Michael Andrew Hepple; 20; of Rostraver Township; died Monday; Dec. 15; 2003; at 8:01 p.m. in Children’s Hospital; Pittsburgh. Born Feb. 12; 1983; in Carroll Township; he was the son of Forrest Michael and Diane E. Yencsik Hepple; who survive and reside in Rostraver Township. Michael was a lifelong resident of Rostraver Township and member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church; Belle Vernon. He was a graduate of Belle Vernon Area High School; Class of 2001 and was attending Westmoreland County Community College. Our loving son enjoyed the outdoors; hunting and fishing and was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. In addition to his parents; he is survived by one sister; Megan Hepple; at home; his maternal grandmother; Helen E. Cleri Yencsik of Lynnwood; his paternal grandparents; Forrest and Helen Gadus Hepple of Belle Vernon; his paternal great-grandmother; Anna Hayduk Gadus of Rostraver Township; and several aunts; uncles and cousins. Michael was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather; Andrew J. Yencsik; his paternal great-grandfather; John Gadus; and one uncle; Thomas C. Hepple. Visitation will be held Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the LEONARD J. PARZYNSKI FUNERAL HOME; Family Owned and Operated; 626 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon (724-929-6183). A prayer service will be held Friday; Dec. 19 at 9:30 a.m. in the funeral home followed by Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Sebastian R.C. Church. Interment will take place in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Members of St. Sebastian Parish will pray the rosary for the departed soul of Michael Andrew Hepple Thursday at 3 p.m. in the funeral home. For those unable to attend; online condolences may be sent to the family at the funeral home’s web site; www.parzynskifuneralhome.com.

Georgina Jean (Bush) Harden Ritchie; 80; of Belle Vernon; Washington Township; died Monday; Dec. 15; 2003; at 3:45 a.m.; in Mon Valley Hospital; Carroll Township; Washington County. Born March 24; 1923; in Monessen; a daughter of the late John and Martha Jane Huscroft Bush. Mrs. Ritchie was a resident of Washington Township for the past 55 years; a member of Marion Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon and a homemaker. She was a member of the Belle Vernon Golden Age Assembly; Belle Vernon Order of Eastern Star Chapter 196; Gold Star Mother; past member of Fayette City Women’s Club; AARP; and she was the former owner of Jeannie’s Beauty Shop in Fairhope for 12 years. She is survived by her husband; Woodrow W. Ritchie; a daughter and son-in-law; Becky and Charles Wood; of Greensburg; two stepsons; Barry W. Ritchie and wife; Becky; of Belle Vernon; and Ronald W. Ritchie and wife; Beverly; of Orlando; Fla.; two stepdaughters; Sharon Ritchie; of West Mifflin; and Linda Podraza and husband; Regis; of Ruffsdale; three grandchildren; Scott Wood; Susan Eutsey and Michelle DeMine; seven stepgrandchildren; Barry Ritchie Jr.; Brian Ritchie; Christopher Ritchie; Jarrad Ritchie; Michelle Podraza; Rhiana Podraza and Colleen McManus; five great-grandchildren; Robert DeMine; Sara DeMine; Shannon DeMine; Ashley Eutsey and Aimee Ann Eutsey; a stepgreat-granddaughter; Rachel Lynn Eyles; and a sister; Barbara Bates; of Charleroi. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by her first husband; Melvin Owen Harden; on Dec. 18; 1993; a son; Larry Owen Harden; on Jan. 5; 1971; a great-grandson; Elijah Wood; two sisters; Daisy Bush and Ivy Louise Steiner; and a brother; John David Bush. Visitation will be Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the LEONARD J. PARZYNSKI FUNERAL HOME; family owned and operated; 626 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon; 724-929-6183. Services will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. in the funeral home with Pastor William E. Lawson of Marion United Presbyterian Church of Fairhope officiating. Interment will take place in Belle Vernon Cemetery. As a convenience to the family; condolences are accepted and given to the family from the funeral home’s Web site; www.parzynskifuneralhome.com.

Susan Buchton Strychalski; 84; of Fairhope; Belle Vernon; died Wednesday; Dec. 10; 2003; in her home. She was born Dec. 23; 1918; in Washington Township; a daughter of the late John and Susan Safer Buchton. She was a member of Lynnwood Lutheran Church; Belle Vernon. She was preceded in death by her husband; John Strychalski; in 1995; and one son; Andrew Strychalski. Survivors include her children; Bernard Strychalski and wife Debbie of Belle Vernon; Evelyn Nagy and husband Eugene of Donora; and Suzanne Antol and husband John of Fairhope; Belle Vernon; one brother; John Buchton and wife Pauline of Fairhope; Belle Vernon; and one sister; Mary Sholtis of Belle Vernon;; one daughter-in-law; Janet Strychalski; and friend Buddy Holley; and 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Friends will be received at the ELEY-McCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC.; 34 Main St.; Fayette City; on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and Friday; Dec. 12; until 10 a.m.; the hour of services in the funeral home with Pastor Jack Hernstrom officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Robert Michael Robbie Pollock Jr.; 36; of Belle Vernon; died Sunday; Dec. 7; 2003; in his home. He was born Oct. 8; 1967; in Cincinnati; Ohio; the son of Robert M. Sr. and Susan Leska Pollock; who survive and reside in Fayette City R.D. He was a co-manager of Wendy’s Restaurant in Castle Shannon; a member of the Historic Church of St. Peter in Brownsville; the Knights of Columbus in Belle Vernon; the Mon Valley Youth & Teen Association; and the Sokols. He was a graduate of California University of Pennsylvania and an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. In addition to his parents; he is survived by his wife; Lisa Dando Pollock; three children; Emily; Adam and Andrew Pollock; all at home; one sister; Michelle Starr of Perryopolis; paternal grandmother; Margaret Pollock of Perryopolis; his father- and mother-in-law; Richard and Cookie Dando of Newell; and many nieces and nephews. Friends will be received at the ELEY-McCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC.; 334 Main St.; Fayette City on Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m.; Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.; and Thursday; Dec. 11; until 10:30 a.m.; when a blessing service will be held; followed by a Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. in the historic Church of St. Peter in Brownsville with the Rev. Fr. Vincent Gigliotti as celebrant. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Belle Vernon Knights of Columbus will conduct a service Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the funeral home.

Jessie Mae Laidley; 83; of Monessen; died Wednesday; Dec. 3; 2003. She was born March 11; 1920; in Ringgold; Ga.; the daughter of Jessie Dillard and Lily Mae Page. She was an employee in many private homes. She leaves her children; Richelle Bronson and husband William of Monessen and Marlene Cookie Laidley and Kenneth Johnson of Monessen; her sister; Jennie Miller of Monessen; and nieces; nephews and many friends. Friends will be received at the Gates of Heaven Church of God in Christ; Reed Avenue; Monessen; on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. Services will be held in the church Saturday; Dec. 6; at 11 a.m. with Elder Edwin C. Bass officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. ALDRICH FUNERAL HOME; 431 E. Ninth Ave.; Munhall; is in charge of arrangements.

Anna M. Sobek Semancik; 74; of Navahoo Hollow Road; Fayette City; died Tuesday; Dec. 2; 2003; in Monongahela Valley Hospital. She was born in Fayette City on Sept. 26; 1929; the daughter of the late Mike and Mary Ciba Sobek. She was also preceded in death by four brothers and one sister; Joseph; Taddeus; Larry Bub and Carl Sobek and Stella Errigo. Mrs. Semancik was a member of the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church and the church choir. She is survived by her husband; Anthony Tony Semancik; to whom she was married for 53 years; and one son; Anthony Tony Semancik Jr. of New York City. Friends will be received Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the ELEY-McCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC.; 334 Main St.; Fayette City; and Saturday; Dec. 6; until 9:30 a.m.; where a prayer service will take place followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in Holy Spirit R.C. Church; Fayette City. Interment will be in Vernon Cemetery. A parish wake service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the funeral home.

(GRAVE IS ALONG ROAD) SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER FOUR GRANDCHILDREN IN LORRAINE;OHIO AND A NUMBER OF NIECES AND NEPHEWS. SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER SON;THURMAN ALTPATER IN 1977. SHE DIED IN MON VALLEY HOSPITAL;CARROLL TOWNSHIP. HER FUNERAL SERVICE WAS HELD AT 1:30 PM ON FRIDAY;DEC.5 IN THE FUNERAL HOME WITH THE REV.BILL HASTINGS OF SPEERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH;OFFICIATING.

Rose Marie Homanics; 89; of Navaho Hollow Road; Fayette City; died Tuesday; Dec. 2; 2003; in Brownsville General Hospital. She was born in Webster on Sept. 28; 1914; a daughter of the late George and Catherine Pochlopek Coates. Mrs. Homanics was a member of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church; Belle Vernon. She is survived by her husband; Charles Homanics; one son; William Homanics and wife Carol of Issaquah; Wash.; one grandson; Christopher Homanics; three sisters; Helen Yetsconish and Blanche Coates of Fayette City; and Mary Kaufman of McKeesport; one brother; Peter Coates of Fayette City; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by one sister; Pauline Korch; and six brothers; Stanley; Frank; Michael; Charles; Joseph and Thomas Coates. Friends will be received Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the ELEY-McCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC.; 334 Main St.; Fayette City. Family and friends will meet in Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church; Belle Vernon; on Friday; Dec. 5; at 10 a.m.; where Divine Liturgy will be said by the Rev. Fr. John Kluchko. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. A Parastas service will be said Thursday at 8 p.m. in the funeral home.