A dog;often referred to as a man’s best friend;proved this assertion Wednesday afternoon;Feb.27;1929;when searchers finding the lifeless body of James Hixenbaugh in his little home at the Belmore Plan;North Belle Vernon also discovered the dog;a common ordinary cur lying at his dead master’s feet. Faithful until the end;the animal resented the intrusion of the searching party and growled and snapped when efforts were made to reach the body. It was found necessary to kill the animal before the body could be removed from the house. Jimmy Hixenbaugh and his dog were inseperable companions and the two shared alike the comforts of the little frame home. Hixenbaugh and the dog as were their usual custom spent a great deal of time about the Dryer meat market in Belle Vernon. Jimmy doing odd jobs and aiding with the delivery while the animal found the shop a good place for a meal. They were last seen at the market Saturday evening and when Monday and Tuesday passed without any signs of the two;Mr.Dryer feared that all was not well and sent an errand boy to the little home to investigate. The boy was unable to gain admittance to the house and did not get any response to his repeated knocks on the doors and windows. He spread the alarm and a crowd of men went to the house about 2:30 yesterday afternoon and forced an entrance. In the bedroom of the house they found the lifeless body of Hixenbaugh;evidently a victim of a heart attack. The dog;seemingly with an animal instinct;realized that his master was in distress and without food or water waited at his feet. The resurers wanting to remove the body to an undertakers walked towards the form of the dead man only to be met by the snarls of the dog;who jumping on the breast of his dead master snapped and growled at the intruders. It was impossible to reach the body and a revolver was secured and the faithful animal again joined his master when a bullet was sent through his head. The dead man had been a resident of Belle Vernon for years;being the son of Charles and Malissa Hixenbaugh. He was the last surviving member of the family in the territory and his remains will be laid to rest in the Belle Vernon Cemetery Saturday afternoon;March 1;1929;following funeral services which will be held at 2:30 in the Toner funeral parlors.

Eugene W Sisley; 41;of Fairhope;Belle Vernon; PA; passed away; Monday; December 26; 2011 in the Uniontown Hospital..
He was born August 5; 1970 in Garfield Heights; OH.; a son of Kenneth Sisley of Perryopolis and Martha Muckle Sisley of Arnold City; Belle Vernon;Pa. He was a member of the Marion United Presbyterian Church; Belle Vernon; Pa. Eugene was a member of the BVA Class of 1989.
Surviving in addition to his parents are two brothers; Jason Sisley and Justin Sisley and wife Rachel both of Belle Vernon; maternal grandmother; Myrna Muckle; paternal grandmother; Roanna Baird; uncle; Harry Muckle Jr. and wife Lucy; aunt; Peggy Pomycala and husband Gary; aunt; Patty Rathway; uncle; Thomas Muckle and wife Amy; ex-wife; Mary Sisley; step-son; Ryan Talbert; step-daughter; Christina Hissom; two nieces; Arielle and Nicole Sisley;three nephews; Kenny Savko; Derrick and Jordan Sisley; great-nephew; Cameron Savko; and numerous cousins.
He was preceded in death by a son; Christopher Hutsenpeiler; maternal grandfather; Harry Muckle Sr.; paternal grandfather; Alvin Sisley; uncle; Thomas Rathway.
Friends will be received Wednesday; December 28; 2011 2-4 & 7-9 pm in the Eley-McCrory Funeral Home;Inc.;334 Main street; Fayette City; PA.(724)-326-5621;www.eleymccroryfuneralhome.com. Funeral services will be held Thursday; December 29; 2011 at 10:00 am in the funeral home with Pastor Daniel Gates officiating. Interment will follow in the Belle Vernon Cemetery; Belle Vernon;Pa. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association; 3300 E. Sunshine Dr; Tucson; AZ. 85718

Marie Regula; 93; formerly of Charleroi; died Wednesday; Dec. 21; 2011; at Mercy Hospital. Born in Louisville; Ky.; on June 15; 1918; she was a daughter of Julius and Bertha Geiser Burry. She was a member of Mary; Mother of the Church; Charleroi; the Catholic Daughters of America Court 664; Charleroi; the Ladies Confraternity; the church’s Repast Ladies; and the food pantry. She was a Eucharistic Minister and a judge for the election board. Surviving are three daughters and sons-in-law; Mary Beth and Steve Wilkins; of Vacaville; Calif.; Karen and Paul Janus; of Pittsburgh; and Sally and William Faunt; of Del Haven; N.J.; a sister; Ruth Chester; of Roscoe; five grandchildren; Stephanie Conway; Shannon Wilkins; Michael Janus; Michelle Williams and John D’Allasandro; and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband; Charles Regula; in 1997; a brother; Edgar Burry; and two sisters; Minetta Farquhar and LaVerne McCrory. Visitation will be held on Monday; Dec. 26; 2011; from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. in the LEONARD M. PAVLIC FUNERAL HOMES INC.; 235 Fallowfield Ave.; Charleroi. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday; Dec. 28; 2011; at 10 a.m. in Mary; Mother of the Church; Charleroi; with the Rev. Gerald Mikonis officiating. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Michael (Mike) Yensick; 78 of Jefferson Twp.;Perryopolis; PA; passed away; Thursday; December 15; 2011 in Mon Valley Hospital; Inc.; Carroll Twp with his family at his side.

He was born January 6; 1933 in Washington Twp.; Fayette Co;Pa. a son of the late Frank Yensick and the late Susan Bazil Yensick. He was Catholic by Faith. He was retired from Laborer’s Union # 286; Brownsville; Pa.

He is survived by his wife; Myrna Gallagher Yensick; son; William Yensick of Brownsville; daughter; Cynthia L Yensick of California;Pa.; granddaughter; Ashley-Rae Marie Yensick; grandson; Thaddeus Jason Yensick; grandson; Jesse Jacob Yensick; great-granddaughter; Laila Fox Yensick.

He was preceded in death by two infant children; four sisters; Margaret Maple; Mary Calcek; Mary Zimmaro and Virginia Salko; three brothers; August; George and Joseph Kudlac.

Friends will be received Friday; December 16; 2011 2-4 & 6-8 pm in the Eley-McCrory Funeral Home; Inc.; 334 Main St.; Fayette City; PA.(724)-326-5621;www.eleymccroryfuneralhome.com. Funeral services will be held Saturday; Dec. 17; 2011 at 10:00 am with Rev. Scott Gallagher and Erick Gallagher co-officiating. Interment will follow in the Belle Vernon Cemetery; Belle Vernon; Pa.

Mary Ellen Trombino; 84; of Belle Vernon; passed away Wednesday; Dec. 14; 2011. A daughter of the late John and Mary Dziak Bachkay; she was born in Monongahela; on May 6; 1927. Mary Ellen was a member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church and had volunteered for the Salvation Army for over 25 years. She had resided in Belle Vernon for most of her adult life and had worked at the former Howard Johnson’s Restaurant and then retired in 1989; after working 15 years for Stillwagon Chiropractic. Survivors include one daughter; Carol Ann Trombino; of Belle Vernon; two grandsons; Donald McCarty Jr.; and his girlfriend; Jamie; of Charleroi; and Brian McCarty and his girlfriend; Amy; of Charleroi; Speers Hill; one great-grandson; Logan Ross McCarty; of Charleroi; Speers Hill; one sister and brother-in-law; Ann and George Bobik; of Fallowfield Township; two sisters-in-law; Norma Bachkay; of Monongahela; and Dorothy Bachkay; of Pittsburgh; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by three brothers; John; Michael and Frank Bachkay. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday in the FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY INC.; 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon; (724) 929-5300; www.fergusonfuneralhomeandcrematory.com. A blessing service will be in the funeral home Saturday at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at 9:30 a.m. in St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. On Friday at 3 p.m.; the rosary will be prayed in the funeral home led by members of St. Sebastian Parish.

Robert Ryan Callaway; 40; of Rostraver Township; went to be with the Lord on Friday; Dec. 31; 2010; in St. Clair Hospital. A son of William N. and Sally Kulik Callaway; who survive and reside in Rostraver Township; he was born in North Charleroi on June 11; 1970. He was a member of Holy Family Roman Catholic Church; of West Newton; First Presbyterian Church; of Belle Vernon; a life member of the Rostraver Central Volunteer Fire Company and the Fairhope Rod and Gun Club. A graduate of Belle Vernon Area High School in 1988; he had attended Westmoreland County Community College; California University of Pennsylvania; and graduated from the Police Academy in Connellsville. He was currently employed by the Zilka Flour Company; and was a former employee of Sturman and Larkin Ford; Day Ford; the Belle Vernon Cemetery; Import Export Tire Company and Fleet Tec. Bobby was a loving father; husband; son; brother and uncle; an avid Steeler fan and loved his cars and trucks. Survivors; in addition to his parents; include his wife of nine and a half years; Sandra Soethe Callaway; four daughters; his Sweet Peas ; Samantha Michele; Emily Nicole; Sarah Elizabeth and Katie Ryann Callaway; one brother and sister-in-law; William A. and Chemen Callaway; his father-in-law and mother-in-law; James and Denise Waldman Soethe; of West Newton; paternal grandmother; Florence Altier Callaway; aunts and uncles; Eleanor Kulik; Mary and James Shaw; Sheri Kulik; Larry and Linda Callaway and Bev and Don Belczyk; cousins; Laura Lee and Brett Bishop; Johnny Kulik; Jody and Denny Yoney; Michelle and Gilberto Rodriguez; Nicky Kulik; Larry and Jody Callaway; Scott and Cynthia Shaw; Julie and Nick Muro and D.J. Belczyk; nieces and nephews; Tori; Tara and Kody Callaway; Zachary; Ashton and Alyssa Klingensmith; Ralph Slate; and a special friend; Mike Beradone. Friends will be received 7 to 9 p.m. Monday; Jan. 3; and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday; Jan. 4; in the FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY; INC.; (724) 929-5300; 700 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon. www.fergusonfuneralhomeandcrematory.com Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday; Jan. 5; in the First Presbyterian Church; 501 Fayette St.; Belle Vernon; with the Rev. Suzanne Currie officiating. Entombment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The members of the Rostraver Central Volunteer Fire Company will meet in the funeral home Monday at 7 p.m. to hold services. The officers and members of the First Presbyterian Church will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the funeral home to hold services. If friends wish; memorial donations may be made in care of First Federal Savings bank for the benefit of his children.

Gerald J. Kossar; 68; of Adams Township; Mars; died unexpectedly Friday afternoon; Nov. 18; 2011; at his home; of natural causes. Born in North Charleroi; Jan. 17; 1943; he was a son of the late Joseph and Rose Telleck Kossar. He was a retired school teacher from the Pine Richland School District; where he taught high school math. He then worked as a substitute teacher for the Mars School District. He was a social member of the Mars VFW Post 7505. Surviving are his wife; Olena Anatolievna Kossar; whom he married on Aug. 1; 2007; a stepson; Maksyn Kyrychenko; of Mars; and several cousins. He was preceded in death by a brother and sister. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the McDONALD-AEBERLI FUNERAL HOME INC.; 238 Crowe Ave.; Mars. Services will be private. Directions and condolences are available at www.mcdonald-aeberli.com.