Howard W. Fairley; of Duquesne; died Sunday; March 3; 2002. Son of the late Albert and Agnes Kimberly Fairley. Husband of Irene Rinkacs Fairley. Also survived by nieces; nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews. He was retired from U.S. Steel; Irvin Works; and was a member of Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church. He was a World War II veteran; having served in the U.S. Army. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was a recipient of the Bronze Star. He was a member of Guthrie Masonic Lodge #759. Funeral service Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in the chapel of the Belle Vernon Cemetery with the Rev. Karen Berns officiating. Arrangements by TEICHART-GRACAN FUNERAL HOME INC.; Kennedy at Wilmot Street; Duquesne.

Richard S. Kulik; 27; of Rostraver Road; Belle Vernon; died Tuesday; March 5; 2002; in his home. He was born in North Charleroi on June 4; 1974; a son of Sheri Kostelac Kulik; with whom he made his home; and John A. Kulik; who died Dec. 15; 2000. A member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church of Belle Vernon; he had resided in Belle Vernon his entire life. In addition to his mother; survivors include one sister and brother-in-law; Jodi Ann and Dennis Yoney of Weddington; N.C.; two nieces; Alyse and Gabrielle Yoney; and his maternal grandfather; Joseph A. Kostelac of Fairhope. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME INC.; a Golden Rule Member Firm; 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon; where a blessing service will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. with the Rev. John Cindric; V.F.; officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The rosary will be prayed in the funeral home; led by members of St. Sebastian Parish; on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Peter A. Sopko Jr.; 50; of Marine St.; Belle Vernon (Washington Township); died Saturday; March 2; 2002; at 2:45 p.m. in Shadyside Hospital; Pittsburgh. Born April 27; 1951; in North Charleroi; he was the son of Peter A. Sr. and Agnes DiGregorio Sopko of Fayette City. Mr. Sopko was a resident of Washington Township for the past eight months; having previously resided in Amity. He was a member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church and was a sales manager for General Cable of Kentucky. He had been previously employed by Bethlehem Mines. Mr. Sopko was a graduate of Belle Vernon Area High School with the Class of 1969; Penn State University with the Class of 1973; and was an active member of the community; currently serving on the Washington Township Zoning Board. He also was a member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society and the Redstone Watershed. He is survived by his wife; Kate MacDonald Sopko; to whom he was married 23 years; loving father of Patrick; Megan and Brennan Sopko; all at home; one brother and sister-in-law; Paul and Milana Sopko of Washington; Pa.; one sister and brother-in-law; Anna Jean and Dennis Stuchal of Masontown; eight nieces; and one great niece and great nephew. Visitation will be held Monday 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 Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the funeral home; following by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church with the Rev. John R. Cindric; V.F.; pastor of St. Sebastian R.C. Church; and the Rev. Greg Premoshis; president of Geibel Catholic High School in Connellsville; as co-celebrants. Interment will take place in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The rosary will be prayed Monday at 3 p.m. in the funeral home by members of St. Sebastian Parish. The family suggests memorial contributions be made in memory of Peter A. Sopko Jr. to St. Vincent DePaul Society.

Violet Lawrence; 90; of Canonsburg; died Friday; Feb. 22; 2002; at Canonsburg Horizon Senior Health Center. She is survived by a son; Miltion R. Thomas of Monessen; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband; John Lawrence; and a daughter; Alice Louise Lawrence Dick. Services will be held at The Salvation Army chapel in Monessen on Friday; time to be announced. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Memorial Cemetery.

Carol Ann Strenske Wickerham; 44; of Rostraver Township; died Sunday; Feb. 24; 2002; in UPMC Presbyterian-University Hospital; Pittsburgh. Born in North Charleroi on Aug. 24; 1957; she was the daughter of Harold W. Strenske of Rostraver Township and the late Mahala (Harris) Strenske. Mrs. Wickerham was a homemaker. In addition to her father; she is survived by her stepmother; Rosemary Strenske of Rostraver Township; three sons; Joseph Wickerham of Monroeville; Joshua Wickerham of Monongahela; and Sidney West of Rostraver Township; one brother and sister-in-law; William C. and Amy Strenske of Rostraver Township; two sisters; Catherine J. Reale and husband Steve of Ligonier; and Karen L. Strenske and her fiancŽ; Joseph Burnsworth of Belle Vernon; a friend; Gary West; one uncle; John Holbrook; with whom she made her home; and several aunts; uncles and cousins. Friends will be received Friday; March 1; 2002; from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the JAMES C. STUMP FUNERAL HOME; INC.; 580 Circle Dr.; Sweeney Plan/Rostraver Township. Funeral services will be held Friday at 1 p.m. in the funeral home with the Rev. James C. Ramsey officiating. Entombment will follow in the Belle Vernon Cemetery Mausoleum; Rostraver Township. The family suggests memorial donations be made in Carol’s name to the First Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon.

Ruth Virginia Frost; 87; formerly of Belle Vernon died Saturday; Feb. 23; 2002; in Mon Valley Hospital. A daughter of the late James Robert and Hattie Turner Frost; she was born Nov. 21; 1914; in Belle Vernon. Miss Frost was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Belle Vernon; the United Methodist Women and the Ruth Circle of the church. She had also been a member of the Mimirion Library Club. Miss Frost graduated in 1936 with high honors; Magna Cum Laude from the Pennsylvania College for Women; now Chatham College. An English teacher for most of her career; she also taught French and Latin in her early years. She retired after 37 years from the Belle Vernon Area School District; spending her first nine years at the former Market Street School; then Vernon High School on Graham Street; which became Bellmar High School; and finished her career at the current Belle Vernon Area High School. Miss Frost was honored as the Citizen of the Year in 1985 by the Belle Vernon Rotary Club. Survivors include a sister-in-law; Doris Frost of Dawson; and two cousins; James Frost of Smithton and Kenneth Hartley of Carmichaels. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by a brother; Robert W. Frost on April 24; 1995. Friends will be received Tuesday 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; where funeral services will be held Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. with the Rev. Timothy McConville officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Carol Jean (Mood) Woodson; 53; of Tampa; Fla.; died Sunday; Feb. 10; 2002; in her home; after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born Oct. 11; 1948; in Lock Four. She was a 1966 graduate of Rostraver High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and a master’s degree from California University of Pennsylvania. She taught in the Hillsborough County School District for over 20 years. She helped write and implement the school uniform policy for Hunter’s Green Elementary School; where she taught. She also chaired the blue ribbon committee; which won a countywide award in 2001. She won the Eddie Award for Perseverance for Hillsborough County in 2001; and teacher of the year award for Hunter’s Green Elementary school for 2002-03. Survivors include her longtime companion; Kelvin L. Melton; her father and step-mother; Carl and Linda Mood of Fayette City; one daughter; Jill Woodson and two grandsons; all of Tampa; one son; Thomas Woodson and one granddaughter; all of Fayette City; two step-sisters; Deborah Follee of Monongahela; and Dana Morrison of Belle Vernon; and one nephew. She was preceded in death by her mother; Emma Jean Mood in 1976. A memorial service was held in her honor at Hunter’s Green Elementary School in Tampa on Wednesday; Feb. 13. The family suggest memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society.