Rev.Benjamin E.Butler;Sr.;aged 70 years;940 Graham Street;Belle Vernon;died suddenly at his home;Friday;Jan.1;1954;at 6:44 p.m. The Rev.Butler retired from the Page Steel and Wire Division in Monessen in April;1949. He was a founder and member of the Antioch Baptist Church of Belle Vernon. He was the builder and former pastor of the Mt.Sinai Church of Lock Four. He also served as pastor at the First Baptist Church in Gray’s Landing. Surviving are his wife;Mrs.Minnie Lee Butler;and one son;Benjamin;Jr.;of Belle Vernon;a stepdaughter;Mrs.Claudie Hargrove;of Toledo;Ohio;and a sister;Mrs.Alberta Casson;of Alochua;Fla. Ten grandchildren also survive. Friends are being received at the Draper Funeral Home;Sixth street;Monessen until Monday afternoon when the remains will be taken to the late home and funeral services will be held Tuesday;Jan.5 at 2 o’clock from the Antioch Baptist Church of Belle Vernon. The services will be in charge of Rev.A.C.Morris. Rev.Maxie Smith;moderator of the Y.W.B.A. will give the eulogy. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Beverly C.Draper;funeral director.

Mrs.Mary Barton Banks;aged 32 years;of East Chicago;Ind.;died Thursday;Dec.24;1953;at 7 p.m.after a brief illness. A former resident of Monessen;the deceased was born here and graduated from Monessen High School with the class of 1939. Surviving are her husband;Capt.Jack Banks;stationed at Aberdeen;Md.;two daughters;Daphne Ranee;and Karen Ann;a son;Jack Jr.;five brothers;Clark and Joe;both of Monessen;Dr.Norman Barton;of Evanston;Ill.;Tom;of Boston;Mass.;and William;of Brooklyn;N.Y.;three sisters;Eleanor Tennant;of Brooklyn;Gertrude Turner;and Lillian Cook;both of Bowie;Md. The body will lie in state in East Chicago;until Tuesday evening;and will arrive in Monessen on Wednesday morning;when friends will be received at the Draper Funeral Home;Sixth street. The Altar Rose Society of St.Jude’s Church;E.Chicago;held Requiem High Mass this morning. The remains will be taken to St.Leonard’s R.C.Church on Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Funeral services will be held at 9 o’clock with Rev.Owen J.Kirby officiating at Requiem High Mass. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Beverly C.Draper;mortician.

Jay L.Bell;aged 42 years;719 Edwards avenue;Belle Vernon;died suddenly Saturday;Sept.26;1953;at 7:40 a.m.  The deceased had been employed in the electrical department of the Pittsburgh Steel Company plant here.  Surviving are his wife;Mrs. Dorothy Turney Bell;two sons;Kenneth and Daryl;at home;his parents;Mr.and Mrs.Samuel J.Bell;of Belle Vernon; a sister;Mrs.Geraldine Zundel;of Coal Center;R.D.and a brother;Milton;of Perryopolis.  Friends are being received at the Toner Funeral Home;Broad avenue;Belle Vernon;where visiting hours are from 1 to 5 and from 7 to 10 p.m.  Funeral services will be held Tuesday;Sept.29;1953;at 2 p.m.from the funeral home;with Rev.George Clarke;of the First Presbyterian Church;Belle Vernon officiating.  Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery.  Harold R.Toner;directing.

Florence Joyce Bilsky;three and a-half years old;of Arnold City;Fayette City;R.D.1;died suddenly of a heart attack at her home;Sunday September 20;1953;at 7 a.m. She was born April 2;1950;in North Charleroi. She is survived by her parents;Mr.and Mrs.Joseph Bilsky;twin sister Dolores Ann and another sister;Donna Louise. Also surviving are her maternal grandparents;Mr.and Mrs.Joseph Levandosky of Fairhope and her paternal grandparents;Mr.and Mrs.Joseph Bilsky;Sr.;of Arnold City. Friends will be received at the late home. Prayer there on Septermber 23;at 9 a.m.will be followed by Angel Mass at 9:30 a.m.;in St.Edward’s R.C.Church. Rev.Charles Ribick will be in charge;and interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. George M.McCrory and Son are the funeral directors.

Rev.George W.Bryant;of Pricedale;died at Mercy Hospital;Pittsburgh;at midnight;Sunday;Aug.2;1953. Rev.Bryant;66;had been ill for about four years of a heart ailment when death came. Born in Opelika;Alabama on May 10;1887;Rev.Bryant came to Pennsylbvania in 1916. He served at several churches;the last being the Antioch Baptist Church of Belle Vernon. However;illness forced him to retire two years ago. Active in civic affairs;including the Monessen Brotherhood Committee;Rev.Bryant also was a member of Lodge 79;Free and Accepted Masons. Surviving the churchman are his wife;Mrs.Fannie Bryant;a son;James Stover;who is atationed with the Army at South Park Military Reservation;and a sister;Mrs.Mary Hayes;of Birmingham;Ala. Friends will be received at the late home in Pricedale after 2 p.m.Tuesday. Funeral services will be held on Friday afternoon at one o’clock from the Antioch Baptist Church in Pricedale with Rev.A.C.Morris officiating. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. DuBoise Carter;funeral director.