James Laratta of 604 Graham St.;Belle Vernon;died Sunday;Aug.28;1983;at 9:10 a.m.in the Mon Valley Hospital. He was 87. Mr.Laratta was born Nov.17;1895;in Italy;a son of the late Joseph and Mary Desmond Laratta. He was a member of St.Sebastian Roman Catholic Church;Belle Vernon. A resident of Belle Vernon for the past 75 years;Mr.Laratta was president of the former Italian Beneficial Society on Market Street for many years. He was a member of the Belle Vernon American Legion and the Belle Vernon Musical Society. Mr.Laratta was retired from P&LE Railroad;where he had worked as a conductor for 47 years. Survivors include his widow;Edith Guerra Laratta;two daughters;Mrs.Marie Nelson of St.Alabans;W.Va.;and Mrs.John (Dolores) Yurkovich of Belle Vernon;one brother;Anthony Laratta of Belle Vernon;two sisters;Mrs.Victoria DeCarlo of Brownsville and Mrs.Jean Spatafore of Franklinsville;N.J.;and four grandchildren. Friends will be received Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Shelby D.Ferguson Funeral Home;700 Broad Ave.;Belle Vernon. A prayer service will be held Wednesday;Aug.31;at 9 a.m. in the funeral home;followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. in St.Sebastian Church. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Shelby D.Ferguson;funeral director;is in charge of arrangements.

Josephine Waszukanski Lahoski of Morgan Street;Newell;died Sunday;July 10;1983;at 3:10 p.m.in the Haven Crest Convalescent Home. She was 80. Mrs.Lahoski was born March 19;1903;in Poland. A lifelong resident of Newell;she was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church in Newell. Mrs.Lahoski was also a member of the Polish National Alliance of California. In addition to her parents;she was preceded in death by her husband;Frank Lahoski;in 1973;and a daughter;Laura Lahoski;Jan.27;1977. Survivors include two sons;Frank of Hobart;Ind.;and Charles of Stockdale;three daughters;Mrs.Edward (Genevieve) Clemmens of Peters Twp.;Mrs.Frank (Bertha) Semancik of Belle Vernon and Mrs.John (Helen) Dowds of Pittsburgh;one sister;Anna Ustaszewska of Poland;several nieces and nephews in Poland;18 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Friends will be received Monday from 7 to 9 p.m.and Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.in the Leonard J.Parzynski Funeral Home;626 Broad Ave.;Belle Vernon;where a prayer service will be held Wednesday;July 13;at 8:30 a.m.followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m.in our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church;Newell. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Leonard J.Parzynski Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Anna Lovich of 327 Main St.;Fayette City;died at 4:10 a.m.Wednesday;May 18;1983;in Mercy Hospital;Pittsburgh;following a lengthy illness. She was 84. Mrs.Lovich was born Nov.21;1898;in Fayette City;a daughter of the late George and Ella Kopcho Yonash. She was a member of the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church;Fayette City. Mrs.Lovich was preceded in death by her husband;James Lovich;on Sept.25;1976. Surviving are two sons;Andrew of Willowick;Ohio;and Frank of Langhorne;Pa;;one daughter;Mrs.Theresa Stefanick of Fayette City;six grandchildren;two great-grandchildren;two brothers;Michael Yonash Sr.of Arnold City and Paul Yonash of Daisytown;and two sisters;Mrs.Mary Sebetich and Mrs.Edward (Julia) Swanick;both of Arnold City. Friends will be received at the Howard W.McCrory Funeral Home;Fayette City;on Thursday from 2 to 9 p.m.and all day Friday. Funeral on Saturday;May 21;with burial in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Norman D. Luce of 1252
Rostraver St.; Monessen;
died Monday;April 25;1983; at 8:20 p.m. in
Mon Valley Hospital; Carroll Twp. Mr. Luce; 83; had been in
declining health.
He was born Nov. 15; 1899;in Monessen; a son of the lale
Thomas E. and Alice Trich
Luce; founders of the City of
Monessen.
A lifelong resident of
Monessen; Mr. Luce was
preceded in death by his wife;Manilla Hall Luce in 1953; two
sons; Norman Jr.; in 1926; and Vernon in 1973; one sister;Margaret Vereamen; in 1936:
and one brother; Leonard (Bunny) Luce in I960.
He was employed as a coal
miner at the Sager Mine;
formerly the Victoria Coal
Company; in Pricedale until
retiring in 1962.
Mr. Luce was Protestant by
faith.
Survivors include three
children; Milton (Mickey)
Luce; Miss Edilth Luce and
Miss Claire Luce; all at
home; three grandchildren
and seven great-grandchildren.
Friends will be received Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m.in
the Rhome Funeral Home;Inc.; 1209 Grand Blvd.;Monessen;where services will be held Wednesday;April 27;1983;at 1 p.m.with the Rev.Glenn Eagle;pastor of the Smithton Church of the Nazarene;officiating. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Rhome Funeral Home Inc.;is in charge of arrangements.

Pennie Lewis;56;of 118 Branthoover Ave.;Belle Vernon (Arnold City);died Tuesday;March 15;1983;at 10:30 p.m. in Washington Hospital following a lengthy illness. Born in Dublin;Ga.;Oct.15;1926;she was the daughter of Mrs.Blanche Dupree Cox of Arnold City and the late Wash McCloud. She was a member of Antioch Baptist Church of Belle Vernon and was employed as a clerk at the Mon valley Community Health Center;Monessen. In addition to her father;she was preceded in death by a sister;Alberta and a brother;Adam. Friends will be received in the Howard W.McCrory Funeral Home;Fayette City;on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. The body will be moved to the Antioch Baptist Church;Belle Vernon;on Friday at 10 a.m. to lie in state with the Rev.Luther Wormack;pastor of the Antioch Baptist Church;and Elder Nathan McAlister of Pittsburgh officiating. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Howard McCrory Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.