Dena Dolfi Stura of 5 James St.;Belle Vernon;died suddenly on Thursday;Oct.20;1983;at 10:56 a.m. in Mon Valley Hospital;Inc.    She was 83.   Born May 7;1900;in Pistoria;Italy;she was the daughter of the late Amelio and Irene Valdiserri Dolfi.  In addition to her parents; Mrs.Stura was preceded in death by three brothers;Fred;Amos and William Dolfi;and a sister;Pauline Fornacari.  Surviving are her husband;Alexander Stura;two sons;John Stura and George (Fuzzy) Stura;both of Belle Vernon;two daughters;Mrs.William (Norma) Wolf of Lawton;Okla.;and Mrs.Frank (Nancy) Rizzuto of Monessen;a brother;George Dolfi;and two sisters;Mrs.Mary Stura and Mrs.Brian (Eva) Baso;all of Clairton;seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.  Mrs.Stura was a member of St.Sebstian Church of Belle Vernon.  She had been a resident of the Belle Vernon community since 1936.  Mrs.Stura was a member of the Anita Garibaldi;Belle Vernon Lodge and the Defense Club of Belle Vernon.  Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m.Saturday and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.Sunday at the Leonard J.Parzynski Funeral Home;626 Broad Ave.;Belle Vernon;where the Belle Vernon Knights of Columbus Council 3026 will hold services Saturday at 7:30 p.m.  On Monday;Oct.21;a Prayer service will be held at the funeral home at 9:30 a.m.;followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m.at St.Sebastian Catholic Church of Belle Vernon.  Interment will follow in the Belle Vernon Cemetery Chapel.  The Leonard J.Parzynski Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Gary Lee Smith of Monongahela R.D.1 died at his home on Tuesday;Sept.13;1983;at 4:53 p.m. He was 32. Born in Fayette City on July 7;1951;he was the son of the late Lester E.and Jane Elizabeth Duncan Smith. He was a member of Sampson Union Church of Monongahela. In addition to his parents;he was preceded in death by a brother;Robert Smith. Survivors include two brothers;Lt.Col.Charles Lloyd Smith of Fort Hood;Texas;and Ronald Smith of Columbus;Ohio;three sisters;Mrs.Elmer (Erma) Newmann;with whom Mr.Smith made his home;Mrs.Spence (Lola) Atle of Newell and Mrs.Robert (Anetta) Maurer of Alexandria;five neices;11 nephews;two great-nieces and one great-nephew. Friends are being received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Ed Melenyzer Funeral Home;300 Second St.;Monongahela;where funeral services will be held Friday at 1 p.m. Pastor Harlen M.Eck of the Sampson Union Church of Monongahela R.D.1 will officiate. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Ed Melenyzer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

John Shaw of 17931 Queen Anne Road;Upper Marlboro;Md.;died Monday Aug.22;1983 at 7:20 p.m. in Prince George General Hospital;Cheverly;Md.;as the result of injuries received in a motorcycle accident. A former Belle Vernon resident;he was 40. Mr.Shaw was born June 22;1943;in Washington Twp;Fayette County;a son of Bertha Kostelac Shaw of Fairhope and the late George Shaw. He was Protestant by faith. A U.S.Army veteran;Mr.Shaw was employed as a construction worker. In addition to his mother;survivors include his widow;Particia Shaw;a stepdaughter;Becky Shaw;three brothers;William and James Shaw;both of Vanham;Md.and George Shaw of Upper Marlboro;Md.;and two sisters;Mrs.Marian Tootsey of Silver Spring;Md.and Mrs.Patricia Maxwell of Clarksville;Md. Friends will be received after 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Howard W.McCrory Funeral Home;Fayette City;where services will be held Friday;Aug.26;at 11 a.m. with the Rev.Mary Howard;pastor of Marion Presbyterian Church of Fairhope;officiating. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Howard W.McCrory Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

William R.Short of Johnson Hollow;Fayette City;died Sunday;August 21;1983;at 3:40 a.m.in Mon Valley Hospital;Carroll Twp.;following a lengthy illness. He was 53. Mr.Short was born May 3;1930;in Charleroi;a son of the late John and Flora Burgan Short. He was a member of the Fayette City Christian Church. A U.S.Army veteran of the Korean Conflict;Mr.Short was employed as a maintenance worker for California University of Pennsylvania. Survivors include his widow;Ruth Rainey Short;one daughter;Cheryl Rainey of Monessen;three brothers;Chris Koussonmbus of the state of California;John Koussonmbus of Stockdale and Jimmy Koussonmbus of Elco;and two sisters;Mrs.Margaret Lycett of the state of California and Mrs.Blanche Marinos of Donora. Friends will be received in the Howard W.McCrory Funeral Home;Fayette City;Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.and Tuesday;Aug.23;until 1:30 p.m.;at which time services will be held with the Rev.Bruce Smith;pastor of the Fayette City Christian Church;officiating. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Howard W.McCrory Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Thomas G.Staff;93;of Belle Vernon;R.D.4;died Thursday;August 18;1983;at the Breese Nursing Home in Taylorstown;Pa. He was born March 27;1890 in Craighead County;Durham;England. He was the son of the late James Henry and Jane Catherine Maughn Staff. He was a retired employee of the Donora Southern Railroad. Surviving are one son;Thomas H.Staff of Belle Vernon R.D.4 and one daughter;Mrs.William (Mary Eva) Butler of Belle Vernon R.D.3. Also surviving are five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Friends are being received at the James C.Stump Funeral Home in Rostraver Twp.on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m.and on Saturday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Services will be held at the funeral home on Sunday;August 23 at 2 p.m.with the Rev.Harold Sprowls officiating. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. James C.Stump Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Florence Stoner;68;of Char House;Charleroi;died Monday;August 15;1983;in Washington;D.C. Mrs.Stoner was born in Mobile;Ala.on Sept.19;1915;a daughter of the late Mrs.Hena Womack. She was raised in Charleroi and was a member of the Star of Bethlehem Chapter No.34;Pricedale;Order of the Eastern Star;Prince Hall affiliate of Pennsylvania. In addition to her mother;she was preceded in death by her husband;Drexell Stoner in 1980. Survivors include a son;Raymond Lynn Stoner of Donora;a daughter;Mrs.Gloria M.Burns of Washington;D.C.;three grandchildren;Roy Sean Burns of Washington;D.C.;Gary Michael Burns of San Francisco;and Traci Lynn Burns of Cleveland;a brother;James Womack of Philadelphia;three sisters-in-law;Rosabell Harvey of Youngstown;Ohio;Lucille Woods of Cleveland;and Edith Payne of Charleroi. Friends will be received at the Beverly C.Draper Funeral Home;608 Sixth St.;Monessen;on Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Eastern Star services will be held Friday at 8 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in the funeral home chapel with the Rev.Luther Womack officiating. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Beverly C.Draper Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

August J.Strumbus Jr.;69;of R.D.1 Coal Center;died Saturday;July 23;1983;at 2:35 a.m.in Mon Valley Hospital.  He was born May 15;1914 in Elizabeth;son of the late August J.and Marcella Packevich Strumbus Sr.  A resident of the Coal Center area for the past 26 years;he was a Catholic by faith and had served in World War II as a staff sergeant in the U.S.Army.  He retired in 1973 as a foreman with the Harmor Coal Co.  Preceding him in death was one sister;Agnes Lyons.  Surviving ae his widow;Eileen Lamb Strumbus;three daughters;Mrs.Susan Gimbara of Coal Center;Mrs. John (Karen) Fleming of Monessen and Mrs.Joseph (Lynne) Sinko of Coal Center;three sisters;Mrs.Ann Wozniak of Fairhope;Mrs.Albert (Marion) Neale and Mrs.Val (Helen) Venneri;both of Belle Vernon.  Two grandchildren also survive.  Visitation will be held Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m.and Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.in the Leonard J.Parzynski Funeral Home;626 Broad Avenue;Belle Vernon.  A Blessing service will be held at  the funeral home at 10 a.m.on Monday.  Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery.  The Leonard J.Parzynski Funeral Home will be in charge of arrangements.

Andrew C.Samoda;of 119 Beaumont St.;Belle Vernon;died Thursday;June 23;1983;at 8:10 a.m. in the Mon Valley Hospital. He was 90. Mr.Samoda was born Feb.9;1893;in Essen;Germany. He had lived in Belle Vernon for the past 55 years. He was a charter member of the Belle Vernon American Legion;having served in the armed forces during World War I. Mr.Samoda was preceded in death by his wife;Fronie Konosky Samoda. Survivors include three sons;Eugene at home;Kenneth of Belle Vernon and Francis at home;one daughter;Verna Mae Samoda at home;three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. 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 Shelby D.Ferguson Funeral Home;700 Broad Ave.;Belle Vernon;where funeral services will be held Monday;June 27;at 11 a.m. with Dr.John Arnold;pastor of Library Baptist Church;officiating. The Belle Vernon American Legion will hold services on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. in the funeral home. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Shelby D.Ferguson;funeral director;is in cahrge of arrangements.