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.

Esther A. Brewer; a life-long resident of the Mon Valley; died Thursday; Nov. 27; 2003. She was a creative artist; excelling in the areas of doll reproductions; dress designing; visual arts; and ceramics. She also was a tax consultant. Esther was an active participant in a variety of community events in Rostraver and Washington townships. She is survived by her husband of 52 years; Bill; one daughter; Terri Jaworowski of West Newton; one son; Bill; of Alabama; one grandson; Bill; of Alabama; and three sisters. Entombment was Dec. 1; 2003; in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The RHOME FUNERAL HOME INC.; Grand Boulevard; Monessen; was in charge of arrangements.

Mildred Tomasso Stringhill; 93; of Donora; formerly of Belle Vernon; died Friday; Nov. 28; 2003; at 1:15 a.m. at Kenric Manor; Donora. Born Nov. 4; 1910; in Pittsburgh; she was a daughter of the late Donato and Carmela Malgeri Tomasso. Mrs. Stringhill was a life-long resident of Belle Vernon; a member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church; Belle Vernon; and she was the owner/operator of the former New Deal Tavern in North Belle Vernon until 1972. Mrs. Stringhill also was a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas; Court 1522; the former Belle Vernon American Legion Post 659 Ladies Auxiliary and the Legion of Mary; St. Sebastian Church. She is survived by one daughter and son-in-law; Carmella and William Janeri of Lancaster; Ohio; one brother; Cazmear Thompson of Florida; two sisters; Anna McCune of Niagara Falls; N.Y.; and Marie Perry of Donora; three grandchildren; Lori Watts and husband Gary; John Janeri and wife Jean and J. William Janeri and wife Jacquelyn; and six great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by her husband; James Stringhill; in 1974; three brothers; Nicholas Thompson; Daniel Tomaso and Samuel Thompson; and one sister; Elizabeth Lipari. Visitation will be held Sunday 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 Monday; Dec. 1; at 9:30 a.m. in the funeral home; followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Sebastian R.C. Church with the Rev. Ronald Cyktor Jr.; parochial vicar; as celebrant. Interment will take place in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Members of St. Sebastian parish and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas will pray the rosary for the departed soul of Mildred Stringhill on Sunday at 3 p.m. in the funeral home. As a convenience to the family; condolences are accepted and given to the family from the funeral home’s web site; www.parzynskifuneralhome.com.

Funeral services were held yesterday; followed by burial in Belle Vernon Cemetery; for Wendell G. Carlson; 93; formerly of Otto Street; Belle Vernon; who died Tuesday; Nov. 25; 2003; in Hempfield Manor; Greensburg. A son of the late John and Teresa Schultz Carlson; he was born in Monessen on Feb. 23; 1910. Mr. Carlson was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Monessen and retired in 1969 from the Monessen Plant of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Company. He resided in Monessen until moving to Belle Vernon in 1945. Survivors include two daughters and one son-in-law; Elaine Snyder of Belle Vernon and Gail and Henry Perney of West Newton; one sister; Linnea Bost of Monessen; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME INC.; a Golden Rule Member Firm; (724-929-5300); 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon; handled arrangements.
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FLORENCE WAS BORN IN WASHINGTON PA. SHE WAS A TEACHER & ASST.PRINCIPLE IN PA.& MIAMI-DADE CO. SCHOOLS. SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND CLYDE E.BREWER.

Major George W. Turner; 74; of Monessen; died Saturday; Nov. 22; 2003; in Pittsburgh. He was born Feb. 22; 1929; in Clairton; a son of the late Johnnie Sr. and Ida George Turner. He was a veteran of the U. S. Army; serving during the Korean Conflict. Mr. Turner was retired as a railroad conductor from Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel. He is survived by four daughters; Jennifer Patterson of Monongahela; Kathleen Rawlins of Pittsburgh; and Vicki Kizzie and Deborah Reynolds of Monessen; one sister; Ida Lou Turner Medlin of Pittsburgh; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; life-long friend; Cleve; one special niece; Dale Galloway; and many nieces; nephews; relatives and friends. In addition to his parents; Mr. Turner was preceded in death by his wife; Rachael Galloway Turner; in 1997; six brothers and six sisters. Visitation will be held Tuesday; Nov. 25; from 2 to 9 p.m. in Wayman A.M.E. Church; Reed Avenue; Monessen. A celebration of life service will be held Wednesday; Nov. 26; at 1 p.m. in the church; followed by interment in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to ALDRICH FUNERAL HOMES; 431 East Ninth Ave.; Munhall; Pa. 15120.