Obituaries

Barbara Ann (Witmer) McCrary, of Lancaster passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, January 30, at home. She was 75.Barbara was the loving wife of the late Nickolaus McCrary and daughter of Frank and Pauline Witmer. She is survived by her children, son Timothy R. McCrary, of Kansas City, and daughter Julie E. McCrary of Lititz, PA, and was the proud grandmother...

Robert B. Witmer, 68, of Lancaster, passed away on January 29th, 2019 at Lancaster General Hospital.  He was the loving husband of Deborah A. (Johns) Witmer.  Born in Philadelphia , he was the son of the late Dr. Robert H. Witmer and Audrey (Bickley) Beyer.He graduated from Haverford High School in Philadelphia, PA. Rob received a degree in Sociology from...

Mary Ellen Reid, 89, of Lancaster, passed away on January 28, 2019 at Lancaster General Hospital.  She was the loving wife of the late Francis Reid.Born in Lancaster, PA, she was the daughter of the late Paul and Harriet (Mann) Kauffman.After graduating from Millersville University, Mary Ellen spent most of her career as a children’s librarian.In her spare time, she...

Richard J Dressel, Sr. (Dick), aged 91, passed away on Saturday January 26, 2019.  Dick and his late wife, Anne, lived at Willow Valley (Lancaster, PA) since 1993 and, prior to that, in Heritage Park since 1963.Dick worked in the Engineering Department at DuPont for nearly 40 years.  Dick was very involved in the upbringing of his 6 children, and...

Norma E Draper, 92, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January, 24, 2019 at Mennonite Home Communities, Lancaster. Born on Monday, September 13, 1926 in Peckville, PA. She was the daughter of the late Angelo and Emma Fiorelli.Norma retired from Hamilton Watch Company and previously worked at Dutch Gold Honey, Inc.She loved spending time with her family and being with her...

Bernarr L. Rhoades, 83, of Lancaster, husband of Gaile Spangler Rhoades, passed away on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at the Glen at Willow Valley.Services will be private at the convenience of the family.

The Reverend Richard Edward Grant, Executive Director Emeritus of the Lancaster County Council of Churches, died Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at Homestead Village, Lancaster, PA. Son of George Edward and Florence Elizabeth Grant, he was born on September 18, 1921 in Fulton, New York.Rev. Grant, who went by Dick, was the Executive Director of the Lancaster County Council of Churches...

Evelyn “Evie” M. Lowry, 90, passed away peacefully on January 23 at the Willow Valley Communities, surrounded by family members. She was the wife of the late John S. Lowry. They were married for 57 years.Born in Marion, Ohio, she moved with her mother and sister as a teenager to Philadelphia and was a graduate of West Philadelphia High School....

Claire I. (Campbell) Hess of Willow Street, loving wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away at age 97 on January 23, 2019, at Quarryville Presbyterian Home.Claire was preceded in death by her husband of over 71 years, Henry Hess, her parents, Lloyd and Helen Campbell, and 2 brothers; Robert and Richard. She is survived by 3 children; Jeanne (Jack) Hoffard, Gregory...

Roxanna M. Pharo age 82 of Whiting NJ and a longtime resident of Tuckerton passed away January 23, 2019 at Royal Suites in Galloway. Roxie was born in Barnegat and was predeceased by her husband Louis, her sons Louie and Dennis and is survived by her son Douglas “Perry” Pharo (Debbie) of Lower Bank, her granddaughter Stephanie, her special niece...

Gratefully loosed from the trials of this world, Elaine H Johnson, 85 years of age, entered into perfect communion with the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church Triumphant, on January 20, 2019.  She was born to Anita G Hoover (née Stevens) and Paul W Hoover on July 22 1933, in Strasburg, PA. Elaine graduated from McCaskey High School in 1951,...

Nancy Grace Wolf McEllhenney died on December 10, 2018 in Cornwall, Pennsylvania after a long illness.Nancy was born on November 21, 1936, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, to Hilda Brown Wolf and George A. Wolf. She graduated second in her class at the Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing and worked at Lankenau as a registered nurse.In 1959, Nancy married John G. McEllhenney,...

James Jon Sebest, 51, of Lancaster, passed away peacefully on January 17th, surrounded by his family. He was the loving husband of Andrea (Stine) Sebest and father to Addison and Olivia Sebest.Born in McKeesport, PA to Albert and Jane (Parke) Sebest, Jim attended Manheim Township High School, class of 1985 and University of Delaware where he was a member of...

John Henry Groff of Lancaster, PA, passed away January 19, 2019 at Arbor View, Willow Valley Communities Lancaster PA.Born January 19, 1924 in Lampeter to the late John Herr Groff and Francis Mylin Groff. He was married to the late Shirley Barr Groff with whom he had three children. She died in 1961. He was also married to Patricia Middleton...

Douglas S. Trower, 87, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2019 in his Manheim Township home. Doug was born in New York City on April 28, 1931. He was the son of Joseph D. and Louise S. Trower. Doug is survived by his sister Patricia A. Comnimel of Connecticut.Doug was formerly married to Margretta Waters and had three sons: Jeffrey...

On Monday,  January 14, 2019, Sergeant Major Jeffrey Scott Lane, loving husband to Kristen, passed away at age 51, after a three year battle with cancer.Jeff was born on October 13, 1967 in Marquette, Michigan to Terry and Judith Lane.  On Dec 4, 1989     he married Kristen Krueger. They raised two children, Christopher and Amanda.He graduated from Marquette High School,...

Linda Alms Sturgeon McGaha, 63, of Lancaster, PA, passed away peacefully on Sunday January 13, 2019 at Conestoga View Nursing and Rehabilitation, after a brief illness precipitated by cancer.Born in Greensburg, PA, she was the daughter of the late Robert Kase and Donna Alms Sturgeon, and step-daughter of Vaughn Wesley McGaha.Linda was a 1973 graduate of Manheim Twp High School...

George E. (Bud) Becker Jr.,87, of Lititz, PA, passed away on Sunday, January 13, 2019, after a lengthy illness.Born in Buffalo, New York, he was the son of the late George E. and Louise M. Becker. He was the devoted husband of Joyce Noeltner Becker to whom he was married for 66 years.He will be lovingly missed by his four...

Sylvia S. Weinberg, formerly of NJ, FLA and Lancaster, PA, passed away in Brethren Village, Lititz, on Dec 31. She was 101 years old. Born in Newark, NJ, to Herman and Frances Saslow, she is predeceased by her siblings, Herbert and Juanita. Sylvia enjoyed 45 years of marriage to the late Dr. Isadore Weinberg.Sylvia attended Essex County Jr. College, with...

Elizabeth “Betty” J. Kline, 97, passed away, peacefully, on January 3, 2019 at the Masonic Villages in Elizabethtown where she resided since the age of 91.  During her 6-year stay, she was lovingly referred to as “Mother” of the Roosevelt Unit by the other residents and staff.She was the adoring wife of the late Richard “Dick” D. Kline who preceded...