The Derrick, April 16, 2005: Ronald A. Gibbons, 161 Deer Lane, Franklin Patrick Henry Hall, Port Jefferson, N.Y., formerly of Titusville Calmont D. Hovis, Eau Claire Dr. Joan Pallix, Los Altos, Calif. Katheryn B. Taylor, Oil City Ronald A. Gibbons Ronald A. Gibbons, 80, of 161 Deer Lane, Franklin, died at 2:57 p.m. Thursday, April 14, 2005, at UPMC Northwest. Born April 17, 1924, in Franklin, he was a son of Roy M. and Gladys Coxson Gibbons. He was a graduate of Franklin High School. A veteran of World War II, he served with the U.S. Army, flying 50 missions in the European Theater of Operations from the 15th AAF base in Italy. He was an aerial photographer on a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment plane. He won his gunner's wings March 5, 1944, in Laredo, Texas. His decorations included the air medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters - "for meritorious achievement in aerial flight while participating in sustained operational activities against the enemy." Mr. Gibbons was a salesman with McCarthy-Buick for 31 years. He also was a salesman for Oil City Dodge, Dumpe Motors, Ibbs-Packer Cadillac and Weaver Buick. He was a member of Worden Chapel United Methodist Church. He was also a member of Franklin Elks Lodge 110, VFW Post 1835, American Legion Post 476, and he was a life member of the National Rifle Association. He was a life member of the Valley of Oil City and New Castle Consistory and was a member of Myrtle Lodge 316. Mr. Gibbons enjoyed hunting. He was married Oct. 30, 1942, to Dorothy E. Heffernan, who survives. Survivors also include many nieces and nephews; a brother, Kenneth Gibbons and his wife, Catherine, of Meadville; a sister, Norma Hamilton and her husband, Richard, of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; and a sister-in-law, Paige Gibbons of Franklin. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Richard Gibbons; two sisters, Leona Ellis and Frances Baker; and a nephew whom he raised, Ronald Culp. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the Robert W. Gardinier Funeral Home, 1315 Chestnut St., Franklin. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in the funeral home with the Rev. Earl Dykes of Worden Chapel United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be in Lupher Chapel Cemetery. The family suggests memorial donations be made to the VNA Foundation. Patrick Henry Hall Patrick Henry Hall, 90, of Port Jefferson, N.Y., formerly of Titusville, died Wednesday, April 13, 2005, in Houston, Texas. Born Feb. 8, 1915, in Pittsburgh, he was the son of Dr. Henry Martyn Hall Jr. and Mary Agnes Coneely Hall. He grew up at the family homestead in Titusville. He graduated from Duquesne University in 1937 with a bachelor's of science degree in chemistry. Mr. Hall pursued a career in the chemical industry, contributing to the war effort during World War II and working for a variety of chemical giants, including Westvaco, FMC. His last position and the one he most enjoyed was with State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he worked in the pharmacology department for 20 years. During his life he lived in Pittsburgh; New York; Cleveland, Ohio; St. Louis, Mo.; and Long Island, N.Y. During his retirement, he traveled extensively between Long Island, N.Y., Deerfield Beach, Fla., and Houston, Texas. He was married for 63 years to the former Dorothy V. Jaeger of Brooklyn, N.Y., who survives. Also surviving are two sons, John Michael Hall of Houston, Texas, and Stephen Martyn Hall of Rocky Point, N.Y.; and a daughter, Georgiana Colino of East Setauket, N.Y. Survivors also include six grandchildren, Amy Joy and Sarah Jane Hall, Stedman, Scott and Emily Hall, and Allsion Colino; four great-grandchildren, Meegan, Shawn, Nathan and Sophia; and several nieces and nephews. Six sisters also survive including Mary Williams of St. Petersburg, Fla., Antoinette Wilson of State College, Georgiana Rectenwald of Titusville and Helen McKee, Caroline Slater and Julia Giordano, all of Oil City. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Joseph William Hall of New York and Robert Thomas Hall of California. The family suggests memorial donations be made to the Alzheimer's Research Foundation. Private visitation and funeral services will be held at the convenience of the family. The Reinsel Funeral Home of Oil City is in charge of arrangements. Calmont D. Hovis Calmont D. "Sonny" "Sy" Hovis, 74, of Eau Claire, died suddenly Friday morning, April 15, 2005, at his residence of natural causes. Born Nov. 8, 1930, in Hilliards, Butler County, he was the son of the late Frances Laverenge and Olive Beatrice McKissick Hovis. He entered the U.S. Army on Aug. 21, 1952, and served in the Korean Conflict until May 20, 1954, and was discharged with the rank of corporal. He earned the Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Service Medal. Mr. Hovis was employed by Armco Corp. (now AK Steel) in Butler from 1955 until his retirement in 1978. He and his fellow retirees enjoyed luncheons every other month for the past many years. He was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church in Eau Claire and had been active for many years in maintenance of the church and working the monthly church dinners. Active in the Parker City-Allegheny Valley Lodge 521, he was a member, past master and trustee of the lodge. He was a member of the New Castle Consistory. Mr. Hovis had served many years as councilman for Eau Claire Borough and was the tax collector at the time of his death and a candidate for re-election. Involved in many borough affairs, he had served the fire company in various capacities, was instrumental in raising money to display American flags throughout the borough and was a senior worker with the annual community day celebration. He worked with the Buzard Funeral Home for more than 30 years in ambulance service and with the day-to-day operations. He was a constant greeter at both the Eau Claire and Parker operations of the funeral home. Mr. Hovis represented the funeral home at the annual ACV Development and Parker Rotary golf tournaments as well as the Burke Scrubgrass Invitational golf tournament since their inception. An avid golfer, he maintained his affiliations with other golf leagues over the years. An avid NASCAR fan, he took great pleasure in following the career of the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. and had created an extraordinary collection of Earnhardt memorabilia. Mr. Hovis was an avid hunter and part-time fisherman. He held trophies for deer and turkey hunting and displayed his skill in his home with mounted trophies. During retirement, he developed an interest in woodworking, and his work - based on floral, hunting, Easter, Christmas and other themes - is displayed in many homes throughout the Eau Claire area. Mr. Hovis was involved in Little League in Eau Claire for many years and was recognized for service from 1968 to 1974 as manager for the league. Surviving are his wife, Earlene Davis Hovis; a daughter, Michele Sullivan and her husband, Terry, of Hilliards; and three sons and their companions, Gregory and Pam of Butler, Michael and Shirley of Georgia and Robert "Robbie" and Linda of Strattanville. Survivors also include six grandchildren, Joshua and Jared Sullivan, and Jason, Holly, Nicole and Zachery Hovis; and two great-grandchildren, William John Smith IV and Kelsey Lynn Sullivan. Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Richard (Leatrice) Ferguson of Barkeyville and Mrs. Patricia Wade of Hubbard, Ohio; two brothers, Harry Hovis of Butler and Randy Hovis of Greenville; and a number of nieces and nephews. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the H. Jack Buzard Funeral Home, Main Street, Eau Claire, and from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at Bethel United Methodist Church in Eau Claire. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Bethel church with the Rev. Kathy Soltis, pastor of the church, officiating. Interment will follow in Eau Claire Cemetery with the Moniteau Ceremonial Squad conducting graveside military services. Dr. Joan Pallix Dr. Joan Pallix of Los Altos, Calif., wife of former Oil City resident Daniel Holmes, died Sunday, March 20, 2005, at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., after a brief illness. Katheryn B. Taylor Katheryn B. Taylor, 96, mother of longtime Oil City resident Peachie Hess, died at 6:35 a.m. Friday, April 15, 2005, at UPMC Northwest in Seneca. She had been a resident of the Presbyterian Home in Oil City since Jan. 7, 2005. Born Oct. 30, 1908, in Rockbridge County, Va., she was a daughter of the late William Edward and India Anna Leighton Niceley. Mrs. Taylor was known as a homemaker. She enjoyed cooking and was an amateur home remodeler, an accomplished carpenter and family matriarch. Her hobbies included playing the piano, banjo and fiddle. Just last week, she enjoyed the musical program at the Presbyterian Home and was seen singing along and tapping her feet to the music. She was married April 20, 1927, in Rockbridge County, Va., to Coy Ross Taylor, who preceded her in death in 1967. Surviving are a daughter, B. "Peachie" Hess of Oil City; and six grandchildren, Gary Stephen Taylor of Waterman, Ill., whom she helped raise, Barry Cone of DeKalb, Ill., Ed and Deb Cone of Elgin, Ill., Jim and Ann Cone of Park Ridge, Ill., Nancy Hess of Oil City and Christopher Hess of DeKalb, Ill. Survivors also include numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and a former daughter-in-law, Louise Morgan of Stuarts Draft, Va. The last surviving member of a family of eight children, Mrs. Taylor was also preceded in death by a son, Bill Taylor; and two granddaughters, Brenda Thornton and Sherma Huffman, whom she helped raise. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the Reinsel Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday in the funeral home with the Rev. Joseph Filer, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, presiding. Interment will follow Tuesday at the Riverview Cemetery in Koshen, Va. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Oil City Presbyterian Home or the Goshen Fire Department, Goshen, Va., 24439.