Jan 25, 2014

Beloved wife, loving mother

Ellen Warnock Degnan, 93, of Whitehall, peacefully passed away Thursday, January 23, 2014, surrounded by her loving family.

She was the beloved wife of the late James Degnan; loving mother of James, Thomas (Maura), Victoria, Daniel (Janet), William (Catherine), Ellen (Ken) Albert and the late Jackie; treasured grandmother of nine; great-grandmother of three; caring sister of Evelyn (the late Frank) Enders, Pearl (Edward) Grassel, the late Betty (Bill) Jones and Bill (Shirley) Warnock.

Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews.

Love, support and care were given to Mrs. Degnan and her family from the staff of Marian Manor in Green Tree.

Friends and family are welcome from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in Beinhauers, 2828 Washington Road, McMurray, 724-941-3211. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 27, in St. Louise de Marillac Church, Upper St. Clair. Interment in Queen of Heaven Cemetery, McMurray. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Marian Manor, 2695 Winchester Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15220. Please add or view tributes at www.beinhauer.com.

U.S. Army veteran

Michael Thomas Gavala, 71, of Brownsville, passed away Friday, January 24, 2014, in Donnell House, Washington.

He was born June 14, 1942, in Brownsville, a son of the late Michael T. Gavala and Ethel DeForty Gavala.

Mr. Gavala attended New Salem Presbyterian Church and was a member of Brownsville Young Men’s Club. He was a veteran of the Vietnam conflict who served with the U.S. Army. He was an employee of American Red Ball, a moving and storage company. During his more than 43 years of over-the-road driving, he received two Driver of the Year awards and many other long-haul driving awards.

Surviving are his wife of 17 years, Doris Maronde Gavala; a daughter, Tracey Brown and her husband, David, of Woodbridge, Va.; a granddaughter, Heather Brown; a grandson, Jeffery Kozbial; a great-granddaughter, Ava Brown; a great-grandson, Anthony Majewski; two brothers and three sisters, John Gavala and Paul Gavala, both of Brownsville, Mary Ann Fulton and her husband, Paul, Shirley Klink and her husband, William, and Linda Rogers, all of Niles, Ohio.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, February 2, in New Salem Presbyterian Church, New Salem, with the Rev. Norma P. Murphy officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to the New Salem Presbyterian Church food bank, P.O. Box 455, New Salem, PA 15468, or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202.

Mr. Gavala’s family shared the following quote: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Retired Calgon executive active in VFW

John Russell “Jack” Hallman Jr., 82, formerly of Upper St. Clair, passed away Wednesday, January 22, 2014, after a brief illness.

He was born May 9, 1931, in Midway.

Mr. Hallman was the beloved husband for 47 years of the late E. Louise Yeaney Hallman.

Surviving are daughters, Gwen (Gary) Nolan of Columbia, Mo., Nancy (John) Scola of Upper St. Clair and Susan (Paul) Wuenstel of Green Tree; and six grandchildren, Betsy, Abbey, Sarah, Jack, Ted and Josh.

He proudly served his country in the Korean War.

He started out as a draftsman at Calgon Carbon Corp. while he attended night school at the University of Pittsburgh for a degree in economics and worked his way into the position of director of marketing at Calgon.

After retiring, Mr. Hallman enthusiastically assisted small business owners through the Service Corps of Retired Executives.

He was a devoted member of Fawcett United Methodist Church and an active, loyal member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 764.

Funeral arrangements are by Beinhauers. Friends and family are welcome at 2828 Washington Road, McMurray, 724-941-3211, from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, January 27. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at 11 a.m., immediately followed by a luncheon reception at VFW Post 764 on Valleybrook Road, McMurray. Everyone is welcome.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Family Hospice and Palliative Care, 50 Moffett Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15243. Please add or view tributes at www.beinhauer.com.

Former area principal was published author

Joseph A. Mascetta, 82, of Canonsburg, passed away peacefully Saturday, January 25, 2014, in Donnell House, Washington, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born September 2, 1931, in Canonsburg, a son of the late Joseph and Amalia Ciavarra Mascetta.

Mr. Mascetta was a proud Italian-American who was a 1950 graduate of Canonsburg High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1954 and master’s degrees from Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Mascetta served in the U.S. Air Force during the Koran War era, where he was a jet pilot and flew with the Pittsburgh National Guard. He was a chemistry teacher at both Canonsburg and Mt. Lebanon high schools and a high school administrator of Mt. Lebanon High School. He was principal of Mt. Lebanon High School from 1981 to 1992 and served on the Mt. Lebanon High School staff from 1967 to 1992. In addition, Mr. Mascetta taught graduate and undergraduate courses at Duquesne University.

He received many honors and awards, including Outstanding High School Award from President Ronald Reagan and Secretary of Education Terrence Bell. He was an accomplished author and wrote more than 10 chemistry books, including his latest book, which was Barron’s 2013 SAT chemistry preparatory book.

Mr. Mascetta was a very active member of St. Patrick’s Parish, where he served as parish council president, commentator, Eucharistic minister and lector. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Canonsburg Counsel 3291 for more than 50 years, Italian American Society of Washington County, by whom he was honored as a distinguished citizen May 7, 2006, and Greater Canonsburg Italian American Heritage Society.

On June 18, 1960, he married Jean Verrone. They are the proud parents of Lisa Mascetta (Lawrence) Snow of Fredericksburg, Va., Linda Mascetta (Scott) Trethewey of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Lori Mascetta (John) Galley of Mount Lebanon.

Also surviving are his sister, Rena Castelli of Houston; 11 grandchildren, Gina, Maria, Michael and Amy Snow, Jack, Katie, James Scott and Dan Trethewey and Joe, Emily and Sara Galley; and several nieces and nephews.

Friends are welcome from 2 to 8 p.m. Monday in Salandra Funeral Service Inc., Joseph P. Salandra, owner/supervisor, 304 West Pike Street, Canonsburg, 724-745-8120, where departing prayers will be recited at 9:20 a.m. Tuesday, January 28, 2014. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Patrick Church, Canonsburg, with interment to follow in St. Patrick Cemetery. Full military rites will be accorded by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 191 and the American Legion Post 902 Honor Guard. The Christian Mothers and Guild of St. Patrick will recite the rosary at 3 p.m. Monday in the funeral home. The Knights of Columbus will hold services at 7 p.m. Monday in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Mascetta’s name to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 960 Penn Avenue, Suite 1000, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or to St. Patrick Church, 317 West Pike Street, Canonsburg 15317. To view or extend condolences, please visit www.salandrafunerals.com.

Edward Charles Mellars Jr., 61, of Washington, died Friday, January 24, 2014, in Donnell House.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., Washington.

Former Aliquippa resident

Frank Perry, 80, of Follansbee, W.Va., formerly of Aliquippa, died Friday, January 24, 2014, in Brightwood Nursing Home, Follansbee.

He was born October 28, 1933, in Barley Township, N.C., a son of Ollie and Maggie Mawisey Perry.

Mr. Perry worked for Sam Jack’s Drilling in Simms, N.C. He was an evangelist pastor and traveled to revivals in several states.

Mr. Perry enjoyed hauling junk cars.

Surviving are three children, Kenny Perry, Jenny Perry and Rose Harmon, all of Marion Center; four grandchildren, Bojo, Billy, Kenny Perry Jr. and Amanda Perry; seven stepchildren, Robert Wooley (Roxanne) of Monessen, Christine Whitely (Richard) and Debbie Wooley, both of McKees Rocks, John Wooley (Dee Dee) of Washington, Irwin Wooley (Lena Inman) of Langeloth, Tina Small (Don) of Turtle Creek and Joe Jones (Star) of Aliquippa; 22 stepgrandchildren; 15 stepgreat-grandchildren; two sisters, Magaleen and Canvas Perry of Simms; and many nieces and nephews.

A son, Roy Perry, is deceased.

At the request of the deceased, all services are private. Arrangements have been entrusted to McIlvaine-Speakman Funeral Home Ltd., Robert K. McIlvaine, owner/supervisor, 27 Cherry Avenue, Houston, PA 15342. Condolences may be left by viewing the obituary at www.mcilvaine-speakman.com.

John Popats, 87, of Houston, died Friday, January 24, 2014, in Washington County Health Center.

Arrangements are being handled by Warco-Falvo Funeral Home Inc., Wilson at East Katherine Avenue, Washington, S. Timothy Warco, supervisor/director, Susan Falvo Warco, director, S. Timothy Warco II, director. A complete obituary will appear in a later edition.

William L. Sturm, 80, of North Strabane Township, formerly of Peters Township, passed away January 25, 2014, with his family by his side.

He was the loving husband of Carol Sturm.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and have been entrusted to Cremation & Funeral Care, 3287 Washington Road, McMurray, PA 15317, 724-260-5546. A complete obituary will appear in a later edition.

Loving husband, father and grandfather

Arthur Richard Taylor, 77, of Canonsburg, went to be with his Lord and Savior Saturday, January 18, 2014, after a brief illness, while away for work in Madera, Calif.

He was born July 24, 1936, at home in Canonsburg, to Helen and Howard Taylor. He was a graduate of Canonsburg High School and attended Waynesburg College, before entering the U.S. Army, where he played on the football team.

On July 1, 1960, he married the former Donna Jean Hageter.

Mr. Taylor was employed by Henry F. Teichmann Inc., as a senior process designer, for 45 years this July. He traveled worldwide and enjoyed his work.

He was a longtime member of the Canonsburg Fire Department, where he was past president, chaplain and served on numerous committees. At the time of his death, he served on the Canonsburg Sewage Department Committee. He was also a lifetime member of the American Legion, and a member of Bible Chapel Church.

Mr. Taylor loved the Lord foremost and spending time with the love of his life, his wife. He embraced his family and family activities. He cherished fishing with his sons and grandchildren at his refuge, his cabin. He adored his daughters and he took delight in his dogs, Gideon and Peek-A-Boo.

Surviving, in addition to his beloved wife, Donna, are two daughters, Helen Taylor of Ellwood City and Heidi Taylor of Canonsburg; three sons, Aaron Taylor of Strabane, Adam Taylor (Karla) of Washington and Ashley Taylor of Canonsburg; six grandchildren, Emily, Christopher, Richard, Nathaniel, Emma and Ethan; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements are by Beinhauers. Friends and family are welcome from 1 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at 2828 Washington Road, McMurray, 724-941-3211. A celebration of Mr. Taylor’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, January 25, in South Hills Bible Chapel, 300 Gallery Drive, McMurray. Everyone meet at the church. Interment will be private. Please add or view tributes at www.beinhauer.com.

Kathleen Toland, 48, of South Strabane Township, died Thursday, January 23, 2014, in UPMC Presbyterian hospital, Pittsburgh, following a brief illness.

Hummell & Jones Funeral Home, 420 Locust Avenue, Washington, is assisting the family with arrangements, to be announced in a later edition.

Larry Walter Zink, 71, of Washington, died Saturday, January 25, 2014, in his home.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., Washington.