeral Chapel, 520 Chester Pike, in Norwood. His visitation will be on Thursday from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. and on Wednesday evening from 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. at the funeral home. His burial will be private.
Contributions: To the American Diabetes Association, 150 Monument Road, Suite 100, Bala Cynwyd, Pa. 19004.
Charlotte Kohler Guy
Charlotte Kohler Guy, 96, a resident of Ridley Park, Pa. in Delaware County, died on October 30th at the Freedom Village retirement community in West Brandywine, Pa.
Born in Littlestown, Pa., Mrs. Guy was then raised in Red Lion. She was graduated from Red Lion High School and attended the University of Alabama where she received a degree in English with a minor in Library Science. While attending the University of Alabama, she was selected to be in the Homecoming Queen Court.
She moved to Ridley Park with her husband, the late Reverend James Harold Guy, in 1946 when he became the pastor of the Ridley Park Presbyterian Church and remained pastor for 32 years. He died in 1982.
Mrs. Guy was devoted to her family and supported activities in her husband’s churches. After suspending her career in secondary education when she married and had a family, she resumed her career as librarian at Eddystone High School in 1962 and later at Collingdale High School where she retired in 1978.
After her retirement, she served many years on the Philadelphia Presbytery Home (PPH) Women’s Auxiliary Board which raised funds for improvements at the facilities of PPH.
Mrs. Guy enjoyed listening to classical music, studying the Bible, and reading newspapers and magazines.
She will be remembered for her love and devotion to her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchild.
Besides her husband, she is predeceased by her daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Guy and her sister, Betty Jane Yates.
Mrs. Guy is survived by her sons, James H. Guy, Jr. of Sharon, Pa. and Ronald K. Guy of Downingtown; as well as her two grandchildren (Angelique Stephens of Columbia, S.C. and Kristofer R. Guy of Ridley Park), six great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 7th, at 11 A.M. at the Ridley Park Presbyterian Church, 300 N. Swarthmore Avenue, in Ridley Park. Visitation with the family will be held in the church parlor from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. prior to the service. The burial will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Ridley Park Presbyterian Church, 300 N. Swarthmore Avenue, Ridley Park, Pa. 19078 or to the Lupus Foundation of America, Philadelphia Tri-State Chapter, Rydal Square, 500 Old York Road, Suite 110, Jenkintown, Pa. 19046.
Faith H. Sikaras
Faith Hope Funke Sikaras, 76, a resident of Wallingford, Pa. and a former resident of Wellsville, N.Y., passed away Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park.
She was born November 4, 1932, in New York City, the daughter of the late Emma Stange and Frederick R. Funke. On May 17, 1956, in Floral Park, N.Y., she married James T. Sikaras, her college sweetheart, who predeceased her in 2002. She was also predeceased by her two sisters, Bettyjane Wilson and Carolyn Ward.
Prior to moving to Wallingford, she resided in Wellsville, N.Y. for nearly 50 years. She was an extremely active member of her community, serving on the boards of the David A. Howe Library and the Jones Memorial Hospital. She was a dedicated member and President of the Monday Club. She served in many supportive roles for St. John’s Episcopal Church. She was an alumna of St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. and was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority.
Mrs. Sikaras is survived by her daughters, Cynthia (Bryan) Simmons of Wallingford and Bethany Sikaras of Clifton, Virginia; a brother, Frederick (Lucy) Funke, Jr. of New Berlin, N.Y.; four grandchildren, Alexis, Rebecca, Leonard, and Isabelle; a dear, caring sister-in-law, Martha (Robert) Driscoll of Marietta, Georgia; and several nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 31st, at 4 P.M. at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 301 North Chester Road, in Swarthmore. A memorial and burial service will also take place in Wellsville, N.Y. at a later date.
Contributions: Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Trinity Episcopal Church, 301 North Chester Road, Swarthmore, Pa. 19081 or to the David A. Howe Library of Wellsville, 155 N. Main St., Wellsville, N.Y. 14895-1149.
Albert Edward Perry Firlein
Albert Edward Perry Firlein, 88, a resident of Ridley Park and formerly of West Chester and Norwood, died on October 29, 2009 at the Taylor Hospice Residence in Ridley Park.
Born in Chester, Pa., he was the son of the late Ernest and Della Lewis Firlein. He attended Chester School, and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy serving aboard the USS Hazelwood in the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California.
Mr. Firlein had been a resident of Ridley Park since 1994, having lived in West Chester and Norwood for many years prior to that.
Mr. Firlein worked for Sun Shipyard, Congoleum, and retired in 1982 after 30 years of service with Gulf Oil Company.
He was a great handyman, and enjoyed gardening, hunting, and fishing. A Scout Master for many years, he also served as Assistant District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts.
Mr. Firlein was the husband of the late Jean Search Firlein, who died in 2001. He was also the father of the late Albert (Jerry) Firlein. He was predeceased 11 brothers and sisters, and by two grandchildren.
He is survived by his sons, Jon Firlein of Aston and James Firlein of Skippack, Pa.; his daughters, Judi Wallgren of Ridley Park and Jacquelin “Amy” Firlein of Folsom, Ridley Township; his many grandchildren and his many great-grandchildren.
His funeral service will be held on Monday, November 2nd, at 11 A.M. at The Eddystone United Methodist Church, 9th and Seville Avenues, in Eddystone. His visitation will be on Monday from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. at the church. His burial will be in Glenwood Memorial Gardens in Marple Township.
Contributions: To the Memorial Fund of the Eddystone United Methodist Church, 9th & Seville Avenue, Eddystone, Pa. 19022.
Mary E. Jefferis Kindt
Mary E. Jefferis Kindt, 90, a resident of Lancaster, Pa. and a former longtime resident of Parkside, went to be with the Lord on October 24, 2009 at Manor Care in Lancaster.
Born in Somerset, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Henry and Sarah Gnagy. Mrs. Kindt lived in Lancaster for the last two years, having lived in Elizabethtown for eight years before that. She resided in Parkside for many years before moving to Elizabethtown.
Mrs. Kindt worked for a period of time with ARA Cafeteria Services at Boeing, and then worked at a deli in Claymont, Delaware. She was a homemaker most of her life.
While living in Parkside, she was a member of the First Baptist Church of Aston and was an avid bowler, having bowled in the leagues at Brookhaven Lanes.
Mrs. Kindt loved to sing with area churches and at outdoor services with her first husband, the Rev. Leonard S. Jefferis, Sr., who was an ordained non-denominational minister. She enjoyed playing bingo and was a great fan of animal animated films.
Most of all, Mrs. Kindt will be remembered as a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother.
She is the wife of the late Gustave Kindt, and wife of the late Rev. Leonard S. Jefferis, Sr. She is also the mother of the late Leonard S. Jefferis, Jr.
She is survived by her daughters, Marie E. Cooper of Somers Point, N.J., Leona E. Jefferis of Lancaster, Pa., Sarah V. Morro of Howell, N.J., and Katherine F. Browne of Quarryville, Pa.; her sons, Walter H. Jefferis Sr. of Newark, Delaware, Edgar L. Jefferis Sr. of Morton, and Harry L. Jefferis of Dallas, Pa.; her 27 grandchildren; 59 great-grandchildren, and 9 great-great-grandchildren.
Her funeral service will be held on Friday at 11 A.M. at the Griffith Funeral Chapel, 520 Chester Pike, in Norwood. Her visitation will be on Friday from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. at the funeral home.Her burial will be in Glenwood Memorial Gardens in Marple Township.
Contributions: To the Griffith Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 56, Norwood, Pa.19074 to help expenses for the Kindt Family.
Helen O'Donnell
Helen O’Donnell, 86, a longtime resident of Norwood and former resident of Prospect Park, died on October 26th at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park.
Born in Alliance, Ohio, she was the daughter of the late Julius and Helen Sloan. Mrs. O’Donnell was a resident of Norwood since 1977, having lived in Prospect Park from 1952 until moving to Norwood.
Mrs. O’Donnell was employed as a salesperson at Baily, Banks, and Biddle in Springfield for a number of years until her retirement.
She was an avid reader and maintained an extensive collection of books. She enjoyed working in her beautiful gardens and was always seen working on a new crossword puzzle. On Saturday mornings she was always off to explore the local yard and garage sales for things that would be valuable to her.
Mrs. O’Donnell was very proud of her appearance as a contestant on the game show, “Concentration” hosted by Hugh Downs in New York; where she went on to win and become the World Champion of “Concentration” in 1966.
Mrs. O’Connell loved her dog and was concerned with animal welfare throughout her life.
She will be remembered as a loving and devoted mother and grandmother.
Mrs. O’Donnell was the mother of the late William Plennert.
She is survived by her son, W. Richard O’Donnell of Barrington, N.J.; her daughters, Kathleen Frost of Coatesville and Marcia Hawley of Fairfield, Conn.; and her four grandchildren.
Her funeral service and burial will be private.
Contributions: To the Animal Welfare Association, 509 Centennial Blvd., Voorhees, N.J. 08043
Robert 'Bob' K. Deane, Sr.
Robert K. Deane, 77, of Norwood, Pa., a decorated disabled Korean War Veteran, died peacefully on June 2nd at Bryn Mawr Hospital with God and his family by his side.
Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Bob loved the sea and sailing. As a young man he joined the Coast Guard which brought him to Philadelphia. While attending a USO event he met a USO hostess, Madeline, soon to become his wife of 55 years.
After their marriage, Bob and Madeline settled in Norwood, Pa. where they raised their four children. He was employed as a Mechanical Engineer at Mrs. Paul’s, the Gulf Oil Refinery and finally Oscar Mayer where he was employed until retirement.
He continued to serve throughout his life. He served the Lord as an active member of the Norwood United Methodist Church for 53 years. He served on his Church Council, he was Judge of Elections, a member of the Pastor Parish Committee, and a member of the Building Committee. Bob attended Albright College where he earned his certification in Christ Servant Ministries. Over the past 15 years he performed Christ Servant Ministry at local churches. Bob served as a Lay member of the Annual Conference and S.E. District Committee on Superintendency. He served the community as a member of the Youth Aid Panel which helped at-risk youth to find the right path in life. He served as the Harbor Master of the Delaware River and as a Marine Surveyor and Engineering Consultant. As Bob loved the sea and sailing, he spent many years as Mate and Skipper for the Norwood Sea Scouts. He enjoyed the annual 17 day cruise with 28 scouts to the off-shore islands of New England. He continued to serve his country as the Commander of the Local Disabled American Veterans, Delaware County PA Chapter 113 and Bob spent countless hours raising funds for the Annual Forget-me-not Campaign for disabled veterans.
Bob was beloved husband, father and grandfather, great-grandfather and friend.
He was the son of the late Donald Deane and Florence Thornton Deane, and was the brother of the late James Deane and Joan Huber.
He is survived by his wife, Madeline Elizabeth (nee Tustin) Deane, his son, Robert K. Deane, Jr (deceased daughter-in-law Marie) of Medford Lakes, N.J.; his daughters, Melanie Cooney of Hacks Point, Md., Lorrie (son-in-law, Gary) Leranian of New London, Pa. and Nancy (son-in-law, Charles) McCrosson of Little Torch Key, Fl.; his sister, Sue Bonaventure of Tennessee; his grandchildren, Joshua Cooney and wife Stacy, Stacey Cooney, Amy Cooney, Niki Leranian, Katie Leranian, Gary Leranian; his great-grandchildren: Gabraelle Cooney, Joshua Cooney, Gavin Cooney, Mason Cooney, and Aiden Violette.
His funeral service will be on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at Norwood United Methodist Church, 315 Chester Pike, Norwood, Pa. His visitation will be on Tuesday evening from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. and on Wednesday morning from 9 A.M. to 10 A.M. at the Griffith Funeral Chapel, 520 Chester Pike, Norwood, PA. His burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Aston, Pa.
Contributions: In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bob’s memory may be made to Norwood United Methodist Church, 315 Chester Pike, Norwood, Pa. 19074.
Joseph J. Huddy, Jr.
Joseph J. Huddy, Jr., 61, a resident of Philadelphia who was raised in Collingdale, Pa.;Died on June 1st at The Taylor Hospice Residence in Ridley Park, Pa.
Born in Collingdale and raised in Collingdale, he was a 1967 graduate of Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill. He was a resident of Philadelphia and before that briefly lived in California.
Mr. Huddy was employed by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections for many years until his retirement in 2006. Before that, he did work for the Department of Public Welfare for a period of time.
He enjoyed trips to the South Jersey shore with his family and friends and was known for his beautiful flowers and his wonderful garden that he enjoyed working in his spare time. He also enjoyed working on various crossword puzzles for relaxation. He will be remembered as a person who was devoted to his family and his many friends.
Mr. Huddy was the son of the late Joseph J. Huddy, and was predeceased by his brother, James J. Huddy, and his sister, Denise M. Sheridan.
He is survived by his loving companion, Richard H. Floyd, Jr. of Philadelphia; his mother, Elizabeth R. Huddy of Collingdale, Pa.; and his sister, Rosemary Huddy of Ardmore, PA.
His funeral service will be held on Friday at 11 A.M. at The Griffith Funeral Chapel, 520 Chester Pike in Norwood, Pa. His visitation will be on Friday from 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. at the funeral home. His burial will be private.
Contributions: To Taylor Hospice, P.O. Box 147, Ridley Park, Pa. 19078
