OBITUARIES

BERNATITUS - Ruth Ayers, 90, of Tunkhannock, died Sunday, May 3, 2009 at Tyler Memorial Hospital.

Born June 13, 1918 in Wilkes-Barre, she graduated from Tunkhannock High School. She and her friend, Grace Trowbridge, were instrumental in starting the first Mehoopany Fire Company.

A former Avon representative, she relocated to New Jersey and worked with the RCA Corporation. She was late employed at the Bendix Corporation in South Montrose before finishing her working career at P & G, retiring in 1984.

Surviving are a son, James Malcolm Avers, of Kerhonkson, N.Y.; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren.

BOYD - Archibald, 78, of Dallas, died Saturday, May 16, 2009 at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Township.

Born on September 29, 1930 in Scranton, he was a graduate of the Williamson Trade School, Media, before earning a degree from the University of Maryland.

A retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant after 21 years of active duty (1949-1970), he was a veteran of the Vietnam War while garnering numerous accolades, including Air Force Good Conduct Medal with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Service Medal and the Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters.

Prior to retirement, he was a telecommunications specialist for the U.S. Postal Service.

He was a member of the Valley Lodge No. 499 of West Pittston, the Keystone Consistory of Scranton, the Irem Temple of Wilkes-Barre, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees and a life member of the DAV, Pittston Chapter.

Surviving are his wife, the former Jean Callahan, to whom he was married 56 years; two children, Sandra DeRemer, of Dallas; and Douglas, of Wyoming; sister, Eleanor Peron, of Scranton; five grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to the Irem Shrine Center, c/o The Hospital Transport Fund, P.O. Box 307, Dallas, PA 18612.

COOK - Dorothy L., 90, of Tunkhannock, formerly of Beaumont, died Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at the Golden Living Center in Tunkhannock.

Born in Forty Fort on October 4, 1918, she was a former member of the Shavertown United Methodist Church.

Surviving are a son, Alvie D., of Selinsgrove; a daughter, Erma Jean Stark, of Tunkhannock; nine grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

HAYNER - Donald, 75, of Spring Hill, Fla., formerly of Tunkhannock, died Monday, May 11, 2009.

Prior to his retirement, hewas employed at Procter & Gamble in Mehoopany. He was a member of Spring Hill Baptist Church.

Surviving are his wife of 24 years, Sally; daughters, Donna DePue, of Montrose; Susan Hildebrand, of Factoryville; sons, Dale Hayner, of Tunkhannock; and Gary Williams, of Dallas; brothers, Harold, of Lakeland, Fla.; Jerry, of Zephyrhills, Fla., and James, of Binghamton, N.Y.; sisters, Marguerite Cook, of Greencastle; and Eleanor Goble, of Noxen; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

MORCOS – George A. 88, of Dallas, died Monday, May 11, 2009 at the Meadows Nursing Center, Dallas.

Private funeral services were held at the convenience of the family. Arrangements by the Harold C. Snowdon Funeral Home, 140 N. Main St., Shavertown.

PALL – Deborah S., 46, of Sweet Valley, died Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, following an illness.

Born in Wilkes-Barre on January 31, 1963, she graduated form Lake-Lehman High School in 1981. She attended Misericordia University and received an associate degree in computer technology from Luzerne County Community college Nanticoke.

She worked with her parents, Sterlyn and Carol Engelman May, at Fernwood Manor, Pikes Creek, since it opened 24 years ago.

Surviving, in addition to her parents, are her husband, Mark, of Sweet Valley; sons, Matthew, a student at Ursinus College; Cameron, at home; daughter, Sierra, at home; brothers, Sidney May, of Dallas; Jeffrey May, of Sweet Valley; sister, Valerie McClintock, of Sweet Valley.

Memorial donations to the Catherine Boulay Foundation, PO Box 323, 3440 Lehigh St., Allentown, PA 18101.

PHILLIPS – Arlene L., of Tunkhannock, a guest of Keystone Gardens Estates in Larksville, died Friday, May 15, 2009.

Born in Tunkhannock on May 24, 1931, she had been employed at Bendix Aviation in Southern Montrose and worked at General Aero in Tunkhannock. She and her husband, the late Howard W. Philips, managed the Tioga Terrace Apartments in Tunkhannock from 1967 to 1971.

She was a member of the Russell Hill United Methodist Church and the Wyoming County Senior Citizens.

Surviving are a sister, Gladys Lamoreaux,of Nanticoke; nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial donations to the Russell Hill United Methodist Church, 3/o Peg Ellsworth, 2 Lemon Creek Rd., Meshoppen, PA 18630.

REDMOND - Woodring “Grump,” 78, of Brace Road, Franklin Township, died Saturday, May 16, 2009 in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born in Franklin Township, he was a graduate of Dallas High School. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving his country during the Korean War. Prior to his retirement, he was employed by Martz Trailways for 30 years.

Surviving are sons, Richard, Franklin Township; Kenneth, Harding; brothers, Arthur, Exeter; Joseph, Harding; Robert, Franklin Township; sisters, Joy Daubert, Franklin Township; Linda Scott, Franklin Township; nieces and nephews.

THORNE - Thomas John, 54, of Carverton Road, Trucksville, died on Friday, May 15, 2009 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born in Kingston on August 20, 1954, he served in the 109th National Guard and was a member of the Dallas American Legion Post 672. For 26 years, he was employed as the director of maintenance at the Meadows Nursing Home, Dallas.

Surviving are his parents, Shirley Thorne, Edwardsville; and Idris Thorne, Nanticoke; his wife, Linda; sons Joshua, Michigan; Frank Warman, Trucksville; Chad, Trucksville; daughters, Bonnie, Virginia; Kayla, Plymouth; Gail, Plymouth; brothers, Gary, Pringle; Gus, Edwardsville; sisters, Shirley Polisky, Edwardsville; Barbara Derby, Edwardsville; Linda Kashnicky, Shickshinny; Donna Riggs, Dallas; Laurie Federici, Harveys Lake; five grandchildren; nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to the Meadows Nursing Home, 55 W. Center Hill Rd., Dallas, PA 18612.

VICTOR - Tatiana, 85, formally of Kingston Township, died Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at Highland Manor, Exeter.