Obituaries

Jeanette F. Dourte

Jeanette F. Dourte

Jan 8, 2016

Jeanette Frey Dourte entered heaven on Friday, January 8, 2016 at Messiah Village, Mechanicsburg. She was born on February 21, 1921 to Frederick F. and Myrtle Earhart Frey, at Turkey Hill, in Conestoga, PA. Jeanette was the wife of the late Rev. Allon B. Dourte. Jeanette graduated from the former Manor High School (Millersville) in 1938. After marrying Allon Dourte...

Victor B. Landis

Victor B. Landis

Jan 7, 2016

Victor Bentz Landis of Brethren Village and formerly of Neffsville died on the morning of January 7, 2016 at Lancaster General Hospital after a brief illness. He was born on the family farm at Landis Valley to Elizabeth Bentz of Brunnerville and Walter B. Landis of Landis Valley. He attended a one-room school in Roseville and later graduated from Manheim...

John H Gingrich

John H Gingrich

Jan 6, 2016

John H. Gingrich, 82, of Lebanon, passed away on January 6, 2016 at the Good Samaritan Hospital. Born in Reading, he was the son of the late George Gingrich and Ada Miller. He shared 28 years of marriage with his loving wife, Nancy Hostetter Gingrich, who he called his guardian angel. A graduate of Reading High School, John was a...

Lester U. Weidman

Lester U. Weidman

Jan 5, 2016

Lester U. Weidman, 91, of Manheim died peacefully on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at Pleasant View Retirement Community. Born in Rapho Township, he was the son of the late Elmer B. and Amanda N. Ulrich Weidman. He was the loving husband of the late Catherine Ober Weidman, who passed away in 2002. Lester was the owner and operator of his...

Elizabeth H.      "Betsy" Farmer

Elizabeth H. "Betsy" Farmer

Jan 5, 2016

Elizabeth H. “Betsy” Farmer Elizabeth H. “Betsy” Farmer, 78, of Manheim, died peacefully Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at her residence. She was the wife of the late Donald E. Farmer who died in 2013. Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late Dr. I.N. and Dorothy Davis Hershey. Betsy was a graduate of Manheim Central High School, class...

Sandra Elizabeth "Sandy" Herr

Sandra Elizabeth "Sandy" Herr

Jan 2, 2016

Sandra Elizabeth “Sandy” Herr, 67, of Akron, formerly of Manheim passed away on Saturday, January 2, 2016 at Ephrata Community Hospital. Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late Walter F. and Beatrice Mae Miller Herr. She worked for EARS (Ephrata Area Rehab Services). Sandy attended the First United Methodist Church, Ephrata and she was a former member...

Reba M. Groff

Reba M. Groff

Jan 2, 2016

Reba M. Groff, 86, of Manheim, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, January 2, 2016 at Lancaster General Hospital. Born in Penryn, she was the daughter of the late Norman and Ella Bruckhart Geib. She was the loving wife of Earl E. Groff and they celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary in November. A homemaker, Reba was a member of White Oak...

Dorothy  M. Rhoades

Dorothy M. Rhoades

Jan 1, 2016

Dorothy M. “Dottie” Rhoades, 86, of Lancaster, passed away following a lengthy illness, on January 1, 2016 at Ephrata Keystone Villa. Born in Warwick Twp., she was the daughter of the late Oscar and Jeannette Burgess Grube. In February, she would have celebrated her 51st wedding anniversary with her husband, Donald “Dusty” Rhoades of Lancaster, who was lucky to have...

Ray C. Epler

Ray C. Epler

Dec 31, 2015

Ray C. Epler, 58, of Manheim, died at home on Thursday, December 31, 2015. Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Ray E. and Rose Williams Epler. Ray was the husband of Irene Dziunka Epler and they observed their 38th wedding anniversary in May of 2015. He worked for Alcoa, Lancaster for many years. Ray’s interests included:...

Mary K. Longenecker

Mary K. Longenecker

Dec 29, 2015

Mary K. Longenecker, 94, formerly of West Lexington Road, Lititz, died peacefully on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at the United Zion Retirement Community, Lititz. Born in Warwick Township, she was the daughter of the late Abram H. and Mabel Keller Longenecker. A homemaker, she was a member of the United Zion Church, Lititz. Surviving is a sister, Nancy Diffenderfer of...

Mary L Pacocha

Mary L Pacocha

Dec 28, 2015

Mary L. Pacocha, 88, formerly of Shamokin, died peacefully on Monday, December 28, 2015 at Masonic Village of Elizabethtown. Born in Shamokin, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Fott Hemerka. Mary was the wife of the late Albert J. Pacocha who died in August of 2003. A seamstress, Mary worked for the former Shroyer’s Dress Factory...

Ruth E. Hostetter

Ruth E. Hostetter

Dec 27, 2015

Ruth E. Hostetter, 69, formerly of Lebanon, died Sunday December 27, 2015, at the Masonic Village, Elizabethtown, where she was a resident. Born in Long Branch, NJ she was the daughter of the late Russell and Ellen (Raber) Hostetter. Ruth was a secretary at Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, and worked for the I. Auman Machine Co. of Lebanon before retiring....

Benjamin W.  Rose Sr.

Benjamin W. Rose Sr.

Dec 26, 2015

Benjamin W. Rose Sr., 77, of Lititz, and formerly of Manheim, died Saturday, December 26, 2015 at the Lancaster General Hospital. Born in Princess Anne County, Virginia, he was the son of the late Tilton Lee and Catherine Waterfield Rose. For over 20 years Ben worked for Manheim Borough as the manager of the water treatment plant. He was a...

Norma J. Wagner

Norma J. Wagner

Dec 26, 2015

Norma J. Wagner, 90, formerly of Mount Joy, went home to be with her Lord & Savior Saturday, December 26, 2015 at the Masonic Health Care Center, Elizabethtown. She was the wife of the late Rev. William H. Wagner who died in 1999. Born in Findlay, OH, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin and Hazel (Miller) Weaver. Norma...

Donald H. "Don" Becker

Donald H. "Don" Becker

Dec 24, 2015

Donald H. “Don” Becker, 89, formerly of Elizabethtown Road, Manheim passed away on Thursday, December 24, 2015 at Evergreen Estates Retirement Community, Lancaster. Born in Rapho Township, he was the son of the late Michael S. and Estella Shreiner Becker. He was the loving husband of the late Jean Givler Becker who died in 2010. Retired in 1988, Don worked...

J. Clifford    "Cliff" Gehman   Jr.

J. Clifford "Cliff" Gehman Jr.

Dec 24, 2015

J. Clifford “Cliff” Gehman Jr., 72, formerly of Lancaster and Lititz, is at peace with his Lord as he passed away at his home in Elizabethtown, on Thursday, December 24, 2015. Born in Lancaster, he was the son of Betty Howell Gehman of Lancaster, and the late John Clifford Gehman Sr. Cliff was the loving husband of Linda Dagen Gehman...

John T. Piaskowski

John T. Piaskowski

Dec 23, 2015

John T. Piaskowski, 80, of Manheim passed away at home on Wednesday, December 23, 2015. Born in Shenandoah, he was the son of the late Ignatius and Nellie Borcufsky Piaskowski. He was the loving husband of Harriet I. Kase Piaskowski and they celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary in September. John worked 34 years as a tool & die maker, class...

Dorothy M.  Hollinger

Dorothy M. Hollinger

Dec 23, 2015

Dorothy M. Hollinger, 97, formerly of Lititz, passed away peacefully on December 23, 2015 at Brethren Village. Born in Paradise Township, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Mary (Leaman) Metzler. She was the wife of the late E. Earl Walton (1961) for 14 years and the late J. Graybill Hollinger (2014) for 50 years. She graduated from...

Jack C.  Dull

Jack C. Dull

Dec 22, 2015

Jack C. Dull, 69, of Lititz, passed away at his home on December 22, 2015, following a lengthy illness. Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late William and Jean (Tome) Dull. He attended Ephrata High School and was a truck driver for the US Postal Service. Jack was a collector of model John Deere tractors and he...

Paul D.  Derstler

Paul D. Derstler

Dec 19, 2015

Paul D. Derstler, 80, formerly of East Hernley Road, Manheim, died peacefully on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at the United Zion Retirement Community, Lititz. Born in Manheim, he was the son of the late Howard and Florence Hershey Derstler. Paul was the husband of the late Lois June Greiner Derstler who died in 2003. For over 10 years Paul worked...