Mrs. Mary Kerekes;58; of Ohio street; Pricedale;died in the Charleroi-Monessen hospital;Saturday;January 28;1956;at 1:10 a.m. She was born on Hungary;June 26;1896;and was a member of St.Sebastian Church;Belle Vernon. She is survived by her husband;John;three sons;Steve and Julius of Pricedale and John of Charleroi;one sister;Mrs.Sophia Krupe of Toronto;Canada;and three grandchildren. Friends are being received at the Melenyzer-Ferguson Funeral Home;Belle Vernon. Funeral services will be held Tuesday morning at 9:30 o’clock from St.Sebastian’s R.C.Church in Belle Vernon;with Rev.Francis Martin officiating at Requiem High Mass. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Charles l. Melenyzer and Shelby D.Ferguson;funeral directors.

William P.Kirk;one of Monessen’s oldest businessmen;died of a heart attack at his home;218 Fourth street;Sunday morning;Jan.8;1956. Death came at 10:45 a.m.as Mr.Kirk was sweeping snow from the front porch. He
was 84 years old.
Mr. Kirk; who would have celebrated his 85th birthday on April
6; came to Monessen in 1903 and
purchased the Avenue Drug Store
from A. C. Saltzer.
The pharmacy was operated as the Avenue Drug Store for a
year; when its name was changed to Kirk’s Avenue Drug Store. The
Avenue was dropped in 1905; establishing a title; Kirk’s Drug
Store; which still survives 50 years
later. Mr Kirk was born in Ohio in
1871. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1893 and
was licensed by the state as a
pharmacist in 1897. He worked in
Pittsburgh pharmacies for six
more years before coming to Monessen.
For 52 years; Mr. Kirk was active in business; retiring in August; 1955. Full operation of the drug store was assumed by Mr. Kirk’s son and partner; James A.Kirk.
The deceased also was active
in other business affairs and civic projects for many years. He was the first president of
what is now the First Federal Savings & Loan Assn.; holding the office for 25 years. He also served a term as president of the Board of Trade;forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce;in 1920-1921. Mr.Kirk was one of the founders of the Park Development Co.;which initiated real estate activity in the City Park area; and the Monessen Improvement Co.;which promoted the development of the Graham avenue area of the City. The deceased was the oldest living past master of Monessen Lodge 638;Free and Accepted Masons. He was a member of other Masonic orders;including the Monessen Royal Arch Chapter 290;McKean Commandery 80 in Charleroi;A.A.S.R. Valley of Pittsburgh Consistory;and was a life member of Syria Temple;Pittsburgh. He was one of the oldest active members of the National Association of Retail Druggists and the Pennsylvania Pharmaceutical Association. He was a past president of the Western Pennsylvania Retail Druggists Association. A member of the First Methodist Church;he was also a charter member of the Monessen Rotary Club. Survivors include his son;James;a daughter;Mrs.George B. (Ruth) Saylor;of Squirrel Hill and three grandchildren. Friends are being received at the Edwin Melenyzer Funeral Home;262 Donner avenue;Monessen from 1 to 5 and 7 to 10 p.m. Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home;with Dr.Leroy Cass;Methodist Church pastor;in charge. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Edwin F.Melenyzer;funeral director in charge.

John Charles Kuhn;Sr.;aged 78 years;of 536 Speer street;Belle Vernon;died Thursday;Oct.13;1955;at 7:25 a.m.at his late home.Surviving are his wife;Mrs.Lucretia Kuhn;three sons;Harry R.Kuhn and John Charles Kuhn Jr.;both of Belle Vernon and Clarence Calvin Kuhn;at home;a daughter;Leatha Irene Kuhn;at home;a step-brother;John Kuhn;of Belle Vernon;three sisters;Mrs.Albert Evans;Sr.;Anna Kuhn;and Mrs.Christina Huttenhour;all of Belle Vernon;four grandchildren and one great grandchild. Friends are being received at the Melenyzer-Ferguson Funeral Home;Broad avenue;Belle Vernon;between the hours of 1 and 5 and 7 and 10 p.m.Funeral services will be conducted from the funeral home Saturday;Oct.15;at 2 p.m. Rev.George Clarke;pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon will officiate. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Charles L.Melenyzer and Shelby D.Ferguson;funeral directors.

Mrs.Gladys Kefover;49;Belle Vernon;died in a hospital at Waukegan;Illinois;Friday;September 16;1955;of injuries suffered in a traffic accident on Sunday;September;11. Mrs.Kefover’s southbound car was forced by an unidentified auto across the dividing parkway into the path of a northbound car. She was the wife of George Kefover;415 May Street;Belle Vernon;and had been on a mid-Western vacation tour with her daughter;Miss Diane DeVesse. Mrs.Kefover was instrumental in organizing the Parent-Teacher Association in the Belle Vernon School District;and was generally well known in the community. Mrs.Kefover;before her marriage; was Gladys Round. Police said Mrs.Kefover’s car after being forced from her driving lane;crossed into the opposite lane of traffic and rammed into a machine driven by Kim Willenson;18;of Milwaukee;Wis. She is survived by her husband;George Kefover;two daughters; Diane DeVesse and Jane Kefover;both of Belle Vernon;and one sister;Mrs.Lillian Narbut;also of Belle Vernon. Friends will be received at the Toner Funeral Home during hours of 1 to 5 and 7 to 10 p.m. Services will be held there Tuesday;September 20;1955;at 2 p.m.;in charge of Rev.George Clark;and interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Harold R.Toner is the funeral director.

Steve Koslasky;aged 55 years;died at the home of his son;Norman Koslasky;R.D.1;Fayette City (Fairhope); Friday;May 6;1955;at 4 a.m. He is survived by his mother;Mrs.Mary Bilskey of Fairhope;two sons;Norman of Fairhope and Ernest of Cleveland; daughter;Mrs.Katherine Williams of Cleveland;four brothers;Enoch of Belle Vernon;Charles of Lynnwood;and Stanley and Alex of Fairhope;one sister;Mrs.Stanley Varsel of Fairhope;and five grandchildren. Friends are being received at the Melenyzer-Ferguson Funeral Home;Broad avenue;Belle Vernon. Funeral services will be held Monday morning at 9:30 o’clock from St.Sebastian’s R.C.Church with Requiem High Mass in charge of Rev.Francis Martin. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Charles L.Melenyzer and Shelby D.Ferguson;funeral directors.