November 05, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Stanford Alan Lefkowitz, age 88 of White Oak, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 surrounded by his loving family. He was born In McKeesport on June 23, 1931 and is the son of the late Carl and Rose Lichenstein Lefkowitz. Stan was the beloved owner of Penn Taft Pharmacy which has cared for generations of West Mifflin residents for the last 70 years. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh in Accounting and Duquesne University in Pharmacy, Mr. Lefkowitz also served the nation as a Navy Corpsman for the US Marines. He was the Alumni of the decade for Duquesne University, President of the Allegheny County Pharmaceutical Association, Proctor for Interns for Pharmacy School for hundreds of pharmacy students, and sponsored scores of little league baseball teams. Stan was very involved in the community. Stan Lefkowitz was kind and compassionate - loved by everyone who knew him and always left folks feeling encouraged and better about themselves.
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November 04, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Leonard “Leo” Joseph Puma, age 94, of McKeesport and West Palm Beach, Florida, died Sunday, November 3, 2019. He was born in Lorain, Ohio on March 18, 1925 and is the son of the late Samuel and Rose Marino Puma. He served in the U.S. Navy during WW II and received honors for his service. He was a member of St. Patrick Church in McKeesport. He was a retired member of Iron Workers Local #3 for 71 years and was elected and served as President for 12 years. He then was the Business Manager for the Pittsburgh Building Trades for the following 12 years. He was an accomplished Union Rights activist and devoted much of his life to the cause. After retirement, he was a PA State Constable. He was a member of the former McKeesport Elks Club, the Eleventh Ward Club, the Italian Heritage Society, the Renzie Seniors and the White Oak American Legion.
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October 29, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Nicholas Charles Ursta, age 52, of Versailles and White Oak, died Tuesday, October 29, 2019. He was born in Pittsburgh on October 29, 1967 and is the son of Geraldine Montgomery Ursta and the late Charles Ursta. He was a fence installer and contactor. Nick was a first responder and EMT for White Oak Rescue Squad for approximately 25 years and then a firefighter and EMT for Versailles Volunteer Fire Company since 2004. He was a part of all rescue efforts in New York City for the 9/11 tragedy. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping with his family and friends.
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October 27, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Marie A. Hodge, age 82, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2019. She is the daughter of the late Thomas and Marie Danko Valiknac and was born July 28, 1937 in Duquesne.
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October 27, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Ellis Brown, age 93, of Dravosburg, died Tuesday, October 22, 2019. He was born in Franklin County, N.C. on May 12, 1926 and is the son of the late Samuel and Leacy Alston Brown and the husband of the late Vivian Arlene Tyler Brown. He served in the Navy during WWII and was employed at Universal Cyclops.
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October 21, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
John “Jack” Malcolm Francis MacDonald, age 92, of Elizabeth Twp., died Monday, October 21, 2019. He was born in McKeesport on December 24, 1926 and is the son of the late Archibald John and Elizabeth Kraus MacDonald. He was a graduate of Mercersburg Academy and Franklin and Marshall College and was a veteran of World War II serving on active duty in the Philippines and Japan.
He retired in 2011 after 56 years in the financial services industry with McKelvy & Co. which later merged with Parker/Hunter Inc. and then Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC. A certificate of recognition was presented to him by Parker/Hunter Inc. on September 19, 2005 for 50 years of dedicated service. Formerly he was a Senior Vice President, a member of the Board of Directors and a trustee of the ESOP Fund at Parker/Hunter Inc. before they were purchased by Janney Montgomery Scott. He was a member of the Board of TRC Companies, Inc. from 2001 to 2008, and was a board member of several privately held companies. He was a member of the Board of Directors of McKeesport Hospital (now University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – UPMC McKeesport) from 1974 to 2003. He then became a member of the McKeesport Hospital Foundation from 2003 to 2017. He was also a member of the following: President of the Mon Yough Area Industrial Development Corporation; the McKeesport Industrial Development Authority; the Mon Yough Chamber of Commerce; the McKeesport Rotary Club; the Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of Southwestern Pennsylvania where he served on the Finance Committee and Investment Committee; White Oak Borough Council for eight years and President of Council for six years; Founding Board Member of the Landmark at Hillsboro Condominium Association in Hillsboro Beach, Florida, where he served on the Board as a Member and Treasurer for many years; and Trustee of the Dr. Frederick A. Prescott Medical Scholarship Fund. Jack and Joan loved to travel and had visited at least 70 different foreign countries. They also enjoyed planning trips with both their immediate family and extended family.
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October 16, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Jackeldean “Jacki” Casey Svetz of Grafton, Ohio formerly of McKeesport, died on October 8, 2019. She was born in McKeesport on October 21, 1931. She is the daughter of the late John and Rallie Spurnock Casey and the wife of the late Edward S. Svetz. She is survived by sisters, Janet, Shirley and Norma Jean; also, nieces, nephews and cousins.
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October 13, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Grace Raible, age 95, of Port Vue, died Saturday, October 12, 2019. She was born in McKeesport on February 6, 1924 and is the daughter of the late Henry and Mathilda Noll Bryer. She was the wife of the late Roy T. Raible, who died December 27, 2014.
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October 06, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
John F. Murtha, age 98, of West Mifflin, died Sunday, October 6, 2019. He was born in Monessen, PA on June 30, 1921 and is the son of the late John B. and Gertrude C. Soisson Murtha. He was a longtime Little League Baseball manager/coach in West Mifflin, and a West Mifflin Volunteer Fire Company Chaplin and Officer. He was a charter member of Holy Spirt Catholic Church, where he served as a Eucharistic Minister and Premarital minister. He was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard during WW II and was a retired electrician for the B & O Railroad and US Steel National Works. He is the husband for 73 years of the late Gloria E. Schankel Murtha, who died, August 29, 2019.
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October 05, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Leo Phillip Axmacher, Jr., age 71, of McKeesport, died Saturday, October 5, 2019. He was born in McKeesport on October 1, 1948 and is the son of the late Leo Phillip and Angeline Primavera Zitz Axmacher.
Leo, a lifelong resident of McKeesport worked at Jordan produce, D&K Department Store, Doubletree Hotel, and the YMCA. Leo enjoyed watching sports and was an avid fan of the Pittsburg Steelers. He liked playing Duckpins at Tube City and enjoyed old westerns including Bonanza and Gunsmoke. Eating dinners with family, especially pizza is one of his favorite pastimes.
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September 28, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
William Benick, age 89, of McKeesport, died on Friday, September 27, 2019. He was born in McKeesport on December 19, 1929 and is the son of the late George and Rose Lechak Benick. He served in the Navy on the U.S. Destroyer, “The Fred T. Berry”, during the Korean Conflict. He retired as a safety director from Enamel Products and Plating and served as the union president.
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September 16, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
David Crowe, age 76, of Glassport, died Friday, September 13, 2019. He was born in Pittsburgh on December 2, 1942 and is the son of the late Blair and Inez Crow. He worked in the Janitorial industry and is a US Army Veteran.
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September 14, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Betty A. Pikula, age 68, of Liberty Boro, died Friday, September 13, 2019. She was born in Pittsburgh on May 7, 1951 and is the daughter of the late Steve and Betty Maleski. She worked as the Administrative Assistant of the Medical Education Department of UPMC St. Margaret’s. She was a member of St. Mark’s, St. Michael’s and Queen of the Rosary Grouping.
Betty is survived by her husband of 39 years, Deacon Stephen Pikula, daughter, Stephanie Pikula of Liberty Boro, her sister, Harriet (Donald) Franklin of Mechanicsberg, PA, sisters-in-law, Nadine Fusillo of Vandergrift and Damaris Wise of White Oak and many nieces and nephews.
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September 09, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Michael R. McCall age 48, of Elizabeth, died, Monday, September 9, 2019. He was born in Pittsburgh on Oct 4, 1970 and is the son of Robert McCall of Elizabeth and the late Nancy Lee Deemer McCall.
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September 03, 2019 |
By Strifflers Family Funeral Homes | Posted in: Strifflers Family Funeral Homes
Pauline Perhacs passed away peacefully on Monday, September 2, 2019 at the age of 99. She lived a long, full life. She was very social and loved to laugh. When Pauline laughed, it was contagious and caused all who were near her to laugh, too. Born August 7, 1920 in Duquesne, she was the daughter of the late Pauline (Kukechuk) and Theodore (Frank) Dyakon, and stepdaughter of the late Andrew Krotovich. Pauline met her husband, John Perhacs, at 15 and they were married when she was 17 years old. She is survived by her brother, Andrew (Duke) Dyakon and three children, Alvin Perhacs (Betty Ann), Robert Perhacs (Marianne) and Paula Baumgart (Karl), as well as nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Perhacs; brothers John, George and Michael Dyakon; and sisters Ann Krivacek, Mary Brush and Teresa Lubinski.
Pauline was a highly successful saleswoman in the field of ladies' lingerie. She won trips as rewards and even devised her own thank you incentive gifts for her customers. One of the rewards she earned was a trip to Florida where she had lunch with the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus Performers.
In her spare time, Pauline enjoyed gardening, walking in her neighborhood and cooking pork chops, lasagna, pierogies and much more. Her cookies and pies were favorites among friends and family. Some of the most popular included coconut cream, peach, pumpkin, apple, and more.
Possessing a strong love of singing and dancing, Pauline went dancing every Saturday night with her husband. Pauline enjoyed movies and at times watched more than one a day. She even devised her own rating system that she would carry around in her purse and pull out to give people her opinion on the latest box office hits. One of her favorites was physical comedy.
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