Retired Beaver emergency services coordinator
Russell T. (Russ) Chiodo, 81, of Patterson Township, died Thursday, May 15, 2008, in his home.
Mr. Chiodo was born January 19, 1927, in Ambridge, a son of Joseph and Mary Chiodo.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
Mr. Chiodo retired in 2004 as Beaver County emergency services coordinator after 30 years of service with the county and commissioner for Patterson Township with more than 30 years of service. He was a past president of Allegheny County League of Municipalities, vice president of State Township Commissioners Organization, president of Western Pennsylvania Township Commissioners Organization, Fraternal Order of Police Association of Chiefs of Police, a founder of Beaver Falls Football Boosters, an agent for Prudential Insurance and a pressman for Beaver Falls News Tribune.
He enjoyed watching his grandchildren playing sports. He loved high school football, especially Beaver Falls Tigers and Blackhawk Cougars. Mr. Chiodo also loved Patterson Township, where he resided for more than 50 years.
Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Betty Julia Snyder Chiodo; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Russell S. Chiodo and fiancee Gloria of Fallston and Michael and Catherine Moore-Chiodo of Bridgeville; three daughters and sons-in-law, Robyn and Mike Miller of Washington, Beth and Ronald Smith and Lisa and Chuck Morrison, all of Patterson Township; grandchildren Stephen and Dustin Chiodo, Elizabeth, Andrew and Samuel Miller, Matthew, Jimmi Sue, Brian and Adam Smith, Lucas Savanovich and Emily and Tyler Morrison; a brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Delores Chiodo of Worthington, Ohio; two sisters and brother-in-law, Frances Dinello of Lake City and Erma and Valentino Uboldi of Erie; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, whom he loved dearly.
Deceased, in addition to his parents, are a brother, Raymond Chiodo; and a brother-in-law, Liberio (Bayo) Dinello.
Friends will be received from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday in Lutton Chippewa Funeral Home, 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls, PA 15010, where a blessing service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 19, with Father Richard J. Tusky, former parochial vicar of Divine Mercy Parish, officiating.
Private interment will be in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park, Rochester.
Veterans honor guard will meet in the funeral home at 10:45 a.m. Monday to present full military honors.
Contributions may be made, if so desired, to Mother Teresa Hospice, 3950 Brodhead Road, Monaca, PA 15061.
View online at www.luttonfuneralhome.com.
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PHILLIP A. DETWEILER
Auto business owner had a love of music
Phillip A. Detweiler, 74, of Uniontown, died Friday, May 16, 2008, in the hospice unit of Mt. Macrina Manor, Uniontown.
He was born May 13, 1934, a son of Berwyn S. and Mary Lyndall Jamison Detweiler.
Mr. Detweiler was a member of Uniontown High School, Class of 1952. He enjoyed the planning of celebration of each class reunion as well as the All-Fayette County and All-UHS graduate reunions in central Florida.
He was an active member in St. Peter's Lutheran Church.
Mr. Detweiler loved to share his love of music and participated in many area choirs and shows including performances with the Uniontown Chorale, SPESQUA (barbershop chorus) and Asbury Chancel Choir. He was a 50-year member of Laurel Lodge 651 F&AM, Uniontown Lodge of Perfection 14th degree AASR, Pennsylvania Consistory 32nd degree AASR, Syria Temple AAONMS and Caravan 9.
He inherited his father's love for people and passion for the automotive sales business. In 1966, he opened a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership in downtown Masontown and built its current location in June 1969. In 1970, GMC trucks were added, and he acquired Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile lines in 1980. With the dealership in the hands of his two sons, Mr. Detweiler retired in 1996, returning many days to visit with his customers, many of whom had become dear friends.
Surviving are his wife, Jeanne Sofchek-Arison Detweiler of Uniontown; three sons, Phillip Detweiler Jr. and wife Kathy of Kansas, James Detweiler and wife Doreen of Uniontown and Bruce Detweiler and wife Dayna of Hopwood; a daughter, Leigh Mansberry and husband Dave of Uniontown; eight grandchildren, Alicia, Christopher, Maria, Kelly and Amy Detweiler and Joshua, Jacob and Zachary Mansberry; four stepchildren, Chris Constantine and husband Bill of Uniontown, Peggy Warfield and husband Gene of Maryland, Bob Arison and wife Becky of Texas, and John Arison and wife Lois of Uniontown; nine grandchildren, Billy and Leah Constantine, Aimee Allamon, Jason and Jonathan Warfield, Rob, Brett, Ashley and Evan Arison; a great-granddaughter, Lexi Allamon; four brothers, Berwyn S. Detweiler Jr. and wife Lois, Herbert and wife Judy, Nelson and wife Jill and Alan and wife Sandy; and a sister, Marilyn Penney.
Family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday and 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 19, in Andrew D. Ferguson Funeral Home Inc., 80 Morgantown Street, Uniontown, followed at 11 a.m. by services celebrating Mr. Detweiler's life in St. Peter's Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Bernard Carl officiating. Interment will follow in Jacob's Lutheran Cemetery, Masontown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his memory to St. Peter's Lutheran Church Building Fund, 121 Walnut Hill Road, Uniontown, PA 15401, or Albert Gallatin Hospice, 20 Highland Park Drive, Uniontown, PA 15401.
Laurel Lodge 651 F&AM will conduct funeral rites at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home.
Memorial e-mails may be sent to the family at memorials@adferguson.com.
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ANDREW C. HETE JR.
Corrected information was supplied for the obituary of Andrew C. Hete Jr., published Friday. On August 7, 2004, he married Brandi Wolpink, who survives.
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FLORENCE E. LAZZARO
Longtime teacher at Mon Valley Vo-Tech School
Florence E. Lazzaro, 78, died Friday, May 16, 2008, in Donnell House, Washington, with her family by her side.
She was born Sunday, April 13, 1930, in Charleroi, a daughter of John Arch Ellison and Roberta Dean Ellison.
Mrs. Lazzaro had a special love for life and people. She especially loved her husband of nearly 54 years, Dr. Anthony Lazzaro; her children, Dr. Anthony John Lazzaro and wife Paula and Judy Lazzaro and husband James McQuiston; and grandchildren Cara Beth Lazzaro, A.J. Lazzaro, Michael McQuiston and Jimmy McQuiston.
Mrs. Lazzaro enjoyed her time with friends in the Wednesday and Friday bridge groups as well as friends in Chippewa Ladies Golf League.
She graduated from Charleroi High School, Washington Hospital School of Nursing and California University of Pennsylvania. She was a night supervisor in Charleroi/Monessen Hospital and later an infirmary nurse at Clarion University. She developed the initial medical assistant program at Mon Valley Vocational-Technical School, where she taught for 22 years.
Friends will be received in Mariscotti Funeral Home Inc., Anthony N. Mariscotti, supervisor, 323 Fourth Street, California, from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday and until 10:30 a.m., the time of a blessing service, Monday, May 19, followed at 11 a.m. by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Thomas Aquinas Church, California, with Father George Moneck as celebrant.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Lazzaro Scholarship fund, in care of Dr. Anthony Lazzaro.
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EVA MATHASON
Eva Mathason, 90, of Carmichaels, died Thursday, May 15, 2008. She was the last of her immediate family.
Visitation: 2-4 p.m. Sunday; services: 10 a.m. Monday, May 19, in Lesako Funeral Home, Carmichaels.
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LAWRENCE W. OKORN
Drummer in Sounds of Country group
Lawrence W. Okorn, 76, of Washington, died Friday, May 16, 2008, in Washington Hospital, following a brief illness.
He was born August 1, 1931, in Roscoe, a son of Harold and Bessie Kenny Okorn.
Mr. Okorn was a machine operator and worked for both Dynamet and Federal Paper.
He was Presbyterian.
Mr. Okorn was a country-and-western drummer in the Sounds of Country group. He enjoyed fishing and loved spending time with his dog, Cisco.
On August 11, 1978, he married Patricia Gardner, who survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Wayne (Paula) Okorn of Butler and Jeffery (Toni) Okorn of Washington; three daughters, Linda Bowman of California, Lori (Gary) Grimes of Charleroi and Lou Ann Powlin of Coal Center; a stepdaughter, Patty Ann Steiner of Oregon; a brother, Jack Okorn of Washington; two sisters, Erma Burna Kiger of Washington and Edith King of Uniontown; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Deceased are two sisters, Marcella Gipson and Kathern Troupe.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 19. Interment will follow in Claysville Cemetery.
Additional information and guest book are online at www.NealFuneralHome.com.
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BRENDA F. SCHMALZ
Enjoyed gardening, karaoke and taking care of her pets
Brenda F. Schmalz, 60, of Washington, died Friday, May 16, 2008, in her home.
She was born June 21, 1947, in Canonsburg, a daughter of Edward and Charlotte Fullum Patterson.
She was a 1965 graduate of Chartiers-Houston High School, a graduate of Wilberforce College in Dayton, Ohio, and studied on a fellowship at Hall University in England.
For several years, she lived in the York area, where she worked in various sales positions before her retirement in 1999. She had also worked as a manager in the former Grants in Duquesne.
While living in eastern Pennsylvania, she had been active in York County Humane Society.
She enjoyed gardening, karaoke and taking care of her pet dog, Chewbacca, and her pet cat, Tor.
Surviving are her husband, Richard Schmalz; a sister, Dorothy Patterson of Houston; three brothers, Duwayne "Curly" Patterson, Charles "Wimpy" Patterson and Jerry Patterson, all of Canonsburg; and a host of nieces and nephews.
A brother, Robert E. Patterson, is deceased.
Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in McIlvaine-Speakman Funeral Home Ltd., Robert K. McIlvaine, owner/supervisor, 27 Cherry Avenue, Houston, where services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, May 19, with the Rev. L.B. Whitlock officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Spring Cemetery. Obituary and condolences may be viewed at www.mcilvaine-speakman.com.
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DAVID CHARLES SWAGGARD
'67 WHS grad taught architectural drafting
David Charles Swaggard, 58, of Lorton, Va., known to all who loved him as "Gus," died April 24, 2008, from leukemia.
He was born December 11, 1949, a son of Helen E. and Frank M. Swaggard of Washington.
Mr. Swaggard was confirmed in First Lutheran Church.
He was a 1967 graduate of Washington High School and continued his education at California University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Swaggard taught architectural drafting and industrial arts in Woodbridge Senior High School while mentoring young wrestlers as their coach.
He owned is own business, D.C. Swaggard Construction, before offering his expertise to Nash Construction.
Mr. Swaggard's "footprints" can be found in northern Virginia and Maryland, many in the homes of his enduring friends.
Surviving are his loving wife, Dorothea Anne Swaggard, and their son, Travis Colton Swaggard, both of Lorton.
Also surviving are two brothers, James R. Swaggard of Palm City, Fla., and Donald R. Swaggard of Burgettstown; a sister, Carolyn J. Miller of Burgettstown; 16 nieces and nephews; and a large extended family.
He will be sadly missed by his trusted and most loyal companion, Murphy.
Deceased, in addition to his parents, is a brother, Ronald Swaggard.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 14, in Sydenstricker United Methodist Church, 8505 Hooes Road, Springfield, Va. Following the service, family and friends are invited to the Swaggard residence. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Wachovia Bank, 8998 Lorton Station Boulevard, Lorton, VA 22079, (703-541-5260).