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.

Kate Stagi of 31 Hickory Drive;Charleroi (Fallowfield Twp.);died Wednesday;April 20;1983;at 10:05 a.m.in the Oak Hill Care and Rest Home;Greensburg. She was 93. Mrs.Stagi was born Feb.5;1890;in Warsaw;Poland;a daughter of the late Robert and Agathe Latinski. She was a member of Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church;Charleroi. Survivors include one daughter;Margaret Stagi of Charleroi;one son;Aldo Stagi of Charleroi;one grandson;Charles Stagi of Philipsburg;and two great-grandchildren;Patrick and Kathy Stagi;both of Philipsburg. Friends will be received in the Schrock-Hogan Funeral Home;Inc.;226 Fallowfield Ave.;Charleroi;on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held Friday;April 22;at 11 a.m.in the funeral home with the Rev.Pierre Sodini officiating. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Schrock-Hogan Funeral Home;Inc.is in charge of arrangements.