The Derrick, October 18, 2007: Laura Mae Kirkpatrick Brzoska, Kennerdell, Rockland Township Florence "Flossie" Dixon, Coleman Run Road, Cooksburg Alice Louise Geary, Clarion Marion Samuel "Sam' Goodwill Jr., Brookville Shirley A. Hepler, Shippenville, formerly of Marienville Linda A. Sterling, Rouseville Dr. Richard Stypula, Sharon The Rev. James H. Weber, Erie, formerly of Oil City Vernon Theodore Yount, New Bethlehem Laura Mae Kirkpatrick Brzoska, 81, of Kennerdell, Rockland Township, Venango County, died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007, in her daughter's home in Middlesex Township, Butler County. She was born in Perry Township, Fayette County, on Friday, Feb. 21, 1926, to the late George and Anna Blanche Knight Kirkpatrick. Mrs. Brzoska was a homemaker and mother. Surviving are her children, Linda Susan (Jim Biedrzycki) Dreveniak of Middlesex Township, Butler County, James D. Brzoska and wife, Mary, of Richland Township, Allegheny County, and Louis (Debbie Rigby) Brzoska of Rockland Township, Venango County; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. She also is survived by two sisters, Eulala McDeavitt of Ross Township and Janet Stawecki of Hampton Township. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Chester Brzoska, Nov. 4, 1999; and four siblings. Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in the Herbert R. King Jr. Funeral Home Inc., Route 8, 2841 Woodland Circle, Allison Park. A Blessing service will be held at 8 p.m. Friday in the funeral home with the Rev. Ken Oldenski of St. Richard Roman Catholic Church, presiding. Private interment will be in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Ross Township. Florence 'Flossie' Dixon Florence 'Flossie' Dixon, 86, of Coleman Run Road, Cooksburg, died at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007, in Jefferson Manor near Brookville following a brief illness. Born Oct. 3, 1921, in Lilly Chapel, Ohio, she was the daughter of Fred and Mabel Rhyan Egler. Mrs. Dixon was a retired registered nurse. She was a member of the Mount Tabor Presbyterian Church in Sigel and the Order of Eastern Star in Hollidaysburg. Mrs. Dixon enjoyed playing bridge. She was married to Bill Dixon, who preceded her in death. Surviving are one brother, Robert Egler of Defiance, Ohio; four nieces and four nephews. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today in the Varner Funeral Home in Sligo and from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday in the Mount Tabor Presbyterian Church, Sigel. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the church with the Rev. Boyd Edmondson, pastor, officiating. Interment will follow in Grandview Cemetery, Sligo. Alice Louise Geary died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007, in the Golden Living Center, Clarion. Born Dec. 14, 1911, in Clarion County, she was the daughter of James and Anna Over Crooks. She graduated from Clarion High School and Clarion Normal School. Mrs. Geary taught all eight grades in a one-room school house in Porter Township, Clarion County, elementary school in Redbank School District and retired from teaching in Boyertown. While living in Boyertown she was very active in the Good Shepherd Church, the Women's Club, Historical Society, AARP, Golden Age Chorus and Garden Club. Before moving to Boyertown in Clarion, Mrs. Geary was an active member of the Clarion United Methodist Church, singing in the choir and teaching Sunday School. She was a member of the DAR and Order of Eastern Star. Mrs. Geary returned to Clarion in 1990. Surviving are one son, William A. Geary and wife, Pat, of Clarion; three grandchildren, William A. Geary Jr. and wife, Marcie, of Mississippi, Michael Geary of North Carolina and Trish Shingledecker and husband, Mark, of Clarion; and seven great-grandchildren. She also is survived by a sister, Doris Ann Purinton of Clarion; one brother, Richard Crooks of DuBois; and two sisters-in-law, Bernadette Crooks of Clarion and Maureen Crooks of Titusville. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Donald and Paul Crooks, and one sister, Virginia Lewis. Visitation will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday in the Goble Funeral Home and Crematory, 330 Wood St., Clarion. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the funeral home. Interment will be in Clarion Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church or to Aseracare, 231 Allegheny Blvd., Brookville. Marion Samuel "Sam" Goodwill Jr., 78, of Beech Avenue, Brookville, died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007, in McKinley Health Center, Brookville. Born Aug. 11, 1929, in Oil City, he was the son of Mary Morrison Goodwill and Marion S. Goodwill. He graduated from Oil City High School. Mr. Goodwill served in the U.S. Navy from 1949 to 1953, proudly sailing aboard the USS Jarvis and was a veteran of the Korean War. He graduated in 1956 from Clarion State Teachers College, now Clarion University, and later earned his master's degree in administration from Penn State. His 30-year career in Pennsylvania public education included positions as a teacher in Red Lion, teacher and principal in Freeport, administrative assistant for academic affairs at Johnstown Vocational Technical School, principal of Hampton Township High School, and principal of Brookville Area High School from 1971 until retiring in 1986. Mr. Goodwill was an avid golfer and enjoyed friendships made through memberships in many organizations including the First United Methodist Church of Brookville, Pinecrest Country Club, American Legion Post 102, Armstrong Lodge No. 239, F. & A. M. of Freeport, Valley of New Castle Scottish Rite, and the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees. He was married in Winchester, Va., Aug. 24, 1956, to Gwendolyn Middleton Goodwill, who survives. Also surviving are three sons, David S. "Sam" Goodwill of Gig Harbor, Wash., Scott W. Goodwill and wife, Mary, of Mount Joy and Steven F. Goodwill and wife, Carol, of Ogden, Utah; grandchildren, Samuel Goodwill of Gig Harbor, Wash., Hannah and Caroline Goodwill of Mount Joy and Steven and Sydney Goodwill of Ogden, Utah. He also is survived by two brothers, Guy Goodwill and wife, Marjorie, of Oil City and John Goodwill and wife, Beth, of Magnolia, Del.; and two sisters, Virginia Womer and Helen McIntyre and husband, John, all of Oil City. Family and friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday in the McKinney Funeral Home in Brookville. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday in the First United Methodist Church in Brookville with the Rev. William Mick Chittester officiating. Interment will be in Emlenton Cemetery, Emlenton. Memorial contributions can be made to the First United Methodist Church of Brookville, 205 Jefferson St., Brookville, 15825, or to the American Heart Association, Northwest Central Pennsylvania Chapter, 501 Howard Ave., Bldg. D, Suite 101, Altoona, 16601. Shirley A. Hepler Shirley A. Hepler of Golden Living Center, Shippenville, formerly of Marienville, died at 4:40 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007. Born Nov. 8, 1934, in Marienville, she was a daughter of Dorcie S. and Madge G. Schrecengost Means. Mrs. Hepler was a member of the Forest Area Baptist Church, Redclyffe, Marienville. She was married Jan. 4, 1954, to Preston D. Hepler, who preceded her in death July 22, 2007. Surviving are six children, Pamela Stamper and her husband, Andy, of Hagerstown, Md., Douglas Hepler and his wife, Kathy, of Erie, Theresa Stamper and her husband, Herman, of York, Dennis Hepler and his wife, Susan, of New Bethlehem, Donald Hepler and his wife, Evelyn, of Old Hickory, Tenn., and Dale Hepler and his fiancée, Brook Kruse, of Marienville. Survivors also include two sisters, Belly Smith of Acton, Calif., and Vena Means of Florida; three brothers, Thomas Means of Crown, Lyle Means of Aqua Dulce, Calif., and Darrell Means of Saegertown; 16 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Dorcie Means; and three sisters, Delores Means, Mae McClintock and Avanell Combs. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Ronald McDonald Funeral Home in Marienville. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home with the Rev. Korona Say of Park Hill First Church of God in West Freedom, officiating. Interment will follow in Roses Cemetery. The family suggests memorial donations be made to the Alzheimer Disease Foundation in care of the Ronald McDonald Funeral Home. Linda A. Sterling, 60, of Spring Street, Rouseville, died at 11:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, 2007, in the UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, Pittsburgh, following an extended illness. Born Jan. 22, 1947, in Brooklyn, N.Y., she was the daughter of Martin and Emma Mehling Fig. Mrs. Sterling was a homemaker and over the years she had worked as a bartender in several of the local taverns. She was married Jan. 26, 1968, to Donald "Poncho" Sterling, who preceded her in death Aug. 14, 2004. Surviving are two sons, Mark Sterling of El Paso, Texas, and James Sterling and wife, Renee, of Fredericksburg, Va.; and two grandchildren, Tiffany and Mathew of Fredericksburg, Va. She also is survived by one sister, Barbara, and two brothers, Robert and Michael; and many nieces and nephews. There will be no viewing or visitation. A celebration of life, open to family and friends, will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday in Yoshi's Bar. The family suggests memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, Venango-Forest Unit, 10 W. Front St., Oil City, 16301. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Reinsel Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to www.reinselfuneralhome.com Richard W. Stypula Sr., M.D., of Sharon, died Tuesday morning, Oct. 16, 2007, at the residence of his daughter, Julie McCandless, in Franklin. He had been diagnosed in April of this year with pancreatic cancer. Born Aug. 27, 1926, in Wilmerding, he was the second son of Michael and Magdalena Nowak Stypula. He attended St. Leocadia Parochial Grade School and Westinghouse Memorial High School, both in Wilmerding. Due to his academic success in high school he left before the end of his senior year to attend the University of Pittsburgh. After one semester he enrolled in the Navy V-12 program, an educational opportunity for future naval officers, and attended Bucknell University for four semesters. The naval program ended with the war and Dr. Stypula was fortunate to be offered a position in 1946 in the freshmen class of Cornell Medical School, New York City, where he attended for four years. In 1949 he accepted an internship at Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, and then served as a house physician at Sharon General Hospital through 1951 when he began his general medical practice. He was called to naval service in 1954 and served two years as a lieutenant and general medical officer in Kittery, Maine. Dr. Stypula returned to Pittsburgh in 1956 with his wife and four young children for a two-year pediatric residency at Children's Hospital, at the time still a relatively new specialty. His experiences there led to his lifelong advocacy of children and his profound interest in the developmental aspects of their care. He returned to Sharon in 1958 to start what turned out to be a 45-year practice as a pediatrician, caring for generations of Shenango Valley children. Dr. Stypula's respect and dedication to learning led him to become one the earliest pediatricians of his generation to recertify in the specialty. He headed efforts for mass vaccination with the oral polio vaccine in the early 1960s. He enjoyed immensely interacting with his young patients and their parents, primarily the mothers at the time. "Pediatrics isn't just pediatrics, it's helping the mothers." He took great pleasure in all the accomplishments his former patients achieved as adults. During his educational journey he acquired a lifelong love of reading that he shared with his children and his niece, Marguerite "Junior" Connolly Bissett. Dr/ Stypula was a past president of the Medical Staff at Sharon General Hospital and a 25-year member of the hospital's board of directors. The last 20 years of his life were spent being the devoted primary caretaker of his beloved wife, Julie, who had developed a severe neurological disease. Known for his compassion and dedication as a physician, he demonstrated vast reserves of these qualities throughout his wife's long illness. One of his greatest joys during this period was seeing and talking with his grandchildren. Dr. Stypula was an active member of St. Joseph Church, Sharon, where he was a eucharistic minister for many years. He also was active in the community, serving as a member and past president of the Mercer County Association for the Retarded; a longtime member of the Sharon Rotary, having served as its president in 1966; a former member of the Century Club at Pymatuning Lake; and a member of the former Sharon Country Club. His wife, the former Julia Olivieri, whom he married Jan. 5, 1952, died April 18, 2006. Surviving are a daughter, Julie Anne McCandless, wife of David P. McCandless, M.D., of Franklin; three sons, Richard W. Stypula Jr., M.D., and wife, Marie, of Pittsburgh, Michael C. Stypula, D.D.S., and wife, Lori, of Pittsburgh and Mark O. Stypula, M.D., and wife, Rita, of Marshall Township, Allegheny County; 12 grandchildren, Emma, Garrett and Claire McCandless; Christine and Merril Stypula; Alexander, Dominic and Julia Rose Stypula; and Daniel, Andrew, Vincent and Mark Arthur Stypula He also is survived by four sisters-in-law, Jean Stypula of Jeanette, Marguerite Connelly of St. Petersburg, Fla., formerly of Sharon; Martha Poli of Derry and Mary Nussbaum of Moon Township, Allegheny County; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents and wife, Dr. Stypula was preceded in death by a brother, Thaddeus Stypula. Calling hours will be held from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Friday in the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday in St. Joseph Church, Sharon, with the Rev. Glenn R. Whitman, pastor, presiding. Entombment will be in St. Rose Cemetery Mausoleum, Hermitage, with military honors rendered by the Sharon Honor Guard. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to St. Joseph Church or to the Shenango Valley Community Library, 11 N. Sharpsville Ave., both Sharon, 16146. Friends may e-mail condolences to [email protected] The Rev. James H. Weber, 89, former pastor in Oil City, died Monday, Oct. 15, 2007, in St. Mary's Home, Erie. Born July 18, 1918. in Erie, he was the son of the late Rupert and Clara Armbruster Weber. He attended St. Mary Parochial School, Cathedral Preparatory School and Cathedral College, now Gannon University, in Erie. He received a B.A. and S.T.B. from St. Mary's Seminary and the University in Baltimore, Md. Following his ordination Nov. 17, 1943, Rev. Weber served as a parish priest at St. Peter Cathedral and St. John the Baptist Church in Erie. Beginning in 1962, he served as pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Smethport and in 1964, was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Oil City, and also served St. Joseph in Sharon and St. Jude the Apostle in Erie. Following his retirement in 1985, he lived at St. Mary's Home in Erie. He served in the Pennsylvania National Guard from 1936 to 1938. Rev. Weber had served on the Board of Trustees at Gannon University; the Executive Board of the French Creek Council of the Boy Scouts of America; the Board of the United Way of Mercer County; the Rotary Club of Erie; the Priest's Senate; and the Finance Council of the Diocese of Erie. Father Weber is survived by one brother, Paul Weber and wife, Claire, of Erie; two nephews, William R. Weber and J.R. Weber; three nieces, Peggy Rodgers, Cathy Schwartz and Chris Podufal and their spouses and children. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Vincent Weber. Visitation will take place from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. today in the Brugger Home for Funerals, 1595 West 38th and Greengarden Boulevard, Erie. The body will be transferred at 2 p.m. Friday to St. Jude the Apostle Church, Erie, and will lie in state there until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 4 p.m. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Erie. Memorials may be made to St. Mary's Home or to St. Jude the Apostle Church, Erie. Condolences at www.bruggerfuneralhomes.com Vernon Theodore Yount, 84, of New Bethlehem, died Tuesday evening, Oct. 16, 2007, in the Clarion Hospital. Born March 25, 1923, in New Bethlehem, he was a son of the late William M. and Jennie Belle Truitt Yount. Mr. Yount was a United States Army veteran serving from 1943 through 1945 during World War II. He was a machinist with the Civil Service, working for the United States Air Force until retirement. Mr. Yount was a member of the Grace Baptist Church of New Bethlehem; the VFW and American Legion, both in New Bethlehem; and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. He enjoyed his family and farm. Mr. Yount was married Aug. 10, 1945, to Kathleen May Beasley, who survives. Also surviving are one daughter, Barbara Thompson and husband, Jay, of New Bethlehem; six grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. In addition to his parents, Mr.Yount was preceded in death by two brothers, William John Yount and James Earl Yount. Friends will be received from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday in Grace Baptist Church, Keck Avenue, New Bethlehem. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the church with the Rev. Robert Ryver, pastor, officiating. Interment will follow in the Oakland Cemetery in Distant, Armstrong County. Memorial contributions may be made to the Clarion Free Library, 644 Main St., Clarion, 16214. The Rupert Funeral Home in New Bethlehem is in charge of arrangements