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Ronald A. Snyder, of Kennedy, started every day with a pot of coffee and an enthusiasm for life that kept him young.
"He never looked his age," said Kathy Snyder, his wife of more than 29 years. "He looked 10 years younger than his age."

Mr. Snyder, a Lawrenceville native and retired firefighter, died Saturday, March 31, 2007, after a lengthy battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). He was 66.

His interests included country and rock music, coffee, bicycling, gardening, do-it-yourself home projects, cooking, camping and classic cars. And dental flossing?





"My daughter put that in (his obituary notice)," Kathy Snyder said with a laugh. "He liked to take care of his teeth. That was one thing for sure."

Alyssa Snyder said her father was a "country boy at heart" despite his urban background. He never tired of watching the seasons change, she said.

Her father never let his wide-ranging interests take the place of his family, Alyssa Snyder said.

"He saved a lot of money, but he never used it for the things that he liked to do," she said.

Instead, the money put her and her brother, Eric, through college.

Mr. Snyder's two favorite places were Virginia Beach, where he and Kathy spent their honeymoon, and Disney World. They went to Disney World several times with the children and several times more on their own, his wife said.

Typically, they started each day as soon as the amusement park opened up and would stay until it closed. "He was like a kid at heart," she said.

Mr. Snyder worked as a machinist and spent four years in the Air Force before discovering his passion for firefighting. He served on the Allegheny County fire department at Pittsburgh International Airport until he retired in 2001.

Mr. Snyder took a week off before starting a job with Butler Auto Auction in Cranberry, where he worked for four years until his worsening condition from ALS forced him to take medical leave, his wife said.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy Strope Snyder, of Kennedy; daughter, Alyssa Snyder, of Kennedy; son, Eric Snyder, of Westland, Mich.; mother, Dorothy Dieter Snyder, of Lawrenceville; brother, Edward Snyder, of Sebring, Fla.; and sister, Gloria Watcher, of Penn Hills.

He was preceded in death by his father, Edward Snyder.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today at McDermott Funeral Home, 334 Forest Grove Road, Kennedy.

A funeral service will be held at noon Wednesday at Ken Mawr United Presbyterian Church, Kennedy.

BOWMAN, Chad, 34, of Tampa, passed away Monday, April 2, 2007. He was preceded in death by his brother, Shane, and is survived by his parents, Brian and Brenda Bowman of Auburn, Ala. The family will receive friends 7-8 p.m. Thursday at Blount & Curry Funeral Home, 605 S. MacDill Ave. Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, April 6, at Hyde Park United Methodist Church, 500 W. Platt St. Those who so desire may make memorial contributions to The ALS Association, Florida Chapter, 5005 W. Laurel St., Suite 110, Tampa, FL 33607. Please sign the online guestbook at www.blountcurry.com

Obituary: Ronald A. Snyder / Allegheny County firefighter who had a sense of humor
July 5, 1940 - March 31, 2007
Wednesday, April 04, 2007

By Torsten Ove, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



He grew up a car-loving gearhead in Lawrenceville and spent nearly 30 years as a robust firefighter at Pittsburgh International Airport who dreamed of building a house one day with his own hands.

Ronald A. Snyder was the kind of guy who could do things.

On a bet, he once lifted an engine out of a car as an 18-year-old and walked around his block in Lawrenceville carrying it to prove his strength.

Even when he developed ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2005, he said he would defeat it.

"He was just so upbeat, so positive," said Gene Hillard, president of International Association of Firefighters Local 1038. "We went to his house and we laughed and joked. This is the kind of guy who inspires me, because I'm pretty much a pessimist."

But after a long battle, Mr. Snyder's condition steadily declined. He ultimately couldn't beat the disease and died Saturday. He was 66 and lived in Kennedy.

A former fuel specialist in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Snyder spent his career as an Allegheny County firefighter at the airport, where he and his comrades responded to fuel spills, fires, medical problems.

He especially enjoyed working as an emergency medical technician and once helped rush a pregnant woman to the hospital just as the baby was crowning.

His best friend, John McMurray, 65, of Las Vegas, said Mr. Snyder was relieved not to handle the delivery himself. That was one of the few duties he hoped he wouldn't have to tackle.

"It was closer than he ever wanted it to be," said Mr. McMurray. "His worst nightmare was to have to deliver a baby."

The airport has 44 firefighters who stay busy on calls of all kinds.

"You'd be surprised," said his wife, Kathy, 53. "A lot of stuff doesn't make the news."

Many days were routine, but not Sept. 8, 1994, when USAir Flight 427 crashed in Beaver County. Mr. Snyder responded from home.

"He was there within a half hour," said Mrs. Snyder. "He spent a lot of time there. It really affected him."

Many firefighters retired after the crash and Mr. Snyder could have, too, but he stayed on out of a sense of obligation to his family and his enthusiasm for the job.

"He just really loved the camaraderie and the bond that firefighters have," said Mrs. Snyder. "It's just a special bond that nobody knows but firefighters."

Mr. Snyder was known as a conscientious firefighter. At an annual function last November in Lawrenceville, he was presented with the St. Florian service award for his dedication.

"He was a jokester but he took his job very seriously," said a former colleague, Jozef Lataster, 68, of Moon. "I always told him he was one of the good guys."

Colleagues and family members mostly remember his sense of fun.

His daughter, Alyssa, 27, of Kennedy, described him in a paid obituary as an "avid music lover, dental flosser, coffee drinker, bicyclist, gardener, do-it-yourselfer, mechanic, cook, camper, firefighter and classic car fan."

The dental flossing was kind of a compulsion. Mrs. Snyder said he was so particular about his teeth that he flossed as many as four times a day.

Healthy as he was, the ALS slowly robbed him of the use of his body.

As his condition worsened, Mr. McMurray persuaded Mrs. Snyder to bring him to Las Vegas last June to see some of the sights.

"We just partied the whole week," said Mr. McMurray. "I'm so glad that I was there to help."

Besides his wife and daughter, Mr. Snyder is survived by his mother, Dorothy, of Lawrenceville; son, Eric, of Westland, Mich.; brother, Edward, of Sebring, Fla., and sister, Gloria Wachter, of Penn Hills.

Visitation was Monday and yesterday at McDermott Funeral Home in Kennedy. A funeral service will be today at noon at Ken Mawr United Presbyterian Church, Kennedy.

Kevin N. Schrandt -- Rochester
ROCHESTER -- The funeral Mass for Kevin N. Schrandt will be at 1 p.m. Monday in the Church of the Resurrection in Rochester, with the Rev. Thomas Loomis officiating. Burial will be in Byron Cemetery.

Mr. Schrandt, 52, of Rochester, died Wednesday (April 4, 2007) at Charter House Hospice. He had been ill for two years with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Born Aug. 5, 1954, in Austin, he moved to Winona as a child. Following high school, he graduated from the College of St. Theresa in Winona, and later graduated from Winona State University as a registered nurse. He was a nurse at Rochester Methodist Hospital until becoming ill. On Oct. 21, 1989, he married Linda L. Sobieck in Rochester; she is also a nurse at Methodist Hospital. Mr. Schrandt enjoyed being with his family, fishing, gardening and baking.

Survivors include his wife; two daughters at home, Amy and Kari Ann; three brothers, Dennis and Brian (Sherri), both of Rochester, and Dean (Barbara) of Mantorville; and a sister, Trish (Don) Corcoran of Winona. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Friends may call from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at Resurrection Catholic Church. There will be a rosary at 6 p.m.

The family prefers memorials to the Kevin N. Schrandt Memorial Fund at any Associated Bank branch in Rochester.

Macken Funeral Home of Rochester is in charge of arrangements.

Margaret Booth, 65, hairdresser
DETROIT NATIVE WIELDED CLIPPERS IN WILLOW GLEN AREA FOR 35 YEARS
By Sue Chenoweth
Mercury News
Article Launched: 04/08/2007 01:56:35 AM PDT



Margaret "Peggy" Booth, a Willow Glen hairdresser for more than 35 years, touched three generations with her clippers, kindness and sense of humor.

Mrs. Booth opened "Peggy's Willow Glen Beauty Salon" in 1975. When the long, narrow brick structure sandwiched between doughnut and vitamin shops closed in the early '90s for retrofitting, loyal clients made a beeline for her new space at Ronald's Coiffeurs.

"Every time I sat in her chair, Peggy made me feel like a princess," remembered Kristin Quintin, whose mother and 8-month-old daughter also were clients.

"Peggy gave Emma her first haircut in early February," Quintin said. The ailing Mrs. Booth was in bed when she gently combed the infant's cowlick and gave it a snip.

On March 18, 2 1/2 years after being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, Mrs. Booth died at her home in San Jose's Blossom Valley. The day before, Mrs. Booth had celebrated her 65th birthday.

For more than three decades, Mrs. Booth carefully permed, colored and cut legions of regulars, from "hip, slick, cool" clients to "blue-haired ladies," her son Sean Mulcaster said.

His mother also kept him "trimmed like a poodle." And she deftly applied her skills on Quintin's mother, Lois Marlow, and her thin, fine hair.

"I haven't seen anyone else in the USA since - except for one time in Clayton, Mo.," Marlow said. "I loved Peggy," she said, acknowledging that she wasn't the only one. "If you were Peggy's


client, you were family."
Mrs. Booth and her first husband "didn't have two dimes to rub together" when they left her native Detroit in the mid-1960s and headed for Southern California. Her wishful, close-knit Irish family gave them six months in the Golden State.

For six years, the young family lived in the shadow of Disneyland's Matterhorn. In 1972, they moved to San Jose. By then, Mrs. Booth was a certified beautician and her first marriage was headed for divorce. The year the divorce was final, 1977, she met Herschel Booth.

The couple married in Oct. 7, 1979 - despite the clumsy English aviator joke he tried to impress her with at their first meeting. The joke "popped up" on occasion throughout their 29-year marriage. And in time, Herschel Booth began to call her his beloved "Pollyanna Peg."

Together the Booths liked playing golf at Ridgemark Golf Club and Country Club in Hollister and working in their yard. They also enjoyed dinner with friends and shopping for Belleck Irish pottery.

"I used to tease Peg," her husband said, "that the huge china cabinet holding her collection was the big Buick we never bought."

His wife was a fastidious homemaker, Herschel Booth said. And very organized.

"Once grown, we started having holidays there," Sean Mulcaster said. "When we arrived, the house was always filled with the aroma of our holiday feast and Mom would be sitting on the couch doing the New York Times crossword puzzle."

The day Mrs. Booth died, her breath was labored as she spoke to her family and asked them to stay close and in each other's lives no matter what, Mulcaster said.

"We were bawling our eyes out, then Mom looked up and said: `Did you guys get something to eat?'"

Next thing, everyone was howling, Mulcaster said. That's when he turned to his mother and quipped: "Oh, so now you're going to host this, too?"




MARGARET "PEGGY" BOOTH

Born: March 17, 1942, in Detroit

Died: March 18, 2007, in San Jose

Survived by: Her husband, Herschel Booth of San Jose; her sons Sean and Christopher Mulcaster, both of San Jose; her daughter, Jennifer Mulcaster of Mountain View; her brothers Philip Johnston of Warren, Mich., and Patrick Johnston of Spokane, Wash.; and her granddaughter, Abigail Porter.

Services: Memorial gathering is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. Friday at Kirigin Cellars, 11550 Watsonville Road, Gilroy.

Memorial: In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Forbes Norris MDA/ALS Research Center, 2324 Sacramento St., San Francisco, Calif. 94115.



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For more obituaries go to www.mercurynews.com/ obituaries/

Hoffmann, Robert J.

Robert J. Hoffmann of Batavia Funeral services for Robert J. Hoffmann, 48, will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 950 Hart Road, Batavia, where he will lie in state from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Interment will follow in West Batavia Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 8, at Moss Family Funeral Home, 209 S. Batavia Ave. (Route 31 and Main St.), Batavia. Robert J. Hoffmann went home to heaven on Thursday, April 5, 2007, while surrounded by his family. Bob fought against Lyme disease and/or ALS, a/k/a Lou Gehrig's disease for over two years, most of which was on a vent. We thank God for His presence during our journey and for the rest and peace He now provides for Bob. Bob was employed as a mortgage banker with Fannie Mae in the Chicago office since 1997. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Vicki; their three sons, Bob, Tom and Dan; his sister, Barbara (nee Hoffmann) Preloger of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and his father, William Hoffmann of Brookfield, Wis., along with many members of extended family, church family at Immanuel in Batavia, and friends from the neighborhood and his office. He was preceded in death by his brother, Bill Hoffmann (18 years ago); and his mother, Jean Hoffmann (6 years ago). Contributions would be welcomed for Immanuel Lutheran Church, 950 Hart Road, Batavia, IL 60510, and for Les Turner ALS Foundation, 5550 W. Touhy, Suite 302, Skokie, IL 60077 in Bob's memory. For information, 630-879-7900.
Published in the Chicago Suburban Daily Herald on 4/7/2007.

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Robert "Mike" Williamshttp://www.wvgazette.com/images/obituaries/18155.jpg

Robert “Mike” Williams, 68, of Ona, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, April 3, 2007, after a long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

He was born in South Charleston. He was retired from FMC Corporation with 35 years of service. He was an Army veteran.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Earnest and Ruth Williams; sisters, Pauline Wing, Jean Reed, Carol VanDyke, and Margie Carter.

Mike is survived by his wife, Helen Rader Williams, son, Mike Williams and his wife, Julie, and their children, Bradley and Rachel; sisters, Virginia Ross of Sour Lake, Texas, Phyllis and husband, Carroll Safreed, of St. Albans, Remona Beaver of Lee Vining, Calif., Jo and husband, Ronnie Westfall, of Charlotte, N.C.; brother, Bill Williams and wife, Rose Marie, of Tennessee; and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Mike's life will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 7, at Tyler Mountain Funeral Home with Bishop Gordon D. Ford officiating. Entombment will follow in Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens Mausoleum. There will be a gathering of family and friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, 5233 Rocky Fork Rd, Cross Lanes, WV 25313.

You may express online condolences at tylermountainfuneralhome.com.

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BRUCE E. ELMORE, 61, formerly of MIDDLETOWN
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 04/5/07
BRUCE E. ELMORE, 61, formerly of MIDDLETOWN, passed away peacefully Thursday, March 29, with his loving wife at his side, at their home in Washoe Valley, Nev., after a courageous battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). A former resident of Middletown, he graduated from Middletown Township High School in 1963. Bruce went on to serve his country during the Vietnam Conflict and was honorably discharged in 1968. He had an extensive career in the telecommunications industry beginning in 1968 with New Jersey Bell. When AT&T merged with New Jersey Bell in 1983, he continued to advance his career as a systems technician. Bruce retired from Lucent Technologies in 1999 and resumed his career with Verizon Communications in New York City in 2000. He was a former union delegate for the IBEW, and an active member of CWA Local 1101 in Manhattan. Bruce was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hike, ski, fish and hunt and was an excellent marksman. He had a deep respect and appreciation for the beauty of nature and had always dreamed of hiking the Appalachian Trail. He had hiked portions of the Tahoe Rim Trail in Nevada, and was always eager to explore new adventures. Bruce always kept his Nikon with him to capture the special moments of his experiences.

Bruce is survived by his wife, Caril; and his four children from a previous marriage, Rachael Elmore of Port Monmouth, Daniel and his wife Joy of Keansburg, Rebekah Anderson and her husband Daniel of Charleston, W.Va., and Sarah Sambucini and her husband Michael of Atlantic Highlands. He took great joy in spending time with his eight beautiful grandchildren.

A celebration of his life will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. today at John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, 115 Tindall Road, Middletown. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the ALS Foundation of Nevada, 6370 W. Flamingo, Suite 3, Las Vegas, NV 89103. Letters of condolence may be e-mailed to pflegerfh@aol.com.

HARRISON, Franklin Wayne Elmer -His family mourns his . . .

(Apr 9, 2007) -- HARRISON, Franklin Wayne Elmer -His family mourns his passing, at The Woodhaven Nursing Home, Markham, on April 7, 2007, in his 72nd year from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrigs Disease). Wayne will be sadly missed by his brothers, Jack (Connie) Stouffville, Bill (Pat) New Hamburg; his sister, Margaret Cosgrove of Cape Canaveral, FL; his step-brother, James Steen; step-sister, Ann Smith, their families; nieces; nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews. He was predeceased by his mother, Dorothy Eleanor (June 1943); his step-mother, Vera Esther (June 1989) and his father, William Austin Harrison (October 1989). Friends may call at O'Neill Funeral Home, 6324 Main St., Stouffville (905-642-2855) on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Service in the chapel Wednesday at 11 a.m. Interment will take place at Memory Gardens, Breslau, Ontario. Donations in Wayne's name to the ALS Society of Ontario or the charity of choice would be deeply appreciated by the family.

Dr. J. Jeffrey Eaves
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April 09, 2007



Dr. J. Jeffrey Eaves passed away on April 3, 2007, from complications of ALS. Born February 9, 1947, to Jack and Marianne (nee Campbell) Eaves. He grew up in Delafield on Lake Nagawicka and raised his family in the Lake Country area.


Jeff will be deeply missed by his loving wife Deborah; and children Jack, Mick and Liz; mother-in-law Donna Farley; sisters Marcia and Sherry (John) Kennedy; and brother Jamie (Barbara); brothers-in-law Tom Farley (Kathy), David Farley (Chris); nieces and nephews: Jessica, Patrick, Caity, Megan, Courtney, Bridget, Maggie, Cullen, Kerry; other relatives; devoted friends; and loyal patients. Preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law James Farley and Aunt Gertrude Campbell.

Jeff was a 1965 graduate of Arrowhead High School. He graduated from Marquette Dental School, class of 1974. A private practice dentist for 30 years, Jeff was a member of the ADA, WDA and past President of the Waukesha Dental Society. He was also an alumnus of the L.D. Pankey Institute and recipient of the prestigious Academy of General Dentistry fellowship award. Jeff volunteered for many years at St. Joe's Dental Clinic in Waukesha and was active in the Waukesha Rotary Club.

Jeff's great loves, beyond his wife and family, were fishing, snow and water skiing and an avid Packer fan. Jeff spent many hours fishing and enjoyed Lunkers Unlimited outings and trips to northern Wisconsin, on Long Lake with family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all of his fishing buddies. Jeff was a member of the National Ski Patrol at Little Swiss Valley and was a founding member of the Nagawatics Water Ski Club. He skied competitively, and was one of the first people to barefoot ski on Lake Nagawicka. His last barefoot run was at age 50 while teaching his own children.

Coaching his children's sports teams through grade school, high school and CYM basketball at St. Charles, was one of his greatest joys. This past season, his team won the Division Championship. An active member of St. Charles Parish, Jeff helped to start the successful St. Charles fish fry.

The visitation will be Thursday, April 12th from 4:00-7:00 PM at St. Charles Catholic Church, 313 Circle Drive, Hartland. Mass will follow. If desired, memorials to Wisconsin ALS Association or to St. Charles Parish.

Heartfelt thanks to the many friends, patients, relatives, caregivers and parish members who helped to support Jeff and his family with their thoughts, prayers and visits. A special thanks to the caring staff of ProHealth Homecare and the ALS Association.

"Just tell me old shipmates, I'm takin' a trip mates and I'll see you one day in Fiddler's Green."

Church and Chapel
(262) 827- 0659
www.churchandchapel.com

Thelma (Schmidlin) Foley March 28, 1925-April 8, 2007

story updated April 10. 2007 10:55AM


LAMBERTVILLE - Thelma (Schmidlin) Foley, 82, of Lambertville died Sunday morning in her home. She had suffered from Parkinson's Disease for three years and from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) for three years.

Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Blanchard-Strabler Funeral Home, Toledo, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday. Private burial will take place later.

Born March 28, 1925, she was the daughter of Louis and Pauline (Dolgner) Schmidlin. She married Gerald (Jerry) Foley July 3, 1948.

Mrs. Foley worked for Walding, Kinnan and Marvin of the Toledo area. Later, she was a homemaker.

She graduated from Clay High School, Toledo, with singer Theresa Brewer.

Surviving are her husband; two daughters, Shelly (Dave) Antkowiak of Lambertville and Robin (Kevin) Raley of Palm Coast, Fla.; four brothers, Harold (Kathy), Bob (Donna), Frank (Donna) and Bill (Betty); two sisters, Ruth (Bud) Wolf and Hazel (Bob) Holden; four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Glen.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Toledo and Perrysburg, Ohio.

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Naomi L. Disbennett-Heavlin

DELAWARE - Naomi L. Disbennett-Heavlin, age 69, of Delaware, died early Tuesday morning, April 10, 2007, at Wintersong Village following a courageous four-month battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, April 12, 2007, at DeVore-Snyder Funeral Home, 75 W. William St. (Ohio 36), Delaware, where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 13, 2007, with Pastor Darrell Anderson officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery.



Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice at Grady, 561 W. Central Ave., Delaware, OH 43015.

Condolences may be expressed at www.snyderfuner alhomes.com

Michael G. Snyder

EL PASO, Texas — Michael G. Snyder, 47, passed away March 26, 2007, at Beaumont VA Hospital in El Paso, Texas, following a courageous battle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS).

Sgt. Snyder was retired from the U.S. Army, 1st Cavalry Division. He was the recipient of many medals, awards and commendations during his Army career. He was a veteran of Operation Desert Storm in Iraq in 1990-91.

A viewing for family and friends was followed by services performed by the Fort Bliss Army National Honor Guard and Chaplain Johnston. Cremation preceded burial in Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

Michael was born in Escanaba on Jan. 31, 1960.

He is survived by his mother, Carole Kamp of Stanwood, Mich.; maternal grandmother, Hannah Johnson of Escanaba and children, Andrew and Daniel of El Paso, Texas, Melissa of Edgerton, Wis., and Michelle of Bennington, Vt.

Also surviving is his loving caregiver, Beverly Snyder and stepsons, Joe, Tony and Kenny of El Paso, Texas and two half-brothers, Scott Little of Madison, Wis. and Joseph Kamp of Traverse City. Other family members include aunts, Georgianna Peterson and Robin Johnson of Austin, Texas; nephews, Kino, Cole, Aidan and Owen; as well as several cousins and special friend, Lou Dellinger.

Michael was preceded in death by his father, Patrick T. Snyder of Madison, Wis., and grandparents, Walter and Ruth Snyder of Escanaba

Hurst, Steven Robert, 41, of Dade City, died Tuesday (April 10, 2007) after a long battle with Lou Gehrig?s disease. He came here from his native New Jersey. He was a Navy veteran and a general manager at Celebration Station until illness forced him to retire. He was a member of Riverhills Church of God and served as chairman of the church?s school board. He enjoyed NASCAR, riding motorcycles and fishing. Survivors include his wife, Laura; two children, Shawn and Lauren; his mother, Barbara Hurst, New Jersey; his father, Joseph Hurst, Hawaii; two sisters, Donna Walton and Sandra Beckett; and two brothers, Kevin and Patrick. Hodges Family Funeral Home, Dade City.

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Willard Madison Marvel died at Rex Hospital on Easter Sunday after a long and courageous battle with ALS.
He was born in Milton, DE. Will served in the United States Air Force for eight years before completing a degree in Computer Science. He managed the Technical Support Division of Perdue, Inc. for the last 17 years of his career. Will had a passion for cycling. Before his illness, Will and his wife spent many hours riding their tandem bicycle, planning vacations around cycling events with a wide circle of friends. Will was an active member of Genesis United Methodist Church and loved his church family.
He was a devoted father, friend, and mentor.
Surviving are: his cherished wife, Carol Adams; two children, Sharon Johnston and Jeffery Marvel and his wife, Blair; two stepchildren, Kimberly Small and Clayton Small and his wife, Ann; brothers, James Marvel and his wife, Marion, Phillip Marvel and his wife, Beverly; sister, Amy Smith and her husband, Carlton.
Son of Ruth Marvel, Will was predeceased by his father, Harry Marvel. A tireless champion for quality living with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Will inspired all who knew him. He was a role model for many affected by this terrible disease and kept his wry sense of humor. He spent much of his time involved with ALS support groups, planning fundraisers, and participating in ALS Advocacy Days in Washington, DC. Although Will's presence will always be with us, he will be greatly missed.
A celebration of Will's life will be held 1:00 p.m. Thursday, April 12, 2007 at Genesis United Methodist Church, 850 High House Road, Cary, NC 27519. A memorial service will also be held in his hometown of Milton, DE on April 21, 2007.
Will would want to be remembered by donations to the ALS Association, Jim "Catfish" Hunter Chapter, 120-101 Penmarc Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603.
Published in The News & Observer on 4/11/2007.
Notice • Guest Book • Flowers • Gift Shop • Charities

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Sherry Gay Ketzbeau
KETZBEAU, Sherry Gay - Age 56, of Linden, died Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at home. Funeral services will be held 1PM Saturday, April 14, 2007 at Sharp Funeral Homes, Fenton Chapel, 1000 Silver Lake Rd., Fenton, Rev. Allen F. Schweizer officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Linden. Visitation will be held 1-9PM Friday and 11AM Saturday until time of service at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to ALS of Michigan or the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Sherry was born November 2, 1950 in Flint the daughter of Ward and Mildred (Eggelston) Kramer. She married Steven Ketzbeau on May 25, 1991 in Port Austin. Sherry was a graduate of Mott Community College Nursing School, and had been employed by McLaren Regional Medical Center and Kith Haven Care Center. She loved animals of all kinds and had rescued many from undesirable conditions. Sherry enjoyed gardening, but most of all she loved her children and grandchildren. Surviving are her husband, Steven of Linden; 2 children, Kristina Vert (Herbert) of Burton, Jeremy Vert (Manda) of Flint; 3 grandchildren, Megan Vert, Faith Sego, Tyler Vert; and many other loving friends. She was preceded in death by her parents. The family extends many thanks to Heartland Hospice and all the caregivers throughout the years. Those desiring may share online condolences or post a tribute at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.

My sincere condolences go out to Sherry's family.

Sherry Ketzbeau
http://lindenwoods.tripod.com/

ALS victim's advocacy, attitude recalled
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
By TJ Greaney ~ Southeast Missourian
Jim Trickey, a local man who fought a five-year battle with Lou Gehrig's disease, died Saturday at his home in Cape Girardeau.

Friends and family gathered Monday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home to remember the man who traveled to China to undergo radical surgery in an attempt to extend his life.

"He just made the best of the situation and he was such an advocate for the cause and became a poster child for it. He kept that attitude to his last day," said his father, James Trickey Sr.

In 2005, Trickey traveled to China, where surgeons implanted four million cells into the frontal lobe of his brain. The stem cells from aborted fetuses were intended to regenerate and possibly repair damaged nerves in his brain.

Similar tests have been conducted in the United States, but never on human patients.

The disease, also known as ALS, causes a progressive degeneration in the central nerve system resulting in the atrophy and lack of control of muscles.

Trickey Sr. said the operation had a temporary positive impact.

"There was an improvement. He went over there and couldn't walk very well, but he spent the next day after the operation walking to Tiananmen Square and to the Great Wall of China. Within months of coming home he had regressed and was back in the wheelchair," he said.

Trickey Sr. wants people to remember someone who kept his dignity and humor while facing the grimmest of diseases.

"He had the greatest attitude and the greatest smile and he was so mischievous. You know throughout his fight he was constantly cutting up with everybody which made it easier for the whole family," he said.

Trickey worked as a building inspector for the city of Jackson and is survived by his wife, Brandy Nichole Trickey. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. today at La Croix United Methodist Church.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

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Music legend Gary Rosen dies
By HOWARD WEISS-TISMAN, Reformer Staff

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Wednesday, April 18
BRATTLEBORO -- For more than 25 years, Gary Rosen's music has encouraged us to get up and sing.
And now his audience and fans will have to continue the song without him.

Rosen, the Brattleboro musician who took his inventive and unique style of family entertainment to audiences of all ages across the country, died Saturday from complications brought on from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

He was 60.

Rosen and his former partner, Bill Shontz, formed the duo Rosenshontz in New York City in the late 1970s and they moved up to the Brattleboro area at about the same time.

Rosenshontz is credited with bringing a higher level of sophistication and musicianship to children's music. The group performed at hundreds of shows and appeared on national television before breaking up in 1996.

Rosen continued performing for families and released a number of solo CDs after Rosenshontz split up.

He recorded and performed in concert until complications from ALS made it impossible to perform.

In a prepared statement from the Rosen family, Mary Rosen said her husband kept a positive outlook


throughout the time that he battled the incurable sickness.
"Gary lived life to the fullest and found joy in every day, despite his disease," she wrote.

"Gary always said, 'It's not going to get my spirit.' And it didn't. He kept the twinkle in his eye, and the smile on his face, and he overcame the fear of knowing what the day might bring."

In Rosen's final two years, a group of about 20 volunteers cared for him and his family as the debilitating illness progressed.

The family said the Brattleboro community came together to lend tremendous support. "In April of 2005, Bonnie Stearns pulled together a 'circle of care,' and what a circle it has been. Since Bonnie held the first meeting, the family has welcomed and loved all the support that everyone provided. Because of Bonnie's initiative, patience, determination, and understanding of what was needed, Gary continued to live comfortably in his home."

Stephen Stearns, director of the New England Youth Theater and a close friend of the family, worked with Rosen and the two shared performing stages around New England throughout their careers.

Stearns said Rosen helped build Brattleboro into a strong community that supports artists, and he said the music Rosen wrote will live on like the great traditional folk songs of the past.

"He made a huge difference on the music scene in New England and nationwide," Stearns said. "He wrote songs that touch people. Gary's music goes beyond cute. It goes to the heart and soul of the human experience and the dreams of the child. It is not simple, formula stuff. It comes out of a deep understanding of children, and their longing to find their voices."

Stearns also said Rosen's success changed the way the entertainment industry looked at children's music.

The success of Rosenshontz created a market that could fill a small hall with parents and children who were willing to pay for a ticket and come out to hear his songs.

"Gary's music opened that door and people saw that you could make a living and raise children because out of the work he was doing there was demand for those things," said Stearns. "It became a real way for artists and theater and children performers to succeed."

Peter Amidon, a Brattleboro musician who came to southern Vermont at about the same time that Rosen did, said that the town was drawing artists from around the East Coast.

Amidon said he remembers walking down Elliot Street and hearing the music of Rosenshontz coming from a performance space that has since closed.

Amidon said he was struck by how the young audience reacted to the music.

"Young children can be brutally honest and they will not be engaged against their will," said Amidon. "He definitely had a particular gift for engaging young children and he had a lot of other gifts as well."

Amidon performs folk music, and though he did not cross musical paths often with Rosen, he said Brattleboro's cultural palette has lost a color that will never be replaced.

"He was always very expressive and we always came out feeling like we got a gift from him," Amidon said. "Gary had a particular niche carved out and I don't see anyone jumping in to fill it."

Rosen and Shontz started playing children's music almost by accident. The two met and started playing folk and rock and roll in Greenwich Village in the mid-'70s.

After performing for tips outside of the gorilla cage at the Central Park Zoo, Shontz remembers, the pair found that parents and children reacted well to their early brand of family entertainment.

"We would play every gig we could get and children's music was one," Shontz remembered.

After playing a show in Vermont, they decided to move to the area.

They got a job playing for the schools in Windham County and, after working up a repertoire that would appeal to anyone between the ages of 5 and 17, the duo decided to concentrate on playing music for young people.

For many years Rosenshontz booked its own shows and sold albums out of the back of a well-traveled vehicle.

"We had to create a show for every age group and decided that was our niche," said Shontz.

Then a national booking agent signed them and the duo started appearing on national television and touring more extensively.

"It took off, and everything went crazy," he said.

Their recordings featured professional session musicians, which Shontz said was a change from most of the children's music available at the time.

The new musical form appealed to parents as well as their children, and at one point Rosenshontz sold out 43 shows in a row across the country.

Their original 1978 album, "Rosenshontz Tickles You," still sells. "From the beginning we never babied the music," Shontz said. "If we played rock it was rock. If it was swing, we played swing. We took children's music up several notches. The whole point was to make music that wouldn't drive parents crazy."

Rosen was born in Amherst, Mass., and attended Oberlin College. He played the clarinet in junior high school and picked up the guitar with millions of other teenagers during the folk movement in the 1960s.

He cited Pete Seeger as an early influence.

Throughout his career, Rosen has performed at The White House, New York's Town Hall, The Smithsonian and he once sang the National Anthem at Fenway Park.

His recordings have been recognized with a National Parenting Publication Award, a Children's Music Web Award and a Parent's Choice Award.

He was diagnosed with ALS in 2004 and lost the ability to play his guitar shortly thereafter, though he continued to sing at local shows with his children.

At a benefit concert last year, about $20,000 was raised to help the family augment what insurance does not cover. Some of the money is being put away in a trust fund for Rosen's family.

He is survived by his wife, Mary, and their three children; Lela, Penn and Eliza.

Gary Rosen's obituary, click here
For a guest book where friends may share remembrances, click here
Audio clips of Gary Rosen's music
Photo gallery
http://www.reformer.com/ci_5692110

Joan M. LinneInterior Designer



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Joan Margaret Shackelford Linne, 74, an interior designer in the furniture department at Woodward & Lothrop for 30 years, died April 8 at her daughter's home in Centreville. She had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

Mrs. Linne was a professional model for about seven years in her youth, having graduated from a local modeling school. She was named the 1949 May Day Queen at Stafford High School, and in 1952, she was a princess in the Cherry Blossom festival.



She also graduated from a local interior design institute and began working at the department story in 1962, retiring in 1992.

Her husband of 52 years, William Arthur Linne, died in 2006.

Survivors include three children, LuLynne Linne of Centreville, Tara Marie Mahootian of Shepherdstown, W.Va., and William Linne of Falls Church; and five grandchildren.

Nancy Inez Pawlik


NANCY INEZ RAPP PAWLIK OAKHURST, Calif. - Nancy Inez Rapp Pawlik passed away Monday, April 2, 2007, after a long and painful battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. God saw fit to take his daughter Nancy home to heaven. Born June 11, 1946, the daughter of Dan and Edna (Rittmeyer) Rapp. She was a graduate of Durand High School. Nancy was such a gift and talent to all. Whether it was in her career as an aero-tech office manger, raising and sacrificing for her three children, being a great neighbor, devoting herself to her husband, helping in community efforts, being a loving sister to her blood brothers and sisters or serving her Lord in church. We all shall miss her beautiful face, smile, laughter, genius, kindred spirit and the grace of being in her presence. Her truest desire was that each and every one of us will be reunited in the eternal joy and glory of God's kingdom. Her favorite bible verse was and still is John 11:25, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." Nancy is survived by her husband and caretaker, John; her children, Guy, Troy and Amy, with their respective families; five grandchildren; her brothers and sisters, Gary (Connie) Rapp, Dennis (Sue) Rapp, Bobbi "Roberta" (Jim) Montgomery, Doris (Bob) Akin and their respective families. Preceded in death by both parents; and her sister, Judy Dorney. A private funeral was April 7, 2007. Memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 28, in Sierra Vista Presbyterian Church, 39696 Highway 41, Oakhurst, CA 93644. It was Nancy's request that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to your local A.L.S Association on her behalf and others with this disease. For more information call 559-683-6742.

Fogarty, Deborah Christine Brooker

Nov. 2, 1950-April 15, 2007
"Devoted mother, loving sister, loyal daughter, doting grandmother, adoring aunt, beloved teacher, gifted musician, cherished friend, child of God."
Debbie was born at St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam, and grew up in East Worcester. She attended Worcester Central School and graduated with the class of 1969.
She was a member of the Honor Society and was consistently active in both band and chorus which led her to be the accompanist for many of the school's plays and graduations. She was proud to be an exchange student, spending time in Argentina and Spain. She furthered her education at the Crane School of Music via Potsdam State University in Potsdam, where she was classically trained in piano and voice. She also managed to attain majors in Spanish and French as well, which led her to teach high school French and then Spanish at a few schools in upstate New York. Her last position was at Lisbon Central School, where she remained a favorite of many students for almost 20 years.
She was honored in "Madison's Who's Who of Executives and Professionals" on several occasions, and was awarded a Certificate of Achievement by the American Federation of Teachers. Her students nominated her for The National Teacher of the Month many times, sending in essay upon essay stating the reasons why they believed in her so deeply, mostly because she believed in them.
Beginning her musical career with Mrs. Florence Russell, she became an accomplished pianist and vocalist and for many years was the Minister of Music at the Potsdam Church of the Nazarene.
She raised her family in the Potsdam area, finally settling in Norwood. She returned to East Worcester two years ago after her ALS diagnosis to be with her family.
She was an avid reader and was a tremendously talented knitter and crocheter. She also loved to create beautiful cross-stitch pieces for friends and family.
She was immeasurably kind and generous, never letting anyone she knew to be without comfort and love. She had a vast heart and is remembered by everyone she ever came in contact with as one of the most extraordinary individuals you could ever be blessed to know.
She quietly lost her courageous battle with ALS at 12:33 p.m. as the snow fell outside Sunday, April 15, 2007.
She was deeply loved by her three children, Heather Lyn (Fogarty) Mortellaro (and husband, Richard) of Corfu, Lisa Ann Fogarty of Potsdam and Joseph Michael Fogarty of Norwood. She delighted in her three grandchildren, Kaitlyn (9), Kyle (1) and Avery (4).
She is survived by her loving parents, Louis S. Brooker and Esther (Mathewson) Brooker, of East Worcester; one brother, Louis S. Brooker Jr. (and wife, Barbara) of New Jersey; and two sisters, Lynn B. Urrey and Kathleen A. Shaffer, both of New York. She is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews in New York, Virginia and South Carolina.
She was predeceased by her grandparents, Edmond E. and Angela (Radez) Brooker, of Worcester, and Glenn W. and Alice E. (Skellie) Mathewson, of Westford.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes contributions in her name to be made to the ALS Association, PO Box 127, Elbridge, NY 13060, Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, 327 West Main St., Cobleskill, NY 12043, East Worcester First Responders, PO Box 781, East Worcester, NY 12064, Worcester Emergency Squad, PO Box 191, Worcester, NY 12197 or the MDA, 1249 Front St., Binghamton, NY 13905.
Viewing will be held at the E.J. Skinner Co. Funeral Chapel, 155 Main St., Worcester, beginning at 6 p.m. in the evening and lasting until 8 p.m. April 20, 2007, when the family will be in attendance.
There will be an additional viewing at the East Worcester United Methodist Church from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 21, 2007, followed by funeral services to begin at 11 a.m. Friends and family are invited to stay for refreshments immediately following.
Interment will be in Maple Grove Cemetery in Worcester, at a later date.
Online condolences may be sent to www.skinnerfuneralchapel.com.
The E.J. Skinner Co. Funeral Chapel is serving the family.

Published in The Daily Star on 4/18/2007.

JULIA ADAMS


Julia Adams

Julia (Augustis) Adams, of Culpeper, VA, 83, born in Jersey City, NJ, and who made her home in Wilmington, DE for 49 years, was called home by her Lord on Monday, April 9, 2007. With her family by her side, she passed away peacefully after a 3 year courageous battle with ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Julia honored her Lord by doing His work every day. Her loving spirit and caring devotion to others inspired all whose lives she touched. She took advantage of every opportunity to bring into the hearts of others the light and beauty of God's love. In her final days, her radiant spirit showed us all the path to a better day. We are blessed to have shared in her life. She will be remembered for her kindness and generosity. God now holds her gently in his embrace. Julia's parents came to the U.S.A. from Lithuania. At age 45, with 4 children at home, she attended the University of Delaware and graduated with honors. She worked at Aldersgate Methodist Church for 6 years, then became a Human Relations Coordinator at the DuPont Company, where she was employed for 15 years. She worked as a volunteer docent at Winterthur Museum and the Delaware Riverfront Arts Center. She was a member of St. Matthew's Roman Catholic Church, Wilmington, DE. Julia's greatest joy in life was found in being a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. She volunteered at Christiana and St. Francis Hospitals through the Junior Board of Wilmington. She hosted students from around the world who were attending the University of Delaware. For 40 years, she considered Mac and Noriko Hatada of Osaka, Japan, family members and they hosted Julia in their country in 1998. It was her firm belief that people from all nations and all walks of life should embrace the opportunity to come together and share their lives with one another. She vacationed with friends and family in Avalon, NJ for over 30 years.

Those remaining here to celebrate her life are her husband of 62 years, Joseph J. Adams, of Culpeper, VA; her 4 children, John Adams, and wife, Christine, of Wilmington, DE, Janet Kovach, and husband, Lou, of North Venice, FL, Jill Devine, and husband, Donald, of Cincinnati, OH, and June Brick, and husband, Jonathan, of Culpeper, VA; her sister-in-law, Elenor Adams, of Paterson, NJ (sister of Joe); her grandchildren, Alethea Avatara, and husband, Satyan, Alyssa Adams, of Bucerias, Mexico, Anna Adams, of Newark, DE, Lauren Brick, of Tallahassee, FL, Jenna Brick, of Charlottesville, VA, and Julianne Brick, of Culpeper, VA; her great-grandchildren, Devon and Peyton Arcieri and Braeden Avatara of Landenberg, PA. Julia was predeceased by her mother, Tekla Augustis, in 1966; her father, John Augustis, in 1962; and her brother, Anthony Augustis, in 1992.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Precious Blood Church, 114 East Edmondson Street, Culpeper, VA on May 3, at 10 am.

In lieu of flowers, her family ask that donations be made to either Hospice of the Rapidan, 1200 Sunset Lane, Culpeper, VA 22701; or the ALS Association, 7507 Standish Place, Rockville, MD 20855.

Dad leaves 'Sweet Pea' letters for her future

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/1968/bildenciy5.jpg
Drew Squires, 36, leaves behind wife Liz and daughter Abby after battling ALS.


GREENSBORO — At first glance, it looked like a wedding.

Thirtysomethings, dressed in their best, crowded the sanctuary. They came from as far away as London and Los Angeles to spend a Sunday afternoon inside Grace United Methodist Church.

But then you saw their faces, as stiff as stone, and heard a deafening silence, broken occasionally by a symphony of sniffs. The guests, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, all came to say goodbye to Drew Squires, a neighbor, colleague and friend.

He died Thursday after a 22-month battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , better known as its dreaded acronym: ALS. He was 36.

You may remember Drew. I wrote about him in this space last fall. He was the father, husband and attorney who became the local face of ALS, a disease that took baseball legend Lou Gehrig.

Last week, the disease took Drew, a Wake Forest grad who loved movies, music, ACC basketball and his wife, Liz, the woman he called his "little red-headed girl.''

During a moving eulogy Sunday, Drew's longtime friend, John Meroney , talked about that love story, sharing an

e-mail Drew sent his wife on the eve of her 32nd birthday. It's an e-mail Meroney still keeps on his computer.

"You get better looking every year and every year I fall deeper and deeper in love with you,'' Drew wrote. "However long the Lord allows me to stay with you, rest assured that I will cherish every single second of it.''

I met Drew and Liz last fall at their home in Greensboro's Kirkwood neighborhood after hearing their neighbors had organized a run in his name to raise money for the ALS Foundation.

His daughter, Abby, then 2, played around his feet. His wife sat beside him. He sat in a mechanized wheelchair and talked about his family, his friends and his will to live.

He told me about his quick deterioration and his appreciation for the little things, like the ringing wind chimes and slight breeze that tickled his cheek. Then, he told me about the letters.

He wrote them to Abby, the little girl he called "Sweet Pea," so she could open them when she turned 3, 4, 5, 15 and 20, as well as when she celebrated her wedding day. He worried he wouldn't be there.

When he mentioned the letters, his voice buckled. But always, he recovered and mentioned the support that enveloped him like a well-worn quilt.

"To receive all this love and support confirms your faith in man,'' Drew told me, wrestling with every word. "There's truth to what you hear, that people are at their best when times are at their worst.''

You heard about that on Sunday. Neighbors and friends spent months coordinating every aspect of the Squires' life. They called themselves The Squires Squad.

Eighty-six members strong, connected through a Web site, they cooked, mowed the lawn, scheduled play dates for Abby, took Liz out to dinner and hung out with Drew to watch ACC basketball.

The tasks helped The Squires Squad deal with their own anguish. They were young, many at the same station in life: caring for young kids, climbing the professional ladder, creating memories.

Just like Liz and Drew.

On Sunday, Liz's college friends came from near and far to support the girl they remembered from Clewell , a dorm at Salem College.

Those friends remembered Drew as the fun-loving man who charmed Liz and loved "those Ziggy's bands.''

They remembered that when they watched the minister push the play button on a boom box perched on the pulpit and heard a Drew favorite, one of "those Ziggy's bands,'' fill the sanctuary.

It was the alt-country band Uncle Tupelo. And it was beautiful. It turned a somber wake into a cathartic celebration, as people walked out of the church and heard a nasal-toned vocalist sing these words:

I'm going where there's no depression
To a better land that's free from care
I'll leave this world of toil and trouble
My home's in heaven
I'm going there.

Claudia R. Long


Claudia R. Long, 78, of Chillicothe, went to be with the Lord at 4:35 p.m. Monday, April 23, 2007, in Adena Regional Medical Center following an extended battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 27, at the Glorious Church of God, 123 W. Main St., with Bishop Melvin Maughmer officiating. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery. Friends may call Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at Haller Funeral Home.



She was born April 27, 1928, in Dayton, OH to the late Rev. William and Mary (Luckadoo) Cotton.

Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law Bruce E. (Lanita) Bunch, Columbus; daughter Mary F. Hill, Conyers, GA; grandchildren: Abdu Bunch, Jehan Bunch, Jamila Bunch, Maren (Anthony) Pope, and Matthew Hill; and a great-grandchild Israel Pope.
Mrs. Long was a member of the Glorious Church of God and retired from the former Wear-Ever Aluminum.

Her online guestbook is available at www.HallerFuneralHome.com




Originally published April 25, 2007

Michael Lawrence Knotts
Published: April 26. 2007 5:00AM PST
Feb. 9, 1950 - April 20, 2007

Michael Lawrence Knotts, of Cottage Grove, died Friday of Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 57.

A funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Smith-Lunds-Mills Chapel in Cottage Grove.

Mr. Knotts was born Feb. 9, 1950, in Doniphan, Mo., to Everett and Hester (Forsyth) Knotts. He married Lynda Knotts in 1994.

Mr. Knotts served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1968 to 1972 in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. He worked as a heavy-equipment operator, retiring in 2006. He also was an artist.

He was a member of the Bend Church of Christ and the Church of Christ in Eugene. He enjoyed biking, bow hunting and basketball. He previously had lived in Gilchrist.

Survivors include his wife; four daughters, Anna Evans, Sarah Welden, Diane Vaught and Joanne Franklin; a brother, Hershal; a sister, Pam Blackwood; and six grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Sacred Heart in Eugene or Church of Christ in Eugene.

Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel in Cottage Grove is in charge of arrangements.

Veteran newsman Keith Bradbury succumbs to Lou Gehrig's disease

2007-04-27 22:02:00






VANCOUVER (CP) - Keith Bradbury, a former lawyer and then longtime newsman at BCTV, died Friday morning at his home on the Sunshine Coast north of Vancouver.

He was considered one of the mainstays at BCTV, which is now known as Global TV, and was one of the reasons the station grew from third place in B.C. to one of the most watched stations in the country.

In a report aired Friday, Global TV reviewed his career and aired tributes from many of the people who worked with him.

He earned a bachelor's degree at the University of B.C. and then went to study law. He practised law for a time before the journalism bug caught him.

"Keith was responsible, virtually every day for determining the nature and direction of most of the editorial flow," former BCTV news boss Cameron Bell said in the Global TV report.

In his student days, he was once editor of the UBC newspaper, The Ubyssey, which was chosen the best student newsaper in Canada that year.

He and Bell believed in letting pictures tell the story and together they and their reporters broke many stories over the years.

He died of ALS - Lou Gehrig's disease.

He was named a lifetime achievement award winner in 2004 by the Radio-Television News Directors Association of Canada.

In 1999, Bradbury and former BCTV News boss Cameron Bell were jointly awarded the Bruce Hutchison Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jack Webster Foundation.

EMS pioneer Marilyn Crook dies
By Gerald Ensley


Marilyn Crook, a Tallahassee paramedic who became the first female director of an ambulance service in the nation, has died.

Crook, 78, died Monday in Raleigh, N.C., from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative neurological condition known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Crook had spent most of her life in Tallahassee before moving to Raleigh two years ago.


In 1972, Crook became one of the first 18 emergency medical technicians — and the only female EMT — hired by Tallahassee Memorial Hospital when it assumed control of the ambulance service. Until then, local funeral homes provided ambulance service.

Crook was believed to be the first paid, female EMT in the state. Three years later, TMH promoted her to director of the ambulance service — making her the first female emergency-medical-services director in the nation. She remained in that role until her retirement in 1987.

She oversaw TMH's growth to 60 EMTs and paramedics and 10 state-of-the-art ambulances. She also helped found the TMH Life Flight helicopter service in 1982.

TMH operated the ambulance service until December 2003, when Leon County government assumed control.

"Marilyn was a pioneer — and just a wonderful person," said Bobby Bailey, a retired director of the TMH's ambulance service who joined the department in 1975 under Crook. "She was very caring, very committed to the job we did. She did so many wonderful things for so many people and touched so many lives."

For more on this story, read Saturday's Tallahassee Democrat.

4 WILSON, Helen Mary - With heartbreaking sorrow the family . . .


(May 3, 2007) -- 4 WILSON, Helen Mary - With heartbreaking sorrow the family announces the passing at her residence, on Monday April 30, 2007. Helen M. (Smida) Wilson, in her 70th year, much loved wife and best friend of Tommy. Loving mother of Leanne and her husband Terry Gregory and Joey. Devoted grandmother of Matthew and Mark Gregory. Dear sister of Margaret and her husband Frank Shutsa and sister-in-law of Verne Contini (Joe), Diane Godfrey (late Ray), Carol Horner (Mike), Jill Pembleton (John), Ted Wilson (Patti) and the late Jack Wilson. Favourite aunt to many nieces and nephews. Helen will be missed by her friends from the University of Guelph and the infamous "S & B Club" and the girls of the Guelph Curling Club. Resting at the Gilbert MacIntyre and Son Funeral Home, DUBLIN CHAPEL, 252 Dublin Street North, Guelph, (Thursday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.) Funeral on Friday morning, May 4, to St. Joseph's Church for Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Interment Marymount Cemetery. Vigil for Helen on Thursday evening at 8:45 p.m. As expressions of sympathy, donations to A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig's Disease) or the charity of one's choice would be appreciated by the family (cards available at the funeral home 519-822-4731 or send condolences at www.gilbertmacintyreandson.com).

Earl H. Graffam, 79, a retired Navy captain who was chief of staff and commander of the Middle East Force, died April 10 at his home in Arlington. He had complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

Capt. Graffam was a native of Winnipeg, Alberta, and a graduate of Drake University in Iowa. He served as a White House military aide and a temporary aide to Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz early in his career.

He was the first executive officer of the destroyer McMorris and commanding officer of the minesweeper Persistent. After graduating from the Naval War College, he was an aide to the chief of naval personnel in Washington. He then was the first executive officer of the guided missile cruiser Fox and the first commanding officer of the frigate Schofield.

Capt. Graffam also studied at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and served in the office of the chief of naval operations. From 1972 to 1974, he was chief of staff and commander of the Middle East Force in Bahrain. He then returned to the United States as commanding officer of the Recruit Training Command in Orlando, a post from which he retired.


He was a member of Rock Spring Congregational Church in Arlington, the Arlington Kiwanis, the Military Officers Association of America, the American Bahraini Friendship Society and the Society of White House Military Aides.

Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Olive Blair Graffam of Arlington; a son, Earl H. Graffam Jr. of Fort Washington, Pa.; a sister; and a grandson.

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Sherwood V. Cohen | Ophthalmologist, 71
Rev. Robert J. Conner Sherwood V. Cohen, 71, of Elkins Park, a retired ophthalmologist, died Wednesday of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) at home.
A native of Hudson, N.Y., Dr. Cohen earned a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a medical degree from State University of New York in Syracuse. He interned at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and completed an ophthalmology residency at Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia.

He established a practice in Northeast Philadelphia in 1965, shortly before he was drafted during the Vietnam War. From 1966 to 1968, he served in Army hospitals in the States.

After his discharge he returned to his practice and treated generations of patients before retiring at the end of 1999. He was on the staffs of Graduate Hospital, Holy Redeemer Hospital, and Rolling Hill Hospital.

Dr. Cohen wrote medical columns for the Jewish Exponent and the Northeast Jewish Times. His letters to the editor appeared in the Exponent and in The Inquirer. He had strong opinions about certain subjects, including medical ethics and the Middle East, said his wife, Judith Silver Cohen.

He was a member of Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park and conducted the summer services. He was an avid traveler and a longtime Philadelphia Orchestra subscriber.

In addition to his wife of 43 years, Dr. Cohen is survived by sons Stephen and David; two sisters; and two grandsons.

The funeral will be at 12:30 p.m. today at Goldsteins' Rosenberg's Raphael-Sacks Memorial Chapel, 310 S. Second Street Pike, Southampton. Burial will be in Roosevelt Memorial Park, Trevose.

Famed veterinarian leaves behind stories and memories

By MICHAEL BECKER Chronicle Staff Writer

John A. McIlhattan, veterinarian, horse driver, outdoorsman and author, died last week at his home in Bozeman. He was 61.


A fourth-generation resident of the Gallatin Valley, McIlhattan was the son of Alton and Katherine (Bohart) McIlhattan. Three decades ago, after veterinary school, he opened the well-known Valley View Veterinary Hospital.

In the last few years of his life, McIlhattan was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, which robbed the strength from his arms and took him away from many of the activities he loved.

Despite his weakness, he spent much of the past two years writing the stories of his life in longhand. McIlhattan self-published the stories in his book “Montana-Born Luck” earlier this year.

Nick Shrauger, chairman of the Draft Horse Teamster Hall of Fame, to which McIlhattan was inducted in 2006, said Friday that the book reveals the humor and warmth behind the doctor's quiet personality.

"He did such a service to us all by his book because it gives us a characterization of this warm and funny person," Shrauger said.

McIlhattan had a passion for draft horses and volunteered where he could. Gene Surber worked with McIlhattan on various 4-H programs and said McIlhattan loved teaching children about the animals.

"From a standpoint of helping out youth, John was there," Surber said. "He thought youth ought to have a nice start and there should be somebody there to help."

McIlhattan and his wife, Eileen Wallin, had one son, John.

At the veterinary hospital -- on McIlhattan Road -- farrier Larry Grantier said McIlhattan held on to traditional values.

"He was an old-fashioned kind of guy, where a handshake meant something," he said.

Grantier recalled the stories McIlhattan told, many of which are recorded in the book.

One tells how his father, while training dairymen in Cuba, barely escaped a violent revolution in the 1930s. Another tells the secrets of keeping buffalo happy -- McIlhattan raised buffalo on his farm since 1981.

"The way he tells it, you're laughing so hard," Grantier said. "You can picture every single moment."

Chris Nielsen, a family friend who helped care for McIlhattan in the last months of his life, said he always lived for the present, reveling in having too many irons in the fire.

Even after his ALS diagnosis, McIlhattan told her, "I feel more like myself than I did before."

Friends say reading the book is knowing the man.

"You read the book and you feel like you get to know the man," Nielsen said. "His whole life is that book."

Family and friends will gather Sunday, May 13, at the Springhill Community Pavillion north of Bozeman. All are welcome to share stories and memories.

McIlhattan's book can be purchased at the Valley View Veterinary Hospital.

Michael Becker is at mbecker@dailychronicle.com

Ex-Indian 'Gomer' Hodge dies
Tuesday, May 15, 2007Dennis ManoloffPlain Dealer Reporter
Harold "Gomer" Hodge played just one major-league season, but he was around long enough to utter one line that left an indelible impression.

After notching his fourth hit in four official at-bats for the Indians in April 1971, Hodge said, "Golly, fellas, I'm hitting 4.000."

The quote captured the essence of the easygoing Hodge, who died Sunday in Rutherfordton, N.C. He was 63. Hodge had suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease.


"Fans loved him," said Russell Schneider, who covered the Indians for The Plain Dealer in 1971. "Everybody loved being around him."

Schneider devoted a chapter to Hodge in his latest book, "Whatever Happened to Super Joe'? Catching up with 45 Good Old Guys from the Bad Old Days of the Cleveland Indians."

Hodge finished the 1971 season with a .205 average in 83 at-bats in 80 games. The reserve infielder had one homer -- over Fenway Park's Green Monster -- and nine RBI.

The Indians demoted Hodge, then 27, to Class AAA and he never made it back. Hodge was a minor-league player/coach or manager in the Indians' system through 1976, Schneider wrote. Hodge held various jobs in the systems of other clubs, and coached in Australia and Mexico before retiring in 2001.

"Gomer would be the first to tell you he wasn't blessed with an abundance of talent," Schneider said. "He was a solid, hard-working country boy who played the game for the sheer love of it."

Hodge was nicknamed Gomer by teammates in the minors because they thought he sounded like Gomer Pyle, the TV character played by Jim Nabors.

The funeral is at 11 a.m. today at McMahan's Funeral Home, 249 S. Main St., Rutherfordton. The family will receive friends after the service.

Donations can be made to Hospice of the Carolina Foothills Inc., 130 Forest Glen Drive, Columbus, N.C., 28722.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

dmanoloff@plaind.com, 216-999-4664

Theater advocate succumbs to ALS
WALNUT CREEK: 'Jann' Schaub worked tirelessly on behalf of area arts for a quarter of a century
By Jeanine Benca
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Article Launched: 05/18/2007 03:07:51 AM PDT


Janet Rose Schaub, a tireless local arts enthusiast who helped build theater programs in Diablo Valley for more than 25 years, died Monday at her home in Walnut Creek.
"Jann" Schaub was passionate about promoting the legacy of American playwright Eugene O'Neill, especially among young people. She served on the board of the Eugene O'Neill Foundation from 1987 until her death, coordinating the foundation's "Student Days" program, a popular arts workshop for East Bay students held each spring at Tao House, O'Neill's one-time estate in the Diablo hills.

Throughout the 1980s, Schaub hosted a popular community access cable program, "Walnut Creek in Focus." The weekly television show examined issues in local schools and government.

A native of Detroit, Schaub studied drama at Michigan State University and Wayne State University. After moving to California in 1974, she became active in community theater, performing with Center Repertory Company, ACT Now, J&L Players and Town Hall Theatre.

Schaub gave her last stage performance in 2006 at the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church in Walnut Creek in a production of "Handy Dandy," in which she played an activist nun leading a peace march on a nuclear power plant.

In November, Schaub was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a chronic neuromuscular disease.

"She never made an issue of it. Her focus was not on herself," said longtime Eugene O'Neill Foundation board


member Bob Rezak.
In Schaub's final community theater performance, "she brought the same conviction and passion she has demonstrated for issues she cares deeply about -- world peace, the environment, her church, her community, her country, people and, above all, the arts," Rezak said.

Schaub is survived by her husband of 37 years, Gary Schaub; her brother, Robert Rose of Irvine; and two nephews, Matthew and Scott.

A celebration of her life will be held at 3 p.m. June 2 at the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the ALS Association, Greater Bay Area Chapter, 131 Steuart St., San Francisco, CA 94105 and to the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.

Former disc jockey dies at 56
By ROBERT WILSON, rlwilson2594@msn.com
May 18, 2007


Though Bill Purdue never got to see this world, he tried to experience it in every way he could.
Through it all, his wife said, "he didn't hold back."





"He always said being blind could be an ability or a disability. He made his an ability," Sandra Purdue said.

William Ray "Bill" Purdue died Monday at age 56, a victim of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Mr. Purdue was blind almost from birth, said Sandra Purdue. He was born prematurely in East St. Louis, Ill., and weighed 2 1/2 pounds. He spent four months in an incubator where, she said, an overabundance of oxygen in his system cost him his eyesight.

He was educated at the Illinois School for the Blind in Jacksonville and the Missouri School for the Blind in St Louis and was one of the first vision-impaired students in the public school system there.

His father, a Baptist pastor, accepted a job at a church in East Tennessee, and Mr. Purdue wound up getting a degree from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City.

"He would rather have been an auto mechanic," Sandra Purdue said.

She told how his college friend, John Abbott, would place a piece of cardboard on his bike so that it made a sound as the spokes hit it and that Mr. Purdue would follow the sound around campus riding on his own bike.

Mr. Purdue got his degree in sociology and was for a time a social worker. But his prime vocation was in radio. He worked as a disc jockey at stations in Morristown, Alabama, West Tennessee and other places. His wife said he had an ear for classic country and rock music.

"He always called his show the 'Wild Bill Extravaganza,' " Sandra Purdue said, adding he also worked in gospel radio.

Mr. Purdue got his chance to try driving with the help of some of his buddies in a church parking lot once, according to longtime family friend Mary Mitchell.

And Sandra Purdue said that Mr. Purdue also got the chance to drive a boat and pull his friend Abbott as he skied behind.

"I would tell him which way to steer," she said.

"My husband was nothing but a gentleman."

Former owner of Burroughs Appliance dies on his birthday
BETTY TYLER, News Editor
Article Launched: 05/17/2007 02:56:23 PM PDT


John A. Lehman, a longtime Redlands businessman who was active in the community, died on his 81st birthday, May 11, at Redlands Community Hospital from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Lehman was well-known in Redlands as the manager and then owner of Burroughs Appliance Center on East State Street, and he was active in the community, especially with Rotary Club projects.

He was born May 11, 1926, in Loma Linda, grew up in Beaumont and finished high school in Compton, where he also attended college.

It was in high school in Compton that he met some of his lifelong friends, his son Jack Lehman said. Those friends included Pete Rozelle, who was commissioner of the National Football League from the 1960s through the '80s.

Lehman and Rozelle were best men at each other's weddings, Jack Lehman said, and they remained close through the years.

The group of friends from Lehman's Compton years, including some from college, became the "Super Bowl" group, about a dozen men and their wives who got together every year at the Super Bowl and visited with Rozelle, Lehman's son said.

After high school, Lehman served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and when he returned to


California he married and raised his family in Colton and Redlands.
He worked for Sears, then for the Edison Co. before he settled into what became a career in the appliance business.

After leaving the Edison Co., he began working with his father in the appliance business, then had an opportunity in the early 1950s to work in sales at Waldo F. Burroughs Appliances in Redlands. He later became the store's manager and then owner after Waldo Burroughs retired.

Lehman retired in 1993 and sold the business to Jim Thorpe.

In recent years, the store switched from appliances to a cabinets, tying in with Lehman's passion for woodworking and his skill as a master cabinetmaker.

After his retirement, Lehman enjoyed making cabinets, furniture, toys and other projects in the workshop of the home in Angelus Oaks that he and his wife Martha built together.

His son said everyone in the family, including every grandchild, has something he made, as do many other families.

In addition to cabinets and furniture, his son recalled the toy wagons made of wood, with wooden building blocks fit into them, that he made for his grandchildren and for other people's grandchildren.

His woodworking skill was also appreciated in the Rotary Club of Redlands. He had been an active member of the club since he joined in 1971.

Bill Hatfield, a member of Rotary and owner of Hatfield Buick-GMC Truck in Redlands, said Lehman was always there whenever Rotary members had a major project, such as building a shade cover at a community garden.

"He was an excellent woodworker," Hatfield said. "He knew how to build and fix anything - always hands on."

Hatfield said Lehman also took on the job of standing at the door during Rotary's annual Red Wine and Blues wine-tasting fundraiser, greeting people and handing out glasses and plates.

He said Lehman was also one of the people who made sure the room was ready for Rotary meetings. "He was one who did all the grunt work," Hatfield said.

Lehman's skill with people equaled his skill in the workshop, according to Hatfield.

"He made sure he got to know everyone in the club," Hatfield said, "and when you saw him, you felt better having visited with him, whether it was just hello or quite a conversation.

"He would compliment you, tell you you were doing a good job. He cared about you."

Lehman was also a "wonderful guy to deal with" as a businessman, Hatfield said.

He recalled the time the icemaker in his first refrigerator broke down the day before the Fourth of July and said Lehman was at his house until 8 that night, fixing it.

In the Rotary Club, in addition to the many hours he gave working on service projects, he was also a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.

A few weeks ago, the Redlands club honored him for his many years of service and made a donation to the ALS Association in his honor.

Lehman's other community involvement included serving on the Redlands school board in the 1960s and serving many years on the board of the Salvation Army.

He had also been a member of the Redlands Business Improvement District and had been active in the First Congregational Church of Redlands, holding many offices.

He had been a member of the Order of DeMolay as a youth and later was a member of the Redlands Masonic Lodge. He had also been a Boy Scout leader and a member of the Exchange Club and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Survivors include his wife Martha Lehman of Angelus Oaks; his son and daughter-in-law Jack and Tawnie Lehman of Brea; his daughters and sons-in-law Susan and Russ Nelson of Belgrade, Mont., Lori and Kent Porter of Bozeman, Mont., and Mari and Cliff DeManty of Fullerton; his former wife Donna Lehman of Bozeman, Mont.; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and friends Ken and Donna Goodner of Angelus Oaks who were like family to him.

A celebration of his life and sharing of memories is planned for 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at the Tartan Restaurant, 24 E. Redlands Blvd., Redlands. Private family services will be held later.

Memorial donations may be made to the ALS Association.

Leonard H. Peterson

Leonard Haley Peterson, 67, passed away on May 5, 2007, in Lodi, Wis., after a two-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Lenny was born to Dora Mae and Haley Peterson on Aug. 30, 1939 in Tacoma, Wash. He served as a jet mechanic in the U.S. Air Force, a pumpman on oil tankers in the Merchant Marine, and a cement truck driver in Santa Rosa, Calif., Cottage Grove, Ore., and in Fairbanks from 1989-2001.

Lenny loved people and cherished all those he knew. He loved restoring and driving antique cars and his Harley. He loved his trees, yard, cats and dogs.

Lenny was preceded in death by his parents, Haley and Dora.

He is survived by his wife, Julie Wojtalewicz Peterson; daughters and sons-in-law, Kim and Jeremy Delich of Normandy Park, Wash., and Christine Peterson Schwab and Jason Schwab of Federal Way, Wash.; grandchildren, Graysen and Annie Delich; stepchildren, Jackie and Mike Sill of Lodi, Wis., Brad Schmauss and his partner Kym Bartlett of London and Ben and Christy Schmauss of Las Vegas; step-grandchildren, Cassidy Sill and Ruby Schmauss; and brother and sister-in-law, Doug and Debbie Peterson of Maryville, Mont.

Condolences may be sent to Julie Wojtalewicz Peterson, N2860 Trevor Ridge Road, No. 12, Lodi, WI 53555.

Fundraiser loses battle with ALS
Local News - Tuesday, May 22, 2007 @ 02:00

A popular financial services agent, who tried to raise awareness about Lou Gehrig's disease after being diagnosed three years ago, has died.

Daniel "Dan" Gentilcore passed away Friday at Greater Niagara General Hospital, surrounded by members of his family.

He was 49.


Gentilcore, who worked in the insurance industry for more than 25 years, was diagnosed with the progressive and slowly debilitating disease in 2004.

He was the subject of a feature article in The Review published in November 2005, while trying to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for the disease, which is also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

"People are not aware, they don't know what ALS is," Gentilcore said at the time. "You mention Lou Gehrig, and they know a little more, but it's not well understood. I want people to be able to understand."

A funeral mass will be celebrated today at 10:30 a.m. at St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church. Entombment will follow at Fairview Mausoleum.

In memoriam donations can be made to ALS Research, c/o Dr. Turnbull at McMaster University.

Marlin E. Johnson, 75, of New Underwood and formerly of Lead, passed peacefully to walk eternally with the Lord Wednesday, May 16, 2007 after his battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and his brief stay at the Fort Meade VAMC in Sturgis.
Marlin was born March 15, 1932 in Lead to Marion and Margaret (Killoren) Johnson. The family purchased and moved to a ranch south of Lead where Marlin grew up and attended school at the Hillside School on the ranch and later in Lead where he graduated High School in 1952. Marlin enlisted in the Army in 1953 until 1955 when he returned to Lead.
After working briefly with the Corps of Engineers as a laborer on Pactola Reservoir, Marlin began work at Homestake Gold Mine in 1957 until retiring as an electrician in 1992 after 36 years. Shortly after retiring Marlin moved from the family ranch to New Underwood where he remained until he became ill at which time he moved to his Son, Ross', home in Spearfish prior to his final days.
Marlin spent his life enjoying ranching, hunting and fishing, with his children, brother, John, and numerous nieces, nephews and grandchildren. He always remained a jokester and loved socializing with all he met.
He will be dearly missed by his son, Ross (Carolyn) Johnson and two grandchildren of Spearfish, daughters Marcia (Jack) Davis and grandson of Moravia, Iowa, and Jolene Geer and three grandchildren of Clinton, Mo.
He is also survived by his brother's John (Phyllis) Johnson, Deadwood, and Theron (Grace) Young, Huntington Beach, Calif. and their children and numerous other nieces, nephews and cousins. He is also survived by two great-grandson's Raymond Olsen of Moravia, Iowa and Austin Clark of Spearfish.
Marlin was preceded in death by his parent's and one sister, Lavonne Libby of Grants Pass, Ore.
Visitation will be Sunday May 20, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel in Spearfish. Services will be conducted Monday, May 21 at 2 p.m. at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel, with Chaplin Charley Conger officiating and burial to follow at Mountain Lawn Cemetery in Lead.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to benefit research for Lou Gehrig's Disease.
Arrangements have been placed in the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel of Spearfish. Online condolences may be written at: www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com

Arlene Ranshaw Wetzel

CHESTERHILL - Arlene Ranshaw Wetzel left this world to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus on May 21, 2007, after a long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Mrs. Wetzel was a music teacher in the Morgan Local Schools for 27 years. She graduated from Moon High School in Coraopolis, Pa. and received her bachelor of music education degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She was a student of organ performance of Dr. Robert Sutherland Lord at the University of Pittsburgh, and served as organist at numerous Pittsburgh area churches including Brookline United Presbyterian, Sharon United Presbyterian, Mount Lebanon United Presbyterian, University and City Ministry (UACM), and Heinz Chapel. After moving to Chesterhill in 1970 she continued her organist career at various churches in Marietta and Parkersburg, most recently at Trinity Episcopal Church, Parkersburg.




She enjoyed more than 50 years of marriage with her husband, Richard D. Wetzel. She is also survived by her four children, Richard (Diana) Wetzel, Erika (John) Paradiso, John (Celia) Wetzel and Dara (Mark) Gillis; four grandchildren, Laura and Andrew Wetzel, and Mark and Jessica Gillis; and her sister, Joanne Pettit of Erie, Pa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John Dressel Ranshaw and Mildred Cole Ranshaw.
Calling hours will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 24, at Stone- Matheney Funeral Home, Chesterhill and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 25, at Matheney Funeral Home in McConnelsville.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 27, 2007, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 430 Juliana St., Parkersburg, W.Va.

Former Van Buren Mayor Dies

POSTED: 8:06 pm CDT May 27, 2007
UPDATED: 8:16 pm CDT May 27, 2007

VAN BUREN, Ark. -- A former mayor of Van Buren has died, officials confirmed.

John Riggs, who had lived with Lou Gehrig's Disease for several years, died at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Riggs retired as mayor last December because of his battle with the disease.
He served as Van Buren's mayor for 12 years and is known not only for his genuine love for the city but also his accomplishments such as successful road projects, the capital improvements program and a community effort to rebuild following the 1996 tornado.

http://www.4029tv.com/news/13398425/detail.html

'Will' Weir carried Olympic torch in 2004

By Sharon Boase
The Hamilton Spectator
(May 28, 2007)
A powerful flame has been extinguished.

The worlds of elite triathlons, theatre, modern dance, kick-boxing and ALS advocacy have all lost a leading light since William ("Will") Weir succumbed to ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, on May 21. He was 58.

Friends and family remember Weir most fondly at a moment in which he truly shone -- carrying the Olympic torch during the Canadian leg of the Olympic Torch Relay leading up to the Athens Games in 2004.

"It was a very proud moment for him, regardless of the illness," said long-time friend Steve Lessy of Weir's participation in his wheelchair. Accompanied by his wife, Jennifer, and then one-year-old son Billy, in carrying the torch in Montreal, it was a moment of joy.

"He used that opportunity to give a very passionate speech about movement -- whether related to dance or sport. He was able to articulate some of his philosophy of life and try to promote ALS issues because it just doesn't get the same attention as cancer or heart and stroke."

Born and raised in Toronto, Weir excelled at swimming, cycling and running. He swam while at university and competed in triathlons for 20 years, winning many top level awards. He also dabbled in kick-boxing, theatre and modern dance.

In 1999, he was diagnosed with ALS, a rapidly progressing disease that causes nerve cells to degenerate and muscles to become paralyzed while leaving the intellect and senses intact. It is incurable and generally fatal within two to five years of onset.

From the age of two, Billy would scramble up his father's wheelchair and plop himself in Weir's lap. Unable to move his arms and hold his son, Weir had a ritual of rubbing noses with his little boy.

In 2004, Weir and his wife (who studied in Steeltown) moved to Hamilton after Weir had to give up his business staffing pools in condominiums with lifeguards and they could no longer afford to live in Toronto.

Jennifer, a nurse, found a job at Dofasco and Weir continued his advocacy work with the ALS Society in Toronto.

"His contribution was immeasurable," said Corina Chevalier, with the ALS Society of Ontario. "He was a pillar of strength and hope for people with ALS because he was always so positive."

Weir had to be moved to St. Joseph's Healthcare where he received complex continuing care after Jennifer was diagnosed with cervical cancer last year. When the cancer returned in her lymph nodes, she went for a second round of chemotherapy but is now part of a clinical trial receiving a drug that targets cancer cells.

Meanwhile, Weir developed a blood clot in his lung. Although doctors managed to clear it up, complications from ALS eventually took his life.

"For someone to have been athletic his whole life, who never smoked or drank or abused his body to be stricken with something like this ... nobody can know unless you walk in his shoes," Lessy said.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the ALS Society of Ontario (alsont.ca).

sboase@thespec.com 905-526-2452

May 28. 2007 6:59AM

Ex-Irish star Demmerle dies
Former Notre Dame standout receiver Pete Demmerle, lost his battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) on Thursday at the age of 53.

He played from 1971 to 1974 and was a starting wide receiver for Ara Parseghian's national championship team in 1973.

A funeral mass will be celebrated Wednesday at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Greenwich, Conn.


A knee injury in his final college game reduced his chances at a pro career, although he was drafted by San Diego in the 13th round. Instead, he attended Fordham University Law School in 1976.

He joined the international law firm of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae in 1979 as an associate tourney.

Demmerle received the 2003 Edward "Moose" Krause Monogram Club Member of the Year Award.

He was Notre Dame's leading receiver in '73 and '74 (43, then sixth-best in ND history), when he helped the Irish post a pair of season-ending bowl victories over Alabama. His three first-quarter catches and a later two-point conversion helped spark the 1973 team to the 24-23 Sugar Bowl victory over the Crimson Tide.