2 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
On the cover: Happy Groundhog Day!
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the Punxsutawney groundhog’s prognostication. With radio it was more words spoken by enthusiastic Punxsutawney residents about the prognostication from Gobbler’s Knob and more mental imagery about the celebration in Punxsutawney and what to expect in the next six weeks. According to the folk lore and tradition, was it more winter weather or an early spring? During the 1940s, the printed media would begin to use more black and white photos to entrance the readers about the anThe Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle will continue the annual tradition at Gobbler’s nual trek with images that could be reKnob on February 2, 2021, but with adjustments to be made because of the concerns for the COVID-19 virus. The expansive amphitheater space of the Knob will be empty of the vast crowds membered for a lifetime. The official typical of past years. With new technology, the ceremony will be “streamed” by internet to the announcement from Gobbler’s Knob in world. (photos by S. Thomas Curry) Punxsutawney became a visual reality. Then came television, TV, as we now refer to it. Its visual quality became a stronger influence on the distribution of news and stories. And the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, led by Sam Light as president, was ready to take advantage of the By S. Thomas Curry History of Punxsutawney’s earlier new technical marvel. With the new visual of Hometown magazine Groundhog Days, as told through The communication medium in the 1950s, he Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Punxsutawney Spirit, has no record of any- Punxsutawney became more popular and announced in late November 2020 one in the populated Punxsutawney area was the focus of the world on February 2. On February 2,1960, the that Groundhog Day in Punx- who had attended and witPunxsutawney groundhog sutawney at Gobbler’s Knob will not in- nessed the annual prognosmade an appearance on the by “Bre’r clude people in attendance, due to tication morning news show Groundhog,” the “Seer of COVID-19 pandemic concerns. “Today,” with Elaine Light Instead of “in-person visitors” at the an- Seers, King of all Weather and other members of the nual event seen worldwide, this year’s Prophets, Lord High PoAdrian Hospital Auxiliary prognostication will be live-streamed on- tentate of all Marmot to promote Mrs. Light’s line and made available for TV news out- monax,” as he was royally new cookbook “Cooking lets. There will not be the thousands of addressed in printed word. with the Groundhog.” Radio came in the 1920s, visitors to visit Punxsutawney and the fesIt was the beginning of a introduced to the country tive activities organized in town. continued effort to establish As an alternative, at Gobbler’s Knob, the in November 1920 as PittsPunxsutawney, a town with Punxsutawney Groundhog Club members burgh’s KDKA radio staa unique and historic name, will welcome the arrival of the prognosti- tion. Radio, as a new word and where the American cating, famous Punxsutawney groundhog and a new form of commutradition called Groundhog with an “audience” of cut-out figures, for a nication, was used in 1924 Day was celebrated in style price. Life-size figures, in whatever to announce the forecast of to take over the national groundhog gear, and whatever sign may be the Punxsutawney Groundspotlight. desired, can be ordered through the club’s hog. The headline in the Men in top hats and tuxelocal newspaper read website. dos, a Punxsutawney tradiThe event on February 2, 2021, in Punx- “Bre’r Chuck Radiographs tion created by Sam Light, sutawney, with only Punxsutawney’s Inner Word from Gobblers Knob became a familiar image to Circle members, selected news reporters ....” In a whimsical enmillions of people. Appearand an unspecified number of “cut-out chantment with the radio ances on national TV netfans,” should be the “first” in Punx- medium the story began, works became common, on sutawney’s Groundhog Day history to be “At 7:15 this morning from network morning shows in added to other firsts in the long history of Station CHUCK, Gobblers New York City and other the Punxsutawney version of Groundhog Knob broadcasting station, TV stations in neighboring comes the word from the Day. In the summer of 2020, a new sign In the early 1900s, the world saw the an- only reliable long distance was placed at the entrance to the cities, will be remembered. nual prognostication through the imagina- forecasting weather bureau Knob by the Lumber Heritage Re- Who will forget men of the gion (LHR). The sign features Inner Circle appearing with tion of Clymer Freas. Beginning in 1904, in the world ...” eleven attractions in the LHR area In 1925 it was reported to of which Punxsutawney is fea- the Punxsutawney groundas city editor of The Punxsutawney Spirit, Freas began to create images of the weather local residents that, “Radio tured in Jefferson County. (photo hog on the “Oprah Winfrey Show” seen nationally telephones have been in- by S. Thomas Curry) forecast from a “Punxsutawney Weatheracross the country? works” at a fictitious Gobbler’s Knob. It stalled at the Weather It was in 1993 that the movie “Groundhog was through his colorful and creative writ- Works and the official dictum will be given ing in printed words that the world learned to the world just as soon as the Chuck Day” was released, and the legend of Punxabout what was happening in a little town makes his forecast.” So, in 1928, it was the sutawney’s Groundhog Day would be seen in western Pennsylvania called Punx- first time that radio was used to make the by people in many nations worldwide. live broadcast directly to the world about sutawney. - Continued on next page
A Punxsutawney ‘First’ in Groundhog Day History
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FEB. 2, 2021!
Prediction Don’t Miss Phil’s Live EY- VIRTUALLY! MEET US IN PUNXSUTAWN
WATCH ON CABLE OR ONLINE
View the livestream of Punxsutawney Phil's Groundhog Day Prediction at Groundhog.org or view the link PCN provides each year on the Pennsylvania tourism website: www.visitpa.com/live-stream-phils-prediction NO SPECTATORS PERMITTED THIS YEAR, BUT YOU CAN WATCH ON CABLE OR ONLINE.
Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 3
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The “welcome sign” at the entrance to Gobbler’s Knob invites visitors from around the world to the excitement during the annual prognostication by the Punxsutawney groundhog on February 2. For visitors the rest of the year, a new visitors center and walking trail are among other interests. (photo by S. Thomas Curry)
A Punxsutawney ‘First’ Continued from previous page
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Over and over again it was seen. Visitors to the quaint little town of Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania on Groundhog Day swelled to thousands of people. Through the years since, the old tradition of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney would As seen in a 1969 photo, Gobbler’s Knob was a crude arrangement of native stone to provide a photo opportunity for members of the Inner Circle, led by President Sam Light, to promote Punxsutawney’s celebration. Compared to recent crowds, the trek to the Knob years ago included a small number of observers. (Hometown file photo)
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After the release of the movie “Groundhog Day” in 1993, crowds at the Knob swelled to over 30,000 people, as seen in the photo (left). In the new Visitor Center at Gobbler’s Knob is a room with a mural painted by local artist Kelly Porada. For visitors, at any time or season, it captures the feel of Groundhog Day crowds at Gobbler’s Knob on a dark, cold winter day. (photos courtesy of Punxsutawney Groundhog Club)
pass through many changes and adaptations. The “lights, camera, action” of live telecasts from Gobbler’s Knob would be accomplished through new visual technology and skills. Groundhog Day and the ceremony at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney will continue in 2021, inspired by a new generation of Inner Circle members living in a world
of new “devices” to tell the world about Punxsutawney, by name, and the lore and legend of Groundhog Day, as seen in Punxsutawney’s celebration each February 2, no matter what the weather, what the situation, and what the challenge. The year 2020 is history “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!” That’s the way many people feel about the end of the year 2020. Some in the media keep saying that 2020 was the worst year ever! For many Hometown readers, especially those of an older generation with memories of 70 years or more, that might seem true (as we remember, of course). More knowledgeable people could say 2020 was the best year in human history to face a pandemic, considering healthy adaptations in life and development of vaccines to fight COVID-19. Zoom, Facebook, FaceTime, Streaming, texting on mobile phones are new to many of the older generation. As 2021 begins, there are many new improvements and skills to make a better world in the midst of a pandemic. That is good news. Life keeps getting better, even if people don’t realize it. •••
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4 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
The Newest Inner Circle Members: ‘Seeds’ to Grow Phil’s Future By Gloria Kerr for Hometown magazine he Inner Circle consists of only fifteen members, so new members are added only when members retire or become emeritus members. This past year the retirements of Bill Deeley, John “Butch” Prushnok, Ron Ploucha and John Griffiths have left four spots open. Only Inner Circle members can nominate candidates to be considered for membership, unbeknownst to the candidates. Then the Inner Circle votes, aiming to choose new members who have that “Phil gene,” an intangible quality of individuals who embrace Punxsutawney Phil lore, love the magic and the fun of the holiday and want to preserve it and share it with others. Some in the Inner Circle are legacy members; that is, their fathers were involved with the Groundhog Club before them; nevertheless, the honor of belonging to the Inner Circle, which was not formed until the late 1960s, is not inherited. They had to be nominated and “voted in” as well. The five current legacy members are Butch Philliber and A.J. Dereume, fourth generation of family involvement; and Tom Dunkel, Jeff Grube and Jon Johnston, second generation. Protective of their legacy, the Groundhog Club has compiled a handbook that is presented to all new members. It lays out the purpose and history of the club, outlining its various eras from its origin in the 1890s to the
T
Inner Circle member Jory Serrian, one of the Knob’s grounds crew, shovels snow from the stage at Gobblers Knob in preparation for Punxsutawney Phil’s weather prognostication on February 2. (Photo by Katie Donald)
New Inner Circle inductee Rob McCoy brings his experience as director at the Punxsutawney Area Community Center and his enthusiasm for community involvement to the Groundhog Club. (Photo by Noah McCoy)
New Inner Circle inductee Patrick Casaday, coowner of Rock Run Enterprises, has for years helped plow snow and set up for the giant crowds that flock to Gobblers Knob on Groundhog Day. (Photo by Gloria Kerr)
present. Among them are the Newspaper Era (1910-1930) and the Sam Light Era (19501970). It has been during the Television Era (1980-1994), the Movie Era (1994-present) and the Internet Era (2000-present) that the worldwide, commercial and economic impact on Punxsutawney aspects of Groundhog Day have exploded. The club looks for people who often have helped out in the past and have skills and talent that will fill the future needs of the club. President Lundy asserts, “An Inner Circle member’s prime directive is always to be the guardian of Phil” and to help insure “that the
worldwide holiday of Groundhog Day is owned by and forever celebrated here in Punxsutawney.” Lundy says, “Both Rob McCoy and Patrick Casaday fit the bill and bring with them great assets, just as our last new member, Jory Serrian, set a new standard for hard work from day one of his joining.” With his characteristic wit, Lundy admits the club aims “to find out each Inner Circle member’s personality and talent and let that be showcased. It’s like herding performing circus cats.” Jory Serrian Jory Serrian’s path to induction into the Inner
Circle is typical. The son of Betsy and “Red” Serrian, Jory is a bachelor and long-time friend of A.J. Dereume, one of Punxsutawney Phil’s all-important handlers who was the youngest member ever inducted eleven years ago at age thirty-two. Dereume often invited his buddy Serrian along with him and Phil on the Philmobile when Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog made celebrity appearances around the state. Serrian began helping tend Phil and Phyllis at the Groundhog Zoo as well. With access to some heavy equipment and the skills to operate it, Serrian also helped - Continued on next page
Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 5
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Continued from previous page Club groundskeeper Pat Osikowicz plow snow, salt to prevent icing and spread straw at the Knob to prepare for Groundhog Day crowds. Starting the week after Christmas, he says, “We’d spend every weekend up there at the Knob, for thirteen to fourteen hours at a time.” Helping to erect fencing, set up barricades, clean walk ways, empty trash cans and assist with safe, proper parking for years, Serrian was gradually introduced to the major efforts necessary to make Groundhog Day at the Knob happen, all the while just hanging out with friends. His official induction into the Inner Circle in October 2018 was an easy, natural transition. Before he became a Club member, Serrian acted as the Best Man at A.J. Dereume’s marriage to Stevie (Taylor) Dereume on August 18, 2018. Knowing that Inner Circle members would be at the wedding, and loving groundhog lore, he prepared his Best Man speech as a proclamation on a scroll, imitating the look and style of those Phil delivers on February 2. He prepared two, one naughty and one nice, and his delivery of it was a highlight of the wedding celebration. Serrian’s moniker is “Daybreaker,” bequeathed to him because his work day as shop foreman for the P&N Coal Company in Rossiter starts at 3:30 a.m. His surprise notification of his induction came at 9:30 p.m. on a work night after he’d already gone to bed. His buddy A.J. Dereume, along with Dan McGinley, Dave Gigliotti and Pat Osikowicz called and then barged into his house. Throwing a top hat at him, A.J. asked, “Think this will fit your head?” Serrian shot back, “I’ll make it fit.” Then they all went back to celebrate his induction at the Knob. Going to work in the wee hours afterward, he says, “Those twentythree hours [with no sleep] were the best worst night of my life!” Serrian knows he’s “had the ‘Phil gene’ for a long time.” His favorite part of his Inner Circle identity is “being a part of the history of the club. When I was little, I remember Groundhog Day before the movie came out and then after the movie. The Inner Circle became town celebrities. I thought, someday I’d like to be a part of that, help carry on the legend” of Punxsutawney Phil. He loves meeting people who come to the Knob from all over the world and their excitement at being there. “It’s a blessing to me that I live in Punxsutawney,” he concedes. Rob McCoy Rob McCoy, just inducted in October 2020,
is a Punxsutawney native. His family moved to Illinois when he was in tenth grade, but he came back to Punxsutawney in 1993. He first worked at a lumber company where he learned to run the whole mill, did some other odd jobs, and began coaching tee-ball at the Punxsutawney Area Community Center (PACC). With PACC since the year 2000, McCoy was first on the center’s board of directors and later appointed director; he’ll have held that position for eleven years this March. He and his wife Tracy have two boys, Jacob and Noah; Tracy helps out at PACC on movie nights. In recognition of his contributions to the community and his cheerful public spirit, McCoy was named Punxsutawney Man of the Year in 2018. A few years earlier, Mayor Rich Alexander had declared August 3 as Rob McCoy Day in Punxsutawney and given him a key to the city, an honor which he and some friends celebrate at The Burrow annually. McCoy, as PACC Director, has been heavily involved in Groundhog Day festivities because of various events scheduled at the center over the holiday, most in conjunction with the Inner Circle: a craft and vendor fair, repeat showings of the movie “Groundhog Day,’’ the eight-dollar “crash pad” sleep-overs for outof-town visitors and a popular Groundhog Talent Show that’s been a hit for the past three years. He boasts that his record for being up and on the go over Groundhog Day is seventytwo hours. When it’s time for him to be on call for February 2 duties, wife Tracy cheerfully tells her husband, “Enjoy your party! I’ll see you in a couple of days.” Like other inductees, McCoy has been a long-time helper at the Knob throughout the year, mowing grass and helping with calls for extra help, like setting up for picnics and special Groundhog Club-sponsored events. Commenting on what special talent he can bring to the club, he says, “I’ll be good at getting more Punxsutawney people involved, people of all ages from the young to silver sneakers.” With his PACC responsibilities, McCoy will continue to make his Groundhog Day contributions at the center where he runs the show with cheerful optimism. Couples who come to Punxsutawney to get married on February 2 sometimes turn up looking for a honeymoon suite at PACC, and he has one: a little loft upstairs in a crossover hallway. There’s no bed, but he provides them a gymnastic mat for comfort. McCoy insists that he couldn’t manage all the activity at the center on Groundhog Day holidays without board members and volunteers. Occasionally party people who come to - Continued on page 8
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Current Groundhog Club President Jeff Lundy holds up the scroll revealing Punxsutawney Phil’s weather prognostication in 2017.
Groundhog Day 2021: A Year with Big Changes
By Gloria Kerr for Hometown magazine roundhog Day 2021 will be very different this year, as have been virtually all events and facets of our lives in this era of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club has been working diligently for the last several months to adapt and make possible its traditional trek to Gobblers Knob without thousands of Phil’s fans present. It’s inventing ways to host a festive event without creating any public safety issues. Meanwhile, the club itself is adjusting to some significant changes. One is a change in the club’s leadership. Long-time Groundhog Club president and front man Bill Deeley informed club members last summer that he was retiring. Vice President Jeff Lundy, a club member for thirty years, became the new president. Lundy says, “Bill Deeley always made the job look easy. We didn’t want him to go, but he was done. He always let others shine and was happy just being Bill. He’s irreplaceable really.” Nevertheless, Lundy, a full-time attorney at the Law Firm of Lundy and Lundy with his son Jay, is more than prepared to take on the president’s job. His club moniker is “Fair Weather Man.” The other officers of the club are Tom Dunkel, nicknamed “Shingle Shaker,” the new vice president; Jeff Grube, nicknamed “Sky Painter,” treasurer; and Jason Grusky, “Big Chill,” secretary. The abiding philosophy of the Groundhog Club Inner Circle remains: Groundhog Day is not to be taken seriously, but it is serious work creating that
G
fun. As the new club leader, Lundy sees himself as “a bridge to the next generation” of younger club members, metaphorically “the seeds,” who are charged with the important task of keeping the Groundhog Day tradition growing locally and internationally. Their job is vitally important, given the significant impact that Groundhog Day celebrations have on Punxsutawney, as well as on adjacent businesses in Jefferson, Clearfield and Indiana counties. Lundy is mindful that “it is not a given that Punxsutawney will forever own the worldwide holiday of Groundhog Day. We [Groundhog Club and the community] have to work at it every day. It’s a responsibility.” Attorney Lundy has been an active mover and shaker in Groundhog Club since he was inducted in 1990. Bill Deeley and the late Jack Dereume surprised him by showing up at his house one evening thirty years ago with a top hat. Fully engaged in a jury trial at the time, Lundy couldn’t deny their call to join the prestigious Inner Circle. Since his induction, Lundy has composed prognostications and envisioned various ways to finance and promote Groundhog Day festivities. He is the one who conceived the notion to create Hogspitality Village at Gobbler’s Knob on February 2 in 2019, having been inspired by his experience at golf outings where hospitality tents catered to those who were willing to pay to get out of the sun and indulge in some pampering. That first year the club sold out all of its two hundred Hogspitality - Continued on page 9
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Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 7
The Newest Inner
Continued from page 6 sleep overnight at the crash pad in the theater or hallways have over-indulged, and McCoy shepherds them. He loves meeting and interacting with interesting folks from all over. One grateful Philadelphia family group invited him to the Rocky Balboa Run and Tour event held every fall in Philly; when he couldn’t attend, they sent him a care package with an autographed Sylvester Stallone tee-shirt. Patrick Casaday Inducted into the Inner Circle on October 20, 2020, along with Rob McCoy was Patrick Casaday, who says he “got the bug from the brotherhood.” In other words, Casaday has been friends with club members for the past twenty years. In the same high school graduating class as Jory Serrian, he just liked to help out and have fun at groundhog picnics; he’s also helped Knob work crews cut trees and perform maintenance. For the past ten years on February 1, he’s been at the Knob from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. with some of his heavy equipment, working with Inner Circle grounds crew buddies Serrian, Osikowicz, Dereume and many other helpers to plow, direct traffic, load propane, set up mobile light towers and erect barriers. Thus, he was initiated into all the behind-the-scenes efforts that make the magic of Groundhog Day morning possible. Casaday is the son of Lance and Jean Casaday. He and his high school sweetheart Brandi (Gomola) Casaday have been married for fifteen years, and he says, “It just gets better and better.” They have two children, an elevenyear-old son and a daughter, seven. Casaday, in partnership with his father, started his own company named Rock Run Enterprises in 2010. Having graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with dual majors in cartography and geography, he had been working for a surveying company. At that time, the Marcellus Shale industry was booming, and he saw an opportunity to use his talents and knowledge to start a company that supports clients who need an environmental planner to help them stay in compliance with regulatory agencies. Getting his Commercial Driver’s License to drive truck, Casaday set up his Rock Run Enterprises office and work base on Sunny Acres Lane in Bell Township. Now Casaday uses GIS mapping equipment to make and print maps for energy companies, helps plan projects, and lay out infrastructure and logistics, consults with clients on regulatory issues involving water and land management, dis-
Because of COVID-19 social restrictions, no crowds of Phil fans will be allowed at the Knob on Groundhog Day 2021. However, the Groundhog Club accepted photos fans sent to its headquarters and created life-size cut-outs of them to be on site at the Knob, like those we’ve seen at televised sporting events. (Photo by Katie Donald)
patches big tankers that haul water, and much more. In short, he is at the forefront of entrepreneurial efforts to ensure industries use earth’s resources wisely and legally. Casaday brings a wealth of artistic, marketing and mechanical talents to support the Inner Circle’s future endeavors, along with his company’s heavy equipment. He says he still can’t believe he’s a member of the Inner Circle; the reality hasn’t sunk in yet. While he has not been at Gobbler’s Knob for Phil’s prediction on Groundhog Day since college years, he says “that will change in 2021 with the virtual trek.” He will be introduced with the moniker “Head Huntsman,” a traditional Inner Circle name dating back to the 1880s when an annual summer hunt and feast was a Groundhog Club social event. What Casaday likes best about Groundhog Day is “the energy in the town, no politics involved and people from all over the world.” His particular assignment this year with a virtual Groundhog Day Trek at the Knob is to take the photos that fans send of themselves to the Club and turn them into life-size cardboard cut-outs. Final presidential reflections President Lundy reflected on the state of the Inner Circle at this time: “We are not currently at full strength in Inner Circle members with two slots to be filled, which we decided to wait until after this Groundhog Day to fill, particularly in light of the pandemic.” He adds, “I - Continued on page 10
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8 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
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According to the Groundhog Club’s new president Jeff Lundy, one of the best Groundhog Banquet speakers ever to come to Punxsutawney was Larry Richert, KDKA radio personality, in 2008. He had what Lundy calls “the gene to comprehend the magic and mystery of Groundhog Day.” Pictured (l. to r.) : KDKA’s Larry Richert, and banquet emcee Jeff Lundy.
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Groundhog Day 2021
Dunkel and “Phil’s Handler” A.J. Dereume to head the Planning Committee to develop a Five- and a Ten-Year Plan and vision for the Continued from page 7 next generation. Village spots next to the visitors’ center where What’s happening Phil’s fans can enjoy heated seating areas, on Groundhog Day 2021 snacks and drinks and a front-row, televised Despite pandemic limitations, Lundy asserts view of all the activity on stage at Gobbler’s that “the trek and ceremony on February 2 will Knob during the frosty, early morning celebe the same as always. Literally,” he says, “it’s bration. In year two, 2020, the club added ana play the Inner Circle re-enacts every year other hundred Hogspitality spots and sold all with the outcome a mystery,” until an Inner of them, too. Fans from far and wide rave Circle member reads Phil’s prognostication. about the amenities they receive as “special Two scrolls are always prepared, one anguests” of Punxsutawney Phil in Hogspitality nouncing six more weeks of winter and anVillage. other predicting an early spring. Lundy asserts Looking to the future of the Groundhog Club that there’s no club vote to say which scroll will be read; no one knows till Phil and the president pull out one of the scrolls at 7:25 a.m. to reveal Phil’s prediction. While that traditional scenario will unfold the morning of February 2, Katie Donald announced for the Groundhog Club in December that the club’s Groundhog Day would be a virtual event this year. Yes, Phil’s fans can visit Gobbler’s Knob over the weekend before Groundhog Day on Tuesday, February 2, and in the days after. However, no one except Inner The annual Groundhog Banquet is another casualty of Circle members and a camera crew the pandemic. For the past twenty-five years, Inner Cir- will be allowed at Gobbler’s Knob cle member Jeff Lundy’s wife Jackie has handled much from approximately 5 p.m. February of the tremendous responsibility for the dinner, while Jeff has coordinated the program. Pictured: Jackie 1, Groundhog Eve, until after the ceremony at approximately 8:30 am on Lundy with grandson Jake in 2008. February 2. Pennsylvania State Police and perpetuating Phil’s legacy, Lundy notes will have roads to the Knob blocked. The certhat there’s work to be done. He acknowledges emony will be broadcast in real time on PCN, “Sky Painter” and treasurer Jeff Grube for all Pennsylvania Cable Network, a private, nonthe work he did to raise funds to renovate the profit cable television network, and on comKnob Headquarters in the last year. Meanmercial television networks, as well as while, he’s asked “Shingle Shaker” Tom
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The Newest Inner Continued from page 8
cannot predict like Phil, but I personally would not be a bit surprised if one of the next members of the Inner Circle is a woman.” The effect of the coronavirus pandemic on Groundhog Day 2021 and all that would revolve around that holiday in our community is devastating, to say the least. Lundy calls attention to a sad irony: We are looking back at having the largest crowd in history at the Knob in 2019, estimated at 48,257 by for-
Groundhog Day 2021 Continued from previous page
live-streamed on the internet. While Katie Donald has been a linchpin of the Groundhog Club since she came on board in 2011, coordinating and handling a multitude of tasks and details, she recently resigned as full-time director to take a position in public relations with the Punxsutawney Area Hospital. The Groundhog Club has hired a new staff person to work part-time at the club’s office at the Knob, while Donald continues to assist the club through this coming Groundhog Day with what extra time she has. Pandemic challenges and responses The pandemic has presented new challenges for the new president, but Jeff Lundy is meeting them with new committees to address them. He appointed Inner Circle member Dan McGinley to head a COVID-19 Committee early in the fall in anticipation of the impact the virus would have on the festivities. Lundy says that Dan with his group “has done a tremendous job in guiding us through the maze of ever-changing guidelines for Phil to still be able to make his live proclamation, albeit without his faithful followers in attendance.” Dan McGinley and Dave Gigliotti, “Moonshine” and “Thunder Conductor,” respectively, are the Inner Circle members who host the lively, high-energy stage entertainment that starts about 3 a.m. on the Gobbler’s Knob stage. Instead of hosting live bands and other entertainers this year at the Knob, they have been working on a live-streaming, entertaining event that will air a half-hour or so before the 7:15 a.m. Inner Circle Trek to the Knob stage and Phil’s prognostication at 7:25 a.m. Since fans cannot attend in person, Dan McGinley’s Groundhog Day Committee was tasked with creating photo cut-outs of fans to be on site at the Knob, like those we’ve seen at televised sporting events. Fans were able to send photos of themselves to the Groundhog Club, and new member Pat Casaday was instrumental in helping to produce a near life-
mer President “Digger O’Dell” Bill Deeley who based his crowd estimate on bus ticket sales last year. In contrast, this year, 2021, Phil will come out of his stump to make his weather prediction in front of a camera and video crew only! Philosophically, the new president concludes, “Everyone has been affected by COVID-19, and keeping the Groundhog Day tradition alive and well even through the pandemic is important and, we think, a comfort to people, reminding us all that life goes on.” ••• size cut-out of them, Phil, and/or Inner Circle personalities to be placed at the Knob during the early morning ceremony. One option for the cut-outs is to have them signed by Inner Circle members as souvenirs and mailed back to the buyers. Another casualty of the pandemic is the annual Groundhog Banquet always held on the eve of Groundhog Day. It had been one of Lundy’s primary responsibilities and pleasures for the last twenty-five years. While there will be no banquet this year due to recommended restrictions on the size of social gatherings, Lundy credits his wife Jackie (Grube) Lundy for having handled much of the tremendous responsibility for that event over the years. He says the banquet “is like putting on a wedding every year—entertaining 300 to 400 people—the day before Groundhog Day. Jackie did the set-up, decorations and prizes.” February 2 preparation has always been a Lundy family affair. The Lundy’s son Jay, a partner in the Law Office of Lundy and Lundy, helps with the Hogspitality Village and assists the grounds crew with snow removal and clean-up. Their daughter Carrie comes home from Michigan with her children to help out, too. Lundy himself organizes the banquet program, coordinates speakers, oversees the announcement of Man and Woman of the Year and engages a celebrity speaker, but he won’t be doing most of those chores this year. Traditionally the Man and Woman of the Year for 2020 would be announced at the Groundhog Banquet. However, this year’s announcement will be made during a Zoom meeting that includes the recipients, members of their families and Inner Circle members in a time slot during which the banquet normally would have occurred. Lundy thinks the best banquet speaker he ever engaged was Larry Richert, a KDKA radio personality, who has what Lundy calls “the gene to comprehend the magic and mystery of Groundhog Day.” That particular gene is what the Inner Circle looks for when they are searching for new Inner Circle members. •••
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From 1882 until 1904, Coke Ovens were built at Walston. The ovens were of the beehive type. The ovens at Walston were double lines—with openings on both sides of the lines—This photo shows how the beehive fire brick structures were laid out inside the side walls of the line of ovens. Photo courtesy of PAHGS.
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The Legacy of COKE
By Coal Memorial Committee for Hometown magazine imes change. People shape time by seizing opportunities. The Coke Era in the Punxsutawney area was a time of change. Coke, as defined in the Free Dictionary, is a solid-fuel product containing about 80 per cent of carbon produced by distillation of coal to drive off its volatile constituents: used as a fuel and in metallurgy as a reducing agent for converting metal oxides into metals. Coke, for forty years, was the most profitable product produced in the Punxsutawney area. Coke making was first described by an Englishman, John Evelyn. In July 1656, he wrote in his diary about a visit to Greenwich Ferry where he observed John Winter’s “new project of charring seacoale, to burne out the sulphure and render it sweete.” Winter was burning the coal in earthen pots to create cinders, which when rekindled made a pleasant chamber fire, without their sulphur and arsenic impurities. Evelyn remarked, “What successe it may have, time will discover.” Coke became the preferred fuel for heating English parlors. Two and a quarter centuries later the August 4, 1880 issue of the Clearfield Republican boldly announced that, “Before the issue of another paper, the new coke ovens built in DuBois by the firm of Bell, Lewis & Yates, will be fired and a new industry commenced.” This was the third set of coke ovens fired along the Allegheny Low Grade Railroad which traversed Jefferson County and was characterized as an experimental action. The first thirty coke ovens were located at New Bethlehem, forty-five miles down the road from DuBois. The second set, thirty coke ovens, were fired the last week of July 1880 near Reynoldsville by Powers, Brown & Company. The new Bell, Lewis & Yates Coke Works at DuBois consisted of 56 ovens and projected to provide employment for twentyfive to fifty men. An analysis had shown the coal in the Reynoldsville Coal Basin was ideal for coking purposes. It was low in sulphur and was deemed to be the best coal for producing gas, steam and coke. Coke was in high demand to support the smelting of iron needed during the post-Civil War economic expansion. The profit to be made by supplying coke to the iron industry developing along Lake Erie was one of the factors which convinced Walston Brown, of the firm Powers, Brown & Company, to secure options on 12,000 acres of coal
T
land from Jenks, Blood and others near Punxsutawney. He had previously worked to develop railroads in the mid-west and now was motivated to move ahead, full throttle, to develop a railroad to the rich coal beds at the southern end of the Reynoldsville Basin. Seizing the opportunity to dream big, he pulled together the resources and talent available and created opportunities for many others. He lost no time developing investors and in letting contracts for the building of segments of the railroad necessary to transport coal and coke to Lake Erie. Communities along the proposed rail line saw the economic opportunity and also invested. News items in the Elk County Advocate reported on railroad development during 1881: In August it was reported that engineers were pushing the road across the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation where standing timber had to be removed to get the road from Salamanca to Bradford, then across rivers, swamps, where they constructed trestles and bridges, using local labor enhanced by Hungarian and Italian immigrants. By April 1882 it was predicted that not many moons would pass before the scream of the locomotive would wake the echoes between Ridgway and the mouth of the Toby, and then move on to Brockwayville. The railroad would reach Punxsutawney in July 1883. According to the Indiana Weekly Messenger of July 18, 1883, the first freight consigned to Punxsutawney over the Rochester & Pittsburgh railroad was a car load of Rochester beer. In anticipation of the arrival of the railroad, Walston Brown recruited a large force of men to open mines and build coke ovens at a site near Punxsutawney where geological studies had revealed a 10-foot-thick coal seam. The site quickly took on the name of Walston’s mine. Brown, who had recruited workers from the Connellsville area to open the Reynoldsville Coke Works, recruited John McLeavy to superintend the work. Workers were brought from the Reynoldsville Coke Works to open the Walston mine and to build the coke works. At that time Connellsville was the largest coke manufacturing plant in the state. Based on the analysis of the coal at the Walston site, it was determined that the main product would be coke. The Walston mine openings were located on the east and west sides of the Saw Mill Run ravine at a site where a broad plot of ground provided space for locating tracks and sidings. No. 1 Walston
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SSCD Celebrates Catholic Schools Week S aints Cosmas and Damian Elementary School (SSCD) is celebrating Catholic education during Catholic Schools Week, January 31 - February 6. This year’s theme is “Faith, Excellence and Service.” Principal Heather Serian Kunselman highlighted that the school has continued to be a center of faith throughout the pandemic with daily religious instruction, prayers lifting those in need and guidance to help students live their best lives as children of God. The school opened its doors for the new academic year using distancing and safety protocols to deliver its unique approach to blending values-centered education with rigorous standards-based instruction to achieve the goal of providing students the tools they need to succeed in whatever path they choose for their futures. SSCD’s long-standing Middle States accreditation is based on high academic standards and student achievement. Service to others and to the community is a founding principle of the school. This academic year students raised funds for Make-A-Wish, donated to the parish food pantry and sent cards to nursing home residents and members of the military. The outstanding instructional staff gave of themselves to learn new technologies and techniques to elevate student learning during the pandemic. Principal Kunselman expressed her gratitude on behalf of the students to the many benefactors who stepped up to provide essential equipment and resources for a safe learning environment since last spring. The staff works tirelessly to ensure an environment that is both safe and conducive to new modes of instruction. The school invites everyone to join in the celebration of Catholic Schools Week 2021. Here are just a few highlights planned for the week: Sunday, January 31: Join us in-person or
via Twitch for 11 a.m. Mass at SSCD Church to launch Catholic Schools Week 2021. Monday, February 1: Join our celebration of families and communities by giving thanks to the people who work so hard to keep us safe, healthy and filled with joy. Start with your favorite front-line workers and first responders! Tuesday, February 2: Commemorate our town’s first Virtual Groundhog Day celebration by supporting our community’s amazing businesses – large and small. Wednesday, February 3: Our Great Nation is the focus of the day! The community is invited to join our school parents and parishioners in the school courtyard, socially distanced and wearing masks, to honor our nation by together praying the Our Father and saying the Pledge of Allegiance (weather permitting). Thursday, February 4: Students will gather in school to celebrate teachers, staff and vocations in faith. Friday, February 5: A special thank-you to our donors, volunteers and sponsors. Please join us for our Children’s Mass at 9 a.m. in-person or via Twitch. We will offer special prayer intentions for those who give of themselves to make our school successful. We remain grateful to everyone for their prayers, time and financial contributions. Saturday, February 6: Celebrating 126 years of SSCD Alumni! Alumni are asked to share stories, pictures or videos via SSCD School Facebook messenger or email sscdpcl@comcast.net to be shared on our school Facebook page. The school welcomes inquiries from prospective students throughout the year. Call to schedule a virtual open house and learn how your child can continue to grow in Faith, Excellence and Service! •••
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(This dough needs to be refrigerated for several hours before rolling it out, or refrigerate it overnight.) 1/2 cup margarine (1 stick) 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1/4 cup French vanilla coffee creamer (or milk) 1 1/2 cups flour 3/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt Icing and/or sugar for decoration
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12 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
- Cream the first four ingredients. Add the creamer and egg. Beat again. Sift the dry ingredients and add to the others. Form into a ball and refrigerate in a covered container for several hours or overnight. -Roll dough out on floured counter in small batches. Decorate with any sugars. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the edges and tails are brown. The small groundhog cookie cutter I have makes about 6 dozen. •••
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14 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
The eerie orange glow over the Walston Coke Ovens at night was a major attraction of visitors to the area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Photo courtesy of PAHGS.
The Legacy of Continued from page 11 had a drift opening and was located on the west side of the ravine where a tipple was built for loading coal and large bins were constructed for holding coal for the coke ovens. No. 2 and No. 3 openings were on the east side of the ravine. No. 2 Walston was a drift opening which extended back into the hill and required a 2,700-foot rope haulage system to transport coal cars up an incline at this mine. No. 3 Walston was a slope opening, for which a large tipple with coal bins of 700-ton capacity were constructed. Coke ovens were built on both sides of the ravine. On the west was built the longest continuous string of coke ovens in the world. The string was one-and-aquarter miles long and contained 475 coke ovens. On the east side 225 ovens were constructed, making 700 the original total of coke ovens at Walston. By the time the railroad arrived, the mines and the coke ovens were in operation and were ready to send their first coke to iron furnaces in New York State. The Walston coke ovens quickly became a “must see” site for persons visiting Punxsutawney. In July 1887, when the new Catholic Church at Clayville was dedicated, arrangements were made for an excursion train for Brookville residents and members of the Catholic congregation to attend the event. Included in the excursion, without extra charge, was a side trip to Walston to see the extensive coal and coke works. The success of Walston Brown and the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company attracted the attention of the Berwind-White Coal Company which built the second railroad to Punxsutawney where they opened three coal mines at Horatio. The new railroad provided access to the Philadelphia area. At Horatio the company constructed fifty coke ovens at each mine opening. H.G. Fisher, mine superintendent of Berwind-White, purchased 50 acres from Jacob Coon, near Sportsburg, to be used as a site for 500 coke ovens. This new coke works would bring the number of coke ovens in the Punxsutawney area to 2000.
By 1888, The Walston coke works employed 1,617 men and was producing 255,466 tons of coke. The company was also producing crushed coke. This was a new and original product of the company. The Coal Trade Journal described this product as “domestic coke” made from smaller pieces of coke which resemble pearl-gray nuggets. These fragments were gathered together and put through a crushing plant which reduced them to an even size. The advantages of this fuel was that it was easily kindled, was devoid of noxious coal gas and retained its heat for a much longer period that hard coal. More ovens were built at Walston with a view of increasing their total from 1,140 to 1,500. According to the Coal Trade Journal, the Walston workers were mostly foreigners whose wages averaged less than those of the Connellsville region workers. The output of both coal and coke maintained steady growth around Punxsutawney. The increase in population as a result of the coal and coke industry spawned the development of other businesses. Over the 40-year period of the Coke Era, retail was expanded, light manufacturing grew, breweries boomed, transportation evolved from rail to automobile, the hospital was built, schools were expanded and recreational facilities developed. In sum, the community profited. In 1892, clouds of change for the coke industry began to appear. Cleaner fuels for industry including oil and electricity were emerging. However, the most ominous cloud was a syndicate of capitalists who had purchased more than 100,000 acres of coal land in the West Virginia Mountains. The Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad was building branch roads to these new coal fields. It was predicted that the combination of resources and low-cost transportation would enable iron manufacturers to secure coke at lower prices and drive the Punxsutawney area coke works out of business. Officers of the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company, anticipating the loss of markets for the locally produced coke, formed two corporations: one for the construction of a - Continued on page 16
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By Mary Ellen Pollock-Raneri for Hometown magazine ou would think that my folks and I would have spent New Year’s Day eating pork and sauerkraut, taking down the tree, or perhaps, sitting around watching highlights from the past year on the television back in the good ol’ days. I remember that our local radio station did a countdown show where they played the top songs starting with number 100 until they reached the top song of the year. I loved that! Mom and Dad and I listened to all the tunes in the car, as far as the radio reception would allow, on our way to the big fabric factory in Altoona. Roaring River Mills. That was the place. Typically, Mom would pack some sandwiches in a cooler (usually leftover ham from Christmas with mustard and cheese on her homemade bread), and my father would hitch up the old blue station wagon. Then, we would go on the couple-hour drive over the river and through the woods to the big fabric warehouse. Up and down hills and on a wooded highway, we crept along as we chatted and munched on the lunch. Mom and Dad would always point out Horseshoe Curve that I could spy out of my right passenger window, and I could see the dark mountains in the distance and the rounded shape of the landscape. Soon, we would arrive at the orange-yellow, big brick building with the two huge glass front doors. On New Year’s Day, they had a couple card tables set up between the two bathroom doors near the front entrance. There, on this delightful snack food buffet, we dined on potato chips, corn curls and pretzels. Dad thought this nifty free grub was a great spread, and we celebrated New Year’s with some chips and salty goodies on plain napkins, as we browsed the giant bins of materials and huge rollers stacked to the ceiling with all kinds of fabrics. The place was an enormous building with a plain cement floor. Cardboard boxes overflowed with discarded remnants. Any type of fabric known to mankind was in that place! I even think that you could purchase fabric by the pound as well as by the yard. I remember gazing at gigantic rolls of lace and silk and sparkly material, and I dreamed about sewing a beautiful gown. Mom usually let me pick out one kind of material for a new outfit. Thick books of McCall’s and Butterick patterns sat atop high, metal filing cabinets, and I loved browsing in them – imagining myself decked out in the latest bell bottom pants
Y
outfit with a vest or culottes with a matching tunic top. So, I would sit there with my napkin filled with corn curls and munch on them and imagine how chic and popular I would be with a new outfit. While Mom usually got lost in the catacombs of the place, my dad and I were frequent flyers to the snack table there by the restrooms. I know it may not seem like a big deal to most people, but my mother NEVER bought potato chips or pretzels. Dip was unheard of. I mean, I don’t think I had ever seen a corn curl in person, so I was as happy as a dog at a fire hydrant convention. I never ever met a carbohydrate I didn’t like. Anyway, while Mom picked out the perfect material, Dad and I stood there, between the two restroom doors, by a little card table that was set up with the much relished New Year’s Day treats. We just kind of hung out, chomped on the goodies and chewed the fat as we people-watched and observed all the customers who checked out at the nearby cash registers. Eventually, though, I decided to pay a quick visit to the ladies room. I mean, it was handy, so why not? I told Dad where I was going, and he promised to wait there for me until I finished my pit stop. After a few minutes, I came out of the restroom. But, my dad had changed locations as he moved away from the entrance where the chilly air swept in from the outside with all the comings and goings of the clientele. I raised my arm to hail my dad, and he spied me right away. He waved back and started to laugh. Confused, I picked up the pace and ran towards him in order to see what was so darn funny. “Mary, Mary!” he shouted as he giggled hysterically, and his face kind of was turning red. “Look at your foot!” And, there it was. Stuck on my shoe. Probably about as long as the biggest bolt of fabric in the place – unfurled in all its splendor: about 17 yards of toilet paper. The worst part is that the manager was kind of stooped over rolling it up in a bundle as he followed me and tried to pull it off my shoe. Embarrassed, I stopped dead and mumbled some kind of apology to the poor worker who was creeping about on the floor, around the corn curl table, while he tried to delicately juggle my toilet paper collection. I kind of wanted to laugh, too, because my dad was making me laugh. Holding back my giggles, I mustered my best, “very sorry,” and yanked the toilet paper from my shoe with one dignified swoop of my hand. And, that’s how it all came down that day Way Back When - sometime in the 1960s at the fabric factory. That day, I really rang in the new year right. I went on a fun road trip; I went material shopping; and I ate cool snacks. Best or all, I went “toilet papering”- and it wasn’t even Halloween! •••
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Remnants of the beehive coke ovens near Walston could be seen for years after they were used. They are monuments to the Coke Era in the Punxsutawney area. Photo courtesy of PAHGS
The Legacy of Continued from page 14 blast furnace at Punxsutawney and the other to do the same at DuBois. These furnaces would use the coke produced in the area, thereby continuing to provide local employment. The Punxsutawney Furnace began operation in 1896 and the Adrian Furnace, in Sandy Township near DuBois, in 1902. With a stockpile of 150,000 tons of iron ore from the Lake Superior region and the coke manufactured locally, these iron furnaces provided pig iron to the DuBois Iron Works, the Mahoning Foundry and the Punxsutawney Foundry which employed people who manufactured products for a broad range of markets. Through this effort, local coke production continued and employment sustained during the first decade of the 20th century. The last Walston coke ovens were built by the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Company in 1904. Times changed. By 1918, the Walston Mines and Coke Ovens had become obsolete. The Indiana Gazette of July 9, 1918 reported that the last rail of the Walston Coke ovens was taken and the usefulness of these famous ovens ended. “As is the case with all things they have outlived their usefulness, and the brick and stone of which they were composed will be piled and used where they are more needed.” The Jeffersonian Democrat of Brookville, in its July 18, 1918 issue reprinted this item from the Punxsutawney News: “Walston Coke Ovens No More At one time the Walston Coke ovens were known as the longest unbroken string of coke ovens in the world. But time changes all things, including coke ovens. Since 1883 some of these ovens have been in use, but they will pour out their smoke and sulphur no more, in fact, that nuisance had been abated a long time ago, in fact the ovens were making no more coke and many of them had gone into decay. The tracks and all the iron around and about the old ovens is being gathered up and no doubt, what for years has been a burnt and waste place where the sulphur and smoke killed the vegetation will in time again become covered with verdure.” And, indeed, this happened. Remnants of the coke ovens exist at Walston and along the Mahoning Shadow Trail where nature is gradually absorbing them. These remnants are monuments to a different time in the Punxsutawney area. Bricks and stones from banks of coke ovens were recycled as base fill for local roads. The Punxsutawney Iron Company Furnace, which was built to keep the coke ovens working, morphed into a shopping mall in the 20th Century. The fact that coke ovens once existed, as a mighty economic force, is
history. The Punxsutawney News, in the following May 25, 1931 item, addressed the human tendency to long for the “good old days” and to look for easy or quick solutions: “The Senate has rejected the proposition to put a tax on beer. Many of the beer advocates have been telling the Senate that to legalize the manufacture and sale of high powered beer would get this country out of the mud—I mean out of the depression, and would bring back prosperity. Before prohibition, Punxsutawney had two breweries in full operation, but it is a safe guess that if legalized beer were to come back it would not pay to start up both breweries again. The big populations that made the mining towns in this section were great beer consumers, but where are the mining towns and their populations today? Beer would not bring back the hum and industry of these towns nor the long strings of coke ovens. Beer would not re-open the mines to supply coal to railroads and ships, for the automobile and trucks have reduced the business of the railroads, and electricity has also lessened the demand for coal, and ships are burning oil to run their engines. The only way beer would force the auto and buses off the highway would be when the drivers would get drunk on beer.” The Coke Era was a time of great prosperity for the Punxsutawney Area. The legacy of the Coke Era is that it was fueled by people with vision who seized the moment and worked to make the best of the resources available to them. In turn, they brought many improvements to the community. During the 200 years of Punxsutawney’s existence, the basis of local prosperity has changed with the times. Each era has had its heyday: Lumber, Coal & Coke, Manufacturing, etc. Time is changing. It is a new generation’s time to seize the day and create a new era of prosperity for Punxsutawney. This article has been prepared by the Coal Memorial Committee of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society. Resources used in preparing this article are from PAHGS, The Punxsutawney Spirit, and Newspapers.com. Comments may be directed to PAHGS, P.O. Box 186, Punxsutawney, PA 15767. Individuals desiring to honor a coal or coal industry related worker are encouraged to purchase their tile by June 30, 2021. A Coal Memorial tile may honor persons who worked in any aspect of the coal industry including railroads and ancillary services. Additional information and from may be found online at www.punxsyhistory.org , or may be requested by email to: punxsyhistory@outlook.com, or calling 814-938-2555 and leaving a message. •••
Clair Eugene Adams, (1923-2003) and Mervin James Adams, (1922-2014) Brothers and sons of James Irvin and Florence Hawk Adams, who lived near Dora, are pictured together as they were both stationed at U.S. Army camps in Mississippi. Clair went on to serve as a medic during WWII in Medical Detachment 202nd Engineer Combat Battalion. Files show he was routed through Ireland and England to posts in France and Belgium. After the war, he returned to Jefferson County and worked in the mining industry. He and his wife, Helen Snyder Adams, are buried at Dora Evangelical Cemetery. Mervin is noted as having served with the 99th Infantry Division in Germany. He and his wife, Gertrude Bush Adams, are buried at Zion Cemetery in Porter Township. PAHGS WWII Clipping Files.
Siblings in Service By Marty Armstrong for Hometown magazine n December 1941, the United States officially became a country at war following the December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor. But this second world war had been taking place elsewhere since 1939, only 20 years following the cessation of hostilities of “the war to end all wars” in 1919. The U.S., however, was impacted by the war’s events long before the Pearl Harbor attack. PBS has helpfully created a timeline of events during the whole span of the war. Several of the ‘39, ‘40 and ‘41 timeline events follow now and throughout 2021 and help set the stage to present information about Punxsutawney area persons who served in WWII.
I
1939 September 3 following Germany’s annexation of Czechoslovakia in March and invasion of Poland on September 1, France and Great Britain enter the war against Germany. September 4 Japan, engaged in war with China, declares its neutrality in the European War. September 5 As war broke out in Europe, American sentiment heavily favored isolationism. With the nation still skeptical of Allied propaganda after it had lured the U.S. into the first World War, the United States declares its neutrality in the European War. September 27 Warsaw, Poland, surrenders to German forces. Poland is partitioned by Germany and Russia. December 2 The 1940 Olympic Games, to be held in Finland, are canceled. 1940 During the first eight months of 1940, Germany invades Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg and France where a pro-German Vichy government takes control while Italy and, later, Japan join forces with Germany. All the while, intense efforts to cow Great Britain continue with intensive, destructive and deadly bombing campaigns and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, whose policy of appeasement failed, resigns. Forming a coalition government, Winston Churchill replaces him. Standing alone, Churchill soon begins conferring with U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt for aid to the British cause. September 19 The U.S. Congress passes the Selective Service Act. It calls for the first peacetime draft in American history. To serve, men had to be five feet tall, weigh 105 pounds, have correctable vision and at least half their teeth. October 16 Close to 16 million American men between the ages of 21 and 36 are required to register at one of 6,500 draft boards across the country. Nearly 50 million men
would register during the war. October 28 Italy invades Greece. 1941 January 10 The Lend-Lease program to provide aid to Great Britain is introduced into U.S. Congress where it faces strong opposition from isolationists. (Note to readers, the timeline for 1941 and beyond will continue in subsequent articles.) The Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society has the clipping files created by Punxsutawney public librarian Mildred Harlan during the war years. Her charge was to clip all mentions in Jefferson County newspapers of service persons’ enlistments, deployments, visits home, promotions and casualties. These files have been indexed and indicate names in alphabetical order, branches of service and parents’ names. It is easy, therefore, to focus on a specific surname, find persons having the same parents and, thus, identify siblings in service. There are many sets of these. Families were large and the total number of
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Dora Sunday School Banner Like many churches and other organizations, the Dora Sunday School had a red, white and blue felt banner made to commemorate the service of their community members in WWII, including Mervin, Clair and Boyd Adams. Image courtesy of the Dora Evangelical Church.
those who served is astounding. There are many hundreds of servicepersons represented in the society’s files. Among the “A” files, there are a number of persons with the surname of Adams, including three having the same parents. These brothers are Mervin, Clair and Boyd Adams, all sons of James Irvin and Florence Hawk Adams of Punxsutawney R.D.4. Rural readers know - Continued on next page
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Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 17
Lorraine Clifford “BZ” Adams (1913-1993) Son of Lawrence and Mamie Adams of Punxsutawney and a second cousin of Mervin, Clair, Boyd and Russell Adams, he, too, served in WWII as a U.S. Navy Seabee in the Pacific. Following the war, he worked for 34 years with the B&O/C&O Railroad. He and his wife, Helen Magnusson Adams, are buried at Maple Grove Cemetery, Vermilion, Ohio. His photograph was located in www.Ancestry.com’s public member photos.
Boyd Harold Adams (1926-1994) Boyd was the third son of James Irvin and Florence Hawk Adams, who lived Dora, to enter the service in WWII. He worked as a miner and later managed the Riverside Market in DuBois from where he retired. His family provided a uniformed picture (WWII) for this article. He is buried at Zion Cemetery.
Russell Laird Adams (1929-2017) A younger son of James Irvin and Florence Hawk Adams, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, when he earned the Bronze Star. In later years he worked as a truck driver, mechanic and heavy equipment operator. He and his wife, Delores Bowers Adams, are buried at McClure Cemetery in Big Run. The photograph of his bronze marker was located on www.FindAGrave.com.
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Siblings in Service Continued from previous page that, before 911 addresses were assigned, rural addresses represented positions along several delivery routes which wind around the townships surrounding the Punxsutawney borough. R.D.4 is a pretty long route over several state and township roads and which covers portions of Perry, Porter and Ringgold townships. The brothers named above were part of a family whose roots in the area go back to pre-Revolutionary times and whose branches spread widely. In the Adams surname file compiled by society volunteers, there is a multipage newspaper clipping describing a 1914 Adams family reunion of at which approximately 500 were present. The article provided great detail about the early Adams’ arrivals in Porter township and their many family ties with Kennedys, Stockdales, Gahagens and others. One speaker also posited, due to the Adams forbears having come from New England and bearing many of the same given names as the Adams family members prominent in early colonial and U.S. history, that a relationship to those early U.S. leaders exists. Relationship or not, our Adams brothers’ ancestors served during the American Revolution and subsequent conflicts. Other ancestors lived lives of service in education and other professions, including one who served as a Methodist Episcopal pastor. It happens that, in addition to the WWII clipping files, there is another source of information about Punxsutawney service men and women in WWII. A section of the “Punxsutawney Centennial” history of Punxsutawney, published in 1949, lists servicepersons from different war eras. The Punxsutawney High School students responsible for this section of the book researched
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what was known about each period. Readers may remember from a 1917 article that the WWI names were copied from a Jefferson County monument in Brookville over several cold rainy days and then narrowed down to just Punxsutawney names with the assistance of local veterans organizations. For WWII, the student committee used the very same clipping files referenced earlier created by Miss Harlan, located at that time in the Punxsutawney Public Library. Their preliminary list was also narrowed to achieve a list of Punxsutawney names which totaled 1,149 names. Mervin, Clair and Boyd did not make the cut. Why not? It all hinges on the perspective of the time; if one lived outside the borough or area perceived to be “Punxsutawney,” one was not listed. Such a list, if it were compiled today, would certainly include all those who served from the surrounding townships. The Centennial list includes one Adams serviceman; his name was Lorraine Adams, who lived in town. A bit older, he graduated from Punxsutawney High School in 1927, where he played football, belonged to several clubs and, proficient with many instruments, was a member of the orchestra. Interestingly, research on www.ancestry.com reveals that he, too, was a descendant of the Porter Township Adams family and a second cousin of Clair, Mervin and Boyd. Not to be forgotten, the trio’s younger brother, Russell, served during the Korean Conflict and received a Bronze Star. Finally, additional service members can be found in subsequent Adams generations: Merle W. “Bill” Adams (1947-1973), son of Mervin and Gertrude served during the Vietnam Era in the Military Police and Roger Adams, son of Clair and Helen also served during the Vietnam Era. As months follow, readers can expect to see regular reporting of WWII “Siblings in Service” along with articles featuring other forms of public service. •••
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First Christmas Baby of 2020 Contest Winner Punxsutawney Hometown magazine and the sponsors of the First Christmas Baby of 2020 Contest wish to recognize the winner, Lennon Helena Ackerson! Lennon was born at 11:57 a.m. on December 28, at Punxsutawney Area Hospital. Lennon and his family received gifts from the following participating businesses who gave $25 gift cards: The Medicine Shoppe, Walmart, Marion Center Bank, McDonald’s, Patrons Mutual, Punxsy Shop ‘n Save and the Christian Book Store, plus a baby supply gift basket from Punxsutawney Physician Group at Punxsutawney Area Hospital. (back, l to r.) Welcoming the baby into the world are Susan Heitzenrater, RN Charge Nurse; Hilary Jacobson, RNC; Dad, Alan Ackerson (seated); and Mom, Ashley Warren, holding Lennon Helena Ackerson. (Photo taken by Brooke Henninger, RN EY)
Hometown Community Happenings By the staff of Hometown magazine rom the staff of Hometown magazine and the Community Calendar at Punxsutawney.com, here is a list of events coming up in our area: At press time, some events were being cancelled or postponed due to the Coronavirus restrictions. Please check with the host organization, website, or Facebook page for upto-date information. n Groundhog Day 2021 is going virtual. More information on telecasts and live streaming of this year’s prognostication can be found at www.groundhog.org. n Jan. 29: Blood Drive, 1 to 6 p.m. at Cobblestone Hotel, Punxsutawney. Benefits the American Red Cross. n Jan. 30: Crowning of 2021 Little Mr. & Miss Groundhog, 10 a.m., lobby of Weather Discovery Center. No charge to attend ceremony. n Feb. 2: Groundhog Day! n Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day. Treat someone special to something special from one of Hometown’s advertisers. n Feb. 15: Presidents Day. Legal holiday. Some businesses may be closed. n Feb. 16: Blood Drive, noon to 6 p.m. at Punxsutawney VFW. Benefits the American Red Cross. n Feb. 17: Ash Wednesday. Begins the religious season of Lent. n Dog licenses for 2021 are available at local merchants and online. Visit www.agri-
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VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY THURSDAY, FEB. 11TH
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FITNESS CLASS
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Wednesday at 1 pm with Fitness Instructor Carole
Feb. 1st - Special Groundhog Breakfast
Wednesday at 1 pm
Mondays from 9:30 - 11 am with a special treat!
Feb. 8th - French Toast & Sausage Feb. 15th - No Breakfast/Center Closed Feb. 22nd - Pancakes & Sausage
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Thursday at 11:00 am (except Feb. 11th-see above)
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Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 19
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Safe Ways to Celebrate the Super Bowl
he Super Bowl is the culmination of the National Football League season, which traditionally begins in early September and ends in late December or early January. The Super Bowl is one of the most anticipated professional sporting events each year. In most years, around 75,000 fans pack the stadium hosting the game to watch the Super Bowl in person, and millions of people around the globe tune in to view the live simulcast, typically at private parties with
Office Hours By Appointment
friends or alongside fellow fans in sports bars. However, this year Super Bowl watch parties are expected to look quite a bit different. The 2021 Super Bowl may set the record for the smallest crowd in attendance due to the COVID-19 virus. The game is slated to be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., and ESPN reports that the NFL is planning for 20 percent seating capacity at the game. Fans are expected to wear masks and will sit in pods separated by six feet. That capacity restriction would place around 13,000 fans in the stadium. Super Bowl I, which took place in 1967, was the only Super Bowl in history not to sell out, and that drew a crowd of 61,946 fans. While scoring a ticket to the hottest game in town is often an expensive endeavor,
with capacity restrictions for this year’s game it likely will be even more difficult for diehard fans to attend the game in person. Instead, individuals can view the game on CBS or stream it through CBS All Access. Here are some ways to safely celebrate while enjoying the game. • Go cashless. For those who will be at Raymond James Stadium for the big game, cash is not king. The NFL has partnered with Visa to employ cashless payment systems for everything at the venue. In addition, there will be reverse ATMs to turn cash into pre-paid cards to use for purchases. • Order in. The Super Bowl is one of the biggest nights for pizza sales and other takeout. Fans can make it even more so by ordering from their favorite restaurants — many of which have been hit hard during the pandemic. • Keep gatherings small. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and other public health advisory groups continue to maintain that social distancing is the best way to help curb the spread of COVID-19. That means keeping crowds small and separate. If possible, host the party outside, as the virus does not spread as easily outdoors as it does indoors. Encourage guests to dress warmly and provide heat sources, like fire pits or propane heaters. • Host a digital watch party. Video conferencing apps have been used for everything from work to school. Fans can gather online and watch the game simultaneously, but in their own homes. Share the cheers, jeers and some beers over an internet connection. The Super Bowl may be a bit different this year, but fans can still root for their favorite teams and enjoy this often thrilling game. • • •.
The illustrated history book by Bill Anderson Send $6.95 + $2.75 Shipping = $9.70 to:
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Punxsy Phil’s Restaurant, Punxsy Shop ‘n Save, Punxsutawney Chamber 20 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
The Original Punxsutawney Spicy Groundhog Cookies
(‘From Our Past,’ researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.)
pany has evidently got tired of red oak ties. The red oak ties last about two years, while white oak will last ten or twelve years longer. (Valley News)
January 21, 1949 — The television sets in Punxsutawney, four of them, got a terrific play on yesterday’s inauguration of President Harry S. Truman. Reception was fair and some Punxsutawney people probably got a better look at the proceedings than many who were on the actual scene. (The Punxsutawney Spirit)
•••
2 c. sifted all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cloves 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 c. soft butter 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. molasses 1 egg yolk 1 egg, slightly beaten Currents or raisins
yolk. Stir in flour mixture and mix well. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill one hour or longer. Roll out a small amount at a time on a sugar-sprinkled board. Roll 1/8-inch thick. Cut out cookies with lightly-floured groundhog cookie cutter. Place cookies on greased baking sheet. Brush with slightly beaten egg. Decorate with currant eye, raisins, etc. Bake 8 to 10 min. in a preheated 350 degree oven. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Sift flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and spices Yield: Makes 12 to 15 large size groundtogether. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar to- hogs, or 3 to 4 dozen smaller ones. ••• gether until fluffy. Blend in molasses and egg
January 22, 1890 — The Hebrews of this place have organized a society called the Agudah Achim, which being translated means united brothers, the object of which is to establish a Jewish cemetery, build a synagogue, and in other ways minister to the spiritual and temporal welfare of the Hebrew citizens of this place. (Punxsutawney News) January 26, 1889 — Henry Torrence, a young son of Geo. H. Torrence, had a narrow escape from drowning yesterday. He was playing on a log lying in Elk Run, near Jenks’ school house, where he attends school, and the log rolling threw him into the stream. He sank and rose twice before assistance could reach him. (Valley News) January 28, 1904 — During the fourteen months ending January 1 Sprankle & Elwood undertakers, of this place, conducted 175 funerals. The cause of death as given the physicians’ certificates numbers 28 kinds, specified as follows: Lack of vitality, 28; accidental, 24: cholera infantum, 23; consumption, 13; senility, 11; pneumonia, 9; paralysis, 8; spinal disease, dropsy, heart failure and unknown causes, 7 each; kidney disease, 6; blood poisoning and cancer, 3 each; diphtheria paresis, appendicitis, whooping cough, small pox and typhoid fever, 2 each; jaundice, dysentery, rheumatism, abscess, liver trouble, gastritis and catarrhal uteritis, one each. (The Punxsutawney Spirit) January 31, 1952 — Saturday is Groundhog Day, and there’ll be big doings in Punxsutawney. For about 40 years we did a personal interview with the Seer of Gobblers Knob every February 2, but in the past five years we’ve been schooling the younger members of the staff in Groundhogese and we let them do the lying. (The Punxsutawney Spirit) February 10, 1886 — The railroad company want no more red oak ties. An order has been issued to buyers and shippers that they will take no more. This will cause quite a loss to many of our shippers as many hundred of these ties are already at the stations ready for shipment. The com-
Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 21
Carl Duane “Porky” Adams of Punxsutawney November 2, 1931 - December 8, 2020 Mr. Adams drove a log truck for many years for Ames Lumber Company. He also worked for the Dora Coal Prep plant operated by Doverspike Brothers Coal Co. Carl will be remembered as a warm and caring man with an engaging, sometimes mischievous, sense of humor. Little kids were drawn to him, and he had a talent for making them laugh. He enjoyed working on his vehicles and anything else he could take apart. He was a bit of a treasure hunter, filling his garage with odds and ends; he was a fan of NASCAR; and, for much of his life, he liked to hunt and fish. Most of all, he like being surrounded by his family. In addition to his wife, Mildred (Snyder), he is survived by four children, Linda (Gary) Shaffer, Rhonda Adams, Richard Adams and Valerie (Daryl) Freedline; two grandchildren, Thomas D. Shaffer and Nicholas (Lacey) Shaffer; one sister, Doris Smouse; one brother-in-law, Dale Smithberger; one great-grandchild; numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Adams and Florence (Hawk) Adams; five brothers, Mervin, Clair, Boyd and Russell Adams and Charles Shick; three sisters, Esther Kunselman, Edith Snyder and Mona Smithberger. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Rosie Ann Hickox of Rossiter June 6, 1936 - December 8, 2020 She is survived by daughter Diane Burkett and two sons, Tom (Kay) Hickox and James (Mary) Hickox; two sisters, Margaret (Dave) Lingenfelter and Josephine Swicklick, as well as one brother, John (Virginia) Olexy and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Katheline (Skebo) and Michael Olexy, as well as two brothers, George and Albert Olexy. She loved working on her flower garden and spending time talking with her friends, neighbors and family – especially her grandchildren. Richard L. Fait Funeral Home www.faitfuneralhome.com u Clair Edward Neal of Coolspring May 9, 1938 - Tuesday, December 8, 2020 Mr. Neal was dedicated to his work at Speer Carbon in Elk Run for fifty years. Farming was his hobby; he loved taking care of his farm and collecting antique horse-drawn sleighs, buggies and equipment. His Sunday mornings always consisted of Polka music. He is survived by two sons, Perry (Georgetta) Neal and Todd (Kelly) Neal; five grandchildren, Latasha Neal and Tyler Mason, Shannen Bigelow and Kyle, Katelin Neal, Ty Neal and Faith Neal; three great-grandchildren, Rosie Mason, Shelby Neal and Colt Bigelow; one brother, Donald (Fannie) Neal; and one sister, Lois Guilfoyle. He was preceded in death by his parents, William H. and Sara (Weaver) Neal; his wife of fifty-eight years, Katherine Elizabeth Pearce; infant daughter Sara Neal; three brothers, Paul, Ronald and Robert Neal; two sisters, Betty Neal and Emmie Prokay. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Eugene F. “Gene” Smith of Punxsutawney November 1, 1943 - December 8, 2020 Gene worked in the coal mines as a maintenance foreman for nearly thirty years. He then opened his own business in 1986, G&S Hydraulics. He enjoyed working, camping, tinkering, NASCAR and hunting.
In addition to his wife, Marie A. (Confer) Smith, surviving relatives include four children, son Brian (Shirl) Smith, Kimberly (Shawn) Schaffron, Richie (Angie) Smith, and Willie (Jessica) Smith; three grandchildren, Peyton, Abi and Aerith; five siblings, brother Robert (Mae) Smith, brother Jerry Smith, brother Larry “Smokey” (Kay) Smith, sister June (Dave) Hineman and brother Ronald “Sonny” (Louise) Smith. In addition to his parents, Helen I. (Toth) and Banks E. “Jerry” Smith, he was preceded in death by a brother Gerald Smith. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Joseph Francis Glatt of Punxsutawney November 22, 1949 - December 9, 2020 Joe worked in machining and powdered metal for Gasbarre Products for over twenty-five years. He was a very loving husband and father. He enjoyed his family and really liked spending time with his dog Lucy. He enjoyed building models and making wood crafts. In addition to his wife, Norma Jean Coleman, he is survived by three children, Joleen (Tony) Roberson, Dennis (Bethany Grasha) Glatt and Marcie (Ben Spence) Glatt; one grandchild, Zayden Glatt; two brothers, James (Helen) Glatt and Dave (Tina Brown) Glatt; one sister, Helen (Gerald) Klingensmith. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Ralph Glatt and Mary Imogene (Schneider); one brother, Charles Glatt; two sisters, Barbara Reasinger and Mary Jo Yerbe. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Keith Lynn Neal of Punxsutawney December 25, 1961 - December 9, 2020 Keith was a two-time kidney transplant recipient; despite his medical condition, he loved life and lived life to the fullest. He was an avid bowler and golfer. Keith loved to be outdoors and hunting. He loved to travel with his family, and he was always quick to lend a hand at Leila Jo’s. He was a retired National Guard member, Sgt. 1st class. He was employed by Ensign Bickford/Dyno Nobel for 35 years. He is survived by his parents, Donald and Fanni (Cokley) Neal; his wife of 21 years, Teresa (Steele) Neal; a son, Kyle Neal; three brothers, Ken (Marge) Neal (his twin) and their sons, Chris (Becky) and Mike, Don Neal Jr., and Bill (Kelly) Neal and their two sons, Dakota (Alyssa) and Landon; father-in-law, Roger Steele; brother-inlaw, Eric Steele and wife, Jaclyn, and their children Dylan and “Miss” Leila. He was preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Mary Steele. McCabe Funeral Home Inc. www.mccabewaldronfh.com u George A. Bowers of Punxsutawney May 5, 1948 - December 10, 2020 George worked for Jefferson Grocery when it opened for business and retired when it closed, over forty years later. George was an avid Steeler and Penn State fan, which he watched with his granddaughters. Watching football and pro-wrestling are other things he enjoyed. He is survived by two daughters, Lisa (Bob) M. Cochran and Stefanie (Nathan) A. Wyant; stepson Philip Cameron; four grandchildren, Lindsay Bowers, Sydni Bowers, Brody and Tanner Wyant; a brother, Gary (Regina) Bowers; two sisters, Betty (Bob) Kunselman, Karen (Bob) Lingenfelter; and numerous nieces and nephews.
22 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
He was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria E. Bowers in 2018 and his parents, Charles A. and Lillian (Couch) Bowers. McCabe Funeral Home Inc. www.mccabewaldronfh.com u Mary Ann “Nan” Levy October 2, 1926 - December 12, 2020 She was an active member of the First English Lutheran Church, serving on the church council and singing in the choir. She and her husband were the owners of Eddies Men’s and Boy’s Wear from 1948 to 1988. She also worked for Pramco and did office work for Punxsy Beef. Surviving relatives include her daughter, Jane (Joseph) A. Parente; two grandchildren, Julie Scarantine and Justin (Ashley) Parente; four great-grandchildren, Gavin and Cody Scarantine and Nevaeh and Cooper Parente; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Edward M. Levy, and parents, Catherine (Rahpps) and David C. Reesman, she was preceded in death by a brother, Eleazer “Eli” Reesman and a sister, Agnes M. Hanbey. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Frederick A. Dobson of Punxsutawney May 6, 1952 - December 13, 2020, Fred was a 1970 graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School. He enjoyed working, his dogs, Cindy and Cassie and his Corvette. He worked in the mining industry as a mine foreman and then was the owner and operator of Dobson Trucking for almost twenty-four years. In addition to his wife, Carol L. (Gatti) Dobson, surviving relatives include daughter Dawn (Michael) Constantino and son Charles (Jennifer) Eberhart; seven grandchildren, Alex, Collin and Carter Eberhart, Logan and Aiden Constantino, and Caleb and Ava Bodenhorn; a brother, William (Phyllis) Dobson; a sister, Kimberly Dobson; and four nephews, Ryan, Christopher, Alex and Dillon. In addition to his parents, Anita (Mahan) and Kenneth Dobson, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Brandy Bodenhorn. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Larry Dilts of Punxsutawney March 19, 1933 - December 14, 2020 Larry was a 1951 graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School. He began a long-term career with PennDot as a teen, retiring as the Chief of Surveys before continuing to work as a private surveyor. He taught surveying at a local technical school and Penn State University. Most important to Larry were his faith, family, friends and country. Larry was a member of the Laurel Lake Seventh Day Adventist Church in Rossiter. He and his wife, Betty were avid squaredancers and polka enthusiasts, and they loved to play cards. Larry enjoyed stock car racing, fishing and bird watching. He had an intense love for animals. Larry always helped anyone in need. His neighbors could always count on him to plow driveways and mow yards. He is survived by four daughters, Sandy (Blaine) Himes, Pam (Randy) Neal, Laurie (Bernard) Filitske, and Linda (Robert) Dushac, Punxsutawney. Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Lowry and Edith (Johnson) Dilts, a sister, Patricia Long, a grandson, Justin and his wife of 67 years, Betty M. (Ishman) Dilts, who passed on January
1, 2020. McCabe Funeral Home Inc. www.mccabewaldronfh.com u Emma Jane Umbaugh of Punxsutawney June 18, 1939 - December 14, 2020 Emma worked at Quaker Market from 1957 until the business closed. She then worked in the bakery and deli at Comet Market, as well as helping her husband Jim manage his business, Umbaugh Sales and Service, for nearly thirty-seven years. She was a member of the Christian Missionary Alliance Church (one of the members belonging for the longest time) where she was involved with the basketball program, helping with mission trips, Vacation Bible School, Child Evangelism, fund raising and funeral dinners. She formed many friendships there; she especially took to “her little buddy” Gavin Neal because of the Basketball Program. Emma loved her son-in-law Jerry’s family like her own. She liked going to Canada, camping and fishing. In addition to her husband, James Norman Umbaugh, she is survived by one daughter, Patty (Jerry) Lellock; two grandchildren, Dakota Lellock and Amber (Tanner) Soller; one great-granddaughter, Molly Soller and a grandson on the way; two sisters, Dorothy (Pifer) Shields and Leora “Mae” (Pifer) Smith and husband Robert, all of Punxsutawney. She was preceded in death by her parents, Homer Pifer and Elva (Rhodes) Pifer, one brother, Glenn Pifer and brother in-law Grant Shields. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Dr. Jane Ann Stockdale formerly of Punxsutawney July 7, 1939 - December 16, 2020 She graduated from Punxsutawney Area High School and received her bachelor’s and masters degrees from Indiana State College, then earned her doctorate from the University of Maryland. She taught at the Punxsutawney Area School District from 1960 to 1963, served as school counselor at Dubois Area School District from 1963 to 1966, took part in University of Maryland Graduate Student employment from 1966 to 1971, worked for the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education from 1971 to 1977, was a professor at Bucknell University from 1977 to 1980, and ended her career working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education as a Veterans Education Director from 1980 to 1999. Surviving relatives include six siblings, sister Gretchen (Stockdale) Balestreire, brother James “Jim” Stockdale, Jr., brother Paul “Hoagy” (Colleen) Stockdale, sister Deborah C. Long, brother Jon (Marlene) Stockdale and sister Jody (Randy) Dobson; twelve nieces and nephews, Mark Stockdale, Elissa Zeitler, Jimi Stockdale, Jonathan Stockdale and Jami Stockdale, Anita Balestreire, Robert Long, Daniel Long and Joseph Long, Jenna Dobson, Malisa Hill and Malory Mee. In addition to her parents, Eleanor “Janie” (Weiss) and James Merrill Stockdale, she was preceded in death by an aunt Lillian “Peachie” (Weiss) Cook, uncle James L. Cook, brother-inlaw Thomas A. Balestreire and nephew Andrew J. Balestreire. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u John Francis Gresock of Punxsutawney April 6, 1934 - December 17, 2020 - Continued on next page
He was a member of the St. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church of Punxsutawney. John enjoyed spending special time with Teddy, his dog and favorite companion and with all of his family. He was employed and retired as a custodian in the Punxsutawney Area School District. His wife, Dorothy L. Brown, preceded him in death, along with parents Andrew Gresock and Clara (Cerney) Gresock, brother William H. Gresock and his sister, Annabelle Bobalik. John is survived by one brother, Andrew Gresock, and three sisters, Barbara Drury, Mary Lou Gigliotti and Marion Palmer. He is also survived by stepson, Barry (Lydia) Headlee and stepdaughter Sharon (Glen) Heckler. Additionally, he leaves a step-granddaughter, Christine (Tim) Covatch and a step-grandson, Glen (Tara) Heckler Jr. Richard L. Fait Funeral Home www.faitfuneralhome.com u Karen Harshman of Punxsutawney January 1, 1943 - December 17, 2020 Karen loved the Lord and enjoyed her life despite the physical difficulties of Cerebral Palsy. Karen graduated from Punxsutawney Area High School in 1962, where she received the coveted Class Hearts for that year. She was active in the Punxs’y Girl Scouts, where she received the Curve Bar (the highest achievable award in girl scouting). She worked as a secretary’s assistant at the Easter Seals Clinic in Punxsutawney until her retirement and marriage in 1967. Karen enjoyed camping and taking long Sunday drives with her husband. She was also very talented at needlepoint and stitch work and made many as gifts for friends and family. She was a member of the United Methodist Church of Punxsutawney, where she enjoyed attending Sunday School, as well as spending time with her sister-in-law, family and friends. The annual festival and music in the park were her favorite summertime activities. Karen moved to Mahoning Towers in 2007, she attended tower tenet meetings, bible study, served as the towers’ church secretary and attended all the dinners. She loved her apartment visiting the residents and their dogs. She is survived by her sisters-in-law, Dee Dee Rowland and LaRue Harshman; her nieces and nephew: Dana Williams, Leslie Weiser and Matthew Rowland; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her husband, James S. Harshman and parents, Jane (Shirley) and Dalvin Rowland, she was preceded in death by a brother, Alan Rowland. Richard L. Fait Funeral Home www.faitfuneralhome.com u Samuel Levy of Punxsutawney December 1, 1938 - December 18, 2020 Sam’s professional life was consumed by his love of and devotion to Jefferson Wholesale Grocery Co., which he co-founded with his brother John. He was a gifted accountant and spreadsheet analyst and knew the ins and outs of the grocery business, but he would wholeheartedly admit that the key to his success was the literally thousands of great employees with whom he surrounded himself. The love was mutual as Sam was universally regarded as kind, fair and generous to a fault. He was pleased to have been very active in countless philanthropic endeavors while always insisting that he not be publicly recognized. Sam was also a U.S. Army veteran, a huge Steelers fan and could be found at the golf course on most summer Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings.
Samuel was preceded in death by his wife, Marcia (McMeans) Levy; sisters, Diane Perry and Ruth Jacobson; brother, John Levy; and parents, Ben and Julia (Redding) Levy. He is survived by sons Samuel Scott and Benjamin Todd and their better halves, Leslie Bozic and Georgetta Sheesley, respectively. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Carole Rose (Longo) Schultz of Punxsutawney June 9, 1940 - December 18, 2020 Carole was a member of Ss.C.D. Church and was an active member of the Catholic Daughters of America for over thirty-two years and a member of the Rosary Altar Society. Carole was a graduate of Ss.C.D. Catholic School class of 1958. She went on to graduate at the top of her class from the Pittsburgh School of Cosmetology. She loved to make Italian food, cooking with her family and trying new recipes, particularly the feast of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve. Carole enjoyed traveling and seeing new sights. Her most loved time was with her family and grand kitties and puppies. She enjoyed meeting up and having breakfast with her old friends from the call of ’58 at Gimmicks Restaurant. Carole sold Tupperware for many years and won quite a few awards for being “Top Seller” in her district. She loved meeting new people and making new friends in the process. She also worked at County Market for a number of years as a bagger. In addition to her husband, Herman L. Schultz, she is survived by two children, daughter Denise (Blaine) M. DeLorenzo and son William (Tracy Pruzinksy) J. Schultz; four grandchildren, Megan Winters along with partners Bret Stiffler and Sarah Rizzi, Brennan Winters, William Schultz II, Danielle (Kevin) Pierce and great-grandson Gage Pierce. In addition to her parents, Margaret (Fusco) and Joseph Longo, she was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph Longo and aunts Mary Fusco and Louise Ali. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Deborah “Debbie” Susan Dubensky of Punxsutawney, formerly of Adrian June 6, 1961 - December 19, 2020 Debbie was a member of the S.S. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church. She was a member of the Arc of Jefferson and Clearfield Counties where she always enjoyed the friendships, activities and special events that were scheduled. Debbie loved to be with her brother and sister. She also enjoyed writing in her books, going shopping, playing Bingo, going out to eat and visiting the casino. Polka music was her favorite. She is survived by a sister, Marie (John) Elkin; one brother, Steven (Melissa) Dubensky; four nieces; one great-niece; and five great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alexander Simon Dubensky and Mary Ellen (Zelman) Dubensky and grandparents. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Mildred (Snyder) Adams of Punxsutawney September 7, 1932 - December 20, 2020 On February 3, 1951, she married Carl Duane “Porky” Adams. He preceded her in death on December 8, 2020. Mrs. Adams was a life-long member of the Dora Evangelical Church. Prior to starting a family, she worked at Sylvania in Brookville.
“Mid” was an avid quilter. These quilts stand as a lasting memory of her goodwill towards those she loved. She loved to tell stories about her childhood growing up in Timblin, PA. All her life she remained close to all her brothers and sisters and their families. “Mid” was the last of her immediate family. She is survived by four children, Linda (Gary) Shaffer, Rhonda Adams, Richard Adams and Valerie (Daryl) Freedline; two grandchildren, Thomas Shaffer and Nicholas (Lacey) Shaffer; one great-grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Maurice W. Snyder and Veda Grace (McGaughey) Adams; six brothers, Claude, Dewey, Harold, Darrell, Marlin and Beryl Snyder; four sisters, infant Geraldine Snyder, Ethel Campbell, Ruth Fiscus and Ruby Yarger. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Wanda I. Adams of Ringgold February 10, 1955 - December 20, 2020 She was a 1974 graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School. Wanda loved animals, jewelry, cooking, baking, the beach and her family and friends. She previously worked for Ringgold Precision Products for around eighteen years but could most recently be found working at Mama Rita’s in Worthville. In addition to her husband, Archie W. Adams, she is survived by three children, Leslie (Joel Uzzo) Monoskey, Amy Adams and Amanda (Adam) Kurtz; six grandchildren, Logan (fiancé Emma Wingert) Geist, Landon Sisk, Kaity and Kellan Cessna, Aiden Kurtz and Jameson Hill; two brothers, Harry (Lana) Neal and Larry (LuAnn) Neal; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Dorothy (Fetterman) and Boyd D. Neal, she was preceded in death by sisters Marlene Pounds and Dorothy “Tootie” Neal, brothers Butch Neal and Don Neal and an infant brother. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Helen E. Engle of Timblin October 21, 1928 - December 20, 2020 She was a retired Licensed Practical Nurse at the Punxsutawney Area Hospital and a member of the St. Johns Reformed Church. Surviving relatives include daughters Debra (Paul) Phillips and Lori (Steve) Durante and son Jeffrey Engle; five grandchildren, David Phillips, Eric Durante, Caitlin Durante, Sara Durante and Benjamin Raybuck; two great-grandchildren, Cody and Nicole Phillips; and two sisters, Sally Collett and Beatrice Snyder. In addition to her husband, Leo R. Engle, she was preceded in death by parents Elva (Showers) and James Collett, a daughter, Lisa Raybuck, and five sisters, Betty Stahlman, Phyllis Ferguson, Mary Yakim, Elva Corbett and Alice Ferguson. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Charles L. Harmon December 1, 1953 - December 20, 2020 Charles enjoyed many jobs over the years. He worked at The Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, as a bus driver and mechanic at Punxsutawney Bus Company and at Pierce’s Garage in Marchand. Additionally, he worked as a driver for Harmon Enterprises and Pearce’s Lumber. He also served as a member of the Plumville Fire Dept. Fire Police. He was preceded in death by parents Luther C. and Mildred A. (Brink) Harmon, a sister, Linda (Jake) Testut, a niece, Tonjia Testut, as well as a brother, George Harmon. He is survived by his wife, Rose Marie (Perry) Harmon, sons, William and Luther Harmon, as well as several nieces, nephews and grandchildren. Additionally, he is survived by several sib-
lings: Robert (Des) Harmon, Marjorie (James) Frampton and Clark (Brenda) Harmon. Also surviving are his sister-in-law, Jenny Perry, and brother-in-law, Kenny Perry. Richard L. Fait Funeral Home www.faitfuneralhome.com u Victor E. Belin of Punxsutawney October 29, 1929 - December 21, 2020 Victor was a graduate of the Ss.C.D. High School class of 1948. He was employed by the B&O Railroad in Punxsutawney for 38 years. He was a member of SS. Cosmas and Damian Roman Catholic Church of Punxsutawney where he served as an usher. He was a member of the Punxsutawney Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Walston Club and the Knights of Columbus. He also sang with the Barbershop Quartet. Victor was a fan of the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates and enjoyed playing pool and bowling He was also an avid lover of fishing and especially enjoyed fishing trips to Canada. Victor was preceded in death by parents Victor G. Belin and Ann Marie (Callis) Belin and his wife, Lucille Hockin. He is survived by three sons, Philip (Karen) Belin, Mark (Connie) Belin and Christopher (Connie) Belin, as well as three daughters, Kristene Harvey, Marguarete (John) DePriest and Kathleen (Mark) Benson. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Richard L. Fait Funeral Home www.faitfuneralhome.com u Thelma R. Winebark of Rochester Mills April 25, 1927 - December 21, 2020 She was born in Garrettsville, OH, daughter of Lloyd C. and Lillie (William) Waltz. Her mother, Lillie, died when Thelma was only five days old. Her father remarried her stepmother, Maude E. (McDivitt) Waltz, who helped raise her. On September 3, 1945, in Sharon, PA, she married George B. Winebark, who preceded her in death on June 9, 1989. Thelma worked for Marion Center Schools as the cook manager for twenty-eight years. She also volunteered at the Punxsutawney Area Hospital and for the American Red Cross. Thelma also served as an election poll worker for Canoe Township. She is survived by two sisters, Ruth (Blaine) Van Horn and Martha Rickard and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by brothers, Lloyd and Robert Waltz. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Walter Tyronne Dixon Jr. of Punxsutawney May 26, 1975 - December 22, 2020 Walt was a 1993 graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School. He was the owner of All Seasons Boat Repair in Punxsutawney. His father started the business and recently retired, but the two still worked together. Walt enjoyed going for a drive to deliver boats and just spending time with his dad. Walt spent twenty years of life with his girlfriend, Selena Shepler. In addition to Selena, his parents, Walter Tyronne Dixon, Sr. and Robin Elaine (Base) Dixon, he is survived by one sister, Terry Ann (Chris) Harmon; his paternal grandmother, Lottie Maines; one niece, Shy Ann Perry; one nephew, William Harmon; great-niece, Madilyn Perry and great-nephew, George Perry; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his brother, Joseph John Dixon, paternal grandfather, William Dixon and maternal grandparents, Peter and Elizabeth Base. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u - Continued on next page
Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 23
Margaret “Margie” A. Loughery of Punxsutawney December 2, 1929 - December 22, 2020 Margie was a graduate of Dayton High School. She was an employee of Pramco Clothing in Punxsutawney until the plant was closed and she retired. She was an active member of the Woodland United Methodist Church. She served on Council, was active in the annual Cookie Sale and was treasurer of the Memorial Fund until 2018. Margie enjoyed sitting on her front porch where she would visit with neighbors who would stop by daily. She also loved decorating her house for all the holidays: Groundhog Day was her favorite. She is survived by a cousin, Marlene (Clarence) Strabel, as well as the many close friends she had acquired while living on Highland Avenue. She was preceded in death by her parents, Darl and Marion (Snyder) Loughery. McCabe Funeral Home Inc. www.mccabewaldronfh.com u Martha Ann Mumper of Punxsutawney September 28, 1927 - December 27, 2020 She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Ruth (Orr) Barkley and husband, Henry Donald Mumper; seven brothers, Jack, Harold, Robert, Donald, Edwin, Thomas and James Barkley; one sister, Helen Ruth White; and one grandson, Nate Farcus. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, where she served as a Sunday School teacher, director of a Junior Choir and Hand Bell Choir, sang in the Chancel Choir, was a Deacon and an Elder, and helped prepare Flight Bags (a church project for the hospital) for over ten years. She also directed Girl Scout Day Camp and served many years as a Troop Leader. She delivered Meals on Wheels and worked at Red Cross Blood Mobile. She is survived by two children, Henry “Hank” (Deborah) Mumper and Myrna (Jeff) Jennings; two grandchildren, Dana (Adam) Boozel and Jason Jennings; one niece and ten nephews. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Tobi (Hoffman) Stephens of Coolspring November 23, 1973 - December 22, 2020 Tobi worked as the general manager of Guardian Healthcare Pharmacy for several years and she considered many of her co-workers as part of her family and was very proud of her work. In addition to her husband, Bradley Stephens, she is survived by a son, Hayden (Jordan) Stephens; a daughter, Hannah Stephens; a sister, Jodi (Todd) Bennett; her mother, Patty Smith Hoffman, her father, Craig (Cindy) Hoffman, grandmother Eleanor Smith; four nieces, Madalyn Bennett, Mackenzie Atcheson, Darcie Atcheson and Claira Stephens; one nephew, Clayton Stephen; two great-nieces; and the Stephens family that loved her like she was their own. She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Melvin and Esther Hoffman, and her maternal grandfather, Marlin Smith. McCabe Funeral Home Inc. www.mccabewaldronfh.com u Donald Eugene Painter of Smithport February 25, 1968 - December 28, 2020 He is survived by his parents, Dean and Carole Painter and brothers Dean Painter and Douglas Painter. He was preceded in death by his grandparents,
Earl and Ethel Painter and Ernest and Jean O’Hara. Don graduated from Punxsutawney Area High School in 1986 and attended California University of Pennsylvania. Following college, he lived in McKeesport and worked in the printing industry. He then relocated back to his hometown of Smithport and was enjoying his second career as a postal worker at the Arcadia Post Office. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Charles “Chuckie” Glenn Patterson June 14, 1977 - December 28, 2020 Chuck was a 1995 graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School. He was a member of Laborer Union #833 of New Brighton. He liked to be outdoors enjoying fishing and hunting. Chuck was always there for his mother; she knew that she could always count on him. He will be sadly missed by her and his family. In addition to his mother, Mary Katharyn Patterson, he is survived by one sister, Tammy Hawk; one brother, Jamie Shank; and two nephews, Michael and Adam Patterson. He was preceded in death by his father Raymond Shank, Jr. and maternal grandparents, George and Peg Rumsey. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Stacey Lynne (Haag) Magagnotti of Punxsutawney April 3, 1973 - December 30, 2020 Stacey was a 1991 graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School. Following graduation, she earned a degree in Business Administration from IUP, then went on to Lock Haven University, earning a nursing degree as a Registered Nurse. She worked as a registered nurse for Accolade, Inc., in Plymouth Meeting, PA. Stacey was a supporter of Western PA Cares for Kids and Passages. She previously served on the board of directors of Passages. She always put others before herself and would do anything for anyone. Her smile was bright and beautiful and matched her soul. In addition to her father, John (Linda) E. Haag, Sr. and her mother, Denise (Robert) Smith and husband, Paul Antony Magagnotti, she is survived by one daughter, Cheyenne Morgan Painter; four stepchildren, Carrie (Jared) Spence, Zachary (Denyelle) Magagnotti, Jenna Magagnotti and Logan (Russell) Hinderliter; eleven grandchildren; one brother, Russell (Heather) Henry Haag; two stepbrothers, Elliott and Wesley Heverley; one stepsister, Cheryl Smith; nephew Jace Kurtz; niece Lanie Haag and greatnephew Remington Haag; nieces Kenlee Briggs and Kilyn Haag; and nephew Kolsen Haag. She was preceded in death by her grandparents and a brother she dearly loved, John Eugene Haag, Jr. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Clifford J. Boyer of Coolspring April 5, 1988 - January 1, 2021 Clifford enjoyed grilling and smoking meats, hunting, cars, being an uncle, the Simpson’s television show and just having a great time. He worked for ProForm Powdered Metals in Punxsutawney as a final inspector for ten years. In addition to his parents, Sue E. (Lawrence) Davis and James E. Boyer, he is survived by his paternal grandmother, Sandra Boyer; two sisters, Crystal Hamman and Corinne Boyer; niece, Kaya Hamman; nephew, Xander Hamman; Aunt Connie and husband Brian; Uncle
24 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
Dean and wife Donna; and several great-aunts and uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Paddy Boyer; maternal grandparents, Derwin and Mary Ellen Lawrence; and a nephew, Ryder Hamman. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Miriam Leonora Kerr of Big Run June 18, 1927 - January 3, 2021 Leonora was a member of the Big Run Presbyterian Church. She was Big Run High School valedictorian of the graduating class of 1945. Leonora worked as a seamstress at Standard Pennant in Big Run. She is survived by two children, Duane (Sheila) H. Kerr, Jr. and Diane (Michael) Medvid-Wilson; seven grandchildren, Jennifer (John) Erbland, Jeffrey Kachmar, Julia Kachmar, Sarah Kerr, Stephanie Kerr, Jocelyn Medvid and Stephen Medvid; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arment Newcome Trithart and Mary Ann (Rhodes) Trithart, husband, Duane Henry Kerr, Sr., daughter, Willia Kachmar and grandson, Jeremy Kachmar. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Robert Merle McCoy, 76, of Punxsutawney passed away January 4, 2021 Mr. McCoy was a United States Army Veteran who served during the Vietnam Era from 1965 to 1967. He was a proud Army Veteran and he participated in honoring other veterans with military funeral honors. In addition to his wife, Susan RaChelle Limrick, he is survived by five children, April (Shawn) Stewart, John (Cindy) Aaron, Marsha (Lee) Elkin, Rob (Tracy) McCoy and Jeremy (Amy) McCoy; ten grandchildren, Tara Campbell, Nicholas Campbell, Emilly Aaron, David Aaron, Dustin Aaron, Leticia Wachob, Justin Waltman and Jacob, Noah and Izaak McCoy; four greatgrandchildren; and numerous brothers and sisters. Mr. McCoy was preceded in death by his parents, Howard Smith McCoy and Katherine (Jeffries) McCoy. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Anna Faye Weber of Big Run January 26, 1919 - January 4, 2021 Faye was a faithful member of St. Phillips United Methodist Church in Big Run. She worked as a Cheniller at Standard Pennant for many years. The Big Run Peeper committee selected Faye and Bob Wingert as the 2006 Big Run Persons of the Year. In 2017, she was honored as Big Run’s Eldest Citizen at the town’s 150th celebration. Faye was a Charter member of VFW #9044 Ladies Auxillary. She also served as Big Run Borough Tax Collector for many years. She welcomed the Homemakers group and shared her home and crafts with the ladies. She is survived by one son, Gary (Jeanne) Weber; two granddaughters, Leigh Thorne and Paige Weber; and two great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, William Weber, her parents, Clyde Senior and Lyda Mae (Bishop) Senior and step-father Harry H. Fike; three brothers, William Senior, Harry C. Fike and Gerald Fike; three sisters, Marie Senior, Gloria Brooks and June Hollopeter. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Roger L. Kline of Punxsutawney July 27, 1937 - January 6, 2021 Roger is survived by the love of his life, wife Evelyn M. Kline (Sarvey); two sons, Matthew Sarvey and Charles Kline; and two daughters, Charlotte Doverspike and Margaret Kline and her son Joseph Roush Jr. Additionally, he’s survived by his sisters-in-law, Alice Sarvey and Mina Mineard, as well as many nieces and nephews. He worked numerous jobs over the years with his last employment as groundskeeper at Treasure Lake.
Roger had many hobbies and interests, including motorcycles, Steelers, Pirates and watching golf on TV. He also loved stamp collecting, gardening, fishing, as well as bird and nature watching and playing cards. He loved spending his spare time with all of his family. He also had many beloved dogs over the years. Richard L. Fait Funeral Home www.faitfuneralhome.com u Carl Thomas “Tom” Henry Jr. November 20, 1942 - January 6, 2021 After attending a one-room school for eight years, Tom attended Marion Center High School. Following graduation, he went to live with his sister Pat, in Riverside, CA, where he attended Riverside Junior College. He moved back to PA where he attained his Bachelor’s degree at Slippery Rock. He joined the Air Force and served 18 years, which took him to Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Antarctic, Pakistan, England and Turkey. During this time, he met his wife, Judith, and transitioned to Air Force Reserves at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and began his career at the U.S. Postal Service. Tom was recalled to active military duty during the Gulf War and ultimately ended his Air Force career in 2003 after serving honorably for 36 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl Thomas and Alpha Henry of Rochester Mills, his sister, Phyllis, and his wife, Judy. Tom’s greatest blessing was his family. Tom is survived by his son, Clinton (Marguerite) Thomas Henry; four grandchildren, Lilly, Trenton, Deacon and Ammon; and sisters, Patricia, Marie (Jim) and Jane (Gary). Richard L. Fait Funeral Home www.faitfuneralhome.com u Clark M. Harmon of Timlin June 3, 1960 - January 6, 2020 Clark attended Sacred Waters Church in Milton. He served in the United States Navy for eight years. Clark enjoyed bluegrass festivals and riding his motorcycle. He is survived by his wife, Brenda (Baun) Harmon; two sons, Tony (Sarah) Harmon and Jeremy Harmon; foster son Chaz (Heather) Fisher; five grandchildren, Paul, Joshua, Henry, Abigail and Zultana; a brother, Robert (Dessie) Harmon; a sister, Marjorie (James) Frampton; and sister-inlaw, Rose Harmon; numerous nieces and nephews and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Luther C. and Mildred (Brink) Harmon; two brothers, Charles L. Harmon and George Harmon; a sister, Linda Testut; a brother-in-law, Jake Testut; and a niece, Tonjia Testut. McCabe Funeral Home Inc. www.mccabewaldronfh.com u Leonard C. Plyler June 19, 1937 - January 8, 2021 Leonard was a graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School. He attended the Punxsutawney Christian Missionary Alliance Church, enjoyed hunting, farming, camping, gardening, being outdoors and his grandchildren. He worked as a truck driver for Cloe Lumber, Kurtz Lumber, and retired from Jefferson Grocery after working there for over twenty years. He was a member of the Perry Township Volunteer Fire Co. for around twenty years and served as a Supervisor for N. Mahoning Twp. Leonard is survived by his wife, Ruth (Miller) Plyler; six children, Dennis (Robin) Plyler, Renda (Russ) London, Sandra Plyler Burris, Wendell (Tammy) Plyler, Bonnie (Tom) Shiock and Rodney Plyler; eighteen grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; seven siblings, Helen McMillen, Doris Randall, Wayne (Janet) Plyler, Blair (Joyce) Plyler, Thelma Kitner, Eleanor (Herb) Wharton and Darrell (Shirley) Plyler; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Mildred (Young) and - Continued on next page
Need insurance? Clark L. Plyler, he was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Amber London; two sisters, Alverda Milliron and Dorothy Beck; and five brothers-in-law, John McMillen, Merle Beck, Milton Randall, John Kitner and Frank Milliron. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Louise M. Means April 29, 1923 - January 10, 2021 Louise was the oldest member of the Valier United Methodist Church. She enjoyed traveling and was an avid gardener and a member of the Punxsutawney Garden Club for over forty years. Louise was an Eastern Star. She is survived by five children, Louise (David) Cristofor, Joyce (Bill) Falger, John “Jake” (Kim) Means Jr., Melinda (Dennis) Carpin and William (Brenda) B. Means; a sister, Edith Justice; ten grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and five great-great grandchildren. In addition to her parents, Fannie (Smith) and John Mohney, and husband, John J. Means, she was preceded in death by six brothers, Elmer, Emery, Ferman, Floyd, Guy and Clyde Mohney. Deeley Funeral Home, Inc. www.deeleyfuneralhome.com u Rose Marie Cipolla June 15, 1932 - January 11, 2021 Rose was a 1951 graduate of SSCD School and was a member and usher at SSCD. She worked as a bank teller at Savings and Trust bank for many years, finally retiring in 1997. Rose was very professional and took great pride in her work with the bank. She shared her knowledge and skills with other organizations and contributed her talents when she was manager of the Punxsutawney Senior Center. She loved her family, especially her nieces and nephews. She is survived by her twin sister, Delores (Ed) Mayo; sister, Patricia Ann (Tito) Marino; and one brother, Joseph (Lou Ellen) M. Cipolla, Jr. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Michael Cipolla, Sr. and Dolores Christine (Altimore) Cipolla; two sisters, Angela Cipolla and Gloria Cook; and two brothers, Anthony Cipolla and Dominic Cipolla. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Mary Mae Craft formerly of Juneau January 12, 1932 - January 6, 2021 Mary was a member of the Valley Chapel United Methodist Church in Juneau then attended the Presbyterian Church of Prospect. She was a member of the United Methodist Women, an avid quilter and a former member of the Punxsutawney Quilt Club. She is survived by two daughters, Ruth Ann Jamieson and Candice (Robert) M. Askew; two grandchildren, Sydney (Rusty) Nelson and Michael Jamieson; two brothers, Richard “Dick” (Charmaine) Bennett and Perry “Buck” (Nancy) Bennett; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Perry and Margaret (Shields) Bennett, her husband, Kenneth R. Craf, a sister, Dora Sitosky and three brothers, Leroy, Robert and George Bennett. McCabe Funeral Home Inc. www.mccabewaldronfh.com u David Bradley Phillips September 6, 1940 - January 11, 2021 David was born in Alderson, West Virginia.
He graduated from Alderson High School and attended barber school. After moving to Punxsutawney, David married Janet Meckley, in 1961. He was employed with Season All industries for many years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Phillips and Helen McAllister; his brothers, Buck and Sterling Phillips; his sister, Opal Welder, as well as his grandson, Christopher and his greatgrandson, Kayden. David is survived by his wife, Janet Phillips, children, William “Brad” (Charlene) Phillips, Eddie (Kelly) Phillips, Joseph Phillips and Duane and Kristen Phillips and their children Nick and Nate. He has several grandchildren, Eddie Jr. (Kelly) Phillips, Chad (Katie) Phillips, Scott (Lindsay) Phillips and Kayla (Justin) Smith. Also surviving are Chelsea, Devon, McKenzie and Justin Phillips and three great-grandchildren, Sage Burkett, Finnlee Phillips and Cole Phillips. Richard L. Fait Funeral Home www.faitfuneralhome.com u P. Joyce Rumgay, 95 passed away January 12, 2021 Joyce was a member of the First Church of God in Punxsutawney, where she was proud of her involvement with the “Living Christmas Tree.” She was a longtime administrative assistant for Punxsutawney Borough and retired from Ferraro and Young. She enjoyed her family and friends, researching her family tree, taking care of the family pets, and time spent at camp with her family and beloved cousins Billy and Betty Bell and their children, along the Alleghany River. She is survived by her grandchildren, Amy (Phil) Bosnick, Kara Shields, Erica Rumgay and partner Mike, Charlie Rumgay, Chad Rumgay; daughterin-law Pam Bantly and husband Dave and daughter-in-law Rebecca Rumgay; great-grandchildren, Colton, Caleb, Nathan, Avalee and Sarah; plus, several nephews and cousins; and lifelong-friend Jamie Stello. She was preceded in death by her parents, D. Laird and Helen (Erickson) Tyger, her husband, Charles Rumgay, her two sons, Gary Rumgay and Robert Rumgay and one brother Donald Tyger. McCabe Funeral Home Inc. www.mccabewaldronfh.com u Brandi Lynn (Pennington) Carney August 25, 1977 - January 13, 2021 Brandi was a 1995 graduate of Jeff Tech. In addition to her children, her grandchildren were the highlight of her life. Camping was her favorite and her idea of a vacation; she and her family camped all over Pennsylvania and New York. Her yearly favorite was the Tractor Show in Center Hall, the Five-Acre Flea Market and the Hundred-Mile Yard Sale. In addition to her parents, Frederick Carl Pennington and Arlene Elizabeth (Miller) Pennington, and her husband, Edward James Carney, she is survived by four children, Joseph Edward Carney, Danielle Lynn Carney, Alison Noel Carney and Andrew James Carney; three grandchildren, Abigail Sophie Carney, Lilly Mae Carney, Savannah Lynn Frantz; one brother, Donald (Gretchen) Pennington; three sisters, Shawna (Stephen) Sterling, Shelly Pisano and Jenna (Jason) Arnold; numerous nieces and nephews; mother- and father-inlaw, Joseph and Susan Carney of Hamilton. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Herbert and Esther Miller; paternal grandparents, Edward and Henrietta Pennington. Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc. www.shumakerfh.com u Please visit the website of the funeral homes listed to view complete obituary, sign their guestbook, plant a tree and offer your condolences. uuu
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DuBois 814-371-9432 Mon.-Fri. 9-5 • Saturday 9-2
I
n partnership with the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, PA booze makers, Threadbare Cider and Wigle Whiskey have created limited edition batches of their Whiskey and Cider in tribute to Pennsylvania’s favorite groundhog in his 135th year of prognosticating. Threadbare has produced Phil’s Burrow, a Rum Raisin Cider. Wigle has made Phil’s Shadow, a Maple Barrel Finished Straight Rye Whiskey. Each of these limited edition batches, with labels created by local artist, David Pini, are available to order now. “Three of Pennsylvania’s finest- Punxsutawney Phil, Wigle Whiskey, and Threadbare Cider. Is there a better way to celebrate the 135th year of Groundhog Day virtually?,” asks Katie Donald, the Director of the Groundhog Club. “The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club is excited and honored to again partner with a legendary piece of Pennsylvania’s history. We look forward to perpetuating the Legend of Punxsutawney Phil to whiskey and cider enthusiasts from all over the world!” About the Products A portion of each bottle sale helps the Groundhog Club fund the care of Phil and continue the beloved, quirky PA tradition of Groundhog Day!
Happy Groundhog Day!
• COMPLETE PREFABRICATED SHOWERS • Waterproofing • Drains • Floor Warming
Wigle Whiskey and Threadbare Cider Collaborate with the Groundhog Club
www.everythingunderfoot.com
We have everything you need for your shower system in stock!
26 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
Phil’s Burrow Rum Raisin Cider, $18 Phil’s Burrow Cider is aged in Wigle Rum casks before Threadbare Cider-Makers steep raisins and whole cinnamon into the cider, produced from Soergel’s Orchard Apples. This PA made hard cider will keep sippers warm and merry, whether or not Phil sees his shadow. Available nationwide through Threadbare’s Online store at threadbarecider.com/vinoshipper, at Threadbare Cider House on the Northside, and in Threadbare’s Bottle Shop in Ross Park Mall. Phil’s Shadow Maple Barrel Finished Whiskey, $38 Wigle aged its award winning Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey in Paul Family
MM
DOUBLE CERAMICS
Come See Our Ceramic Groundhogs Call for hours & class times.
653-2792
333 W. Main St., Reynoldsville
www.doublemceramics.com
Farm Maple barrels to deliver a velvety sweetness to the rich, dark cherry Rye. Available for shipment throughout PA and DC, for pick up at Wigle Whiskey Distillery in the Strip District, at Wigle’s Bottle Shop in Ross Park Mall and online at takeout.wiglewhiskey.com About Wigle Whiskey Founded in 2011, Wigle Whiskey is Pittsburgh’s first distillery since Prohibition. The distillery has worked to restore Pittsburgh’s legacy as the birthplace of American whiskey through education and innovation. Wigle spirits are distributed throughout the country. The distillery has been the most awarded craft whiskey distillery in the U.S. by the American Craft Spirits Association for five straight years and twice named a James Beard semi-finalist. About Threadbare Cider & Mead Threadbare Cider & Mead produces thoughtfully crafted hard ciders and meads using regional apples and honey. Since opening in 2017, Threadbare has championed the lost legacy of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, and his lasting impact on the landscape of Western Pennsylvania. Threadbare produces their award-winning ciders and meads in a converted tannery located in Pittsburgh’s historic Spring Garden neighborhood. •••
H&H
SUPPLY, INC. CHECK US OUT:
3 3 3 3
Plumbing Heating Electrical Hardware Supplies Route 36, Punxsutawney
814-938-4489
NOW SELLING TIRES!
AUTHENTIC PIZZA & ITALIAN CUISINE
You’re In ...You’re Out WE DO IT RIGHT!
GROUNDHOG Instant Lube and Oil
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY FOR OIL CHANGES State Inspection & Mechanic Work by Appointment
DOWNTOWN PUNX’Y
Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. to noon
OPEN TIL MIDNIGHT
938-3449 Rt. 36 S. in Cloe, 2 Miles South of Punx’y
Orders for Delivery will be accepted up to 30 min. of closing. New Hours as of June 1st 2020: Sun., thru Thurs., 11 am to 9 pm Fri., & Sat., 11am to 10 pm PIZZA TOWN GIFT CARDS MAKE GREAT GIFTS!
STOP IN Home of the Big Daddy
814-618-5653
ENTER NOW! Entry must be postmarked by Thursday, February 4
Located along Rt. 36 N. Halfway between Punx’y and Brookville
Have a
207 Hampton Ave., Punx’y
849-6396
GREAT FoxsPizzaPunxsy.com ORDER ONLINE AT
Festival
Closed Mon., Tue. - Thurs. 10:30-8, Fri. & Sat. 10:30-9 & Sun.11-8
CONTEST RULES
1. Complete the coupon on this page. 2. Guess the winning team and the total number of points you think will be scored in the NFC vs. AFC Super Bowl Game. 3. Enter one of the participating advertisers on this page to redeem your coupon should you be the contest winner. 4. Mail entry to: ‘Super Football Contest,’ Hometown magazine, 129 Aspen Rd,. Punxsutawney, PA 15767 PLEASE MARK YOUR TEAM PICK & TOTAL POINTS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE. ONLY ONE ENTRY PER ENVELOPE.
5. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED/EMAILED BY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021.
Full Menu • New Menu Catering • Six Packs to Go Remodeled Dining Room Please call ahead during this time for Hours & Days. (Next to Dairy Queen)
www.pizzatownpunxsy.com
W. Mahoning St., Punxsy Plaza
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED
119 South, Punx’y
DINE IN, CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER, OR ORDER ONLINE 814-938-2380
938-2570
6. No purchase necessary. Please only enter once. 7. In the event two or more contestants correctly pick the winning team and total number of points, one winner will be randomly selected and awarded the prize. If two or more contestants tie for closest to the total score, one winner will be randomly selected to win the prize. 8. Hometown magazine retains the right to make any final decisions regarding the contest, and by submitting an entry, contestants agree to abide by the rules of the contest.
Hometown magazine’s ‘Super Football Contest’: ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED BY THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 2021 Mail to: Super Football Contest, Hometown magazine, 129 Aspen Rd., Punxsutawney, PA 15767
Name Address City & Zip
TO QUALIFY FOR CONTEST YOU THE ST MARK YOUR TEAMU M PICK & TOTAL POINTS ON OUTSIDE OF ETHE ENVELOPE. ON THON E ENTRY PER ENVLY ELOPE.
Phone
Coupon for Super Bowl Game of February 2nd Step 1: Guess the Winning Team:
_____NFC Team _____AFC Team Step 2: Guess the Total Points that will be Scored in that Game: __________ Step 3: Should I win, I would like to redeem my gift card at: (must be a participating advertiser on this page) ______________________________________
HOURS: Sun. 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mon. & Tues. 6:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri. 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sat 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Laska’s Pizza 405 N. Main St. Punxsutawney
938-4647 COLD 6-PACKS TO GO
LARGE SELECTION OF SPECIALTY AND CRAFT BEERS
LONGYARD PROGNOSTICATOR PILS & PORTER IN STOCK Enjoy our Homemade Groundhog Spice Cookies & Phil’s Hot Chocolate Bombs Salad & Drink Punch Cards Available
STAY PUNX’Y STRONG
PUNXSY
Total Discount Foods
FULL SERVICE SUPER MARKET
938-2821
Groundhog Plaza, Punx’y Fresh Bakery, Deli & Fruits We Sell Only U.S.D.A. Choice Beef, Pork, Lamb and Veal
www.shopnsavefood.com
938-9584
588 W. Mahoning St. Punxsutawney
CARULLI AUTO SALES & SERVICE Let us take care of your vehicle We offer a full line of
Auto Repairs
WE'VE GOT TIRES!
We now carry all the Schluter shower components — in stock now. Pick up everything you need to get started today on a custom tiled shower. HAVE IT READY TO GO WHEN YOUR TILE ARRIVES.
Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 27
&H H Supply, Inc.
SHIELDS
INSURANCE AGENCY 938.5291
221 W. Mahoning St. PUNXSUTAWNEY
CHECK US OUT:
3 Plumbing 3 Heating 3 Electrical 3 Ventilating 3 Hardware Supplies
938-4489
Rt. 36, Punx’y
ACME MACHINE
• Parts • Paint • Hoses • & much more
& Welding Co. 46 Anchor Inn Rd. Punx’y
www.shieldsinsurance.com
MIDTOWN AUTO PARTS
938-6702
938-6363 110 SOUTH GILPIN STREET • PUNXSUTAWNEY
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED. YOUR MONEY STAYS HERE!
Dr. Nathan C. Stebbins Full Service Optical & Complete Line of Contact Lens Options for the Enitre Family • Contact Specialist • Pediatrics • Infant Eye Care • Special Needs Patients • Ocular Disease • Emergencies
ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS! 938-5920 Mon. 8 to 6; • Tues. & Fri. 7:30 to 5 Wed. 8 to 8 • Thurs. 7:30 to 1:30 Sat. by Appt. Only • Closed Sun.
200 S. Findley St. Downtown Punxsutawney Insurances: Medicare, Blue Cross/Shield, VBA, NVA, VSP, Gateway and more.
The Wise Guys...
Dr. Bill Wise, VMD Dr. Ben Wise, VMD
WISE
VETERINARY CLINIC
Veterinarian v Animal Care 3460 RT. 410 PUNXSUTAWNEY
427-2424
PICK UP CURBSIDE, INSIDE OR IN DRIVE-THRU
OPEN 5 A.M. TO MIDNIGHT
DOWNTOWN PUNXSUTAWNEY
HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!
YEAGER’S
SANITATION
Independently Owned & Operated for over 33 years
Full Menu • New Menu Catering • Six Packs to Go Remodeled Dining Room Please call ahead during this time for Hours & Days. 119 South, Punx’y (Next to Dairy Queen)
938-2570
28 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
4 Residential Pick-Ups 5 Bag Limit
4 Commercial Pick-Up 1 to 8 yd. Dumpsters
4 Senior Citizen Discounts 4 By the Bag Service 4 Junk Removal - Recycling 4 Cleanup Dumpsters
Free Estimates for Estate Cleanups Community Oriented, Caring People Money Made Here Stays Here
Call us at 427-2837 or stop in and see us at...
212 WEST MAIN STREET, BIG RUN
2020
PUNXSUTAWNEY HOMETOWN MAGAZINE
Winter Sports Photos
2021
PUNXSUTAWNEY AREA HIGH SCHOOL
• BASKETBALL • WRESTLING • INDOOR TRACK • CHEERLEADING LADY CHUCKS BASKETBALL
(front row, l. to r.) Emily McMahan, Sarah Weaver, Riley Presloid, Amy Poole, Kennedy Vest (middle row, l. to r.) Maeve Hanley, Chloe Presloid, Danielle Griebel, Madi Shiock (back row, l. to r.) Kaitlyn Griebel, Riley Doverspike, Kierstin Riley
CHUCKS BASKETBALL (front row, l. to r.) Gabe Kengersky, Noah Weaver, Aramy Ferrent, Jaugar McDivitt, Nick Johns, Logan Brown, Cole Brooks (middle row, l. to r.) Zach Dinger, Ethan Presloid, Nick Humble, Tysen Leasure, Graham Lott, Andrew Young (back row, l. to r.) Jackson Craft, Josh Shoemaker, Donald Neese, Ryen Heigley, Kyle Nesbitt
Sports Photos by K&K Photography Not responsible for typographical errors or omissions.
P&N Coal ABC H& P 680 Old Rte 119 Hwy
EATING, COOLING LUMBING, INC.
Alway the Best Choice
EDNER & KNESS 407 S. Main Street, DuBois www.EdnerKness.com
AUTO HOME LIFE HEALTH BUSINESS
John Kness, Agent
Our family protecting yours, since 1932
Insurance & Investments
814-371-6756
CLOE LUMBER
Oil and Lube Express West Main St., Brookville Our Average Oil Change Only Takes 10 Minutes!
No Appointment Necessary Open 8 to 5 Mon.-Fri.; 8 to Noon Sat.
814-849-4712
COMPANY
Great quality materials & customer satisfaction guaranteed!
N, Indiana, PA 15701
Best of Luck to all our Local Athletes!
814-849-0849
24 Hour Service
814-856-3211 abcHeatingCooling.com PA002409
Mahoning Physical Therapy Twolick Valley P.T.
PUNXSUTAWNEY 814.938.0271 BIG RUN 814.427.2051
Fax: 814-938-9484
Gary A. Huey Jr.
FREE Estimates
A hometown bank you can count on . . . both today and in the future!
814-938-5220
1785 Cloe Rossiter Rd., Punx’y Mon. thru Fri. 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Sat. 7:30 am to Noon
• Residential • Commercial
427-2821
www.cloelumber.com
We service all brands of Heating & Cooling systems.
• Medicare Certified • Aquatic Therapy • Office Hours by Appointment Mahoning Physical Therapy Medical Center, Marion Center, PA
(724) 397-9100
MEMBER FDIC
www.marioncenterbank.com
405 Franklin St., Clymer, PA
(724) 254-1010
Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 29
2020
PUNXSUTAWNEY HOMETOWN MAGAZINE
Winter Sports Photos
• BASKETBALL • WRESTLING • INDOOR TRACK • CHEERLEADING
2021
PUNXSUTAWNEY AREA HIGH SCHOOL
INDOOR TRACK
(front row, l. to r.) Jadyn McMahan, Rachel Houser, Hannah Surkala, Ella Newcome, Kaitlyn Bair, Nikita Shumaker, Olivia Bish, Izzy Lester, Laura Rittenhouse (second row, l. to r.) Chloe Aul, Jacinda Giglitotti, Elizabeth Long, Mackenzie Martin, Hannah Fetterman, Rebekah Miller, Isabella Gigliotti, Jordann Hicks (third row, l. to r.) Eric Surkala, Jaden Schidlmeier, Aiden Mclaughlin, Alex Momyer, Stipe Nicholson, Griffin Barrick, Michael Clemmer (back row, l. to r.) Ethan Watt, Isaac Greenblatt, Tyler Elliott, Jacob Ebel
BK SMITH
AUTO BODY, INC. Expert Collision Repair
• Professional, Quality Painting • Professional Frame Straightening • Estimates Available Insurance • Quality Collision Repair Claims • Down Draft Bake Booth Welcome Serving The Area Since 1983
With five pharmacists ready to serve you: • Michael Horner, R. Ph. • Kim Horner, R. Ph. • Jennifer Moore, R. Ph. • Joe Presloid, R. Ph. • Matt Kunselman, R. Ph.
To restore function you need to restore posture.
"We address the cause, not the symptom"
DR. IAN CASTEEL
938-4400
8:30 am. - 1 pm & 2:30-7 pm Closed Tuesday & Thursday
938-1095
Mon.-Fri. 8 to 5
Welcome To The Pharmacy That’s Still Close By.
Casteel Chiropractic Our job is to keep NOW ACCEPTING your spine in line NEW PATIENTS for a better, X-rays (on your first visit) healthier you! Highmark, UPMC, Access & More 410 East Mahoning St. Medicare, Mon., Wed., & Fri.
Rt. 119 S., Punxsy
2 PUNXSUTAWNEY LOCATIONS:
132 West Mahoning St.
21920 Rt. 119 Punxsutawney
Nicholas Gianvito Attorney at Law
938-3077
Mon.- Fri 9 to 7, Sat. 9 to 2 Visit our website:
200 Prushnok Dr.
618-5957
Hampton Avenue • 814.938.1101 Mahoning • 814.938.1125 • stbank.com
DRIVE UP WINDOW TO BETTER SERVE YOU Mon.- Thur 8 to 6, Fri 8-4
www.medicineshoppe.com/1094
ACME MACHINE
& Welding Co. 314 W. Mahoning St., Punxsutawney
Workers Compensation • Wills and Estates Accident and Injury Claims • Real Estate www.nglawoffice.com
814-938-1776
30 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244
46 Anchor Inn Rd. Punx’y
938-6702
Let’s Go Chucks!
2020
Winter Sports Photos
• BASKETBALL • WRESTLING • INDOOR TRACK • CHEERLEADING
2021
PUNXSUTAWNEY AREA HIGH SCHOOL
PUNXSUTAWNEY HOMETOWN MAGAZINE
CHUCKS WRESTLING (front row, l. to r.) Brady Smith, Ben Skarbek,
Garrett Fischer, Grant Miller, Dysen Gould
(back row, l. to r.) Garrett Eddy, Bryce Horne,
Hunter Harris, Josh Miller
CHUCKS CHEERLEADING (front row, l. to r.) Eve Bennett, Laura Rittenhouse, Riley Olds,
Kaitlin Shaffer, Kylee Smith, Abby Blair, Audrey Johnson
(back row, l. to r.) Kirsten Morrow, Emma Dale, Emily Kennedy,
Mackenzie Shaffer, Keira Ruffaner, Jade Brooks
Dr. Nathan C. Stebbins
H&H
Full Service Optical & Complete Line of Contact Lens Options for the Enitre Family
roducts… LOCAL P People! LOCAL
Now Booking for 2021
• Contact Specialist • Pediatrics • Infant Eye Care • Special Needs Patients • Ocular Disease • Emergencies
Supply, Inc.
ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS! 938-5920
CHECK US OUT:
3 Plumbing 3 Heating 3 Electrical 3 Ventilating 3 Hardware Supplies
938-4489
PA8019
Mon., Tues., Wed. 8 to 5:30 Thurs. 7:30 to 2 Fri. 8 to 5 Wed. Evenings & Sat., by Appt
200 S. Findley St. Downtown Punxsutawney Insurances: Medicare, Blue Cross/Shield, VBA, NVA, VSP, Gateway and more.
Rt. 36, Punx’y LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED
PATRONS
a local company
MUTUAL FIRE
serving local people
INSURANCE
Home of the Big Daddy
207 N. Hampton Ave., Punxsutawney
814-618-5653
ORDER ONLINE: www.FoxsPizzaPunxsy.com
Closed Mon., Tue. - Thurs. 10:30-9, Fri. & Sat. 10:30-10 & Sun.11-9
Quality Window & Door Products …with Installation Done RIGHT!
FREE Estimates 938-7303
www.burke-sons.com 110 GASKILL AVE., PUNX’Y
700
$
20pc. Chicken McNuggets and Basket of Fries
since 1877 . . .
COMPANY
647 PHILADELPHIA ST. INDIANA, PA 15701
724-465-4922
toll free 1-800-326-0084 www.patronsmutualpa.com
DOWNTOWN PUNX’Y
Open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244 – 31
Providing Families the Best Care at Their Worst Time
www.mccabewaldronfh.com
McCabe Waldron
FUNERAL HOME INC.
FUNERAL HOME
Andrew R. Philliber, Supervisor
Lisa J. Waldron, Supervisor
Lisa J. Waldron, Funeral Director
114 Maple Ave., Punxsutawney
Andrew R. Philliber, Funeral Director 125 Market St., Mahaffey
814-938-0400
814-277-9911
Joe Buterbaugh, Funeral Associate
32 – Punxsutawney Hometown – February 2021 - Issue #244