Richard A. McCrory; 67; of West Newton; died Monday; March 14; 2011; at 8:55 p.m. at Uniontown Hospital. Born Jan. 1; 1944; in North Charleroi; he was the son of the late Victor Martin and Ruth Gail Nicholson McCrory. A lifelong resident of the Mon Valley; Mr. McCrory was Protestant by faith and a retired truck driver from Glassmere Fuel Service; Loyalhanna. Richard was a licensed funeral director in the State of Pennsylvania; was a former deputy coroner for the Fayette County Coroner’s office. He is survived by his wife; Kathy L. Hess McCrory; to whom he was married 19 years; his children; Howard W. McCrory II; of Central City; Pa.; Rebecca V. Humbert; of Apple Valley; Calif.; Victor M. McCrory; of Somerset; Nancy M. Woolley; of Freedens; Gale E. McCrory; of Fayette City; Douglas J. McCrory; of Hebron; Md.; Timothy Cathers; of Belle Vernon; and Rhonda Cathers; of Daisytown; numerous grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Visitation will be held Thursday; March 17; from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the LEONARD J. PARZYNSKI FUNERAL HOME; Family Owned and Operated; 626 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon; (724) 929-6183. Services will be held Friday; March 18; at the funeral home at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Richard C. Klein Jr.; of Rehoboth Presbyterian Church; officiating. Private entombment will take place in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Condolences accepted at the funeral home’s website; www.parzynskifuneralhome.com.

Betty Jane Basits Simpson; 77; of Centerville; Va.; died Sunday; March 13; 2011; in her home. Born Nov. 20; 1933; in Grindstone; she was the daughter of the late Alex F. Basits Sr. and Evelyn Chiplaskey Basits. A resident of Centerville; Va.; for the past 40 years; Mrs. Simpson was Protestant by faith and was a retired Communications Frequency Manager for the U.S. Navy. She is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law; Kevin and Cheryl Simpson; of Manassas; Va.; and Shawn Simpson; of Centerville; Va.: brother and sister-in-law; Alex F. and Mary Ann Basits Jr.; of Belle Vernon; sister; Mary Lou Brewer; of Belle Vernon; and two granddaughters; Amanda Simpson and Alyson Simpson. Visitation will be held Wednesday; March 16; from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the LEONARD J. PARZYNSKI FUNERAL HOME; Family Owned and Operated; 626 Broad Ave.; Belle Vernon; (724) 929-6183. Services will be held Thursday; March 17; at the funeral home at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Donald A. Bowers; of First Christian Church of Belle Vernon; officiating. Interment will take place in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Condolences accepted at the funeral homes website; www.parzynskifuneralhome.com.

Natalie Maiolini Pedder; 49; of Greensburg; went home to be with her Lord and Savior after a brief bout with cancer on Tuesday; Feb. 15; 2011; in Rosewood Manor; Greensburg. Born March 9; 1961; in Carroll Township; she was the daughter of Catherine (Runfola) Maiolini; who survives and resides in Rostraver; and the late Natalino Maiolini. Natalie was a sweet and generous girl with a wonderful smile. She loved to dance and crochet. She worked at Westmoreland Manor as a unit clerk. In addition to her mother; Natalie is survived by her husband; Charles H. Pedder; son; Rocco Sciore III; of Belle Vernon; aunts; Gilda Welsh; of Monessen; and Norma (Thomas) Jones; of Rostraver; uncles; Christy Runfola; of Belle Vernon; and Thomas (Mary Jo) Runfola; of Delaware; Ohio; sister-in-law; Kathleen Lauffer; of New Stanton; brother-in-law; Keith Pedder; of Jeanette; niece; Tina (Ron) Edwards; of Arona; as well as several cousins. In addition her father; she was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents; Anthony and Ida Maiolini; maternal grandparents; Frank and Mamie Runfola; mother-in-law; Sara Pedder; three uncles; and an aunt. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in the JAMES C. STUMP FUNERAL HOME INC.; 580 Circle Drive; Belle Vernon/Rostraver; 724-929-7934; www.jamesstumpfuneralhome.com; where a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday with Pastor Glenn Hart officiating. Natalie’s uncle; Thomas Runfola; will deliver the eulogy at the service. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.

Bertha Christine Carr; 85; formerly of Lancaster; passed away Wednesday; Feb. 16; 2011; in Generation Elder Care; Smock. A daughter of the late Steven and Margaret Toth Hecklick; she was born in Arnold City; Belle Vernon; on Aug. 22; 1925. Catholic by faith; Bertha has resided in the Belle Vernon area for the past seven years and was formerly of Lancaster; where she had spent most of her adult life. She had been employed by the Armstrong Company and the J.L. Clark Can Company; both of Lancaster; retiring from J.L. Clark in 1990. She was also self-employed as a hairdresser. Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law; Patricia and James Weldon; of Jefferson Estates; three nieces; Sandra Greco; of Donora; Maria Kite; of Belle Vernon and Judy Main; of Frederick; Md.; and four nephews; William Ball; of South Plainfield; N.J.; William Hecklick; of Monessen; Gerald Bruno; of Mississippi; and Bruce Bruno; of Belle Vernon. In addition to her parents; she was preceded in death by her husband; Walter M. Carr; on Jan. 20; 1976; two sisters; Mary Ball and Catherine Bruno; and one brother; William Hecklick. Friends will be received 2 to 6 p.m. Friday; Feb. 18; 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; Feb. 19; at 12:30 p.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at 1 p.m. in St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church with the Msgr. Roger A. Statnick as celebrant. Interment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.