Helen C. Niemela; 94; of Belle Vernon; died Tuesday; March 25; 2003; in Mon Valley Hospital. She was born June 8; 1908; in Fayette City; a daughter of the late Oscar and Sanna Pelakkla Matson. Mrs. Niemela was preceded in death by her husband; Oliver Jake Niemela; one son Donald Niemela Sr.; one brother and four sisters. She is survived by one son; Oliver C. Niemela and wife Norma Jean of New Providence; N.J.; one daughter-in-law; Jane Niemela of Perryopolis; one brother-in-law; Everett Niemela and wife Virginia of Pittsburgh; one sister-in-law; Helen Niemela Sphar of Charleroi; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter. Friends will be received at the ELEY-McCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC.; 334 Main St.; Fayette City; on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and Friday; March 28; 2003; until l p.m.; the hour of services in the funeral home with Elder Jeffrey Smith officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Delores Carini; 74; of Belle Vernon; died Tuesday; March 18; 2003; at 11 p.m. in Mon Valley Hospital; Carroll Township. Born Dec. 15; 1928; in Belle Vernon; she was a daughter of the late Deno Sr. and Alberta S. Greene Carini. A homemaker; Delores was a lifelong resident of Belle Vernon and a member of Char-Belle Free Methodist Church; Belle Vernon. Survivors include two brothers; Deno Jr. and Alfred Carini; both of Belle Vernon; and one nephew; Dennis Carini and wife Carrie of Belle Vernon. She was preceded in death by one sister; Lenora Carini; in 1925. 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). Services will be held Friday; March 21; in the funeral home at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Eugene Spear of Char-Belle Free Methodist Church 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 website; www.parzynskifuneralhome.com.

Floyd E. Bilski Sr.; 72; of Arnold City; died Friday; March 21; 2003; in Jefferson Hospital. He was born Jan. 27; 1931; in Scranton; a son of the late Joseph and Anna Bilski. He was a member of Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church; Fayette City. Mr. Bilski was a veteran of the U.S. Army and retired from Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel; Allenport Plant. He was preceded in death by one son; Brian L. Bilski; on Nov. 11; 2002; five brothers; George; Clement; Joseph; John and Louis Bilski; and one infant sister; Florence Bilski. Survivors include his wife; Betty Sebetich Bilski; three children; Floyd M. Bilski Jr. and wife Michelle of Belle Vernon; Paul Bilski and wife Gisele of Fayette City; and Karen Hornbake and husband James of Arnold City; one sister; Adeline Barch of Belle Vernon; and four grandchildren; Colby; Kaly; Lindsey and Lauren Bilski. Friends will be received at the ELEY-McCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC.; 334 Main St.; Fayette City; on Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m.; Sunday from noon to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.; and Monday; March 24; until 9:30 a.m. when a blessing service will take place followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in Holy Spirit R.C. Church; Fayette City with the Rev. Fr. John Cindric as celebrant. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Anna Andercheck; 93; of Monessen; died Monday; March 17; 2003; in Mon Valley Care Center; Monongahela. She was born Dec. 23; 1909; a daughter of the late Frank and Eva Pushnack of Charleroi. Anna was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Monessen. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by her husband; John; on Dec. 21; 1995; after 70 years of marriage; four brothers; John; Ted; George; and Nick Pushnack; one sister; Mary; and one son-in-law; Paul Kissell Jr. Survivors include three daughters; Sonya of Monessen; Lorraine Vandernitte and husband Henry of Belle Vernon; and Dorothy Janosik and husband Jack of Valley View; Ohio; eight grandchildren; Cheryl Knight of Canonsburg; John P. Kissell of Monessen; Melanie Kissell of Glendale; Calif.; Tim Kissell of Ann Arbor; Mich.; David Janosik of Ft. Myers; Fla.; Dennis Janosik of Parma; Ohio; Daniel Janosik of Chagrin Falls; Ohio; and Donald Janosik of Maple Heights; Ohio; one brother; Paul Pushnack; and sister-in-law; Dorothy; of Monessen; one sister; Mary Marek of Charleroi; two sisters-in-law; Sue Pushnack of Pittsburgh and Mary Liby of Warren; Ohio; 20 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Friends will be received Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the RHOME FUNERAL HOME INC.; 1209 Grand Blvd.; Monessen. Services will be held in the funeral home chapel on Friday; March 21; at 11 a.m. with Dr. Allen Lee officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

THE BEST DOCTOR THAT EVER LIVED! Victor W. Bair; M.D.; 94; of Belle Vernon; died Thursday; March 13; 2003. A son of the late Charles L. and Olive Nellie Wherry Bair; he was born Oct. 14; 1908; in Deemston. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon; Belle Vernon Lodge 643 F&AM; Uniontown Lodge of Perfection; Syria Shrine; the Pittsburgh Consistory; York Rite; the Washington County Medical Society; the A.M.A.; the Pennsylvania Medical Association; and a life member of the North Belle Vernon Volunteer Fire Department. Dr. Bair graduated from Schenley High School in 1926; from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1934; and served his residency in Magee-Womens Hospital; Pittsburgh. In 1939 he joined the staff at the former Charleroi-Monessen Hospital and practiced general surgery and obstetrics on Broad Avenue in Belle Vernon for 52 years; retiring in 1986. During World War II; Dr. Bair served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as a general surgeon from 1941-1945. Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law; Patricia and Frank Ready of Stuart; Fla.; two sons and daughters-in-law; James W. and Shirley Bair of St. Petersburg; Fla.; and G. Thomas and Elaine Solan Bair of Rostraver Township; eight grandchildren; Susan Pringle; Lisa Barnes; Mark Ready; Amy Johnson; and Michael; Lauri; Matthew and Emily Bair; and 11 great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents; he was preceded in death by his wife; Elizabeth M. Bair; on July 20; 2001; and one sister; Charlotte Winters; in February 2003. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. on Monday in the FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME INC.; a Golden Rule Member Firm; (724-929-5300); 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon. Funeral services will be held in the First Presbyterian Church; Fayette Street; Belle Vernon; on Tuesday; March 18; at noon with the Rev. James Ramsey officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The session and elders of the church will meet in the funeral home this evening at 7 to hold services; followed by the North Belle Vernon Volunteer Fire Department at 7:15; and by members of F&AM Lodge 643 at 7:30.

Michael Jack Kupirovich; 81; of Arnold City; died Saturday; March 15; 2003; in Country Care Manor. He was born Nov. 15; 1921; in Arnold City; a son of the late Nicholas and Mary Hollis Kupirovich. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II; a member of First Christian Church; Fayette City; and retired from the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Co. Allenport Plant. Mr. Kupirovich was preceded in death by his wife; Juanita Kupirovich. He is survived by one brother; Miles Kupirovich of Belle Vernon. Friends will be received at the ELEY-McCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC.; 334 Main St.; Fayette City; on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and Tuesday; March 18; until 11 a.m.; the hour of service in the funeral home with the Rev. Wayne Boring officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. www.eleymccroryfuneralhome.com.

Gilda McShane; 95; formerly of Belle Vernon; died Friday; March 14; 2003; in Mennonite Goodwill Home; Grantsville; Md. A daughter of the late Dominick and Emelia Delalo Camino; she was born Sept. 30; 1907; in Belle Vernon. She was a member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church of Belle Vernon. She had resided in the Mennonite Home since September 2002 and had previously resided in Florida and Belle Vernon. Gilda and her son Jack started the McShane Greenhouse on Route 201 Sept. 21; 1948. Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law; Jack E. and Hilda McShane of Terra Alta; W.Va.; one grandson; Karl E. and Nancy McShane of Belle Vernon; and two great-grandchildren; Melanie and Valerie McShane. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by her husband; Jack McShane; on June 19; 1993; two brothers; Frank and Louis Camino; three sisters; Clara Skruber; Lena Foltz and Mary Catrino. Friends will be received Monday 6 to 9 p.m. in the FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME INC.; (724-929-5300); a Golden Rule Member Firm; 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon. A blessing service will be held in the funeral home on Tuesday; March 18; at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Sebastian R.C. Church. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Marlene M. Makepeace; 57; of Perryopolis; died Thursday; March 13; 2003; in West Penn Hospital; Pittsburgh. She was born Nov. 7; 1945; in North Charleroi; a daughter of the late Samuel and Mary Cunko Stanish. She was a member of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Perryopolis. Surviving are her son; Ronald Kinder at home; a daughter; Kimberly Lowman of Everson; a grandson; Justin Lowman; a brother; Nick Stanish and wife; Irene; of Cleveland; Ohio; and two sisters; Marie Gonet of Cleveland; Ohio; and Patricia Podvorce of Belle Vernon. Friends will be received at the ELEY-McCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC.; 334 Main St.; Fayette City; Sunday from noon to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and Monday until 9:30 a.m.; when a blessing service will take place. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. in St. John the Baptist R.C. Church with the Rev. Father Louis Cheatham as celebrant. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. A parish wake service will be held Sunday at 8 p.m. in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers; the family suggests donations to her son; Ronald Kinder; in care of the funeral home. www.eleymccrofyfuneralhome.com