The Derrick, November 26, 2007: Margaret Mae Dittman, Bruin Ronald E. Higbee, 22 Horne Lane, Oil City John Wesley Keltz, 19 W. Fifth St., Oil City Bernice A. Kozaczki, 10 Ellen Drive, Oil City Lida Jean Mortimer, 43 Stewart Road, Oil City Kenneth Eugene Zuck, 476 Pritchard Road, Oil City Margaret Mae Dittman, 84, of Bruin, died suddenly of natural causes at 7:15 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007 in her home. Born May 15, 1923 in McJunkin Hollow in Venango Township, Butler County near Eau Claire, she was the daughter of the late Theodore T. Altmire and Julie Kelly Altmire. She graduated from the former Eau Claire High School in the class of 1941. Mrs. Dittman was secretary treasurer and co-owner of Dittman Trucking in Bruin, a company she and her husband operated together since the 1940s. She was a member of the Mater Dolorosa R.C. Church in Chicora and a former member of St. James R.C. Church in Petrolia. On Feb. 7, 1941, she was married in the Murrinsville Catholic Church to Ralph E. Dittman, who survives. Also surviving are two sons, Jack R. Dittman and his wife, Margretta, of Karns City and David E. Dittman and his wife, Elaine, of Karns City; seven grandchildren, Mathew D. Dittman and his wife, Lisa, of Chicora, Jennifer R. Grooms and her husband, Scott, of Harrisville, Scott M. Dittman and his wife, Lee, of Karns City, Dr. Michael J. Dittman and his wife, Kristie, of Butler, Angie R. Fritch and her husband, Eric J., of Chicora, Adam R. Dittman of Harrisburg and Amanda N. Dittman of Karns City, and nine great grandchildren, Gage A. Bowser of Chicora, Benjamin S. Grooms of Harrisville, Hunter Brielle Dittman of Karns City, Kira N. Dittman of Butler, Rebecca G. Grooms of Harrisville, Logan M. Dittman of Chicora, Briana L. Dittman of Butler, Kyle J. Dittman of Butler and Chloe N. Fritch of Chicora. She is also survived by her twin sister, Julia Elizabeth Sutton and her husband, Floyd, of Karns City; one brother, Harold D. Altmire and his wife, Alice, of Eau Claire; a brother-in-law, Donald Dittman of Lamertine, and a number of nieces and nephews. Mrs. Dittman was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Lawrence A., John T., Clarence B., Theodore J. and Frank H. Altmire, and four sisters, Violet B. Wiley, Alberta M. Bridge, Josephine V. DeLong and Alice L. Meals. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Richard D. Hillis Funeral Home in Petrolia. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Mater Dolorosa R.C. Church in Chicora with the Rev. David DeWitt officiating. Interment will follow in the Eau Claire Cemetery, Butler County. Ronald E. Higbee, 72, of 22 Horne Lane, Oil City, died unexpectedly at 2:45 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007, at St Anne's Hospital in Columbus Ohio. Born June 26, 1935 in Oil City, he was a son of Alfred and Geraldine Burchfield Higbee. Mr. Higbee graduated from Oil City High School and Penn State University, Behrend campus. He served in the Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict from 1954 to 1956. Mr. Higbee was a long-time employee of Oil Well Supply, retiring in 1998. He enjoyed crafts, woodworking, horseshoes, canoeing and visiting with his grandchildren. Mr. Higbee was a member of the American Legion and the Pulaski Club. On March 16, 1957, he married the former Beverly J. Russell, who survives. Also surviving are two daughters, Tammi Huggins and her husband, Robert, of Danville, Ind. and Tanya Cerny and her husband, Igor, of Takoma Park, Md.; two sons, Timothy Higbee and his wife, Cathy, of Chambersburg and Thomas Higbee and his wife, Molly, of Hopewell, Va.; seven grandchildren, Casie and Megan Huggins, Dane and Leah Higbee, Tray Norman and Dimitri and Ruby Cerny; a brother, James Higbee of Rochester N.Y., and a sister, Josephine Perry of Oil City. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a twin brother, Donald Higbee. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Morrison Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the funeral home. Interment will be in Sunset Hill Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to a charity of one's choice. John Wesley Keltz, 79, of 19 W. Fifth St., Oil City, died at 1:40 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007 at the Golden Living Center in Oil City. Born March 1, 1928, in Jeanette, he was a son of Alexander Lucas and Blanche Peters Johnston Keltz. Mr. Keltz was a decorated veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater aboard the USS Shangri-la. In addition to his military career, he was a Sergeant in the National Guard. He relocated to Oil City in 1967 and was employed by the U.S. government in Franklin with the National Guard. Mr. Keltz was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, a certified NRA rifle instructor, a lifetime member of the VFW and a member of the Isaac Walton League Park for many years. He was active in the many target shooting contests. He enjoyed hunting, target shooting, painting in mediums of oil and watercolor, gunsmithing, model shipbuilding, collecting tropical fish and raising canaries and dogs. He was an expert leather craftsman and carver and made many leather crafts for friends and family. On Dec. 11, 1954, he married the former Patricia Darlene Repp in Latrobe. The couple recently renewed their wedding vows on Nov. 12 in St. Joseph Church. Mr. Keltz is also survived by four sons, John W. Keltz III and his wife, Rose, of Vacaville, Calif., Randy M. Keltz and his wife, Annette, of Altoona, Richard Al Keltz and his wife, Lori, and Timothy J., Keltz and his wife, Barb, all of Oil City; three daughters, Colleen P. Karnish and her husband, Casimir J., of Oil City, Christine B. Keltz and her fiancée, Douglas, of Rouseville and Candace B. Schiffer and her husband, Jason, of Erie; 11 grandchildren, Gina and Tara Keltz of Vacaville, Calif., Randy M. "Jake" Keltz II of Delaware, Shane and Laura Keltz of Oil City, Ryan Andres and his wife, Jamie, of Erie, Kayla and George Keltz of Rouseville, Allison Shiffer and Wyatt Schiffer of Erie and Hillary A. Weber of Seneca; seven great grandchildren and another due March 2008; several nieces and nephews from Latrobe, and his beloved dog, Gretchen. In addition to his parents, Mr. Keltz was preceded in death by a brother, Alexander Keltz of Latrobe, and a grandson, Daniel Keltz of Oil City. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Morrison Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday in St. Joseph Church with Msgr. John Swoger, pastor, presiding. Interment will follow in Sunset Hill Memorial Gardens, Cranberry. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to any organization that supports our military troops. Bernice A. Kozaczki, 86, of 10 Ellen Drive, Oil City, died at 5:45 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007, following an extended illness. Born June 25, 1921 in Franklin, she was the daughter of the late John and Anna Katich Goral. She attended Franklin area schools. Mrs. Kozaczki was of the Catholic faith. She had worked for Kesslers Cleaners and for her brother-in-law, Perry Kozaczki, at Oil City Cleaners on Hillcrest for many years. Her favorite pastime was watching game shows. She also enjoyed playing cards, cooking and needlepoint in her younger years. She was married to Walter "Cookie" Kozaczki and he preceded her in death on Dec. 13, 1972. Mrs. Kozaczki is survived by two children, Gene and his wife, Christine Kozaczki, of Edinboro and Phyllis "Toni" Rode of Oil City; three grandchildren, Jesse, Lucas and Taylor Kozaczki of Edinboro; one brother, Steve Goral of California; two sisters, Phyllis Scott of Idaho and Pauline and her husband, Jim Lavery, of Sunnyville, Calif., and several nieces and nephews. Mrs. Kozaczki was preceded in death by a grandson, Shawn Rode, on Nov. 22, 1995; four brothers, John, Joseph, Alex and Stan Goral, and one sister, Cecelia Murphy. The family received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday and will receive from 10 to 11 a.m. today in the Reinsel Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today in the Reinsel Funeral Home with Msgr. William C. Karg presiding. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to www.reinselfuneralhome.com. Lida Jean Mortimer, 67, of 43 Stewart Road, Oil City, died the morning of Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007, at the Golden Living Center in Meadville. Born Aug. 14, 1940, in Oil City, she was the daughter of Floyd W. and Catherine Harvie McDonough. Mrs. Mortimer was a 1958 graduate of Oil City High School. She formally was employed at local pharmacies as a pharmacy technician and previously worked at the Seneca Veterinary Clinic. Mrs. Mortimer enjoyed playing bingo, sewing and spending time with family and friends, especially her grandchildren. On Feb. 14, 1992, she married Donald E. Mortimer, who survives. Also surviving are four children, Jay McKissick Jr. and his children, Christopher and Mallory of Oil City, Catherine Higbee and her husband, Tim, and their children, Dane and Leah of Chambersburg, Bill McKissick and his wife, Jone, and their children, Chad, Chase Channing and Chelsea of Venus, and Beth Smith and her husband, Joe, and their children, John and Bailey of Williamsburg; two brothers, Floyd McDonough and wife, Virginia, and Harvey McDonough and wife, Barb, all of Oil City; a sister-in-law, Phyllis McDonough of Oil City; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Mortimer was preceded in death by two brothers, Andrew McDonough and John McDonough, and a nephew, Mark McDonough. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Morrison Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home. Interment will be in Shaw Farm Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Venango County Humane Society, 2724 Deep Hollow Road, Franklin or to a charity of one's choice. Kenneth Eugene Zuck, 61, of 476 Pritchard Road, Oil City, died at 3:41 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007 at UPMC Northwest in Seneca. Born June 7, 1946, in Akron, Ohio, he was a son of Marian Zuck Huff Foster and the late Ivan Huff. Mr. Zuck served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam. He worked for Mushroom Trucking and Louis Kraft Concrete. Mr. Zuck enjoyed welding, playing on his tractor and helping others. He married the former Alice A. Armstrong, who survives. Also surviving are his mother, Marian Foster, of Oil City; a son, Keith Eugene Zuck Jr., of Oil City; a daughter, Nilacathiron Zuck May of Oil City; three grandchildren; two brothers, Ivan Allen Huff and Jerry Lee Huff, both of Oil City; two sisters, Donna Jean Huff of Oil City and Darlene Sue Sharrar of Venus, and several nieces and nephews. There will be no visitation. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Franklin Salvation Army with Lt. Ralph Hardiman officiating. Interment will be in the Dempseytown Lutheran Cemetery. The Morrison Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.