Donald M. Lehew; 81; of Bluff
Street; North Belle Vernon;
died Sunday; July 18;1999; in
Jefferson Hospital.
A son of the late Melvin and
Tillie Guder Lehew; he was
born in North Belle Vernon on
June 2;1918.
A lifelong resident of Belle
Vernon; Mr. Lehew was a member of the First Presbyterian
Church of Belle Vernon.
He had been a supervisor-electrician at the Monessen
Plant of Wheeling-Pittsburgh
Steel for 31 years and retired after 27 years in the same position
at the Motor Coil Plant in
Homestead.
Mr. Lehew is survived by his
wife of 60 years; Inez Lazzari
Lehew; one daughter and son-in-law; Donice and J.F.
Schumm of Virginia Beach; Va.;
one brother; Edwin Lehew of
Pittsburgh; three grandchildren; Jay Dean Schumm and
Brett Donald Schumm and
Laurie Coyne; and two great-grandchildren; Jennie Williams
and Taylor Schumm.
Friends will be received in
the Ferguson Funeral Home;
Inc.; 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon; Monday;from 7 to 9 p.m. and
Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9
p.m. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m.with the Rev.James C.Ramsey;pastor pf First Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon;officiating. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Ferguson Funeral Home Inc.is in charge of arrangements.

Edith V.Laratta;91;formerly of Graham Street;Belle Vernon;died Friday;April 30;1999;at 10:30 p.m. in the Adult Assisted Living Center;Dunlevy. Mrs.Laratta was born Sept.21;1907;in Monessen;the daughter of the late Michael and Antoinette Cecelia Guerra. She was a member of St.Sebastian Roman Catholic Church;the Catholic Daughters of America Court 1522;the Anita Garabaldi Society and the American Legion Auxiliary;all of Belle Vernon;where she lived most of her adult life. She is survived by two daughters and a son-in-law;Dolores and John Yurkovich of Belle Vernon and Marie Nelson of St.Albans;W.Va.;four grandchildren;Thomas C.Nelson;Janice Ellis;John J.Yurkovich and Carol Datovech;and four great-grandchildren. Besides her parents;she was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years;James Laratta in 1983;a brother;Joseph Guerra;a sister;Theresa Parente;a son-in-law;James T.Nelson;and a grandson;James R.Nelson. Friends will be received on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the Ferguson Funeral Home Inc.;700 Broad Ave.;Belle Vernon;where funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. with the Rev.Fr.Donald Trexler;parochial vicar;officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. On Monday;Anita Garabaldi Society will hold a service at 2:30 p.m.;the American Legion Auxiliary will hold a service at 2:45 p.m. and the Legion of Mary will hold a service at 3 p.m.;all in the funeral home. The Ferguson Funeral Home Inc.is in charge of arrangements.

Pressley H.Lomax;65;of Belle Vernon;died Thursday;April 22;1999;in Mon Valley Hospital. He was born March 25;1934;in Donora;a son of the late William W.and Ruby G.Lomax. He served in the U.S.Navy. Survivors include three sons;Pressley H.Lomax Jr.;Jubal Lomax and Kevin Lomax;seven daughters;Kim;Debbie;Felicia;Eyvette;Bridgette;Vicky and Audra;one brother;James Lomax of Monessen;two sisters;Odessa Epps of Monessen and Dolores C.Wright of Washington;D.C. In addition to his parents;he was preceded in death by one brother;William W.Lomax;and one sister;Ruby G.Arnold. Visitation and burial will be private. The Percy E.Law Jr.Funeral Homes;Inc.;Donora;is in charge of the arrangements.

Persis Alma Lewitsky;85;of 500 Blind Lane;Belle Vernon;died Wednesday;Feb.24;1999;at 5 a.m.in Mon Valley Hospital;Carroll Township. Born Jan.20;1914;in Elizabeth Township;she was a daughter of the late A.C.and Mabel Howell Rodibaugh. Protestant by faith;she spent most of her adult life in Belle Vernon. Mrs.Lewitsky had worked at the former Belle Vernon 5&10 store and the former Weiss Market in Lynnwood. For a short time during World War II;she worked as a welder for a shipyard in Newport News;Va. Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law;Frank A.and Harriett Varchulik of Cannonsburg and Albert C.and Lynn Varchulik of Edinboro;one stepson and daughter-in-law;James and Karen Lewitsky of Monessen;one brother;Albert Cecil Rodibaugh of Brentwood;eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Friends will be received Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.in the Ferguson Funeral Home;Inc.700 Broad Ave.;Belle Vernon;where services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m.with the Rev.Frank Sgromolo;pastor of First Baptist Church of Belle Vernon;officiating. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Ferguson Funeral Home Inc.is in charge of arrangements.

John Edward Letrick;67;of Fredericktown;formerly of California;died Monday;July 20;1998;at 2:35 p.m. in Brownsville General Hospital. He was born July 28;1930;in California;a son of the late John and Kathryn Mehok Letrick. He was a member of St.John Evangelical Lutheran Church;Charleroi. A veteran of the Korean Conflict;he was a member of American Legion Post 0391;Fredericktown;and the Young Men’s Club;California. He was retired as an electrician at California University of Pennsylvania. Survivors include one brother and sister-in-law;Carl Robert and Joan letrick of Fredericktown;and one sister;Mrs.Steve (Catherine J.) Lovasic of Belle Vernon. Friends will be received Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the John E.Greenlief Funeral Home;323 Fourth St.;California. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. in St.John Evangelical Lutheran Church;Charleroi;with the Rev.Stephen Hurnyak officiating. Burial will be in Belle Vernon. A prayer service will be held Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the funeral home. The John E.Greenlief Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Thomas J.Lofink Jr.59;of Fairhope;(Belle Vernon);died Saturday;July 4;1998;in Mon Valley Hospital. He was born Aug.15;1938;in North Charleroi;a son of the late Thomas J.Lofink Sr.and Sophia (Sally) Deluga Lofink who survives and resides in Fairhope;(Belle Vernon). Mr.Lofink was a veteran of the U.S.Marine Corps. He was an employee of Mikel Trucking in Smithton. Survivors;in addition to his mother;include his wife;Eleanor Kuklar Lofink;two sons and daughters-in-law;Thomas W.Lofink and Lisa Zippay of Belle Vernon and Dennis and Tammy Lofink of Elliott City;Md.;one daughter and son-in-law;Sheryl Benicky and Mark of (Arnold City) Belle Vernon;one brother;Ret.Col.William J.Lofink of Sarasota;Fla.;two sisters;Kathleen Falise of Mesa;Az.and Marleen Updegraff of Greensburg;and two grandsons;Robert Mason Lofink of Elliott City and Matthew Thomas Benicky of (Arnold City) Belle Vernon. In addition to his father;he was preceded in death by a brother;Robert P.Lofink in 1990. Friends will be received in the Eley McCrory Funeral Home Inc.334 Main St.;Fayette City;Monday from 7 to 9 p.m.;Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.and Wednesday until 9:30 a.m.;when a Blessing service will be held in the funeral home;followed by Funeral Mass at 10 a.m.in the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church;Fayette City;with the Rev.Leonard McAlpin as celebrant. Interment will follow in the Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Eley/McCrory Funeral Home Inc.is in charge of arrangements.