OBITUARIES

BANTA - Flora “Snookey” Rittenhouse, 70, of Luzerne, died Sunday, July 19, 2009 at home.

Born in Nanticoke on October 26, 1938, she was a 1956 graduate of Laketon High School, Harveys Lake.

She was employed as a receptionist at Twin Stacks Offices, Dallas, for many years and was most recently was a hiring specialist for “Our 365, Inc.” of St. Charles, Mo.

Surviving are her husband of 10 years, Sherman Banta; daughter, Holly Patton, of Dallas; son, Aaron Parrish, of Mountain Top; step-daughter, Lynn Banta, of Harveys Lake; sisters, Carol Bielecki, of Inkerman; Sherry Butler, of Loyalville; and five grandchildren.

Memorial donations to the American Cancer Society, 190 Welles St., Forty Fort, PA 18704.

BOGART - Ella Alverda, 80, formerly of Dallas, died Sunday, July 26, 2009 in South Haven, Mich.

Born in Shickshinny, she attended the Shickshinny schools. Before retiring, she was employed as a cafeteria worker by the Dallas School District.

Surviving are her children, Cheryl Gasper, Hanover Township; Donna Mumie, Gobles, Mich.; Linda Price and Russell Bogart, both of Jacksonville, Fla.; sisters, Agnes Wandel, Harveys Lake, Arlene Gregory, Shickshinny; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

EVANS - James M., 70, of Centermoreland, died Monday, July 27, 2009 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born in Wilkes-Barre, he attended the Kingston schools. He retired from Diamond Manufacturing, Wyoming, as a tool and die maker, and later was a truck driver for his son-in-law at 3R Electric, Pikes Creek.

Surviving are his wife of 53 years, Arlene Keefe Evans; daughters, Linda Littleford, Centermoreland; Arlene Rogan, Sweet Valley; and two grandchildren.

MISSON - Robert Z., 62, died Wednesday, July 29, 2009 at the V.A. Medical Center, Pittsburgh.

Born April 1, 1947, he was a graduate of Dallas High School, Class of 1966. He had previously been employed by the Irem Temple County Club as a chef, the State Correctional Institution, Dallas (Food Services Dept.), the Veterans Administration, Wilkes-Barre, (Food Services Dept.) and the Veterans Administration, Ft. Lyons, Colorado (Director of Food Services) until 1996.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968, and was a recipient of the Bronze Star, the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

He was a member of the 109th National Guard, Plymouth, the Fraternal Order of Free Masons and the Noxen Sportsman Club.

Surviving are his mother, Helen Mishanski Misson, of Shavertown; sons, Robert and Jason, both of Arizona, and Michael, of Pittsburgh, with whom he resided; two grandchildren; sisters, Susan Edwards, of Harveys Lake; Judith Mazzillo, of Plains Township, and Lori Nerozzi, of Centermoreland; brothers, Harley, of Lansdale; William, of Towanda, and Jeffrey, of Falls; numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations to Veterans of Vietnam War, 805 S. Township Blvd., Pittston, PA 18640.

PUZ - David M. Sr., 83, of Shavertown, died Friday, July 31, 2009 at Hospice Care of the VNA, Heritage House, Wilkes-Barre.

Born in Pittsburgh, he was a graduate of Braddock High School and had resided in Ft. Pierce, Fla. for many years, where he worked for Pompano Office Supply Co. He was a Navy veteran of World War II.

Surviving are his son, David M. Jr., Shavertown; stepson, William Zengel, Seacaucus, N.J.; stepdaughters, Lisa Knoble, New York City, Kate Ferrante, Westwood, N.J.; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren.

Born November 7, 1915 in Albert, she attended Kingston High School. Prior to her retirement in 1982, she worked at the Luzerne National Bank as a teller and bookkeeper.

Surviving are her husband of 68 years, Hokon Woodrow Rood; daughters, Patricia Heusing; Margaret Elin Rood; Pamela Summa; and four grandchildren.

TABBIT - Edward P., 82, of Highland Avenue, Trucksville, died Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Born in Nanticoke, he was a graduate of GAR High School and attended Bucknell University. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the U.S. Navy.

Along with his late wife, Victoria, and his family, he owned and operated Tabbit’s Appliance Service of Forty Fort for the past five decades.

Surviving are his children, Diana, Edward Jr. and David, all of Trucksville; Robert, of Wyoming; Lisa, of Forty Fort; nieces and nephews.