Obituaries

Betty Grove Pontz, 76, of Lancaster, PA died August 6, 2015 at home.  She was the wife of the late Doctor Jack Bradford Pontz who died in 2000.  She was born in Lancaster on April 26, 1939, the daughter of the late James William and Emily May Grove.Betty graduated from McCaskey High School in 1957 and from Temple University in...

Edna H. Shearer, 92, of Lancaster, passed away on Sunday, August 2, 2015 at the Mennonite Home.  She was the loving wife of the late Clyde K. Shearer.Born in Lancaster, PA she was the daughter of the late Abram and Amanda (Helt) Rhoads.Edna spent much of her life as a homemaker dedicating herself to her familyIn her spare time she...

June K. Smith, 77, of Lancaster, died Friday, July 31, 2015 at Hospice and Community Care in Mount Joy.She was the wife of Daniel C. Smith. Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin H.E. and Ella Wiker Kroft.June was a homemaker and a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church. She was a member of the Elks Lodge...

Doris L. Yellets, 65, of New Holland, died Wednesday, July 29, 2015 at Hospice and Community Care in Mount Joy.Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late William F., Sr. and Lydia Ann Peters Yellets.  She was the long-time companion of Dennis Becker.She enjoyed the beach, spending time with her grandkids and WWE.Surviving besides her companion are four...

John M. “Jack” Norton, 94, passed away on July 27, 2015 at Lakeside at Willow Valley, Willow Street, PA.  He was the loving husband of Laura Martin Norton with whom he celebrated 69 years of marriage on July 18.Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Jack was the son of the late Ira E. and Ruth Jeanette Smith Norton and brother of...

Mary S. Rineer, 95, died Sunday, July 26, 2015 at Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community.  She was the wife of the late David M. “Buzz” Rineer. They celebrated their 70thanniversary in April 2014, before he passed away in November.Born in Lancaster, PA she was the daughter of the late Clarence and Mary (Herr) Stetter.Though Mary spent much of her career as...

Louis D. Miller, Jr. 85 of 303 Taft Court, Elizabethtown, PA died Sunday, July 26, 2015 at Masonic Village.  He was the husband of Sophia Ridings Miller with whom he celebrated 22 years of marriage on September 2.  He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mildred Miller who died in October, 1992.Born in West Chester, PA, he was...

Walter Robert Kempf, 90, of Lancaster, PA, died July 22, 2015, at Brethren Village, Lancaster, PA.He was the husband of Marion (Hartman) Kempf for 64 years.   Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, he was the son of the late Walter A. and Margaret (Hoerrner) Kempf.During World War II, he honorably served his country in the Army Corp of Engineers, serving in...

John Forster Welk 65, of Mt. Joy passed away on July 4th, 2015 at Lancaster General Hospital after a brief illness.Born in Lancaster on  Sept. 29,1949 he was the son of the late John M. Welk and Melanie Forster Welk.John attended Hempfield High School. John over the years was employed by Howmet, Fleetwood Homes and Armstrong World Industries Ceiling Plant...

David M. Hennigan, 75, of Lancaster, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at Lancaster General Hospital. He was the loving husband of Molly (Rettinger) Hennigan.Born in Pittsburgh, PA he was the son of the late Joseph and Gladys (Mickey) Hennigan.He proudly served in the Unites States Army from 1958-1962. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in English from...

Victorina Esperanza Greiner, 73, of Lancaster, PA, passed away on the 19th of July, 2015 at Hospice & Community Care in Mount Joy, PA. “Vickie” was the loving wife of Navy veteran Elmer A. Greiner, Jr.She was born in the Mindanao region of the Philippines to Eleutaria Tutor and Diosdado Esperanza.Vickie was an avid gardener, an animal lover, baker, and...

Jan D. Trout, 73, of New Providence, passed away unexpectedly following a recent surgery on Monday, July 20th, 2015 at his home.  Born in Lancaster, PA he was the son of the late Roland E. and Hilda (Myers) Trout.After high school, Jan spent much of his career as a custodian for the County of Lancaster then retiring from WGAL.He was...

Phyllis Elaine Frimd Sanders, 80, died peacefully on July 4, 2015 at Spang Crest in Lebanon.Born in Lancaster, Phyllis was a proud alumna of J.P. McCaskey High School class of 1953 and a long-time member of First Reformed Church in downtown Lancaster.  She enjoyed singing in the First Reformed choir, offered dedicated service to church committees, and wielded a generous...

M. Joan Eaby, 88, of Brownstown, PA, passed away Friday, July 10, 2015 at Moravian Manor, Lititz, PA. Born in Lancaster she was the daughter of the late Luther and Elsie Stermer Coble.  She was the widow of Mark R. Eaby, Jr. with whom she was married for over 65 years.A lifetime resident of Lancaster County, Mrs. Eaby was a...

Donald L. Schmid, age 82, died peacefully at the Mennonite Home on July 8thsurrounded by his loving family.  He is survived by his loving wife, Marilyn, to whom he was married for 60 years.A life-long resident of Lancaster, County, he was the son of the late Anna Barbara and Bertram James Schmid.  He attended James Buchanan Elementary and was a...

Myrtle “Sandy” M. (Garman) Stockbauer, 97, of the Mennonite Home, passed away on Tuesday, July 7, 2015. She was the wife of the late John “Pete” C. Stockbauer, Jr., who preceded her in death on December 27, 2004.Born on January 24, 1918 in East Hempfield Township, Myrtle was the daughter of the late Reuben LeRoy and Mary (Malehorn) Garman.After graduating...

CHARLES H. WEIDLER4/5/37 – 7/7/15Charles H. Weidler, age 78, Lititz, died peacefully at home Tuesday, July 7, 2015 after a long battle with prostate cancer.  He is survived by his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Anne Wolpert Weidler to whom he was married for 58 years.A life-long resident of Lancaster County, he was the son of the late Charles W. and...

We knew what she thought.She listened with compassion.Diana d’E Lowell, 77, died on July 4 after a brief illness.  She leaves behind her husband of 55 years, Fred Lowell, and daughters Del Lowell and Karen Langholz Lowell.  Also surviving are sisters Vee Kausel and Angie Wakefield and her grandchildren Jakob and Elsie Langholz.Diana was a member of the Unitarian Universalist...

Kathleen V. (Keller) Waltman, 97, passed away on Sunday, July 5, 2015 at Heart of Lancaster Regional Medical Center.Kathleen was preceded in death by her husband, William Waltman in 1992 and daughter, Virginia A. Overly in 2002.She is survived by her son-in-law, Henry Overly (wife Patricia) of Columbia, MD; 3 grandchildren,  Michael (wife Jodi) Overly of Asheboro, NC, Scott Overly...

Elaine S. Horst, 77, died on Saturday, July 4, 2015 at Luther Acres, Lititz, PA.  She was the daughter of the late William and Ella Sensenig Horst.Elaine was a member of the Landis Valley Christian Fellowship.  She was part of the Friendship Community Homes for 28 years, a part of the Friendship Singing Group and worked at Oregon Dairy until...