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Obituaries Aug. 12

Gladys K. Bowers, 94, of Washington, died Sunday, August 11, 2013, in Washington County Health Center, Chartiers Township.

Arrangements are incomplete and are entrusted to Sollon Funeral Home Ltd., Canonsburg.

A complete obituary will be published in a later edition.

Treasured her time with family and grandchildren

Betty L. Brown, 76, of Waynesburg, Center Township, died at 7 a.m. Sunday, August 11, 2013, in Golden Living Center, Waynesburg, after being in failing health for the past several years.

She was born October 7, 1936, in Carmichaels, a daughter of the late Ira and Gladys Whoolery Rogers. She resided in Center Township most of her life.

Mrs. Brown formerly attended Centennial Church of God.

She was formerly employed as a custodian at Ryerson Station State Park, a caregiver for the Charles Huffman family and lastly a custodian at West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.Va.

Mrs. Brown treasured her time with family and grandchildren and was fond of all animals, including her pet dog, Prince.

On April 11, 1953, she married Albert John Brown Sr., who survives.

Also surviving are daughter Betty Lou, wife of Anthony Lewis of Hollywood, Fla.; sons A. John Brown Jr., husband of Elizabeth Brown of Jollytown, Gerald, husband of Janice Brown of Umatilla, Fla., Charles, husband of Jo Ann Brown of Chicora, Lloyd, husband of Sherry Brown of Holbrook, and Robert, husband of Jennie Brown of Carmichaels; 14 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; seven stepgrandchildren; four stepgreat-grandchildren; sister Dorthea Huggins of Waynesburg; brother Harry, husband of Patty Rogers of Jefferson; and several nieces and nephews.

Deceased, in addition to her parents, are a son who died in infancy; son Roland Brown, who died in 2005; and brother James Rogers.

Friends will be received from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Rush Funeral Home Inc., Rogersville, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, August 16, with the Rev. Vernon K. Berdine officiating. Interment will follow in Bethany Cemetery, Jackson Township. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Humane Society of Greene County, 183 Jefferson Road, Waynesburg, PA 15370. Family and friends may view the obituary, send flowers and condolences at www.rushfuneralhomeinc.com.

Longtime Coen Oil president, philanthropist

Reflections of her father’s many kindnesses came easily to Holly Ann Coen. Two involved celebrity encounters he arranged for his youngest daughter.

She was 6 and already an avid baseball fan who revered Cincinnati catcher Johnny Bench. One evening, following dinner in the Allegheny Club at Three Rivers Stadium, Dick Coen walked down to the visiting dugout.

“He motioned to Johnny Bench that I wanted to meet him,” Holly said. “Johnny said, ‘Hi, Holly, come on down.’ But I wouldn’t go down.”

A decade later, while staying at the Homestead Resort in Charlottesville, Va., father and daughter spotted a young, highly visible model at dinner with whom Holly was enamored – Andie MacDowell.

“He went to breakfast early the next morning, saw her and said, ‘My daughter wants to meet you.’ I went down and she spoke with me and gave me her autograph.

“That was so thoughtful of him.”

Charles Richard “Dick” Coen, 83, longtime president of Coen Oil Co., died Saturday, August 10, 2013, in Washington County Health Center, Chartiers Township, following a six-month illness. He also was an owner/investor of Washington Mall and was a philanthropist through C.S. and Mary Coen Foundation.

“He donated a lot to Washington Hospital and the Presbyterian Home,” Holly said.

Coen was born Feb. 7, 1930, in Washington, to Charles S. and Mary E. Kirkpatrick Coen. He graduated from East Washington High School in 1947 and Washington & Jefferson College in 1952.

Stephen Richman was two years behind Coen in school and grew up two blocks away on East Beau Street but said he didn’t know the man well until they became investors and owners of Washington Mall, which opened in the late 1960s.

“He was astute and intelligent, and a decent person who tried hard to be fair in all of his dealings with people,” said Richman, a longtime attorney in Washington who is now retired and living in South Strabane Township. “He always sought to be friendly with people.

“He also was very humble, and, if you ever needed a favor, he was zealous about helping you.”

John Northrop, former co-publisher of the Observer-Reporter, said he knew him to be a generous man as Coen donated “a lot of money from the Coen Foundation. He was very private and a very nice guy.”

“My dad treated everyone nicely,” Holly said. “My dad was not a snob. He was very low-key. He treated all of his employees well and with respect.”

She said after one of her sisters, Betsy Coen Trapuzzano, died in the mid-1990s, her father took Betsy’s three sons out to dinner “every Friday for years.”

“He always came to his grandsons’ sporting events,” Patrick Trapuzzano, one of Coen’s grandsons, said.

Coen also was a voracious reader who loved history, especially the Civil War. Traveling and Pirates baseball were longtime passions as well, and he was a Ham Radio operator-K3DXV.

“He loved to make day trips, and he had Pirates season tickets for many years,” Holly Ann said.

Coen was a military veteran, an Army lieutenant from 1952 to 1954. Upon returning home, he joined Ross Independent Oil Co., and later Coen Oil Co., which his father started in 1923.

Coen became president of Coen Oil in 1983 and held that position until his retirement in 2000.

He also served as president of C.S. Coen Land Co. and Ross Independent Oil Co. of Washington, and with the board of directors of Pleasants County Bank, St. Marys, W.Va., and Washington Hospital Foundation.

Coen was a member of Church of the Covenant, the Allegheny Club, Sons of the American Revolution and American Legion Edwin Scott Linton Post 175.

In addition to Holly Ann Coen of Meridian, Idaho, surviving are daughter Judith L. Grove (Steve) of Harrisburg; two sisters, Marilyn R. McIlvaine and Helen L. Brooks, both of Washington; five grandchildren, Christopher, Andrew and Patrick Trapuzzano, and Sarah and Laura Grove; and two great-grandchildren, Brady and Isabella Trapuzzano.

Coen was preceded in death by a daughter, Betsy, and his former wife, Nancy Leslie Coen.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 14, in Church of the Covenant, 267 East Beau Street, Washington, with the Rev. Stuart Broberg. Entombment will follow in Washington Cemetery. Military rites will be accorded at graveside by American Legion Edwin Scott Linton Post 175.

Memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, 331 South Main Street, Washington, PA 15301, or to Colonial Williamsburg Fund, P.O. Box 1776, Williamsburg, VA 23187-9910.

For additional information and a guest book, visit www.NealFuneralHome.com.

Navy veteran had love for the fair

David Lee Johnston, 76, of Mt. Pleasant Township, passed away peacefully Thursday, August 8, 2013, in ManorCare, McMurray.

He was born February 17, 1937, at home in Mt. Pleasant Township, a son of Wayne and Ruth Clarke Johnston.

Raised on the family farm, he was a 1955 graduate of Hickory High School.

Following graduation, he served with the U.S. Navy on the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard and for two years as a mechanic, touring with the Pensacola, Fla.-based Blue Angels flight team.

Mr. Johnston worked for Hankison International for 36 years, retiring as quality control supervisor.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, cutting cord wood, family vacations and attending his grandchildren’s sporting events. He volunteered at the Mt. Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department fish fries and annual Hickory Apple Festival and as one of the superintendents of the fruit and vegetable exhibit hall at the Washington County Agricultural Fair.

Mr. Johnston was a member of Venice United Presbyterian Church.

For more than 40 years, he showed and displayed his fruits and vegetables at the fair, winning many blue ribbons, most notably for his potatoes. His participation and love for the fair continues through his grandchildren.

On June 27, 1964, he married Elizabeth “Betty” Yanosik, his wife of 49 years.

Also surviving are two children, Michael David Johnston (Tammy) of Baldwin Borough and Rhonda Lucas (Dennis) of Mt. Pleasant Township; six grandchildren, Amanda, Victoria, David and Heidi Johnston and Emily and Colton David Lucas; a sister, Diane Rossero (Gerard) of Mt. Pleasant Township; a sister-in-law, Gloria McConnell (Donald) of Washington; a brother-in-law, Steve Yanosik of Southview; and several nieces and nephews.

A brother, W. Darrel Johnston, is deceased.

Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in McIlvaine-Speakman Funeral Home Ltd., Robert K. McIlvaine, owner/supervisor, 27 Cherry Avenue, Houston, PA 15342, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 14, with the Rev. Thomas Bellhy officiating. Interment will follow in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Township. Full military rites will be accorded by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 191 of Canonsburg and American Legion Post 902 of Houston, combined honor guard. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to American Cancer Society, 331 South Main Street, Washington, PA 15301. Condolences may be left by viewing the obituary at www.mcilvaine-speakman.com.

Beloved husband, father, grandfather

James O. Martin, 86, of Washington, formerly of Detroit, Mich., died at 2:49 a.m. Saturday, August 10, 2013, in Washington Hospital.

He was born May 6, 1927, in Chicago, Ill., a son of the late James H. and Margaret Marshall Martin.

Mr. Martin was employed as an accountant for Westinghouse Credit Corp. until his retirement.

He was a member of Immaculate Conception Church and Knights of Columbus Council 1083.

Mr. Martin enjoyed woodworking, picture framing, creating music and history.

He served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, receiving the Victory Ribbon, the Asiatic Pacific Ribbon and the American Area Ribbon.

On May 21, 1949, he married Concetta Giannosa, who survives.

Also surviving are their 10 children, son Michael Martin of Seattle, Wash., daughter Mary Papich of Northridge, Calif., daughter Sue (Bill) Swart of Washington, daughter Diane Kita of Washington, daughter Donna (Bill) Kelly of Bethel Park, son James O. (Terri) Martin III of Washington, daughter Nancy (Joey) Ogburn of Hickory, daughter Laura (Don) Ross of Washington, daughter Carol (Rob) Parris of Naples, Fla., and daughter Angie (Jim) McCarty of McMurray; 22 grandchildren, Annie Papich, Billy (Hannah) Swart, Lauren Swart, Mike (Jackie) Kita, Billy Kelly, Sean Kelly, Jimmy Martin, Chase (Sarah) Ogburn, Andrew Ogburn, Hannah Ogburn, Matthew Ross, Maria Ross, Angie Ross, John Paul Ross, Katie Ross, Thomas Ross, Emma Ross, Elizabeth Ross, Leah Ross, Jake Kirschler, Meghan McCarty and Ryan McCarty; two stepgrandchildren, Glen Parris and Kyle Parris; six great-grandchildren, Danny Kita, Abbey Kita, Anthony Kita, Annie Kita, Gabe Kita and Mary Grace Kita; and several nieces and nephews.

Deceased are a brother, William F. Martin; a sister, Joan M. Provencher; and sons-in-law, Mimo Papich and Frank Kita.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in Warco-Falvo Funeral Home Inc., Wilson at East Katherine avenues, Washington, S. Timothy Warco, supervisor/director, Susan Falvo Warco, director, S. Timothy Warco II, director. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 14, in Immaculate Conception Church, Washington. Everyone is asked to meet at the church for the funeral Mass. Burial will be private. A rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to Washington-Greene County Blind Association, 566 East Maiden Street, Washington, PA 15301, or Immaculate Conception Church, 119 West Chestnut Street, Washington PA 15301. Condolences may be expressed at www.WarcoFalvoFuneralHome.com.

Member of Immaculate Conception Church

Rita Ann Yancosek, 75, of Washington, died unexpectedly Saturday, August 10, 2013, in UPMC-Presbyterian hospital, Pittsburgh.

She was born December 20, 1937, in Washington, a daughter of Peter and Julia Cobucci Folio.

A 1955 graduate of Washington High School, Mrs. Yancosek worked at IGCO as an emergency services dispatcher for 18 years and at Bell Telephone as an operator for 12 years. She was a volunteer election worker for five years in Tylerdale’s Seventh Ward.

Mrs. Yancosek was a member of Immaculate Conception Church.

On January 30, 1960, she married John Regis “Pete” Yancosek, who survives.

Also surviving are son John P. (Bridget) Yancosek of Washington; daughter Julie A. (Thomas) Melone of St. Charles, Mo.; sister Rose Marie (Ralph) Sargent of Washington; five grandchildren, Thomas, Matthew and John Melone, and Joshua and Jacob Yancosek; and a close family friend, Bill (Paula) Sibert of Limestone, Tenn.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington, where a blessing service will be held at noon Tuesday, August 13, with Father Lou Pascazi officiating. Burial will follow in Prosperity Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Citizens Library, 55 South College Street, Washington, PA 15301. Additional information and a guest book are available at www.NealFuneralHome.com.

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