Chester County Press 01-25-2023 Edition

Himes begins role as township manager for New Garden

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

The New Garden Township Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution 877 at their Jan. 17 meeting that formally approved the appointment of Chris Himes as the township’s new manager, a position he began on Jan. 23.

As part of his new job, Himes will also serve as the township’s open

records manager, recycling coordinator and volunteer coordinator, as was approved at the meeting.

Himes replaces former township manager Ramsey Reiner, who left the township in September of 2022.

Himes will begin at New Garden Township on the heels of his role as the assistant city manager for Manassas Park, Va., where he oversaw the city’s admin-

istrative functions of finance, IT and human resources.

As the lead for enterprise technology planning and implementation, Himes supported the city’s economic development initiatives for small business development, and also oversaw Manassas Park’s community services in economic development, health, mental health and housing.

Himes also served as a

Vermeil and Davis laud new Old Timers members at banquet

By Chris Barber Contributing Writer

as was obvious by the warm greeting he received when he arrived. He also led the St. Louis Rams to a 1999 Super Bowl championship and was recently elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

A Chester County native, Davis is a former Major League catcher who is now a broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies.

member of the board of directors for the Prince William County Chamber of Commerce as well as the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance.

A graduate of Virginia Tech and the University of Southern California, Himes served as an officer in the U.S. Navy for ten years, primarily as a helicopter pilot, where he amassed over 2,000 flight hours.

New appointments

In other township business, the township’s Park and Recreation Board of Directors appointed Helen Doordan as chairperson for 2023, Sadaf Cheema as vice chair and Brianna Small as secretary. The Open Space Review Board of Directors appointed Chris Robinson as chairman for 2023, Randy Lieberman as vice chairman

and Steve Dooley as secretary, and Lieberman and

KATS, in Pantomime

An audience of more than 200 cheered as Vermeil and Davis welcomed new members into the society of talented local baseball players for their past accomplishments at the Kennett Fire Company Red Clay Room.

Vermeil is locally beloved,

The Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association annually inducts several local baseball players who have excelled on the baseball diamond at the at the January banquet. They have been following that tradition since 1974.

Many members of the

Continued on Page 3A

Arts Alliance showcases music and the art of drum making

Oxford

The new exhibit opens on Feb. 3

By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer

If you stroll past the Oxford Arts Alliance on the First Friday in February you may be lured inside by the sounds of African drumming.

The Arts Alliance has once again brought in a highly unique exhibit. On Friday, Feb. 3, from 5 to 8 p.m., come inside and listen to the music of master hand drummer Pape Demba “Paco”

Samb and view the beautiful art of hand-built drums. Music will be performed at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.. The exhibit will run from Feb. 3 through Feb. 24.

Paco comes from a fam-

ily that have been griots in his native Senegal for hundreds of years. As a griot, Paco is one of the keepers of the ancestral history, stories, and

Continued on Page 2A

Stevens will not seek third term on Kennett Township board

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

In an announcement that concluded the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Jan. 18, longtime supervisor Scudder Stevens announced that he would not seek a third term as a supervisor.

Stevens, who was first elected to the board in 2011, will end his second term on Dec. 31, 2023. His decision to make his announcement early this year, Stevens said,

LIVING HISTORY

was to allow ample time for a candidate seeking to campaign for election to the three-person board in November, to join current board chairman Geoffrey Gamble and vice chairman Richard Leff.

“This path needs to be open for all,” he said.

Stevens’ comments provided a general sweep of Kennett Township over the past 12 years, one that has seen a once all-Republican board go all Democrat;

by Gene Pisasale

Primitive Hall: A tribute to the Pennock family

By Gene Pisasale Contributing Writer

Just off of PA Route 841 in southern Chester County stands a beautiful brick house on a hillside overlooking the scenic Brandywine Valley. Its story is also the story of one of the earliest settlers of this region—a family that became well

known throughout the area.

Although nearly three centuries have passed since its construction, the house remains wonderfully preserved. This home is Primitive Hall, and a visit there brings you back to our early 18th century roots.

Primitive Hall was built in 1738 by Joseph Pennock, who inherited the land in

1703. It was part of a large tract originally purchased by his maternal grandfather, who acquired the property from William Penn in the early days of the colony.

His grandson Joseph later sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to start a new life in North America. The tract of land in West Marlborough Township was 1,250 acres,

but Joseph previously gifted a portion to one of his sons. The remaining 700 acres formed the property on which the home sits today.

The building appears to simply be an elegant brick house, but it is much more.

Inside you see a large foyer and immediately realize that this home was different from ones typically built

back then. The structure is a spacious 52 feet, 2 inches wide and 40 feet deep. The Primitive Hall website notes that the house is a

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

The Kennett Amateur Theatrical Society (KATS) presented The Magic Lamp: A-Ladd-In Trouble this past weekend for three shows at Kennett High School. Directed by Gary Smith and Ken Mumma, the production was the theater group’s 22nd annual Pantomime in the British Tradition. To learn more about KATS, visit www.callkats.org.

Former Philadelphia Eagles coach and football Hall of Famer Dick Vermeil joined Phillies broadcaster Ben Davis with words of good cheer and encouragement for the five inductees who were honored on Saturday at the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association banquet.

unique adaptation of a William Penn-style home: two Penn town houses put together. It is actually four three-story brick sections connected in the center by a large hallway.

Courtesy photo Chris Himes, former assistant city manager for Manassas Park, Va., began his new position as New Garden Township manager on Jan. 23.

New Garden...

Continued from Page 1A

Dooley were reappointed to additional three-year terms. In his report to the board, interim Police Chief Joseph Greenwalt of the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department (SCCRPD) said that as a result of the recent hiring process, the department has hired a new full-time police officer who had most recently served two years in Chester Township Police Department in Delaware County. He is scheduled to begin his new position at the

Kennett Township...

experienced several new initiatives and setbacks; and gone through the most horrific chapter in the township’s history.

Stevens reflected on the township’s commitment to developing relationships with municipalities and agencies, citing its partnership with East Marlborough Township and PennDOT that put in traffic control measures at the intersection of Route 82 and Route 1.

He also spoke about the establishment of the Regional Fire and EMS Commission that partners Kennett Township with five other municipalities to consolidate regional fire and EMS efforts throughout southern Chester County.

Throughout a large portion of his tenure on the board, Stevens sought to preserve the historic Chandler Mill Bridge as well as have the township assume ownership of it, which he said “is an important anchor in our community public resources, available for all to enjoy and use.”

Stevens also complimented the township on its continuing commitment to preserve open space, and pointed to its acquisitions of the Spar Hill Farm, the Miller farm and the Lord Howe property as major steps to preserve open space that have happened during his time on the board.

He also lauded the township for the expansion of its police department from a one-person unit to one that works in collaboration with

Oxford Arts Alliance...

Continued from Page 1A

music of his Wolof peoples.

As a master hand drummer, Paco not only plays the

SCCRPD on Jan. 23. The department is also in the early stages of a promotion process for the position of Sergeant.

In addition, Greenwalt said that the department is waiting on the Kennett Consolidated School District to finalize a grant it had applied for to fund the appointment of a school resource officer, who would come from the SCCRPD and serve the district’s schools.

With conditions related to variances and future uses, the board approved the zoning application of the

other departments

“The effectiveness and professionalism of our non-uniform staff in the township, from the manager through the ranks of the many individuals who provide support services, is exceeded nowhere and enjoys a high public reputation for professionalism, earned in the trenches,” he said.

‘My low point as your supervisor’

During his 2011 campaign to become the lone Democrat on the board, much of Stevens’ platform focused on his pledge to move the township to a more transparent municipality, all of which was exacerbated by his accusation that two of the township’s audits in years’ past were created by phantom auditors.

“When I was elected, in 2011, there was a community-wide concern regarding township financing,” he said. “After election, we put into effect a transparent and effective third-party auditing process, something that did not previously exist. Further, we directed a division of labor over financial matters so more ‘eyes’ were on transactions.”

Despite his intentions to legitimize the township’s system of accounting, Stevens, supervisors Leff and Whitney Hoffman and the 8,000 residents of Kennett Township became embroiled in a three-year odyssey that nearly broke the township and its government. From May of 2018 until she was convicted in 2021 on five counts and

instruments but he and his brothers build several types of drums as well. He performs both contemporary and traditional Senegalese music, as well as reggae, rap, funk, jazz, pop and a

Local News

Ducklings Early Learning Center, which is projected to open a child care facility at the New Garden Professional Center, located at 385 Starr Road, beginning in September.

As spelled out in a presentation before the board, Ducklings will occupy the first level of the building and half of its second floor and share space on the second floor with New Garden Dentistry and Maternal and Child Health Consortium.

It will serve more than 120 children, feature an indoor gymnasium and provide two gated outdoor play areas,

sentenced to a prison term of between three to ten years for embezzling over $3.2 million from the township, former manager Lisa Moore masterminded a complex scheme that left Stevens, Leff and Hoffman to rebuild a municipality whose trust in their local government had nearly eroded.

Stevens called the Moore scandal “my low point as your supervisor.”

“Fortunately, we finally discovered this criminal behavior, and we set it aright, including clawing back the bulk of the ascertained lost money,” he said.

Stevens acknowledged that while the developments and incidents that he mentioned in his address “have not been easy or inexpensive to attain,” he urged his fellow supervisors and township residents to see the township now –as a leading, sophisticated municipality servicing a diverse and sophisticated and demanding citizenship.

“Those of you who know me know that this will be an important year and I intend to be fully and actively engaged,” he said. “Thank you for allowing me to embrace this challenging and wonderful opportunity to give back over these 12 years to this community that I love so much.”

Gamble reflected on Stevens’ accomplishments as a supervisor, which he called “truly commendable.”

“I hope that it is an example to others in our community to step forward and ultimately succeed,” he said. “You are especially to be greatly commended for your work over the past ten years, when

variety of other styles. Paco heads his own drum ensemble called Super Ngewel and released his first album in 2014.

An internationally acclaimed artist, Paco

Courtesy photo New Garden Township Park will soon be the home of a StoryWalk exhibit that will be unveiled on June 6. It will feature 25 kiosks that will hold pages from children’s books that children and adults can enjoy reading along their walks through nature.

one adjacent to the building and the other – a tricycle and scooter play area – off of the parking lot.

The board also approved the purchase of 25 kiosks that will be installed throughout New Garden Township Park as part of a StoryWalk Solutions exhib-

it that will be unveiled on June 6 of this year. Created by Barking Dog Interpretive Design, Inc., each kiosk will hold pages from a children’s picture book for children

and adults in the community to enjoy reading while walking in nature.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

the going was very difficult. You stepped forward after the Lisa [Moore] theft and ran the township in a courageous and necessary way. You could have resigned, but that would have been the coward’s way out.

“Rich, Scudder and [former supervisor] Whitney [Hoffman] stepped in to run the township and put it back on an even keel, hiring [manager] Eden [Ratliff] and the staff we have, which gives us a comfort level that perhaps we didn’t have before, and that which the township deserves.”

Historic structure to be demolished at Spar Hill Farm

In other township business, the supervisors approved the demolition of the Tenant House at Spar Hill Farm – also called the Carriage House -- which has been classified as a Class II structure and currently has

has performed with many major musicians based in Senegal and the Gambia including Senemaio, Ballet Gorgoru, Dormu Africa, Ballet Ngangan, African Ballet, Katchikaly, Youssou N’Dour Cultural Group, Marie Samuel N’Diaye Group, Batin Band, Laba Sosseh, Moussa Ngom, and Bala Sidibé.

Another important part of the story is just how this musician and this exhibit will come to the town of Oxford.

Ed Rahme, president of the board of the Oxford Arts Alliance, explained, “I have been playing drums since I was a small child and I still do. One of the drum instructors here, Bryan Tuk, said he had a friend who plays African djembe. He set up master classes for me with Paco Samb and I was just taken with the guy. At one of our board meetings I said we should have him here and we are. Paco is from Sengal in West Africa. He now lives in Wilmington. His family makes the drums and sends them over here to him.”

very little historic significance remaining to it. The demolition of the building, which is scheduled to take place by the end of January or in early February, was recommended for take down by the township’s Planning Commission, as part of a stabilization project to remove a total of 13 buildings, barns, silos and shed from the 103-acre property that the township owns. The only historic element remaining in the Tenant House is its foundation, which will be preserved.

In his report, Ratliff told the board that the township is continuing to make progress with the Kennett Greenway on Chandler Mill Road, and working with property owners to obtain easements and rights of way in the vicinity. He said that permits for the project have been submitted and are under review by the commonwealth. The township plans to put the project out to bid for an award on

Rahme explained, “He has a band, and teaches private lessons, group lessons, does seminars, and master classes. When I took a class he bought some of the drums his family makes, and he explained he sells them. I was amazed at the workmanship. They are beautiful works of art carved from wood and the drum head is made of goat skin. I took some of the drums to the board meeting for the group to hear. The sound is just so different. We are so fortunate to have this exhibit.”

The exhibit will include the drums, how to play them, photographs, and stories.

Rahme joined the Arts Alliance board eight years ago and has been the president for three years. He has done work in the Oxford area for a number of years as well.

Rahme said, “When I first came to Oxford, I used to hear ‘We want Oxford to be another Kennett.’ Now, we have become something unique and have made Oxford unique in the process. The Oxford Arts

construction to begin in the 2023 construction season.

At the direction of the Board, Ratliff said that the township is evaluating options for a trail to connect the Kennett Flats to Anson Nixon Park, in order to give residents who reside at the Flats easier pedestrian access to the park, rather than cross Walnut Road on foot.

Ratliff also said that two grants that the township applied for from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources were not awarded – a $300,000 grant to offset the costs of a potential open space acquisition and a $570,000 application to offset the costs of the Kennett Greenway on Chandler Mill Road. He said that the township may re-apply for the two grants at a later date.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

Alliance is bringing people here to see this unique town and community and all that we have to offer.”

Rahme added, “The rest of the story is, how the Arts Alliance did so beautifully during COVID. Both children and adults continued to take lessons online. Both [staff members] Caitlin Daugherty and Tony Derrico are to be commended for that. The two of them just knocked it out of the park to keep the lives of children and adults normal during the pandemic.”

Another tidbit about the Arts Alliance is how farreaching the organization has become.

“We have members in many other states,” Rahme said. “We have held a juried show and attracted entries from overseas, including Europe. It is amazing that the Arts Alliance attracts people from this country and beyond to Oxford. I am sure this exhibit will be another successful eye-opener for everyone, including the surrounding states. The Oxford Arts Alliance is really the gift that just keeps on giving.”

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Long-time Kennett Township Supervisor Scudder, Stevens, second from right, said at a Jan. 18 meeting that he will not seek a third term on the board. Stevens is joined by his fellow supervisors Richard Leff and Geoffrey Gamble, and by township Manager Eden Ratliff.

audience were especially hyped this year because the football playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants was being held the same evening. Some guests even arrived at this baseball-themed dinner wearing the trademark Eagles green garb.

Kennett Old Timers Baseball president and Kennett Square barber shop proprietor Bob Burton said beforehand that he was not afraid attendees would say home to watch the football rather than come for the baseball gala however.

He turned out to be right.

“This is a baseball event,” he said.

Vermeil, who was also present at last year’s banquet, donated for raffle a carton of his vineyard’s wine. He returned this year and offered a short talk from the podium.

He joked at the start of his talk that he accepted Burton’s invitation because, “I was afraid if I didn’t, he would not give me a good hair cut.”

Vermeil launched into praise for the Phillies, who in 2022 came within two games of winning the World

Primitive Hall...

Every room has a fireplace, giving them each a very welcoming appearance.

The beginnings of habitation on this land go back a ways. The Spring House dates to 1703. In 1705, Joseph Pennock married Mary Levis, daughter of Samuel Levis, a French Huguenot who played a role on the Governor’s Council of Pennsylvania. Joseph and Mary moved to this West Marlborough property sometime before 1710 and built a house to serve as their first residence. Its foundation is still present below ground on the property.

Why the name Primitive Hall? The origins of the term remain obscure, but may relate to the fact that the house was built ‘in the middle of nowhere’ amidst a large evergreen forest. The first mention of the name Primitive Hall in print was by Mrs. Casper W. Pennock in a family tree published in 1846, but the name is believed to have been described in a narrative of the property in 1825.

Who was Joseph Pennock? He was born on January 16, 1677 in County Cork, Ireland. Futhey and Cope in “History of Chester County” describe Joseph’s father, Christopher Pennock as “… an officer in the service of King William of Orange...” When Joseph was about

Series. He said he truly admired baseball coaches in general and the Phillies in particular because they excel at such a mountainous schedule.

“I don’t have the make-up to handle that schedule. … There are so many skills needed for 162 games. I have so much respect for those guys,” he said

He went on to give advice for players and coaches.

“If your players care, you’ve got a chance. Coaches are good examples for the people they coach,” he said.

At the end of his 10-minute talk he bid them adieu saying, “I’m gonna sneak out of here and watch the Eagles beat the Giants.”

Davis shared his excitement that the Phillies made it as far in the standings as they did last fall. He observed that the team’s huge success was largely unexpected.

“Low and behold, all of a sudden they are in the World Series. This team rose out of nowhere,” he said.

He made optimist predictions for the 2023 season, commenting on the strengths of individual players on the team. He also said new regulations, including the increased size

seven years old, he came to America with his family and settled in Philadelphia. His mother apparently did not care for the city, so she took Joseph back to Ireland, where he was raised on grandfather George Collet’s estate.

When Collet died in 1698, Joseph inherited 3,000 acres of land in Pennsylvania. He sent a letter to his father in Philadelphia, instructing him to take possession of the property. Sadly, his father died in 1701, so Joseph decided to come back to America.

Before his voyage, he bought a copy of William Penn’s book No Cross, No Crown which described Penn’s travails holed up as a prisoner of conscience in the Tower of London. It turns out this was good preparatory reading. While on its way across the Atlantic, Pennock’s boat was captured by a French ship-of-war; he was taken prisoner and sent to St. Malo. When he was finally released and made it to Philadelphia, more trouble awaited him. The executors of the estate contested the will’s granting Joseph property. After filing suit, the executors relentedand Joseph got his land.

Marrying Mary Levis gave Joseph a link to a well-known Quaker family. Levis had a direct lineage going all the way back to King Edward III of England. Joseph served in the Pennsylvania Assembly intermittently from 1716 to 1745 and as a Justice of the Peace. He was respected in the community—so well regarded that he was appointed by Governor Thomas Penn to mitigate the border dispute with Maryland. Although not a practicing Quaker at first, he formally became one at the New Garden Meeting. Pennock even had a connection to one of our

of bases, would yield good results for the sport.

“It’s a great time to be a Phillies fan. They got a taste of it and they are ravenous for it this year. We’ll see how it goes. They can get the job done,” he concluded.

The inductees, both past and present, came not only from Kennett area, but throughout southern Chester County. Many of the elderly members, who as youth had played intensely against each other, have grown through the years to be good friends. Most seemed to know, hug and appreciate each other thanks to the annual Old Timers banquet. Advanced in age, these former players from Octorara, Avon Grove, Unionville,

Founding Fathers: he was friends with John Morton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Following his death in 1771 at age 94, the Pennsylvania Gazette said: “…There was such native Dignity expressed in his countenance… He had a natural Politeness, and Sweetness of Manners, that irresstably attracted Respect and Love from all…”

Descendants of the Pennocks lived in the home for more than 200 years; the house and property were transferred to the Primitive Hall Foundation in 1960. Historians consider Primitive Hall an exceptional example of 18th-century architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Members of the Pennock family had some notable accomplishments over the years. Moses Pennock and Samuel Martin patented a grain drill in 1841. His sons Mordecai and Samuel produced numerous agricult ural-related items, including rakes, mowing and reaping machines and corn shellers. Samuel Pennock was awarded a patent for a road grading machine. His firm S. Pennock and Sons became a very successful manufacturer of the equipment. Pitcher Herb Pennock played for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox and was part of four World Series-winning teams with the New York Yankees.

Visiting Primitive Hall, you get a sense of the richness of our local heritage.

Kennett and Oxford greeted each other warmly and gathered to share tables.

Those who were inducted on Saturday were Evan Breisblatt, Anthony Buckwash, Doug Compher, Charles Crossan Jr. and Matt Johnson.

Breisblatt, a Unionville graduate, earned nine varsity letters and was Male Athlete of the Year in 1992.

Buckwash was a standout player for Unionville High School and played in the URA, KAU, Babe

Ruth, American Legion and West Chester Adult League teams.

Crossan was a Unionville High School baseball standout in 1955 and played baseball in the Navy. He is still active in sports.

Compher was also a Unionville High School standout and was a First Team selection in the Southern Chester County League in 1983 and 1984.

Johnson, a graduate pf Salesianum High School, played Kennett American

Legion ball and was an AllCatholic selection for the State of Delaware in 1982.

The Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association was established to preserve the baseball legacy in Kennett Square and the greater Chester County area by a group that included Howard Lynn, Bat Burton, Donald McKay, Donnie Davenport, Lou Manfredi, John Moynihan, Gordon Farquhar and Joe Husband. It continues under the leadership of Bob Burton.

Family

Hall Foundation. Visitors are welcome.

For more information, go to their website at www. primitivehall.org. Requests for tours can be directed to PrimitiveHallTours@gmail. com.

Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer

based in Kennett Square. His ten books focus mostly on the history of the Chester County/mid-Atlantic region. His latest book is Forgotten Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania and Delaware

in the American Revolution. Gene’s books are available through his website at www. GenePisasale.com and also on www.amazon.com. He can be reached via e-mail at Gene@GenePisasale.com.

New members of the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame are, front row from left, Anthony Buckwash, Matt Johnson, Doug Campher, Charles Crossan Jr. and Evan Breisblatt; back row, Bob Burton, Ben Davis.

A bedroom at Primitive Hall.

Photos by Chris Barber Football Hall of Fame coach Dick Vermeil addresses the audience at the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association Hall of Fame banquet.

Primitive Hall in West Marlborough Township was built by Joseph Pennock in 1738.

A. E. Pennock carved into brick on side of Primitive Hall.

Smoke House on the grounds of Primitive Hall.

A portrait of Joseph Pennock.

Downstairs room at Primitive Hall showcases the corner fireplace and ornate grandfather clock.

reunions there have drawn hundreds of descendants from around the nation. The site is managed by the Primitive

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Awards Season

The Golden Globes took place on Jan. 10. The 2023 Grammy Awards are coming up on Sunday, Feb. 5. The 95th Academy Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 12. It’s Awards Season, and some awards are being handed out here in Chester County, too.

The Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce announced this week that Luis Tovar is this year’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award recipient.

Tovar will receive recognition at the Chamber’s annual Chairman’s Gala on Saturday, March 18 at Longwood Gardens.

Tovar is an active member of the Kennett Rotary Club and a volunteer with the Bayard Taylor Library Adult Literacy Program. Tovar also serves as president of Kacie’s Cause, a not-for-profit organization that he co-created with Andy Rumford 10 years ago. Kacie’s Cause is instrumental in building awareness and offering support to families as they navigate through substance abuse.

Tovar is a passionate voice for the Hispanic community of Kennett Square and has completed six years as chairman for the borough’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs (ACOLA). He works tirelessly to ensure affordable and equitable housing, accessible transportation and awareness of the value and cultural depth that the Hispanic community brings to the diverse community.

This past year, Tovar’s hard work and many connections brought together an amazing group of Hispanic contributors to the Kennett Memorial Day Parade. This included Aztec dancers, Mariachi, Caballeros, traditional folkloric dancers, and memorials of Hispanic soldiers were carried by students from Kennett High School.

Doug Doerfler, the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce chairman of the board and president of Kennett Square Borough Council, said, “I am so excited to be honoring Luis Tovar with this year’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award. Luis is the epitome of what this award represents. He is the consummate community partner and is always looking for solutions to issues facing so many in our neighborhoods. I have witnessed his selfless leadership and influence in Kennett Square Borough, although the impact of his efforts can be seen throughout Southern Chester County.”

Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Cheryl B. Kuhn said, “Luis Tovar is a longtime resident and a highly respected citizen of Kennett Square. Mr. Tovar makes a difference as an exemplary volunteer at many community events and meetings and making connections at all levels. We are proud to include Luis as the 2023 award recipient and we look forward to celebrating with him and his family at our Gala on March 18.”

It was also announced this week that Elizabeth “Betsy” Walls, RN, the retired director of personal health for the Chester County Health Department, has been honored with an award from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Walls is being recognized as Pennsylvania’s PHEP Trailblazer, in celebration of CDC’s 20th anniversary of the PHEP program and Walls’ decades-long service to public health.

Walls’ efforts helped to establish the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) in Chester County. In a statement, Jeanne Franklin, the director of the Chester County Health Department, said, “The Chester County Health Department admires Betsy as a dedicated healthcare worker, volunteer, and a friend. The honor bestowed to her by CDC is much deserved and we are grateful to have had her as a team member for many years. Betsy earned the title of ‘rock star’ from our staff and she is a cherished part of the Health Department family.”

Walls is a graduate of the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing and Widener University Graduate School of Nursing and Business. She went on to serve the Delaware County Memorial Hospital in nursing, nurse administration and nurse education for over 30 years and Penn Medicine Chester County as a nursing supervisor for seven years. Included in her illustrious career is a decade of service as a Flight Nurse for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. Cuba, Germany and Japan were just a few of the places Walls traveled to as a Flight Nurse. Her commitment to public service continued through the Chester County Health Department, where she served as director of personal health for 18 years.

Congratulations to Tovar and Walls for the welldeserved awards. Recognizing those who work hard to improve the world around them is very important.

Commentary

A legislator’s toughest job

By Lee H. Hamilton

As Congress and many state legislatures get under way for the year, there are lots of new lawmakers out there starting to learn the ropes. It’s an exhilarating, exhausting time, and they’ll have plenty of questions about the challenges. But here’s one thing they might not even have imagined: The hardest part of their new jobs may be the most basic—casting a vote on legislation.

It seems odd, doesn’t it? And it actually took me a couple of decades in Congress before I realized it. I’d never reflected on the question until a constituent asked point-blank what I found most difficult about the role. I thought about the long hours, the time away from home, the criticism and pressure from pretty much every side (yes, even back then). Then I realized that it wasn’t the frustrations of the job that made it difficult, but its very core: deciding how to vote.

This isn’t always the case. Sometimes, voting on a bill can be straightforward: Maybe it’s a matter of no consequence, or it’s clearly what your constituents need. But you have to remember

that legislators are asked to vote on a stunningly complex array of issues, some of which they’re familiar with, some of which they’re not, and many of which have real consequences for real people. Often, these are complicated issues, with aspects that extend far beyond the black-and-white views expressed in tweets and sound bites. So, for a legislator who is truly trying to do her or his best for the country, the state, or the community, deciding how to vote requires hard work.

The first consideration is—or at least, should be— the views of the people a lawmaker serves. Members of Congress and state legislators get inundated with calls and emails from constituents and hear plenty of feedback on key issues at public meetings. From time to time, those sentiments all run in the same direction, but often they conflict, so a legislator has to work hard to find the majority’s sentiment. Similarly, lawmakers rely on the reams of material produced by experts, think tanks, lobbyists, and even colleagues with particular expertise, but those can often conflict, as well. Making a decision involves sorting through a host of

arguments—from legal and economic to practical and moral—and then making a judgment about which are most compelling. Because it’s a good bet that at some point, you’ll be called to account for how you voted. Then, of course, there are the political considerations. These have become both simpler and more complex over the last few decades, as partisanship has grown.

On the one hand, politicians these days are often expected just to fall in line with what the congressional or legislative leadership expects. But if the electoral politics of the last few years has made anything clear, it’s that voters do not follow party leadership dictates, and depending on the constituency, any politician interested in re-election needs to look beyond the loudest and most vociferous voices.

Finally, legislators do not arrive in office as blank slates waiting to be written on. They have their own experiences and convictions to draw from. At some point, everyone who holds office has to come to a decision on what he or she is willing to compromise on and what is beyond the pale—and, in the most

dramatic instances, what is worth losing an election over.

You can see, then, why deciding how to vote is rarely the easy part of a lawmaker’s job. On some issues, you’ll vote your conscience. On others, you’ll follow the wishes of your constituents, or of the party leadership, or of colleagues you trust and respect. On others, you’ll become an expert as quickly as possible and then spend time parsing shades of gray. Yet on every vote, you’ll be expected to have an opinion and to be able to defend it, sometimes in the face of withering criticism. So, in the end you’ll cast your vote and then move on, because the next one is coming on fast.

Lee Hamilton is a Senior Advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government; a Distinguished Scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies; and a Professor of Practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

The Conversant Tongue in the Clear-Cutting of Trees

By Marie-Louise Meyers

How the grate of the blade unnerves me, the screech of the saw when trees speak to me routinely in dulcet whispers of relief;

birds ring out in anthems sweet to greet me while I walk in beauty on deer trails embossed with colorful leaves; even when snows are heaped losing my way, hold onto their branches to show me the way.

The true bones of the land are the trees, without them a slippery slope without hope.

Animals estranged from their protective pockets with ready-made apertures.

They have cut the heart and soul out of the forest, a rearrangement of soil till it is overcome with turmoil. Not like natural attrition or even replacement, instead sawed down submission, wide open valley now with their omission.

Even the granite boulder the Glacier deposited now surrounded by a vast denuded expanse.

What do we really know of Pathos, dying provoked if we are not one with the oaks, ruining maples from their outflowing of sappy tears,

ashes in the free fall from grace all on account of the Devil may care attitude with underlying greed as the a basis for Human belief.

Clear-cutting is like defying existential reality uprooting manifestations of grace which resides in every tree which defies the sun and wind to give us shade.

No longer conversant in the tongue of leaves, the outflowing of previous tones of bird song, extravagant in the Spring, outpouring of rainbow colors come autumn winds spilling of sap no more to enjoy, the stench of the miscreants nothing left to clear the air of the invaders, just despair.

Embossed by symbols of endurance charismatic bastions of belief, grown between ideas which flourish, reach down to the groundwork for relief.

Staunch believers in holding on through the storms of controversy to balmy days beyond, the upsurge of an environmental brush with Fate, and the need to hold the Earth replete, damages to

control, a manifestation of strength and belief. What rudeness inflicted on them with their pacific stance, neither hurricane nor tornado nor chance encounters but demolished by Human’s hands.

How do we heal the Earth of this temperamental outburst? will there be a tempestuous rebirth from clear-cutting to selective seeding?

Nothing of the sort for these are the breakers of will power, the undertakers who willfully break the mood which allowed our thoughts to catch fire in the

breeze, and brought us to such resolution instead of being stuck in the muck and mire of everyday Human’s Desires.

Only the bedrock, the big glacial rock survivor of the apocalypse to mark the territory while all around is floundering in the abyss.

Where will we go to get away from the “chirping” of technology but the green release of the inner workings of the forest, where Nature is not conscripted but must be enjoined by you and me.

Luis Tovar

Betsy Walls

In the Spotlight

Seventy-year-old Landenberg resident enjoying success as a Master Boxer

The life, the living and the journey of Bob Meyer

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

“Boxing has always been a sport that best reflects life, with its one-on-one struggles that we can all relate to. In our daily lives, we have to constantly rise up and meet challenges, and boxing sums that up best for me.”

Budd Schulberg, The New York Times

Early in the afternoon of October 22, 2022, 70-yearold Landenberg resident Bob Meyer, weighing in at 165 pounds, entered a boxing ring at the Showboat in Atlantic City, as a middleweight entry in the Masters Boxing Championship.

The white square canvas was not unfamiliar to Meyer. He had come to competitive boxing years before – inspired in part by his friendship with Clif Johnson, the owner of Lef Jab Boxing Club in West Grove, where he has trained since 1996 – and had already accumulated a decent 3-1 record in his previous middleweight Masters Boxing Championship bouts. This fight was different, however; it was closer to home -- the first time the tournament was being held in New Jersey after years of him schlepping out to Kansas City, Mo. to compete.

In the opposite corner of the ropes stood the boxer Gary Klein, a veteran of the Masters Boxing world. Meyer had trained ten weeks to prepare for the bout, but he came to Atlantic City carrying a simple philosophy that had been with him since he first began competitive boxing in 2010 when he was 58.

Let my opponent worry about defense, because I’m going to throw non-stop bombs at him.

The fighters banged gloves in the center of the ring. Two rounds later, Klein fell, the victim of a whistling combination of left jabs and punishing rights from Meyer. Klein was defeated, and Meyer took the championship belt with him back to Chester County.

Shadowboxing in Yeadon

For the past 30 years, Meyer has lived with his wife and their four children in the vicinity of South Guernsey and Pennock Bridge roads.

A long-time business owner and a former supervisor for Franklin Township, there is little about Meyer in conversation that suggests that he could be anything but a reserved, upstanding citizen.

There is another side of what has made the man, however, that reveals a life spent nurtured and driven by the energy of defiance, toughness and resilience. Raised in the blue-collar neighborhoods of Yeadon, Pa., Meyer and the roughnecks of his childhood were of the generation who were told by their mothers not to come home until the streetlights came on. It was a childhood of constant activity and movement – pick-up football, baseball and basketball. Often the youngest and smallest in the group, Meyer was bullied by his older brother and his friends, and became the victim of severe taunting.

“They used to hold me down and do cherry bellies on me, but I spat in their faces,” Meyer said. “Once I got to be about 14, I started training in my basement with a heavy punching bag and began shadow boxing.

I felt I needed to take care of myself, and eventually, I would come to beat up every one of those guys who used to pick on me. They all told me that they would never mess with me again, and begged me to not tell the other guys that I had just taken them down.”

After graduating from Yeadon High School, Meyer did a stint in the U.S. Marines, then came home to attend Saint Joseph’s University, where he was introduced to a new sport, rugby, that soon became his passion.

“I broke my nose during the first game, and I thought, ‘This is the sport for me,’” he said. “Rugby satisfied my need for competition.”

A year after graduation, his

first wife – his high school sweetheart – was killed in a car accident when he was just 25 years old.

“A terrible thing had just happened to me, but bad things happen to everyone, and as bad as I had it, I knew that some had it worse than me,” Meyer said. “Was I going to feel sorry for myself for the rest of my life, or was I going to push forward?”

As a way of healing himself, Meyer buried himself in his new sport.

“After my wife was killed, Rugby bailed me out,” he said. “I fell into a great group of guys, who realized what I was going through and began to stop by my house and pick me up to go play all over Philadelphia.”

In 1996, now remarried with children and living in Landenberg, Meyer opened a coffee shop at the current location of the West Grove Diner. At the same time, Johnson was beginning Lef Jab Boxing Club next door. While Meyer’s business venture didn’t succeed, his newfound friendship with Johnson did.

“I asked Clif what he was doing, and when he told me he was about to open a boxing club, I thought it was perfect for me,” said Meyer, who quickly joined the club. “It would allow me to walk next door and release all of my stress, and return to a sport that I loved when I was younger.”

In 2008, a neurosurgeon advised Meyer to give up athletic competition after a freak accident left him with a broken neck due to convulsions experienced from food poisoning. Meyer refused to follow the doctor’s orders; instead, he buried himself in rehabilitating his body at Lef Jab. In 2010, after he had worked under the tutelage of Johnson in the ring, Meyer entered into his first Master Boxing Championship at the age of 58, and earned the first of his three Masters Division Boxing Titles.

“We have always shared the same desire,” said Johnson of Meyer. “My philosophy has always been that

failing to prepare is preparing to fail, and that you need to prepare for anything you wish to do in life. It doesn’t mean that you’re going to be the best, but it means that you have chosen to live life without excuses, and that is something that Bob and I have in common.”

Five championship fights and thousands of hours spent on a Rugby pitch later, Meyer’s tally of his body is a lifetime disabled list of physical setbacks. He has broken every finger except for one, as well as both thumbs, several broken ribs and collarbones, and has gone through four reconstructive shoulder, back and cheek surgeries. None of it phases Meyer; he continues to train more than 20 hours a week at Lef Jab, sometimes in the company of athletes 50 years younger than him, and sometimes alone, with only the clink of weights and the speed bag breaking the silence.

“I use that time to think about my next competitor, and what he might be doing to train for our upcoming fight,” he said. “If he is doing three miles of road work, then I’m going to be doing five miles. If he’s in the ring for an hour, then I’m going to be in the ring for two hours. I keep push-

ing myself, because I have always pushed myself.”

“What happens with people is that everyone has aspirations to find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but they forget the journey,” said Johnson.

“The journey is what’s exciting. All of Bob’s ups and downs, his ailments and the injuries that went on prior to Bob’s latest championship? That’s the life, the living, the journey, and it’s been the journey that Bob and I have shared for the last 25 years.”

Meyer said he will continue to box and play Rugby as long as he can wake up in the morning and continue to make a fist. In a world where the majority of 70 year-olds are slowly shutting down the gears of their lives, Meyer remains both proud and defiant about the choices he continues to make for himself.

“I tell my wife that I will

quit boxing and Rugby when I am on the other side of the ground, but not until then,” he said. “I used to tell my daughters, ‘Why do you care what anyone thinks of you?’ ‘How does that affect your life?’ I don’t care what anyone thinks of me. I’m doing my own thing, and I only care about what continues to drive me forward.”

The 2023 New Jersey Masters Boxing Championships will be held on Sept. 16 and 17, again at the Showboat in Atlantic City. Bob Meyer will be 71 years old then, and he plans to be there, the forever fighter in the ring of competition.

Lef Jab Boxing Club is located at 112 Rosehill Ave., West Grove, Pa. To learn more, call 484-860-4464 or visit the club on social media.

Pa. State Police Trooper arrested for road rage incident

David Levy, a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper, is facing charges of official oppression, recklessly endangering another person, possessing an instrument of crime, and simple assault, following a road rage incident that he was allegedly involved in on Dec. 28.

Levy, a 36-year-old resident of Kennett Square, was off duty during the time that the incident took place.

According to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, Levy, forced another vehicle off the roadway and stopped vehicles near the entrance of Longwood Gardens after driving recklessly on Route 1 in Kennett Township. Witnesses stated they heard a gunshot and observed Levy approach

another car with his gun drawn while shouting commands and acting like he was responding in an official capacity when he was off duty.

Levy has served as a PSP Trooper since February of 2021, and was stationed at the Troop K-Media Barracks. He is currently suspended without pay.

The first reports about the road rage incident in the area of Longwood Gardens in Kennett Township came in at 5:56 p.m. Police interviewed the reporting party and learned that while the family was driving southbound on Route 1 toward Longwood Gardens, they encountered an aggressive driver, who was later identified as Levy. They stated that Levy forced them off

the road, ultimately forced them to stop, and angrily approached them with a gun. They also stated they heard a gunshot during the incident. They explained that the interaction began with the defendant braking abruptly in front of them as they were trying to pass a slow-moving vehicle. When they passed the defendant, he aggressively responded by trying to pass them on the right shoulder, at which point he almost hit a tow truck. The defendant then intentionally drove into their lane of travel to force them off the roadway, off the shoulder and into the grass toward a road sign, concrete curb, and an embankment. The victims were able to avoid a collision by passing another

vehicle in the right lane.

The victims drove their vehicle onto the Route 1 exit ramp into Longwood Gardens and Levy followed them. He drove his vehicle on to the grass on the left side of the ramp, passing the line of traffic, and then partially blocked the lane of other cars.

The defendant then activated his four-way flashers on his car and a gunshot was heard. He was seen exiting his car with a gun in his hand as he walked toward the victims’ car. He screamed at the victims, accusing them of cutting him off in traffic, and identified himself as a state trooper multiple times. He ordered them to stop and turn off their car. When one of the passengers screamed that she was calling the

police and that there was a dash camera in their car, the defendant immediately got into his vehicle and left the scene. Most of this incident was recorded on the victims’ video recording system.

On Dec. 30, 2022, police searched the defendant’s car and found a bullet hole in the dash of the car. A 9mm Luger shell casing was found in the center console.

Police later learned that earlier on the night of the incident Levy had allegedly been drinking alcohol at a bar in Aston Township, Delaware County.

Bail was set at $20,000 unsecured by Magisterial District Judge Marc Lieberman. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 8. Chester County Detectives are investigating. Chief of

If

have

‘The journey is what’s exciting’

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

Photos by Richard L. Gaw

Seventy-year-old Landenberg resident Bob Meyer has been a competitive Master Boxer since 2010, and has accumulated a 4-1 record.

Meyer stands with Clif Johnson, the owner of Lef Jab Boxing Club in West Grove.

Courtesy photo David Levy, a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper, is facing numerous charges following a road rage incident that he was allegedly involved in on Dec. 28.

Staff Andrea Cardamone is the assigned prosecutor.

you

information about this case, call Chester County detective Bob Balchunis at 610-344-6866.

JOHNNY DALE COLDIRON

Johnny Dale Coldiron, of Oxford, passed away peacefully while surrounded by his family and best friends after a seven-year battle with prostate cancer on Jan. 5, 2023. He was 71.

He was the husband of Patti Cooke Coldiron, with whom he shared 51 years of marriage.

Born in West Jefferson, N.C., he was the son of Ruth Perry Coldiron of Landenberg and the late Johnny Ray.

Johnny worked to help Amish families and the Amish community to better understand township regulations and to obtain building permits. He had many English and Amish friends. In his younger years he enjoyed coaching kids’ baseball, soccer, and basketball teams. He was a big Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies fan as well as an avid golfer. He especially enjoyed spending

time with his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife and his mother; his two siblings, Randy Coldiron and Brenda Peterson; his four children, Audra Coldiron, John P. Coldiron (Holly), Brooke Brown and Dolly Coldiron (Chris Sitter). He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held on Jan. 11 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Interment will be in Oxford Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Abramson Cancer Center Chester County Hospital, 440 East Marshall Street, Suite 101, West Chester, Pa. 19380.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome. com.

JAMES JOSEPH LOVELAND

James Joseph Loveland, a resident of Cochranville, passed away on Jan. 16, 2023 at Elkton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Elkton, Md. He was 95.

Born in Rockdale, he was the son of the late Robert and Sadie Wood Loveland.

James was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II.

He served in the Merchant Marines, traveling around the world.

He is survived by one son, James Gold (Kathy) of Downingtown; two grandchildren, Bernadette and Chad; three great-grandchildren, Zoe, James and Benjamin; and one brother, Al Loveland of Cochranville.

He was a beloved uncle by many his many nieces and nephews, especially Andrea, Albert, Jeanine and his great niece, Hazel May.

Services are private.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

LINDA K. KENNEDY

Linda K. Kennedy, of West Grove, passed away on Jan. 5, 2023 at Ware Presbyterian Village, in Oxford. She was 84. She was the wife of the late Gerald Kennedy.

Born in Sylmar, Md., she was the daughter of the late Willard and Emily Townsend Kirk.

Linda was retired from Sears after many years of exemplary service. Prior to that she worked at Gillespies and National 5 & 10 of Oxford and would help pick mushrooms for her father-in-law. She was also employed as a clerk at both the VA Hospital in Perry Point, Md. and the U.S. Naval Station in Key West, Fla.

She was a member of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Oxford. Linda was also a member of the Red Hat Society of West Grove, the Homemakers of Oxford and the Oxford and West Grove Senior Centers.

She was a cub scout den mother of Pack #41. Linda enjoyed spending time with her family especially her grandchildren.

She is survived by three sons, Alan L. Kennedy (Sharon) of Oxford, Scott Kennedy of North East, Md. and Greg L. Kennedy (Karam) of Landenberg; six grandchildren, Diana, Michelle, Samanda, Julia, Elise and James; 12 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Linda Weaver, of Oxford.

She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Nichole Kennedy, daughter-in-law, Marty Kennedy and sister, Helen Shelton.

Funeral services were held on Jan. 11 at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Oxford.

Interment will be in Brick Friends Meeting Cemetery in Rising Sun, Md.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Linda K. Saunders, 71, passed away on Jan. 10, 2023 with her family by her side. Linda fought a courageous two-year battle with cancer.

She was born in Lancaster, Pa. and grew up in Nottingham. Linda worked for the County of Chester at the Courthouse in West Chester before starting a long career at Shared

STEPHEN PALMER BUSHNELL

Stephen Palmer Bushnell, of West Grove, passed away on Jan. 4, 2023 while at home and surrounded by his loving family. He was 83. He was the spouse of the late Pamela Clark Bushnell, with whom he shared 56 years of marriage.

Born in Baltimore, Md., and raised in Baton Rouge, La., he was the son of the late Harry Bushnell and the late Helen Palmer Bushnell.

Stephen graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with a degree in industrial technology in 1961 and from Louisiana State University with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1965. He worked in the early days of computing for the Hercules corporation, including a three-year stint in the Netherlands. He worked for several other firms as a CIO, leading technical advancements in the corporate sphere.

He enjoyed traveling with family, fall vacations on Cape Cod, baking wonderful breads and desserts, building useful things, and speaking Dutch.

Steve is survived by his children, Scott Bushnell of Arlington, Va.; Megan Bushnell of Kennett Square; and Erin Bushnell of Philadelphia; his grandchildren, Wylie Florence-Bushnell and Mavis Florence-Bushnell of Kennett Square; his siblings, Robert Bushnell of Evergreen, Colo.; John Bushnell of Philadelphia; and Catherine Bushnell of Jupiter, Fla.; and his sister-in-law, Lisa Alford of Houston, Tex., and brother-in-law, Roger Clark of Covington, La.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore at https://www.fccns. org/. The family also invites you to hold your own personal celebration of Steve, whether it’s a bike ride, a gathering with friends, or a delicious meal with wine and music.

Arrangements are by Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100).

To view his online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.

Obituaries

LINDA K. SAUNDERS

Medical Systems in Malvern, Pa. She was always the light of any gathering and her beautiful laugh was contagious. Linda was an avid reader. She loved going to the beach and spending time with her family.

Linda is survived by her siblings, Nelson Saunders (Joan) of Oxford, Shirley Baker of Rising Sun, Md., Mary Delp (Cecil) of Elkton, Md., Lois Castagna of Media, Pa., Galen Saunders of Nottingham, Don Saunders (Kristine) of Sebastian, Fla., and Alan Saunders (Cathy) of Little Britain, Pa.

FRANCES ABBOT LAWS

GILBERT

Frances Abbot Laws Gilbert (Fran), age 90, of Kennett Square, died from the natural consequences of old age while at home on Jan. 10, 2023.

Fran led a very ordinary life. Loved to cook. Played bridge. Did needlework. A green-thumb gardener. Avid reader. Loved to travel. Ran a nice card shop in Kennett Square for several years during the 1990s called Papier.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, David Fanton Gilbert. She is survived by her three children, Lesley Jessica Gilbert Natalie, David Fanton Gilbert, Jr., and Betsy Jean Gilbert Benner; three grandchildren, Andrew, Stephanie, and David; and three great-grandchildren, Joshua, Brody, and Brianna.

She always said she did four things right in her life. She married David in 1954. She gave birth to Lesley, David Jr., and Betsy.

Fran liked to repeat a story about Minnie Pearl, the Grand Ol’ Opry star of the 1940s. Minnie always appeared on the stage with a huge smile and a huge “How-dee!!!” She always wore a wonderful hat, with the price tag still dangling from its brim. When asked what she wanted people to remember about her when she was gone, she replied, “I want people to think of me and smile.”

Fran’s final wish, in lieu of any memorial services, was simply that we all be kind to one another.

Contributions in her memory may be made to a cause important to you.

To view her online tribute and to share a memory with family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

She is also survived by nieces and nephews, Cathy Baker, Rob Rhoades, Christopher Reeder, Keith Castagna, Sarah DiFilippo and Rachel Smith, and several great-nieces and great-nephews whom she adored.

Linda was preceded in death by her father and mother, Eldon and Edna (Hill) Saunders, one sister, Arlene Rhoades, brother-in-laws Robert Rhoades and Joe Castagna and her beloved fur babies Benji and Luci.

Services will be private.

ALDETH S. HAAS

On Monday, Jan. 16, Aldeth S. Haas, a beloved mother and grandmother, passed away at the home her family has lived in since 1943. She was 98 years old.

Born in Fort Ashby, West Virginia, she moved to Pennsylvania when in the first grade. She attended Mt. Olivet, a one-room school. Aldeth graduated from New London Academy in 1941, then went on to graduate from West Chester University with a degree in education.

Aldeth started teaching at New London Academy in the fall of 1946 and taught there until 1953. She then transferred to Unionville and taught from 1953 to 1958, and then went to Avon Grove and taught from 1961 to 1967, when she retired. She was still in contact with some of the students she taught over 50 years ago.

Next to her family, her church was so important to her. Her involvement in Kemblesville United Methodist Church spanned many years.

She was the family matriarch and will be missed by many. One of the most missed things will be her sense of humor and love of games and fun. She always had time for everyone who needed her.

Surviving her are two children, John Haas of Kemblesville and Cindy Dunphy of Kimberton, and 10 Grandchildren, Jeremy Dunphy, Justin Dunphy, Ryan Dunphy, Zachary Dunphy, Briannen Cavanaugh, Gabrielle Haas, Charlotte Haas, Cheyenne Haas, Michael Kent and Montanna Haley. She is also survived by two sisters, Kay Trader of Elkton, Md., and Goldie Brackin of West Grove.

Services were held at Kemblesville United Methodist Church in Landenberg on Jan. 21.

Interment will be in Kemblesville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Kemblesville United Methodist Church.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF Elizabeth L. McDowell, aka Elizabeth Ann Lysle McDowell late of New London Township, Chester County, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named Elizabeth L. McDowell having been granted to the undersigned, all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make

payment without delay to: Linda M. Gigliotti, Co-Executor, Margaret E. Chilla, Co-Executor, c/o Attorney: Winifred Moran Sebastian, Esquire, Address: 208 E. Locust St., P.O. Box 381, Oxford, PA 19363 Phone: 610-932-3838

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ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Valentina S. Hosking, Late of Coatesville, Chester County, PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above

Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Patricia Leigh Pressman, Executrix, 222 Upland Way, Wayne, PA 19087 Or Attorney: Richard B. Pressman, Esquire, 1135 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. 1p-11-3t

PUBLIC NOTICE

The London Grove Township Zoning Hearing Board will conduct a public hearing on, Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 7:00 p.m., in the London Grove Township Building, 372 Rose Hill Road, West Grove, PA for the following purpose: 3 Sullivan Chase Drive- To hear the appeal of Sullivan Station HOA for a variance to place an entryway sign within the easement located on the corner of Garden Station Road and Sullivan Chase Drive. 27-2210. This property is in the Rural Residential (RR) District.

William Grandizio, Chairman, Zoning Hearing Board 1p-18-2t NOTICE

Notice of Self Storage SalePlease take notice US Storage Centers - Exton located at 371 Gordon Dr., Exton PA 19341 intends to hold a public sale to the highest bidder of the property stored by the following tenants at the storage facility. This sale will occur as an online auction via www.storagetreasures.com on 2/15/2023 at 10:00AM. Brandon Ginter unit #F025. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply.

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ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of James C English, Late of Wayne, Tredyffrin Township, Chester County, PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all

persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Joanne R Nammavong , Executrix, 133 N Pennock Avenue, Upper Darby PA 19082.

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ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Elaine Litwa, Late of West Grove, Penn Township, Chester County, PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Donna

DiRosato, 212 Penns Grove Rd. Oxford Pa, 19363, Executor. 1p-25-3t

Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the hereindescribed real estate will be sold at public online auction via Bid4Assets, by accessing URL www.bid4assets.com/ chestercopasheriffsales, on Thursday, February 16 th , 2023 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W. Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, March 20 th, 2023. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 23-2-54 Writ of Execution No. 2022-02259 DEBT $190,570.71

ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or parcel of land situated in the Borough of West Grove, County of Chester, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, being more fully described in Deed dated December 8, 2006 and recorded in the Office of the Chester County Recorder of Deeds on December 13, 2006, in Deed Book Volume 7033 at Page 1114, as Instrument No. 200610712785.

Tax Parcel No. 5-4-187

PLAINTIFF: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, as Trustee forthebenefit ofthe FreddieMac Seasoned Credit Risk Transfer Trust, Series 2018-3

VS DEFENDANT:John Turley

SALE ADDRESS: 140West Evergreen Street,West Grove, PA 19390

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP 215-855-9521

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time of the on-line sale. Payment must be made via Bid4Assets. The balance must be paid within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale via Bid4Assets. FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 1p-26-3t

Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the hereindescribed real estate will be sold at public online auction via Bid4Assets, by accessing URL www.bid4assets.com/ chestercopasheriffsales, on Thursday, February 16 th , 2023 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W. Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, March 20 th, 2023. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 23-2-63

Writ of Execution No. 2020-01488

DEBT $184,590.24

ALL THAT CERTAIN tract of land on which is situated a one-half double frame house, known as 419 Strasburg Avenue in the Borough of Parkesburg, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, bounded and described as follows:

BEGINNING at a point in the middle of said Strasburg Avenue, said point being 200 feet West from the west side of North Culvert Street, the southwest corner of land of Chester Findley; thence North along the line of land of Chester Findley, North 19 degrees 20 minutes East 290.4 feet to the middle of a 20 feet wide public alley, known as North Alley; thence along the middle of said Alley, North 70 degrees 32 minutes West 75 feet to the line of land of Sara W. Schultz, now known as Sara W. Sener; thence South along said last mentioned line of land of Sara Sener, South 19

degrees 28 minutes West and going through the center of the division wall of Sara W. Sener and the property hereby conveyed 290.4 feet to the middle of Strasburg Avenue aforesaid; thence finally along the center line of Strasburg Avenue, South 70 degrees 32 minutes East 75 feet to the point and place of beginning. Containing 21,780 square feet of land, be the same more or less.

BEING the same premises which Adrienne M. Hess, now known as Adrienne M. Walburn, recorded on January 14, 2016, in the Recorder of Deeds in and for the County of Chester, at Instrument Number 11453393, by Deed dated January 14, 2016 and recorded January 15, 2016 in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in and for the County of Chester in Record Book 9250 Page 319, granted and conveyed unto Denise M. Johnston, in fee.

BEING UPI # 08-03-0059

PLAINTIFF: CARRINGTONMORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC VS DEFENDANT: DENISE M. JOHNSTON

SALE ADDRESS: 419 Strasburg Avenue, Parkesburg, PA 19365

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: HILLWALLACK LLP 215-579-7700

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time of the on-line sale. Payment must be made via Bid4Assets. The balance must be paid within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale via Bid4Assets. FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 1p-26-3t

Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the hereindescribed real estate will be sold at public online auction via Bid4Assets, by accessing URL www.bid4assets.com/ chestercopasheriffsales, on Thursday, February 16 th , 2023 at 11AM. Notice is given to all

parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W. Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, March 20 th, 2023. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 23-2-65 Writ of Execution No. 2022-03636 DEBT $31,112.54

ALL THAT CERTAIN , MESSAGE, LOT OR PIECE OF LAND SITUATE ON, IN THE BOROUGH OF WEST GROVE, COUNTY OF CHESTER, STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, BOUNDED AND DESCRIBED, AS FOLLOWS, TO WIT:

All that certain lot or piece of ground Situate in the Borough of West Grove, County of Chester, County and State of Pennsylvania, bounded and described according to a subdivision of Harmony Hill made by N.M. Lake and Associates, Inc., Land Surveyors, Oxford, Pennsylvania, dated September 24, 1987 and revised October 3, 1988 and recorded in Chester County as plan File Number 9013, and being more fully described as follows, to-wit:

Beginning at a point on the Southeasterly side of Haines Drive, a corner of Lot 17 on said plan, thence extending from said point of beginning and extending along said side of Lot 17 South 60 degrees 30 minutes 18 seconds East 163.51 feet to a point and corner of Lot 23 on said plan, thence extending along said side of lot 23 South 24 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds West 100.36 feet to a point and corner of Lot 18 on said Plan, thence extending along said side of Lot 19, North 60 degrees 30 minutes 18 seconds West 163.51 feet to a point on the Southeasterly side of Haines Drive; thence extending along said side of Haines Drive, North 24 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds East 100.36 feet to the

first mentioned point and place of beginning.

Being Lot 18 on said plan. Excepting and reserving unto the Grantor its successors and assigns, the perpetual right to dedicate and convey to the Borough of West SALE NO. 23-2-65 Grove (“Borough”), Chester County, Pennsylvania, a Pennsylvania municipal corporation duly organized and existing as a borough, perpetual and exclusive easements, right-of-way and right of entry, all upon, over under and across any and all areas, shown on the above identified Plan, recorded at plan file no. 9013-9020, as public roads, water supply, sanitary and/ or stormwater managements easements, rights-of-way and/ or facilities; any easement, rightof-way and/or right conveyed to the Borough, pursuant to this exception and reservation, shall be for the purpose of placing, constructing, operating, using, maintaining, repairing, rebuilding, replacing, relocating and/ or removing any/or all public watersupply,sanitary sewer, stormwater management and/or any and all other utilities, lines, services and/or facilities and/or public road all such rights to be free from interference; which right to dedicate and convey to the Borough shall be limited only by any prior conveyance of such rights to the Borough.

BEING THE SAME PROPERTY CONVEYED TO STEVEN M. GENTILE AND ANNE F. GENTILE, HUSBAND AND WIFE WHO ACQUIRED TITLE, AS TENANTS BY THE ENTIRETY, BY VIRTUE OF A DEED FROM ERIK REICHELT AND CHRISTINA REICHELT, HUSBAND AND WIFE, DATED JUNE 22, 2006, RECORDED JULY 21, 2006, AT DEED BOOK 6903, PAGE 495, OFFICE OF THE RECORDER OF DEEDS, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

UPI # 5-2-37.15

SALE NO. 23-2-65 PLAINTIFF: PNC Bank,National Association VS

DEFENDANT: Steven M. Gentile& Anne F.Gentile

SALE ADDRESS: 5 Haines Drive, West Grove, PA 19390

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: MANLEY DEAS KOCHALSKI LLC 614-220-5611

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time of the on-line sale. Payment must be made via Bid4Assets. The balance must be paid within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale via Bid4Assets. FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 1p-26-3t

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Respond to President, Ragan Consulting Solutions LLC, 600 Eagleview Blvd, Suite # 300, Exton, PA 19341

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