The Derrick, February 18, 2009: Ruth E. Bish, 853 Creek Road, New Bethlehem James Charles Edwards, Tionesta Vera Marie Fink, Hopewell Gary L. Parks, Knox Marilouise F. Williams, 21 Oakwood Drive, Oil City Getting it right - Nancy Jean Hodgson Ruth E. Bish, 91, of 853 Creek Road, New Bethlehem, died Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009, at her residence. Born Feb. 4, 1918, in Kellersburg, she was the daughter of the late Charles Foy Willison and Gertrude M. Furlong. She was a member of Oakland Church of God in Distant. Ms. Bish was a clerk for Reddinger's Market, A.S.R. and Comet Market. She also worked at Herbert's Market. She was also an auditor for Mahoning Township. Ms. Bish was a 59-year member of American Legion Auxiliary. She was active in her church and republican committee. She loved being around her family and friends. Ms. Bish is survived by four children, Larry Nelson and his wife, Trudy, of Petersburg, Ohio, Shirley Ortz and her husband, Paul, of New Middletown, Ohio, Sylvia Shoemaker and her husband, Herb, of Distant, and Dianne Downs and her husband, Marlin, of New Bethlehem; a sister, Elsie Renolf of Ellsworth, Ohio; and 17 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and 23 great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents, Ms. Bish was preceded in death by three spouses, Chester Andrew Nelson, William Brocious and Bruce Bish; a son, Harold Nelson; two grandsons, Harold Andrew and Henry Nelson; two great-grandchildren, Heather Powell and Kaden Nelson; and four sisters, Edna Sample, Della Henderson, Bessie Chessman and Grace Witt. She was also preceded in death by seven brothers, Cecil Willison, Delbert Willison, John Willison, Merle Willison, Reed Willison, Frank Willison and an infant Willison. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Alcorn Funeral Home in Hawthorn and also from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Oakland Church of God. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Oakland Church of God with pastors Dottie Kunselman and Jimmy Swogger officiating. Interment will be in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Mahoning Township, Armstrong County. Memorial contributions may be made to the Oakland Church of God Benevolence Fund, Oakdale Church of the Brethren or Edgewood Heights Charitable Fund. James Charles Edwards, 55, of Tionesta, died at 7:10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at UPMC Northwest, Seneca. Born Dec. 28, 1953, in Meadville, he was the son of the late Lawrence David and Elda Elizabeth Bish Edwards. He was married July 28, 1975, to the former Emma J. DeLoe, who survives. Mr. Edwards had lived in the Tionesta area for the past eight years. He had previously lived in the Seneca area. He was employed at Veolia Environmental Services in the waste management department. Mr. Edwards' hobbies included collecting miniature garbage trucks, hunting and he enjoyed collecting scrap. He had served in the National Guard from which he was honorably discharged. In addition to his wife, Mr. Edwards is survived by two daughters, Emma Jean Burkett and her husband, Robert, of Tylersburg, and Amy Jo Markley and her husband, Mark, of Tionesta; two sons, James C. Edwards Jr. and his fiancée, Barb Flinspach, of Shippenville, and Matthew Edwards of Tionesta. He is also survived by a brother, David L. Edwards of Seneca; a sister, Elda Rose VanWomer of Franklin; and six grandchildren, Lacey J. Edwards, Natasha Burkett and Robert Burkett Jr., all of Tylersburg, and Matthew Goodman, Stephen James Jr. and Michael Harriett, all of Tionesta. In addition to his parents, Mr. Edwards was preceded in death by a sister, Donna King. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Hutchinson Funeral Home, 201 Bissell Ave., Oil City. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home with Pastor Clyde Ball of the McDaniels Corners Bible Church in Cochranton officiating. Interment will be in the Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City. Vera Marie Fink, 72, of Hopewell, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, 2009, at the home of her daughter in Clarion. Born April 22, 1936, in Six Mile Run, she was a daughter of the late Robert Edward Earl and Emma Margaret Edmiston Hastings. She was married March 31, 1956, in Shippensburg, to Lowell Thomas Fink of Hopewell, who preceded her in death Sept. 27, 1995. Mrs. Fink was a 1954 graduate of Saxton Liberty High School. Before marriage she worked at the Bedford Springs Hotel. She devoted her adult life to raising five children and being a homemaker. Mrs. Fink was a member of Kearney Union Church and enjoyed nothing more than studying the Bible in depth. Most important of all, she wholeheartedly loved the Lord and lived the precepts she studied in His word. Mrs. Fink is survived by a daughter, Mary Ann Stewart and her husband, Thomas, of Clarion; four sons, Bruce Fink and his wife, Anita, of Pearland, Texas, Lowell Thomas Fink Jr. and his wife, Dawn, of Pearland, Texas, Michael Fink and his wife, Melisa, of Pearland, Texas, and Clay Fink of Alvin, Texas; and many nieces and nephews and dear friends. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, Matthew Stewart and Rebecca Stewart of Clarion, and Daniel Fink, Jeffrey Fink, Jesse Fink, Alexandria Fink, Garrett Fink, Paul Eckert and Travis Eckert, all of Texas; three great-grandchildren in Texas; three sisters, Grace Kline and her husband, William, of Bedford, Bertha Thomas and her husband, Robert, of Six Mile Run, and Ruth Kemper of Bealeton, Va.; two brothers, Robert Hastings of Six Mile Run and William Hastings and his wife, Catherine, of Riddlesburg; three sisters-in-law, Clara Hastings of Dudley, Rosetta Fink of Everett and Leota Fink of Osterburg; and a brother-in-law, William Fink and his wife, Sandy, of Hopewell. Mrs. Fink was preceded in death by three sisters, Audrey Mae Palko, infant Margaret Emma Hastings and infant Ella Louise Hastings; two brothers, Earl Emmanuel Hastings and an infant brother; a sister-in-law, Marge Hastings; five brothers-in-law, Gene Fink, David Clay Fink, Howard Grant Fink, Timothy Fink and Keith Kemper; and her husband's parents, Garrett and Earnie Eichelberger and Cuthbert Fink. Friends and family may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at Akers Funeral Chapel, 715 Church St., Saxton. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home chapel with Pastor Jerry Wright officiating. A fellowship meal will be provided at Kearney Union Church immediately following the funeral service at the chapel. Burial will be held privately at Hopewell Cemetery. Mrs. Fink's request was in lieu of flowers contributions be made in her memory to Hopewell Food Pantry, P.O. Box 144, Hopewell, 16650. Gary L. Parks, 63, of Knox, died unexpectedly Tuesday morning, Feb. 17, 2009, at his residence of natural causes. The David C. McEntire Funeral Home, Inc. of Knox is in charge or arrangements. A complete obituary will be published in the Thursday edition of The Derrick. Marilouise F. Williams, 84, of 21 Oakwood Drive, Oil City, died at 6:25 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at Golden Living Center in Oil City. Born Aug. 1, 1924, in St Petersburg, she was a daughter of Ralph V. and Besse G. Summerville Freeman. She was married July 25, 1945, to Lt. Col. Frank D. Williams USAF, retired, who survives. Mrs. Williams was a graduate of St. Petersburg Richland Township High School and attended Lake Erie College for Women in Painesville, Ohio and Slippery Rock College. She enjoyed sewing, playing bridge in several local bridge clubs, reading, traveling, gardening, history, crewel embroidery and being with her family. Mrs. Williams was a member of St Paul Lutheran Church in Knox. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Williams is survived by a daughter, Laura E. Sekula and her fiancé, James Green, of Manassas, Va.; two grandsons, Nathan Sekula and Ian Sekula, both of Manassas, Va.; a brother, George Freeman and his wife, Joan, of Knox; and eight nieces and nephews, George V. Freeman of Jacksonville, Fla., Robert W. Freeman of Lancaster, David T. Freeman of Ridgey W.V., and William Ginder, Marsha Clark Lynn Coblentz and Robert Ginder, all of East Palestine, Ohio. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Sarah Ginder. There will be no visitation and services will be conducted at the convenience of the family. Interment will be in Sunset Hill Memorial Gardens In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society. Morrison Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Getting it right - Nancy Jean Hodgson Nancy Jean Hodgson, 72, a lifetime member of New Bethlehem, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday morning, Feb. 15, 2009, at her home. The viewing will be held from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. today at Alcorn Funeral Home in New Bethlehem.