MARGUERITE W. RICHARDS
CUMBERLAND - Marguerite Witwer Richards, Cumberland musician and civic leader, died Monday, April 14, 1997, at the Westminster-Canterbury retirement facility, Lynchburg, Va.
Born April 18, 1899, in West Chester, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Samuel W. Witwer Sr. and Lulu Catherine Richmond.
Mrs. Richards came to Cumberland in 1921, after completing her studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. She lived with her parents at 213 Washington St. She soon began a lifetime of service to the arts in Maryland. She founded and was first president of both the Cumberland Music and Arts Club, in 1924, and the Maryland Federation of Music Clubs, in 1925. With Denise Howarth and Ruth Dickens, she organized a piano, cello and violin trio which performed locally and throughout Maryland.
A piano teacher for 55 years, Mrs. Richards had a profound effect upon generations of students for whom she provided tutelage. She was active in the Community Concerts Association, which she helped organize. In 1984, she received the Governor's Citation as Volunteer for the Arts from then Governor Harry Hughes.
Mrs. Richards organized Cumberland's first Hunger Walk, chaired the Mother's March for the March of Dimes, and the Community Pantry. She spent many hours as a volunteer in the Hospice Unit of Sacred Heart Hospital.
Mrs. Richards' marriage to Thomas P. Richards, former clerk to the Allegany County Commissioners, ended in divorce. She is survived by her son, Thomas W. Richards, Arlington, Va.; four granddaughters; a grandson; and 10 great-grandchildren. Her daughter, Katheryn "Kay" (Richards) MacMillan, Lynchburg, Va., died in 1992.
There will be no visitation or funeral locally.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Marguerite Witwer Richards Music Fund in care of the Frostburg State University Foundation, Inc., Alumni House, Frostburg, MD 21532.
EDWARD J. RIDER
HAGERSTOWN - Edward Joseph Rider, 77, of Hagerstown, died Wednesday, March 5, 1997, at the Avalon Manor Nursing Home.
Born April 22, 1919, in Cumberland, he was the son of the late Joseph S. and Theresa E. (Miltenberger) Rider. He also was preceded in death by one sister, Edna E. Close.
Mr. Rider retired from the Nabisco Co. in 1981 after 40 years of service. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict. He was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church, Hagerstown; Morris Frock Post 42 American Legion, Hagerstown; Knights of Columbus Pangborn Chapter, Hagerstown; BPO Elks Lodge 378, Hagerstown; and the Voiture 164, Cumberland.
Surviving are his wife, Kathleen "Bettie" Rider; one daughter, Mary Ellen Rider, Bristol, Tenn.; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received at the Scarpelli Funeral Home, 108 Virginia Ave., Cumberland, on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with Father Edward Manalis officiating. Interment will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park, Cumberland.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Ann's Catholic Church, 1525 Oak Hill Ave., Hagerstown, MD 21742.
ELIZABETH R. RIEHL
OAKLAND - Elizabeth R. "Betty" Riehl, 64, of Stockslager Road, Oakland, the executive assistant to the president of the American Advertising Federation until her retirement in 1994, died of cancer on Tuesday, March 25, 1997, at her home on Deep Creek Lake.
Mrs. Riehl was born Dec. 21, 1932, in Glendale, Calif., the daughter of the late Carroll R. and Carolyn (Novinger) Hauser. Her father was a pioneer radio broadcaster.
She was raised and attended public schools and college in northern California. The family moved to Fairfax, Va. in 1960. Except for a four year sojourn in Germany and Austria in the middle 1960s, she resided there with her family until her retirement in 1994.
During the 1950s, Mrs. Riehl was employed in various programming and sales capacities at radio stations KNBC, KABC and KYA in San Francisco.
She joined the D.C. headquarters of the American Advertising Federation in 1975, and assumed her duties in the office of the president, including serving as liason to the AAF board of directors and board committees, as well as scheduling and planning key AAF meetings throughout the United States.
Former AAF president, Howard Bell, who hired Mrs. Riehl, and current president, Wally Snyder, in a joint statement, praised Mrs. Riehl for her hard work and professionalism as well as her warmth and good humor, which contributed so much to headquarters operations and membership support. "She will be sorely missed by her legion of friends throughout the AAF," they stated.
Surviving are her husband, Richard M. Riehl, a Washington, D.C. communications attorney; one daughter, Pamela Holloway, Oakland; four sons, Mark Riehl and Scott Riehl, both of Fairfax, Va., Kurt Riehl, Boiling Springs, Pa., and Greg Riehl, Douglasville, Ga.; seven grandchildren and two stepgrandchildren.
Services will be held at the Stewart Funeral Home, Oakland, on Saturday, March 29, 1997, at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Manning Smith officiating.
The family requests that memorials take the form of contributions to the Hospice of Garrett County, PO Box 271, Oakland, MD 21550, the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, PO Box 9300, Morgantown, WV 26506, or the Garrett County Chapter, American Cancer Society, PO Box 294, Oakland, MD 21550.
JAMES H. ROBINETTE
CUMBERLAND - James Harrison Robinette, 80, of Cumberland, died Saturday, Feb. 22, 1997, at his residence.
Born Aug. 22, 1916, in Cumberland, he was the son of the late Arthur Leo and Susan Mary (Messick) Robinette.
Mr. Robinette was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He had been a sergeant in Company C, 351st Infantry, 88th Division. He retired from the Kelly-Springfield Tire Co. in 1975, having been a superintendent.
He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church; life member of Fort Cumberland Post 13, American Legion; Henry Hart Post 1411, VFW; 40/8 Voiture, Locale 164; Fraternal Order of Eagles, Aerie 245; life member of Lodge 63 BPO Elks; Potomac Lodge 100 AF & AM; 32nd Degree, Cumberland Scottish Rite Bodies; and Ali Ghan Shrine, where he was a member of the Director's Staff and charter member of the Shepherd's Unit.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, "Kay" Catherine R. (Shober) Robinette; two daughters, Mrs. Patricia Kraus and husband Richard, Moberly, Mo., and Mrs. Margaret Mills, Cumberland; six grandchildren, Patrick Kraus and wife Kim, Cincinnati, Ohio, Timothy Kraus, Detroit, Kathleen Kraus, Pittsburgh, Maureen Kraus and Daniel Kraus, both of Moberly, and Jennifer Mills Hare and husband Steve, Cumberland; and one great-granddaughter, Rebecca Catherine Hare, Cumberland.
Visitation will be at the George-Upchurch Funeral Home, Cumberland, on Sunday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Potomac Lodge 100 AF & AM will conduct a memorial service at the funeral home on Monday at 7:15 p.m.
BPOE Lodge 63 will conduct a memorial service at the funeral home on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
The funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1997, at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Milton Hipsley and the Rev. Dr. Gary Trail officiating.
Interment will take place at the Maryland State Veterans cemetery at Rocky Gap, where full military honors will be accorded by the Combined Veterans Honor Guard.
Serving as pallbearers will be Butch Robertson, LeRoy Dziuk, Bobby Nines, James Poland, John Rinehart and Wayne Couter.
Members of the Director's Staff will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Memorial contributions may be made to either St. Mary's Catholic Church, 300 E. Oldtown Road, Cumberland, MD 21502 or to the Ali Ghan Shrine Shepherd's Unit, P.O. Box 1416, Cumberland, MD 21502.
EULALA ROBOSSON
CUMBERLAND - Eulala Robosson, 86, formerly of Route 3, Johnson's Addition, Cumberland, residing with her daughter and son-in-law on White Avenue, Cumberland, went to be with our Lord, and her late husband of 63 years on Friday, May 2, 1997, at Memorial Hospital, Cumberland.
Friends will be received at the Merritt-Adams Funeral Home, 404 Decatur St., Cumberland, on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be conducted at the funeral home on Tuesday at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Richard Leslie and the Rev. Daniel Taylor officiating.
Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be grandsons and great-grandsons.
JOSEPH W. ROGISH
MIDLAND - Joseph W. Rogish, 58, of Midland, died Tuesday, Sept. 16, 1997, at Sacred Heart Hospital, Cumberland.
Born Feb. 1, 1939, in Lonaconing, he was the son of Worlene (James) Rogish, Midland, and the late John Rogish.
Mr. Rogish was a former employee of the Celanese Fiber Corporation, Cresaptown. He was a graduate of Beall High School, Class of 1957. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves, a member of the Democrat Club, Midland, and a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Midland. Mr. Rogish was an avid fan of baseball.
In addition to his mother, surviving are four sisters, Veronica Kladke and husband Earl, Buffalo, N.Y., Louise Wiland and husband William, Baltimore, Kathleen Wiland and husband Charles, Baltimore, and Mary Anne Meyers and husband Francis, Frostburg; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received at the Eichhorn-McKenzie Funeral Home, Lonaconing, on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A Christian wake service will be held at the funeral home at 8 p.m.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Midland, on Friday at 9:30 a.m. with Father Edward S. Hendricks officiating.
Interment will follow at St. Joseph's Catholic cemetery, Midland.
Nephews will serve as pallbearers.
