November 29, 2007

OBITUARIES

Elaine Comegys

Longtime village resident Elaine E. Comegys died Nov. 22, Thanksgiving Day, at her home. She had fallen asleep after reading the latest Harry Potter book.

Elaine was born August 8 in a year she would not divulge, in Charleston, W.Va., to Dr. James P. Solomon and Dr. Effie O. Ellis, and she was raised by Arthur Ellis. Elaine worked for years at Antioch College in the co-op department and finally served as dean of students. She is survived by her daughter, Danielle Comegys-Pelligrino, and son, Marco Solomon Comegys, and all the beautiful spirits in the world, happy and sad.

A spiritual ceremony in her memory will be held on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m., in the Glen Helen Building. If you can’t be there, let yourself whisper into the wind and she will know you loved her.

A longer obituary will be published in next week’s News.

Jeanne Gerthoffer

Jeanne Gerthoffer died on Sunday, Nov. 18, in Bethlen Home, Ligonier, Pa. She was 80.

She was born Oct. 8, 1927, in Latrobe, a daughter of the late William and Mary (McKay) Poerstel. Prior to her retirement, Jeanne was a registered nurse with Torrance State Hospital. She was also previously employed in nursing by Latrobe Area Hospital, Edgewood Nursing Center in Youngstown, and Dr. Blair's office in Derry. She was a member of St. Rose Roman Catholic Church near Latrobe, and a former member and past president of the Pennsylvania Nurse’s Association. She loved to travel and enjoyed vacations to the beach in North Carolina and camping at Treasure Lake.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence C. Gerthoffer, on Sept. 7; an infant son, David Peter Gerthoffer, in 1960; and two sisters, Mary Margaret Cavanaugh and M. Mary Katherine Campbell.

She is survived by eight children, Lawrence Gerthoffer Jr., of Yellow Springs, Bill Gerthoffer and his wife, Betsy, of Mobile, Ala., Janet Carmo and her husband, Mike, of Carlisle, Rosemarie Trunzo and her husband, Dave, of McMurray, Barbara Bollman, of Latrobe, Chuck Gerthoffer and his wife, Cindy, of Derry, Jeff Gerthoffer and his wife, Jackie, of Mt. Pleasant, and John Gerthoffer and his wife, Lori, of Greensburg; 19 grandchildren, Lydia and Evan Gerthoffer, Justin, Mike and Drew Gerthoffer, Genny King and husband, Willy, Mandy and Mike Carmo, Ali Trunzo, Matthew, Megan, and Dan Kunkel, Kayla, Nick, MaryLee and Kay Sue Gerthoffer, Alex Gerthoffer, Kara Fullman and husband, Douglass, and Corey Moximchalk; two great-grandchildren, Emily and Danielle King; six siblings, Bill Poerstel and wife, Joan, of Illinois, Tom Poerstel and wife, Barbara, of Virginia, Anne DeCourcy, of Maryland, Bob Poerstel and wife, Pat, of Sharon, Clare Weaver and husband, Don, of Crafton, and Jack Poerstel and wife, Mary, of Virginia; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral Mass was celebrated in St. Rose Roman Catholic Church, with interment in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Latrobe. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Jeanne’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 863 Georges Station Road, Suite 2, Greensburg, Pa. 15601, or to the American Lung Association, 61 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10006.