The Derrick, Monday, October 25, 2004: John M. "Johnny" Bee, Tionesta Orphil T. Bodamer Jr., 408 W. Spruce St., Titusville Benjamin A. Davis, Sligo Gertrude "Gertie" Stoudt Dechant, Oil City Frances Anna Filer, Slippery Rock, formerly of Pardoe Laurie Arlene Hall, Tionesta Allen W. McLaughlin, 8 Petroleum St., Oil City Lillian I. Plants, Sandy Lake William F. Schmude, Titusville Ernest L. Taylor, Tionesta John M. "Johnny" Bee John M. "Johnny" Bee, 74, of Tionesta, died Saturday, Oct. 23, 2004, at his residence. Born May 23, 1930, in Johnstown, he was the son of John and Margaret Keim Bee. Mr. Bee graduated in 1948 from Ferndale High School in Johnstown. He was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force during the Korea Conflict, serving from 1950 to 1953. Mr. Bee was in the contracting business in Florida before retiring to Tionesta in 1990. He had been employed for 13 years by the Flying "W" Ranch of Kellettville as an equestrian trail guide. He was a member of the Kellettville Sportsman's Club and the Kellettville Shuffleboard League. Mr. Bee first was married in Tampa, Fla., April 4, 1980, to Nancy K. Longfellow, who died Oct. 22, 1995. He then was married in Tionesta June 24, 2000, to Karla S. Marshall, who survives. Also surviving are one stepson, Mathew K. Marshall of Tionesta; one stepdaughter, Cynthia Garcia and her husband, Jaun, of Miami, Fla.; two stepgranddaughters, Valerie and Jacquelyn Garcia, both of Miami; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents and first wife, Mr. Bee was preceded in death by a stepson, Mark Harris; and a sister, Patricia Dick. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Norman J. Wimer Funeral Home of Tionesta. Celebration of life funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the funeral home with the Rev. Randy L. Evans, Clarion-Forest VNA Hospice chaplain, officiating. Interment will be in the Kiffer Hill Cemetery, Tionesta. Memorial contributions may be made to the Clarion Forest VNA Hospice. Orphil T. Bodamer Jr. Orphil T. Bodamer Jr., 86, of 408 W. Spruce St., Titusville, died at 12:26 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, in Southwoods Assisted Living Community, Titusville. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Gordon B. Garrett Funeral Home in Titusville. Benjamin A. Davis Benjamin A. Davis, 87, of 1401 Morris St., Sligo, died at 2:02 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, in the Intensive Care Unit of Clarion Hospital. Born Sept. 27, 1917, in Clarion, he was the son of Charles M. and Minerva McKinley Davis. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II, serving from 1944 to 1946 with the rank of sergeant in the European Theater of Operations. He served in the 80th Infantry Division as a squad leader in combat. He received the Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct Medal, ETO Ribbon with three Battle Stars and the Purple Heart. He served with the 102nd Division as provost sergeant over regiment military police. Mr. Davis owned and operated the Davis Fountain Store in Sligo for 15 years. He also worked for the Bureau of Traffic Safety Examiner Office of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Sligo Methodist Church. Mr. Davis was a member of the Parker VFW Post No. 7073 and the Sligo Sportsmen's Club. He enjoyed hunting and golfing. Mr. Davis was married May 26, 1938, to Virginia Meier, who died Nov. 19, 2003. Surviving are a number of nieces and nephews. Mr. Davis was the last surviving member of his immediate family. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, two sisters and three brothers. There will be no public visitation. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Sligo Methodist Church with the Rev. Rick Russell, pastor, officiating. Interment will be in the Sligo Cemetery. Arrangements are in charge of the Varner Funeral Home in Sligo. Gertrude 'Gertie' Stoudt Dechant Gertrude "Gertie" Stoudt Dechant, 95, a former Siverly resident, died at 8:36 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, in the Oil City Presbyterian Home where she had resided for the past eight years. The Hutchinson Funeral Home of Oil City is in charge of arrangements. A complete obituary will be published Tuesday in The Derrick. Frances Anna Kolb Filer Frances Anna Kolb Filer, 102, a resident of Home 2 Me Nursing Home, 600 Slippery Rock Road, Slippery Rock, since 1997, died at 2:15 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, 2004, in United Community Hospital, Grove City, following a brief illness. Mrs. Filer had resided for 75 years in her former home on Hatwick Road, Pardoe, Findley Township. Born Nov. 13, 1901, in Pardoe, she was the daughter of Peter J. and Mary Ann Amhoff Kolb. Mrs. Filer was a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Mercer. She was a life member of St. Hermengilds Catholic Church in Pardoe until its closing and was a member of the Rosary-Altar Society of that church. She was a homemaker and was active in the Homemakers Club of Findley Township. Mrs. Filer was married Sept. 29, 1920, to Joseph Enoch Filer Sr., who died Oct. 11, 1969. Surviving are nine children, Mary Eleanor Mirda of Mesa, Ariz., Marjorie Ann Cross and husband, Reed, of Fairview, Patricia Lee McDannel and husband, John A., of DuBois, Virginia Marie Filer of Pardoe, Judith Lynne Messina and husband, Michael R., of Harrisville, David J. Filer and wife, Doris, of Stoneboro and Joseph E. Filer and wife, Virginia M., Robert L. Filer and wife, Helen M., and Merle E. File and wife, Sara M., all of Grove City; 26 grandchildren; 49 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren. She also is survived by a sister, Mary V. Warner or Grove City. In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Filer was preceded in death by an infant son, Peter Filer; one sister, Laura Magargee; and two brothers , John and Paul Kolb. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today in the Cunningham Funeral Home, 306 Bessemer Ave., Grove City. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Church of the Beloved Disciple, Grove City, with Msgr. Edward J. Zietler, pastor, presiding. Interment will be in Crestview Memorial Park, Grove City. Memorial tributes may be made to the Building Fund of the Church of the Beloved Disciple, 321 N. Broad St., Grove City, 16127. Laurie Arlene (Clay) Hall Laurie Arlene (Clay) Hall, 42, of Tionesta, died Saturday, Oct. 23, 2004, at the home of her sister and brother in-law in Oil City after losing a seven-year battle with breast cancer. Born Aug. 12, 1962, in Oil City, she was the daughter of Betty Head Hall, with whom she resided at Tidioute RR 1, and the late Donald E. "Gene" Hall Sr. She graduated in 1981 from West Forest High School, Tionesta, then from Robert Morris Business College in Pittsburgh. She previously had been employed by National Fuel Gas Co. of Titusville, the Forest Area School District, MCI of Winchester, Ky., and most recently by Monessen Hearth Systems in Paris, Ky., before moving back to the area. She was a member of the Tionesta Presbyterian Church and was a troop leader for Girl Scout Troop No. 715 of West Hickory. She was active in volunteer work in the West Forest Elementary School. In addition to her mother, she is survived by the joy of her life, her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah, and her faithful friend and companion, her dog, Sam. Also surviving are three brothers, Donald E. Hall Jr. and wife, Kathy, of Tionesta. Robert A. Hall and wife, Ruth, of Ambridge and Joseph M. Hall and wife, Marcy, of North East; one sister, Deborah L. Boyer and her husband, Dr. Walter E. Boyer of Oil City; a special aunt, Edythe Head of Virginia; and numerous other aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today in the Norman J. Wimer Funeral Home of Tionesta. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the funeral home with Rev. Peter Veltman, pastor of the Tionesta Presbyterian Church, officiating. Interment will be in the Riverside Cemetery, Tionesta. Memorial contributions may be made to the Tionesta Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund, the Tionesta Library or to the American Cancer Society. Allen W. McLaughlin Allen W. McLaughlin, 57, of 8 Petroleum St., Oil City, died at 2:05 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, 2004, in UPMC Northwest, Seneca. The Morrison Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. A complete obituary will be published at a later date. Lillian I. Plants Lillian I. Plants, 88, of Sandy Lake, died at 5:40 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, in United Community Hospital, Grove City. The Scott A. Black Funeral Home in Stoneboro is in charge of arrangements. A complete obituary will be published Tuesday in The News-Herald. William F. Schmude William F. Schmude, 79, died at 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, at the residence of his daughter, Joyce Tobin, in Titusville. Born May 18, 1925, in Seneca, he was the son of Ernest J. and Mary Helen Smith Schmude. He attended Cranberry area schools. Mr. Schmude was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Navy. He entered the service July 30, 1943, in Erie and was an aircraft and engine mechanic. He received the American Campaign Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal and World War II Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal April 30, 1946, at Fort Dix, N.J. He was employed as a millwright for 50 years by the Greater Pennsylvania Regional Council of Carpenters. In addition, he and his wife owned and operated the Pizza Villa and later the Grand Slam Café in Titusville. Mr. Schmude was a member of the Cleo J. Ross Post No. 368 American Legion, the Bruce Shorts Post No. 5958 VFW and the Moose Club. He was an avid Steelers fan and enjoyed watching NASCAR. Mr. Schmude was married in Oil City Nov. 15, 1947, to Eunice G. Hall, who died Nov. 15, 1997. Surviving are four children, Joyce A. Tobin and her significant other, Butch Henry, of Titusville, Jeffrey A. Schmude and wife, Nan, of Erie, James A. Schmude and wife, Peggy, of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., and Jon A. Schmude and wife, Patti, of Oil City;13 grandchildren, Jeremy Tobin of Titusville, Kelly Tobin of Venus, Dillon Tobin of Titusville, Ian Tobin, a student at Grove City College, Nicole Schmude of Leeper, Natile Schmude of Newmansville, Jacob Schmude of Tempe, Ariz., Alex Schmude, Lucas Schmude of Erie, William Schmude, stationed with the military in Germany, Jamie Schmude of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., Brandon and Jordan Schmude of Oil City; and five great-grandchildren. He also is survived by three sisters, Ruth Blair of Rockland, Lois Swartsfager and husband, Edward, of Oil City and Sandy Hinebaugh and husband, Robert, of Okeechobee, Fla.; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents and wife, Mr. Schmude was preceded in death by one brother, Robert Schmude; and one sister, Jean Swartzfager. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Gordon B. Garrett Funeral Home 303 N. Washington St., Titusville. Funeral services will be held at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Crawford County, 310 N. Monroe St., Titusville, 16354. Ernest L. Taylor Ernest L. Taylor, 67, of Tionesta, died Saturday evening, Oct. 23, 2004, at his home after an extended illness. He had lived in the Tionesta area since 1971. Born March 4, 1937, in Pulaski, he was the a son of the late H. Leroy and Esther Biddle Taylor. Mr. Taylor was a graduate of the Ross Leffler School of Conservation in Brockway and had been a wildlife conservation officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, retiring in 1993. He also served five years in Monroe County. He was an avid trapper, hunter, fisherman and an arrowhead knapper. Surviving are his wife Nancy Fox Taylor; two daughters, Mrs. Buck ( Sue ) Gilbert of Pleasantville and Brenda Taylor of Tionesta; and two sons, Rodney Taylor and Ralph Taylor, both of Tionesta; and seven grandchildren. He also is survived by a brother, George Taylor of New Wilmington. There will be no visitation. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Word of Grace Church, German Hill, Tionesta, with the Rev. John Mlakar officiating. Interment of Mr. Taylor's cremains will be in Riverside Cemetery, Tionesta. The family suggests memorials be made to the Tionesta Ambulance Service or to the Tionesta Library. Arrangements were handled by the James M. Higgins Funeral Home of Tidioute.