Catherine Conn; 82; of Henry Street; Belle Vernon; died Tuesday; Sept. 17; 2002; in Jefferson Regional Medical Center. A daughter of the late Joseph and Susan Sentinek Lackner; she was born in Van Voorhis Jan. 4; 1920. Catholic by faith; she had lived most of her adult life in Belle Vernon and was a member of the Slovenian Society. Survivors include her husband; Lewis Conn; two sons and daughters-in-law; Ralph and Elaine Conn and Alex Chooch and Denise Conn; all of Belle Vernon; one sister; Veronica Marraccini of Monongahela; two brothers; Joseph Lackner of Arnold City and Alex Lackner of Pricedale; three grandchildren; Nicole Niles and husband Clay of Stafford; Va.; Kimberly Conn of Elizabeth; and Alexis Conn of Belle Vernon; and one great-grandson; Trevor Conrad Niles. In addition to her parents; Mrs. Conn was preceded in death by four sisters; Margaret Lambert; Agnes Pagel; Stephanie Carroll and Theresa Mazzei; and one brother; John Lackner. Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME INC.; a Golden Rule Member Firm; 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon. A blessing service will be held in the funeral home Friday; Sept. 20; at 10 a.m. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Cora Belle Springer Taylor; 81; of Acme; passed away peacefully on Saturday; Sept. 14; 2002; in Frick Hospital. She was born June 4; 1921; in Belle Vernon; a daughter of the late Joseph E. and Maude Wolfe Springer. Mrs. Taylor was a member of First United Methodist Church; Jeannette. She was a graduate of North Belle Vernon High School; Class of 1940; and an avid Pittsburgh Pirates baseball fan. Mrs. Taylor was a homemaker; and in her earlier years was employed by Hagan’s Dairy Store in Belle Vernon. She will be sadly missed by her husband of 60 years; John E. Taylor; one son; Robert J. Taylor and wife Margaret of Acme; one daughter; Judy A. Wilson and husband Robert of Greensburg. She was the loving grandmother of Erin Taylor and her fiance; Patrick Hreshko; Megan Taylor; Jeffrey Wilson and Shari McHenry and husband John; and Chris Ann Boyce and husband David; two great-grandchildren; Haley Wilson and John McHenry III; two sisters; Lois Davis and husband James of Birmingham; Ala.; and Ruth Springer of Belle Vernon; and one sister-in-law; Rita Springer of Jeannette. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by one brother; Robert Springer; and one sister; Donna Springer Owens. Friends will be received at the EUGENE G. SALOOM FUNERAL HOME INC.; Main Street; Mt. Pleasant; Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the funeral with the Rev. D. David Eversdyke. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Dale Christopher Williams; 19; of Rostraver Township; died Thursday; Sept. 12; 2002; at 9:50 p.m. in Rostraver Township. He was born Aug. 20; 1983; in Pittsburgh; a son of Dale P. Williams of Belle Vernon; and Barbara Balog Holzwarth of Rostraver Township. He was a lifelong resident of Rostraver Township. In addition to his parents; he is survived by his stepfather; Frank Holzwarth of Rostraver Township; his paternal grandparents; Dale and Betty Williams of Belle Vernon; his maternal grandparents; John and Gloria Balog of Rostraver Township; his maternal great-grandmother; Veronica Balog of Cherry Tree Nursing Home; Uniontown; one uncle; John and his wife Janet Balog of Rostraver Township; one cousin; Michael John Balog. Friends will be received Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the LEONARD J. PARZYNSKI FUNERAL HOME; Family Owned and Operated; 626 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon; where funeral services will be held Monday at 10 a.m. with the Rev. J.E. Mitchell; pastor of the Belle Vernon Church of the Nazarene; officiating. Entombment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

James C. Tip McManus; 86; of North Belle Vernon; died Saturday; Sept. 7; 2002; at 9:45 p.m. at Integrated Health Services; Greensburg. Born July 21; 1916; in Charleroi; he was a son of the late Thomas and Sarah Biddle McManus. He was a lifelong resident of the Belle Vernon area; a member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church; Belle Vernon; and was retired from the PA State Treasury Department; where he worked as an investigator. Prior to that; he was employed by Sealtest (Riecks) Dairy Co. Mr. McManus was a veteran of World War II; where he served in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of the Belle Vernon Knights of Columbus Council 3026 and a past member of North Belle Vernon Borough Council. The last surviving member of his immediate family; Mr. McManus is survived by four sons and two daughters-in-law; James M. and Esther McManus of Charleroi; Dennis L. and Mimi McManus of New Stanton; Dr. Kevin T. McManus of Sea Girt; N.J.; and Mark F. McManus of Belle Vernon; 13 grandchildren; James M. McManus Jr. and wife Laura of Pittsburgh; Brian P. McManus and wife Jennifer of Charleroi; Erin M. McManus Froelich and husband Mark of Pittsburgh; Mark D. and Meghan M. McManus of New Stanton; Colleen McManus of West Newton; Melia McManus and Kevin T. McManus Jr. of Sea Girt; N.J.; Ashley; Ryan and Kaitlyn McManus of Belle Vernon; Justin Eckert of Point Pleasant; N.J.; and Joel Eckert of Little Falls; N.J.; one great-granddaughter; Kendle Dalrymple; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife; Evelyn Diethorn McManus on; July 24; 1993; four brothers; Thomas; Joseph; Francis and Patrick McManus; and five sisters; Alice C. McManus; Kathleen Conaway; Sarah Johnson; Romaine McNabb and Marguerite Melvin. Visitation will be held Tuesday 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. A prayer service will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 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 James C. Tip McManus on Tuesday; Sept. 10; at 3 p.m.; and the Belle Vernon Knights of Columbus Council 3026 and the William J. Fries Knights of Columbus Council 956 of Charleroi will conduct a joint wake service Tuesday evening at 7 p.m.; all in the funeral home. Belle Vernon American Legion Post 659 will retire and present the flag to the family.

Thomas L. Vargo; 69; of Fayette City; died Monday; Sept. 9; 2002; in his home. He was born April 22; 1933; in Fayette City; a son of the late Andrew Sr. and Anna Repawn Vargo. He was a member of Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church; the Brightwell-Daughtery American Legion Post 484; and the American Slovinic Club; all of Fayette City. In addition to his parents; Mr. Vargo was preceded in death by two brothers; Andrew W. and Herbert Vargo; and one sister; Mary Tootsie Karelli. He is survived by his wife; Barbara Adams Vargo; his children; Thomas Vargo of Perryopolis; and Lori Vargo Luce and husband Jeff of Perryopolis; four brothers; Edward Vargo of West Virginia; Joseph Vargo of Fayette City; George Vargo of Rostraver Township; and Leonard Vargo of Connellsville; three sisters; Agnes Strychalski of Belle Vernon; Dolores Yelich of Irwin; and Dorothy Wetzel of Belle Vernon; and five grandchildren. Friends will be received at the ELEY-McCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC.; 334 Main St.; Fayette City; on Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday 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. Leonard McAlpin as celebrant. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Doris M. Benicky; 75; of Martin Road; Belle Vernon died Thursday; Sept. 5; 2002; at the home of her son Mark. A daughter of the late Clyde and Mildred Popp Greene; she was born July 6; 1927; in Belle Vernon. She was a member of Pricedale Union Church and the Rostraver Township AARP. A lifelong resident of Belle Vernon; she retired in 1992 after 42 years as a registered nurse; having worked at the former Charleroi-Monessen Hospital and then Mon Valley Hospital. Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law; Mark and Sheryl Benicky of Fairhope; Belle Vernon; one brother and two sisters-in-law; Clyde ‘Bud’ and Helen Greene of Monessen; and Audrey Greene of Belle Vernon; and two grandchildren; Matthew and Katelyn Benicky. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by one brother; William Greene. Friends will be received Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME INC.; a Golden Rule Member Firm; 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon. Funeral services will be held in the funeral home on Monday. Sept. 9; at 11:30 a.m. with the Rev. James Mimidis officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Frank Whitey Brudzenski; of Belle Vernon; died Thursday; Sept. 5; 2002; in Mon Valley Hospital; Carroll Township. Born in Braddock; he was the son of the late Joseph and Frances Czarkovski Brudzenski. Mr. Brudzenski was the last surviving member of his family. He was retired from Henry Motycki Construction; and he also worked for USX Donora Works and as a custodian for the Belle Vernon Area School District. He is survived by his wife; Louise Sivic Brudzenski. Friends will be received Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the JAMES C. STUMP FUNERAL HOME INC.; 580 Circle Drive; Sweeney Plan/Rostraver Township. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday; Sept. 9; in the funeral home with the Rev. Donald A. Bowers officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery; Rostraver Township.

William A. Hazlett; 78; of Speers Street; Belle Vernon; passed away Sunday; July 28; 2002; in the Greenery Rehabilitation Center; Canonsburg. A son of the late Charles and Catherine Keefer Hazlett; he was born in Monessen on Dec. 4; 1923. Mr. Hazlett was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Belle Vernon; the Belle Vernon Lions Club; F&AM Lodge 643; Belle Vernon; and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans. A resident of Belle Vernon for the past 44 years; he was formerly of Monessen. Mr. Hazlett worked for 22 years at the Allenport plant of Wheeling;-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. and retired from the Pittsburgh Post Office in 1986. Mr. Hazlett was a veteran of World War II; having served with the 11th Airborne Paratroopers. He is survived by his wife; Mary Ellen Barker Hazlett; with whom he celebrated 47 years of marriage on July 17; 2002; one daughter; Beverly Hazlett; at home; one sister; Dolly Fulmer of Honeybrook; and two nieces; Carolyn Davis of Belle Vernon and Kathleen Makris of Honeybrook. In addition to his parents; he was preceded in death by one sister; Norma Jean Hazlett; who died at birth. Funeral services will be private. Entombment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME INC.; a Golden Rule Member Firm; 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon; is handling the arrangements. If friends wish; memorial contributions may be made to the Belle Vernon Lions Club.

Albert Edward Powlowsky; 85; of Washington Township; died Thursday; Aug. 29; 2002; at 8:55 a.m. in Haven Crest Nursing Center; Carroll Township. Born May 17; 1917; in Monessen; he was the son of the late Michael and Petronele Shantis Powlowsky. Mr. Powlowsky was a lifelong resident of the Mon Valley; a member of First United Methodist Church of Belle Vernon and was retired from the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Coke Plant; where he worked as a machine operator. Previous to that he was employed at the former Pages Steel Mill in Monessen and was a member of the United Steel Workers of America. He was a veteran; serving in the U.S. Army during World War II with the 94th Division. Mr. Powlowsky was a member of Monessen Fire Department Station No. 1 and worked at various fundraisers; including weekly bingo. He also was a member of the Mohawks; Belle Vernon Golden Age Assembly and former board member; VFW Belle Vernon Post 699; and Monessen Masonic Lodge 638 F&AM. He is survived by two daughters; Ilani M. Dalfonso of Dedham; Mass.; and Nancy Matz of El Cerrito; Calif.; two brothers and sisters-in-law; Thomas and Margaret Powlowsky of Monessen and John and Freda Poloski of Herald; Calif.; one sister; Marge Valdiserri of Charleroi; one sister-in-law; Dolphine Powlowsky of Belle Vernon; one grandson; Ethan Yaffe of Randolph; Mass.; and many nieces; nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews. Mr. Powlowsky was preceded in death by his wife; Josephine Dalfonso Powlowsky; and two brothers; Valentine and Victor Powlowsky. Visitation will be held Saturday; Aug. 31; from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the LEONARD J. PARZYNSKI FUNERAL HOME; Family Owned and Operated; 626 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon. Services will be held Sunday; Sept. 1; in the funeral home at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Timothy C. McConville; pastor of First United Methodist Church of Belle Vernon; officiating. Monessen Fire Department No. 1 will conduct services in the funeral home Saturday at 7 p.m.; and Monessen Masonic Lodge 638 F&AM will conduct services at 7:30.

Donna Marie Springer Owens; 73; of Avonmore; formerly of Avalon; died Saturday; Aug. 31; 2002; in West Penn Hospital; Pittsburgh. She was born Oct. 7; 1928; in Belle Vernon; a daughter of the late Maude Wolfe Springer and Joseph Springer. Before her retirement in 1987; she was employed as a telephone answering service operator by Able 1; located in Bellevue. She was a member of the Bellevue United Methodist Church in Avalon. She had been a resident of Avonmore for the past 14 years. She is survived by two daughters; Sharon Hall and her husband; Dan; of Saltsburg and Shelley Horton and her husband; Scott; of Waukesha; Wis.; four grandchildren; Christopher and Ashley Hall and Abigail and Emma Horton; three sisters; Cora Belle Taylor and her husband; John; of Acme; Ruth Springer of Belle Vernon and Lois Davis and her husband; James; of Birmingham; Ala.; and a sister-in-law; Rita Springer of Jeannette. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by her husband; Earl T. Owens; in 1987; and a brother; Robert Springer. Friends will be received Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the KELLY L. CORRIDONI FUNERAL HOME LTD.; 400 Indiana Ave.; Avonmore; where services will be conducted Tuesday at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Rick Helsel; pastor of the Saltsburg United Methodist Church; officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.