Albert L.Destefano;54;owner and operator of Abby’s Pictures Inc.;in Monessen;died at 11:15 p.m.on Saturday;July 6;1963; in Charleroi-Monessen Hospital after a lingering illness. Mr.Destefano had made his residence in Rostraver Twp. (Belle Vernon R.D.2) He was born in Monessen and was graduated from Monessen High School in 1927. An all-around athlete;he was chosen as an all-state guard in basketball during his high school days. Mr.Destefano was photographer for several area school districts;and;as such;was well-known throughout the district. He was a mail carrier in Monessen for 12 years and a former theatre manager. He was a Bible student of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He is survived by his widow;Edith Minardi Destefano;two sisters;Mrs.Rose LeNev of Newell;W.Va.;and Mrs.A.J.(Margaret) Caterino of Monessen;and four brothers;Ralph;Sam;John and James;all of Monessen. Friends are being received at the H.Denver Rhome Funeral Home in Monessen where a service will be held Tuesday;July 9;at 10 a.m. Thomas Roe will officiate as minister. Interment;Belle Vernon Cemetery. H.Denver Rhome;funeral director.

Thomas Darcy;60;2 Eckel Rd.;Little Ferry;N.J.;died unexpectedly on Thursday;June 27;1963 at 3:30 p.m. He is survived by his widow;Mrs.Barbara Chackovics Darcy;formerly of Monessen;one son;David;a brother;James of New York;and one grand-daughter;Doreen Darcy. The body will arrive in Monessen Monday morning;July 1;1963;and will be taken to the Yoney Funeral Home. Funeral arrangements were in charge of the Yoney Funeral Home;Monessen. Services were held today;July 2;at St.Leonard’s R.C.Church;Monessen;with Rev.Regis Hickey;pastor;officiating. Interment was in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Sephen Yoney;funeral director.

Mrs.Rose DeSua;69;of 529 Fayette St.;Belle Vernon;died at her home;Saturday June 1;1963;at 8:30 a.m. She was born in Vittorio Veneto;Italy;Feb.1;1894;and moved to Belle Vernon 5 years ago from Monessen. She was a member of the Regina D’Italia Lodge;Monessen. Survivors are her husband;Joe DeSua;three sons;Frank C.of Boston;Mass.;Rudi of Brentwood and William of Boston;two daughters;Mrs.Michael (Adelia) Zuback of Pittsburgh;Mrs.Yolanda Lazzari of Belle Vernon;two brothers and two sisters in Italy and six grandchildren. Friends are being received at the Shelby D.Ferguson Funeral Home in Belle Vernon where a service will be held Tuesday;June 4;at 10 a.m.in charge of the Rt.Rev.Msgr.Nunzio Pirulli;pastor of St.Cajetan’s R.C.Church of Monessen. Interment;Belle Vernon Cemetery. The family requests that flowers by omitted. Shelby D.Ferguson of Belle Vernon is the funeral director.

Edmond Patrick Driscoll;79;of 214 Orchard St.;Belle Vernon;died Thursday;April 11;1963;at 1:06 p.m. in Charleroi-Monessen Hospital. Born in Raymilton;Pa.;Sept.22;1883;he came to Belle Vernon from Stoneboro;Mercer County;54 years ago. He was a member of St.Sebastian R.C.Church and the Holy Name Society of the church. He was employed at the former American Window Glass Co.;Belle Vernon;until his retirement in 1947. Surviving are his widow;Alice;a son;Joseph B.of McMurray;Pa.;a daughter;Marian E.;at home;two brothers;Stephen of Titusville and Thomas of Plainsville;N.J.;a sister;Mrs.Thomas Nelson of Toledo;Ohio and three grandchildren. Friends will be received at the Shelby D.Ferguson Funeral Home Broad Ave.;Belle Vernon;after 2 p.m. April 12. Funeral services will be held from St.Sebastian R.C.Church;Belle Vernon;Monday;April 15;at 10 a.m.;with Rev.John F.Donovan officiating. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Shelby D.Ferguson;funeral director.

One of the Mon Valley area’s first newspaper women;Besse M.Dowler of Monessen; died Tuesday evening;April 2;1963;in St.Clair Hospital;Pittsburgh. She was 79. Taken ill at her home at 217 Second St.;Monessen;she was removed to the hospital several weeks ago.  When she retired in 1950;Miss Dowler was society editor and head bookkeeper of The Daily Independent;which in 1960 became The Valley Independent.  An orphan who had been reared by relatives in Centerville;she joined the infant paper in 1902;the same year it was founded.  Just 16;she learned to set type by hand;to feed job-printing presses and to perform other mechanical functions.  When  the Independent acquired its first type-setting machine;the Unitype;which was a forerunner to the modern Linotype;Miss Dowler was its operator.   Gradually she also became familiar with news-gathering and business operations of the newspaper to the point where she could fill almost any position except those requiring manual strength.  A person of quiet dignity and great loyalty;she made a major contribution to the growth and development of The Independent until she retired by her own choice in 1950 as one of Monessen’s best known and most respected businesswomen.  She was a member of First Methodist Church;Monessen.  Miss Dowler served as a guardian for Mrs.George (Lois Ross) Popovich;of Bethel Park.  Other survivors include the following cousins;Earl;Ralph and Carl Shutterly;Mrs.Pierce (Sarah) Johnson and Eleanor Shutterly;all of Monessen;Harold Shutterly;of Miami;Fla.;Mrs.Allen E.Wierman;of State College;Virginia Shutterly;of Caldwell;N.J.;Mrs.Harold (Sarah) Underwood;of Belle Vernon;and Henry Dowler;of Centerville.   Friends are being received at the Edwin Melenyzer Funeral Home in Monessen where a funeral service will be held Friday;April 5;1963;at 1:30 p.m.in charge of the Rev.Jackson A.Gabany;pastor of the First Methodist Church of Monessen.  Interment;Belle Vernon Cemetery.  Edwin Melenyzer;funeral director.

Alex Dusick;Jr.;50;of 921 Broad ave.;Belle Vernon;died Thursday;Feb.7;1963;at 3:45 p.m.in Westmoreland County Hospital at Greensburg. He was born in Fayette County on June 12;1912;was a World War II veteran and a member of Holy Trinity R.C.Church of Charleroi. Mr.Dusick was employed as a railroader with the Monessen plant of Pittsburgh Steel Co. Surviving are four brothers;John and George of Wheeling;W.Va.;Peter of Fayette City;and Charles of Belle Vernon. Friends will be received after 7 p.m.;Feb.8;at the Howard W.McCrory Funeral Home;Fayette City. Prayer there Monday;Feb.11;at 9 a.m.followed by Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m.in Holy Trinity R.O.Church in Charleroi. The Rev.Vladimir Soroka;pastor;will officiate. Interment;Belle Vernon Cemetery. Parastas service at the funeral home Sunday;February 10;at 7:30 p.m. Howard W.McCrory;funeral director.