Obituaries

Carol M. (McKrell) Mueller, age 91, passed away on July 22, 2020. She was born to Norma Fisher McKrell and William McKrell on Nov. 24, 1928, in Pittsburgh.

Carol spent her life being kind, generous and loving to her family, to all those who knew her — even those she had just met. She valued spirituality, gratitude, civility and refinement above all else and was unquestionably selfless. And despite her diminutive stature, was strong-willed and even-tempered in the face of adversity.

Carol was a graduate of Oliver High School, Class of 1948. She received her bachelor’s degree in home economics from Penn State University in 1952. A lifelong learner, she continued her studies in the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle. After marrying David Alfred Mueller in 1953, Carol became a long-time member of the Northminster Presbyterian Church and served as a deacon. Carol enjoyed reading, shopping, family and friends, and had a love for animals. Though she spent the majority of her life in Pittsburgh and Chautauqua, New York, she lived her final 10 years in Hudson, Ohio, at Laurel Lake Retirement Community, where she had very close friends.

While Carol will be welcomed to heaven by her husband, David, Carol will be deeply missed here on earth. She was the loving mother of David R. Mueller and Lisa M. Papageras; mother-in-law of Polychronis (Akis) Papageras; grandmother of Socrates and Nikolas Papageras; aunt of Robert Mueller, Randi (Ritchey) Mueller, Susan Mueller, Beth (Mueller) Gillespie and Terry Gillespie; and great-aunt of Breanne Mueller, Marissa (Mueller) Hintemeyer, Eric Hintemeyer, Terry Gillespie and Mary (Leonetti) Gillespie.

Services may be held when it is safe to gather again. In lieu of flowers, Carol’s family suggests donations to Chautauqua Foundation, PO Box 28, Chautauqua, NY, 14722, or to the Humane Society of Summit County, 7996 Darrow Road Suite 30, Twinsburg, OH, 44087.

Jean Ann Szabo, 93, of Bluffton, Ohio, died Aug. 22, 2020, at Willow Ridge in Bluffton.

She was born April 15, 1927, in Findlay, Ohio, to Forrest L. and Joyce V. (Flick) Steinman. The family lived in Jenera, Ohio, and moved to Bluffton in 1935. She married E. James Szabo on Sept. 24, 1949, in Bluffton; James passed in 2010.

Jean Ann graduated from Bluffton High School in 1945 and received a bachelor’s of music from Baldwin Wallace University in 1949. She taught private piano lessons at home for several years prior to joining the Bluffton University music faculty in 1965. 

In 1970, she completed a master’s of music from Bowling Green State University and received tenure in 1974. She completed a sabbatical at the Vienna Conservatory of Music in Vienna, Austria, the same year. She performed in many recitals and concerts with her family as members of the Szabo Chamber Ensemble.

She continued her sabbatical studies at Kingston Polytechnic in London, England, in 1981 and through visits at selected universities in Canada and the United States during the winter of 1988-89.

While at Bluffton, she served on several committees and professional organizations, accompanied countless recitals and “Messiah” performances, and served as the chair of the Artist Series Committee for 10 years while remaining a committed teacher and mentor to her students prior to her retirement in 1992. She taught piano, music theory, and related courses from 1965 until her retirement in 1992.  

She was the recipient of Bluffton University’s 2019 Faculty/Staff Service Award and recipient of the 2000 Bluffton Lions Club Citizen of the Year, along with her husband. 

She was a member of Bluffton Telesis Club and Bluffton First United Methodist Church, where she was organist for over 60 years.

She is survived by sons, Jeffrey (Kathleen) of Chautauqua, New York; Jeremy (Julia) of Bluffton; and Jon (Katie Jacoby) of Dublin, Ohio. Also surviving are five grandchildren: Thomas Finger (Laura St. John), Christina Shipley (Robb), Jacob Szabo, Maggie Szabo, Jack Szabo; great-grandchild Jarek Thomas Pierson; sister-in-law Ann Isenbergh; plus several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, sister Betty Dozer, and a daughter, Julie Ann Szabo.

A private burial will take place at Maple Grove Cemetery in Bluffton. A Celebration of Life service is to be held at Bluffton First United Methodist Church at a later date to be announced. Memorial gifts may be made to Bluffton University Music Department, First United Methodist Church of Bluffton, or Sunshine Communities in Maumee, Ohio.

John “Jack” T. Bailey, 93, died peacefully on June 29, 2020, in Chautauqua, New York, at the summer home he shared with Kay Bailey, his wife of 65 years.

Jack was born in Cleveland on Dec. 2, 1926, to Helen Moyle Bailey and Theodore Litchfield Bailey. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1944 to 1945, then graduated from Harvard in 1950 with a B.A. in English. 

In 1951, Bailey joined The New York Times, where he became manager of printing and distribution of the newspaper’s European edition. During his six-year tenure there, he lived in New York City and traveled widely in Europe and India. After a three-year stint with the public relations department at American Cyanamid Company, Bailey returned to his native Cleveland in 1961 to join the public relations firm Edward Howard & Co. as partner. He became chief executive in 1970, and retired from the firm in 1986. 

Bailey was active in civic affairs, and served on the boards of The Greater Cleveland Growth Association, Cleveland Public Radio, Northeast Jazz Society, the Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art (now MOCA), Chautauqua Institution and Wells College. He also served as president of the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland, and chairman of the Nature Center of Shaker Lakes.

As a lifelong student of jazz, Bailey taught jazz history for years at both Chautauqua and in Sanibel, Florida. He was an avid sailor and raced one-design sailboats for decades on Chautauqua Lake. After raising their family in Cleveland, Jack and Kay moved to Sanibel, then to the Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, Florida. Jack and Kay were world travelers, visiting and photographing more than 70 countries, including New Guinea, Yemen and Nepal. 

Jack was predeceased by his wife, Katherine G. Bailey; and is survived by his son, Theodore G. Bailey; his daughter, Mary K. Bailey; his son-in-law, Toby S. Welles; and his grandchildren, Clara S. Bailey, Helen T. Bailey, Eric T. Bailey, and Henry B. Welles.

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy at 413 N. Main Street, Jamestown, NY, 14701. Jack was active in the CWC’s fundraising efforts to preserve the health and beauty of Chautauqua Lake for generations to come.

The Rev. John A. Buerk, pastor of Parkside Lutheran Church for 28 years, died July 29, 2020, in his home in Buffalo’s Elmwood Village after a year-long battle with cancer. Born Dec. 27, 1932, he was 87.

In a tribute in the program for his retirement, former Buffalo News reporter Irene Liguori, a parishioner at Parkside Lutheran, wrote that Buerk “was an intellectual, scholarly man who had the knack of translating his considerable knowledge into practical, down-to-earth messages from the pulpit.” Observing that he was devoted to his parishioners in all aspects of life, Liguori went on to note that “he held babies, baptized them and married them off, and had been around long enough to watch the cycle repeat itself.”

Born in Troy, John Arthur Buerk was a 1955 graduate of Union College in Schenectady. After receiving his Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, he was ordained in 1959. He later did post-graduate work at Heidelberg University in Germany.

Buerk began his ministry as assistant pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Albany from 1959 to 1961, then became Protestant chaplain at the University at Buffalo in 1962. In 1968, he was named to an administrative post at UB, which he held for eight years, and oversaw the orientation program for incoming students. He served as an adjunct assistant professor in the philosophy department and was an adjunct professor in the religious studies faculty until 1990. He also was an adjunct professor in the religion department at Daemen College.

He became pastor of Parkside Lutheran Church in 1972 and served until 2000. In retirement, Buerk was pastor emeritus at Parkside Lutheran Church and pastor-in-residence and ecumenical officer at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. In 2018, he received The Rev. Dr. Ralph W. Loew Award for Human Service.

He served on numerous boards, including the SUNY Buffalo Community Advisory Council, Buffalo Area Metropolitan Ministries, the WBFO Programming Advisory Committee, the Mayor’s Citizens’ Funding Committee, Planned Parenthood and the Oncological Foundation. He was a past president of the board at the Community Music School of Buffalo, headed the board of the Council for International Visitors and was past president of the UB Faculty Club.

As ecumenical officer for the Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, he regularly attended the annual meetings of the National Workshop for Christian Unity.

He also taught and spent summers at Chautauqua Institution, where he enjoyed seasons in conversation with visitors on his porch. He regularly had letters published in The Buffalo News and The New York Times.

His passions included music, art and poetry. He also was fond of single malt Scotch whisky and butter pecan ice cream.

He and his wife, the former Jill Raisen, a classically trained soprano and a teacher at Community Music School, were married in 1973. Survivors also include a daughter, Linda Howell; two sons, Dietrich and Christian; and six grandchildren. 

Services will be private. A public memorial will be held at a later date.

John Charles Schmitt, 72, of Algonquin, Illinois, passed away unexpectedly on July 25, 2020, at Midwest Medical Center in Galena, Illinois. Due to COVID-19, a celebration of his life will be significantly delayed, and a date is yet to be determined. Please follow the John Schmitt Memorial Facebook page at fb.me/SchmittMemorial for updates. 

John was born May 14, 1948, in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania, the son of Charles W. and Alice E. (Dean) Schmitt. He served in the United States Navy from 1967 until his honorable discharge in 1971. He married Cheryl A. Wilk in November 1970 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Natrona Heights. He retired from AT&T after 40 years of service. 

John was a devoted public servant, serving as an Algonquin Village Trustee from 1993 to 2003 and as Algonquin Village President from 2003 until his death. He was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. He enjoyed Formula One racing, vintage and sports cars, cooking, Chautauqua Institution, his dogs, and his Galena retreat. John was dedicated, loyal, kind, generous, determined, fair, courteous, thoughtful, loving, encouraging and hard-working. He loved his family and dear friends. 

John is survived by his wife, Cheryl; two daughters, Kimberly J. Schmitt (Lawrence Rhyner Jr.) and Elizabeth A. (Nathaniel) Brechler; his five grandchildren, Ethan, Jackson, Emma, Amelia and Allyson; and his brother, Thomas (Kate) Schmitt. He was preceded in death by his parents.

The Rev. Dr. James Spencer Barge, of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes at home on July 12, 2020, with his wife and lifelong best friend Silvey by his side. Jim was born in Perry, Oklahoma, on Oct. 20, 1931, the only child to Mary Frances (Spencer) and James Lester Barge. In fifth grade, as a member of the Perry First Christian Church, he met the girl who became his partner in life and ministry — Silvey Lee Wood. 

With an enduring commitment to education and the betterment of humankind, Jim graduated in 1953 from the University of Oklahoma (with majors in history, literature and philosophy) and went on to attend Yale Divinity School before transferring to (to be closer to his newly widowed mother) and receiving his B.D. from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. In 1977, he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. 

On June 5, 1953, he married the only girl he ever loved, Silvey, and after his ordination, together they embarked on a lifetime dedicated to the service of others, beginning with his early callings to campus ministry at two churches. As his career blossomed, Jim was called in 1965 to serve Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Illinois, ultimately becoming its senior pastor and head of staff, where he and Silvey were deeply dedicated for more than 21 years, actively serving the church, the larger community and world. He served the Great Rivers Presbytery in various positions, including moderator and commissioner to the church’s General Assembly. 

Jim was consistently engaged in and committed to important social causes, and in Springfield he shared in the founding of Contact Ministries and We Who Care (developing dialogue between the white and African-American communities), served on the Illinois College, Planned Parenthood and YMCA boards, and was president of the Springfield Mental Health Board. In 1986, he was called to serve as senior pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, Iowa, and Jim later served as an interim pastor for six Presbyterian and United Church of Christ congregations in Iowa and Minnesota. Jim was an Honorably Retired member of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area. 

In addition to being the beloved husband for 67 years to Silvey Lee (Wood) Barge (who survives him), Jim was proud father to J. Kevin (Courtney) Barge of The Woodlands, Texas, and J. Stephen (Kathleen) Barge of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, and proud grandfather to Aaren (Sreemoyee Som, fiancé), Cameron, Genevieve, Jackson and Scarlett Barge. 

Jim and Silvey loved traveling the world together, and in later years loved the time they spent with family and friends at Chautauqua Institution. A well-educated and well-read man, Jim enjoyed reflective conversations about important issues of the day, and in doing so meaningfully contributed to the shaping of two generations of thoughtful thinkers in his own family. Central to their lives together, Jim and Silvey were always working to better our world and the lives of their fellow human beings, and Jim gave generously of himself to community and social service organizations both during his career and in retirement in the St. Paul community. A truly gifted preacher, Jim was a beloved pastor and in retirement thoroughly enjoyed attending House of Hope in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Jim’s memorial service will take place at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield at a later date, followed by an interment in the church’s memorial garden. If desired, memorial contributions can be sent to House of Hope in St. Paul; Jim’s retirement community of PHS Timber Hills; Chautauqua Institution; Westminster Presbyterian Church of Springfield, Illinois; or to the charity of your choice.

Bonnie Mae Lincoln, age 87, died on May 29, 2020, in Fort Myers, Florida. One of six children of Leland and Erna Lincoln, Bonnie was born in Wausau, Wisconsin, and raised in Anoka, Minnesota. 

She graduated salutatorian from Anoka High School, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona, and received master’s degrees from the University of Florida and Harvard University. Before joining the foreign service, she worked for the Elizabeth Kenny Foundation in Minneapolis. Working for the Department of State, Bonnie served long-term assignments in many foreign countries throughout her career, including: Lima, Peru; Sofia, Bulgaria; Rotterdam, Netherlands; Mexico City, Mexico; Bogotá, Colombia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Port of Spain, Trinidad; Monrovia, Liberia; San Salvador, El Salvador, and San Jose, Costa Rica.

Bonnie retired to Fort Myers in 1988, where she started a travel agency. She continued to travel extensively and explore many countries and locales throughout her life. She was an avid reader, enjoyed concerts, the opera, and lectures. Bonnie was a member of Friends of the Opera and the American Association of University Women. Every August, she enjoyed attending lectures and events at Chautauqua Institution in New York. She was a member of St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Fort Myers.

Preceded in death by her parents; brother, Robert; sisters, Joan and Mary (Dayon), she is survived by her sister, Erna (Weekley); brother, David; and many nieces and nephews.

Interment will be at the Forest Hills Cemetery in Anoka.

Thomas J. Feidt, born 1937, of Orchard Park, New York, entered into rest on July 27, 2020. Beloved husband of Martha (Jones); loving father of Lisa F. (Paul) White, Susan L. (Michael) Melcher, Robert M. (Leslie) Feidt; grandfather of Justin White, Zachary and Paige Melcher, Grace and Samantha Feidt; brother of Richard Feidt and Debby Neubold; also survived by nieces and nephews. 

Tom was a partner/owner of the Jacob Hauck Insurance agency of Hamburg and had a distinguished career as an insurance agent serving many people, businesses and professionals throughout the Western New York region. He served on many professional organizations and also served the community through charitable work at the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church. 

Services held at the convenience of the family. Memorials may be made to the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church.

David Howard Weis of Sarasota, Florida, died peacefully in his home the morning of June 14, 2020, just two weeks shy of his 89th birthday. 

David was born in Pittsburgh on July 2, 1931. He graduated from Allderdice High School, class of 1949, and went on to get a degree in business from the University of Pittsburgh in 1953. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Germany. 

David met his match in Edris Tannenbaum in 1957, and they were married a year later. They lived in Cleveland, where their first daughter Elise was born, then moved back to Pittsburgh, where David founded Thermal Industries, Inc. Soon after, their second daughter Deborah (AKA Topaz) was born. The family moved to Churchill in 1967. 

David was passionate about his work. He was an entrepreneur and an innovator. Having started in the back of a rented garage, Thermal Industries grew into a national company that ultimately employed several hundred people, many of whom remained loyal employees for 25 to 30 years. He was considered the pioneer of the vinyl window industry. 

He enjoyed traveling and spending summers at his home in Chautauqua, New York. David was an excellent tennis player. He enjoyed sailing on Chautauqua Lake, playing golf and philosophizing with his Chautauqua friends. One of his favorite pastimes was napping on his porch with an open book in his lap. 

After selling his business, David and Edris retired to Sarasota, where David said he was living in Paradise. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Edris; daughter, Elise O’Leary and her husband, Sean, of Lloyd Neck, New York; daughter, Topaz Weis and her husband, Wolfgang Hokenmaier of Burlington, Vermont; and grandchildren, Samantha and Emily O’Leary and Kiki and Robin Hokenmaier. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the National Council of Jewish Women in Pittsburgh or The Weis Family Fund, ℅ Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, NY, 14722. There will be a celebration of life in the Sarasota area after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Bernard Paul Floriani Jr., 51, of Gurnee, Illinois, died July 30, 2020, after a courageous battle with ALS. 

He was born Dec. 25, 1968, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, son of Catherine McCauley Floriani of Cary, North Carolina, and the late Dr. Bernard Paul Floriani. Bernie graduated from Dover High School in Delaware in 1987 and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia in 1991. 

While at UVA, Bernie was a member of the golf and basketball teams. Upon graduation, he worked for State Farm and became an agent in Gurnee in 1997. His community involvement included being a member of the Rotary Club and chairman of the 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament for Gurnee Days. He was also the past president of the Lake County Chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, and a former board member of Gurnee Community Church, as well as a founding board member of Bernie’s Book Bank. 

Actively involved in coaching numerous youth athletic programs, Bernie started the youth basketball team known as the Gurnee Lightning, and was a volunteer coach for the Warren Township High School varsity basketball program. In addition to his mother, Bernie is survived by his wife, Christy Oehlstrom Floriani, whom he married July 3, 1993; his children, Kayla Floriani and Maxwell Floriani; a brother, Brian Floriani and Suzanne Brown of Lake Forest, Illinois; a sister, Lindsey Floriani Arterburn and Pete of Prosper, Texas; nieces and nephews: Zoë and Ziggy Floriani; Grant and Claire Arterburn; mother-in-law, Sue Oehlstrom, of Palatine, Illinois; sister-in-law, Stacy Oehlstrom Behles and Forrest; niece and nephew, Mallory and Jack Behles, all of Roselle, Illinois, and numerous other family members. 

In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Peter and Veronica Floriani, and maternal grandparents, Bill and Kit McCauley. Visitation, services and interment were held in West Newton, Pennsylvania.

Memorial donations may be made in Bernie’s name to Bernie’s Book Bank, www.berniesbookbank.org, 917 N. Shore Drive, Lake Bluff, IL, 60044, or ALS Les Turner Foundation, www.lesturnerals.org, 5550 W. Touhy Ave., Suite 302, Skokie, IL, 60077. 

A memorial service will be held at a later date in Lake County, Illinois.

Carroll Lee “Kelly” (Rogers) Bennett, a Southern lady born in Chicago but raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, will be greatly missed by her family and friends who will cherish the memory of her beautiful, life-affirming spirit. She was generous, always pleasant, and full of unconditional love for her family and friends. Kelly was a military wife who moved with her husband and family around the country to support his Air Force career. Kelly loved to go and do, forever active and never wanting to miss anything. She was an avid reader and loved to travel, especially with her favorite travel companions. Kelly was a people person, always there to support others; giving of her time and resources to help those less fortunate or in need.

Kelly loved everything blue, including her blue glass collection, her pool and the ocean where she loved to gather shells and sit to watch and listen to the waves. Kelly loved the water and puttered around the bay in her little boat with her dog on the bow. She swam in a lagoon with her dolphin friends. She also loved her horses and her dogs nearly as much as she loved her children. One of her favorite spots was her backyard; when she wasn’t enjoying her swimming pool she loved to tinker in her garden and relax on her patio. Yoga and her yoga friends offered another source of friendship, relaxation and meditation.

Her professional life began in Washington D.C as a church secretary and moved upward to an executive administrative assistant at a professional consulting firm. When they moved to Florida, she became a legal secretary and accountant. Kelly was a long-time volunteer at the First Baptist Church Christian Life Center in Fort Walton Beach and at the Shalimar Library Thrift Shop, where she used her accounting skills. She also provided piano accompaniment at a local assisted-living facility for Sunday church service and was involved in Women’s Missions.

Born in 1933, Carroll (Kelly) left this world peacefully May 21, 2020, to be with her Lord. Kelly is survived by her loving husband of 65 years, Lt. Col. Robert E. Bennett, Sr., her sister Lynn Rogers, her children and their families; daughter Ann Gill, her husband Randall Gill, granddaughter Laura Gill and great grandson Archer; daughter Robin Bennett and granddaughter Maia Pike and her husband Jeremy, and granddaughter Danielle Russek; son Robert E. Bennett, Jr., his wife Anne and granddaughter Georgia Henderson and her husband Nathaniel, and great-grandchildren Preston, Savannah and Luke and granddaughter Emily Sauvageau and her husband John. “Granny” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her spirit will live on through them.

A memorial service was held May 30 at the First Baptist Church of Fort Walton Beach in Florida.

Dr. John W. Knable, 86, of Avon, passed away peacefully June 22, 2020, at his home. He was born in 1934 in Youngstown, Ohio. He graduated from Youngstown State University and the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery in Des Moines, Iowa. Most of his professional career, as a specialist in internal medicine, was spent in Cleveland and Athens, Ohio. He held leadership positions at Richmond Heights General Hospital, at Brentwood Hospital, and was chairman of the Department of Medical Specialties at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine from 1979 to 1988. Throughout his career, many of his students and trainees saw him as the epitome of the caring physician, with his calm imperturbability and selfless devotion to his patients. Following his retirement, Dr. Knable was a devoted attendee of the Chautauqua Institution and as an accomplished clarinetist and saxophonist, returned to his deep love of music.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Patricia (nee Boyd); children, Michael (Maree) of Chevy Chase, Maryland, Mark (JoAnn) of Athens, Marcia (Fernando) Lara of Nashville, Matthew (Lori) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Christopher (Carrie) of Charlotte; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and special friends. He was preceded in death by his grandson, Jack; parents, Michael and Helen; and brother, Thomas.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ohio University Foundation, John W. Knable Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH, 45701.

Cynthia Lee White, age 85, of Columbus, passed into the arms of her Lord Jesus on April 23, 2020. She was born on Sept. 11, 1934, in Waterbury, Connecticut, to the late Frank and Alice (Pritchard) Comerford. She graduated with a BSN from the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing where she later served as a public health nurse in the Cincinnati area. Cynthia was a founding member of the College of Nursing Advisory Board, and received a Master’s Degree in Theology Psychology and Pastoral Counseling from The Ashland Theological Seminary. She served in many nursing positions, including director of nursing at Mountain State Hospital in Charleston, West Virginia, and also was a member of the faculty of the Charleston General Hospital School of Nursing. 

She was very involved with activities and leadership roles in her church and was instrumental in establishing a Counseling Ministry at Bay Presbyterian Church in Bay Village, Ohio, and also at Avon Lake Presbyterian Church in Avon Lake, Ohio, where she served as pastoral counselor until her retirement. She was a member of Bethel Presbyterian Church in Columbus, Ohio. 

Cynthia is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, Terry R. White; daughters, Ann Connelly and Stephanie (Don) Jacobs; grandchildren, Matthew Connelly, Catherine Lill, Andrew Connelly, Annika Jacobs, Stas Jacobs and Dymitry Jacobs; and great-grandson, Lian Connelly. 

In light of the current conditions, a private family graveside service was held in Glouster, Ohio. The family would like to thank the staff of Ohio Living Thurber Village for their compassionate and professional care during the last few years of her life. In lieu of flowers, donations to Cynthia’s memory may be made to the University of Cincinnati Foundation, PO Box 19970, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, or to Ohio Living Westminster Thurber, 717 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43215.

It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the passing of Eva Rosenberg (née Samuelson) who died peacefully on May 22, 2020, in her home surrounded by family. Eva was born on Dec. 2, 1917, in New York City to the late David and Rose Samuelson. Eva married Milton Rosenberg in 1941 and they were happily married for over 62 years until his passing in 2003.

Eva is survived by her children, Paula Hecker (Ray), Stuart Rosenberg (Bonnie) and Karen Rosenberg, (Roy Szubski), as well as six grandchildren, Andrew Hecker (Christine), Marla Gornstein (Brad), David Rosenberg (Danielle), Ezra Rosenberg-Szubski, Noah Szubski and Caleb Szubski (Hayden Overly). She is also survived by five great-grandchildren.

In her early years, she worked as a bookkeeper. In 1961, she graduated college with a degree in business and economics. She subsequently attended SUNY Oneonta to graduate with a Master’s in Education. She taught elementary school in Utica, New York, for many years until she and Milton retired to Fort Lauderdale in 1978. After his passing, Eva relocated to Beachwood, Ohio, where she spent the last 15 years of her life at Wiggins Place.

After Eleanor Roosevelt and before Ruth Bader Ginsburg there was Eva Rosenberg. She had an independent spirit and refused to conform to the expectation put on women of her generation. Some of her accomplishments include reestablishing the Hebrew Congregation of Chautauqua Institution; becoming a Bat Mitzvah at the age of 91; and establishing a Yiddish Club at Wiggins. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the service and burial will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to Congregation Beth Emeth, 100 Academy Road, Albany, NY, 12208 or Daughters of Sarah, 180 Washington Avenue Ext, Albany, NY, 12203.

Harold F. Reed Jr., 93, of Beaver, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on May 23, 2020.

Born on March 5, 1927, in Beaver, he was the son of the late Harold F. Sr. and Mary Louise Reed. The most important thing for Harold in life was the love and devotion that he and his wife, Martha, shared for their 62 years of marriage. Family was everything to him, along with his wife, his love for his children and grandchildren extended deeply.

A lifelong resident of Beaver, Harold was a faithful member of First Presbyterian Church of Beaver, where he served as a deacon, a trustee, an Elder, and a Sunday school teacher for over 50 years. He worked as an attorney and took great pride in his work. Harold was elected to the American College of Trial Lawyers, where only 1% of lawyers in practice are elected to admittance. He was a past president of the Bar Association, Beaver Trust Company, Beaver County Branch of PA Economy League, and Beaver County United Way. Harold held the highest professional rating by the Judicial and Bar Association for over 40 years, and was esteemed by his colleagues.

Along with his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Martha Johnston Reed; a brother, George; and a sister, Nancy. Harold leaves behind his four children, Jenifer (Scott) Anderson of Minneapolis; Harold F. III “Pat” (Lorie) Reed of Essex, Connecticut; Nancy L. (Michael McRoberts) Reed of Hendersonville, North Carolina; and Thomas J. (Tracey) Reed of Beaverton, Michigan; and his six grandchildren, Ian Anderson, Jeremey (Jaclyn) Anderson, Carey and Jessica Reed, and Zachary and Trent Reed.

As per Harold’s children’s request, all funeral services were private.

If so desired, memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 252 College Avenue, Beaver, PA, 15009.

Harvey Chester Biskin was born Sept. 2, 1925, in Schenectady, New York, and died peacefully on June 8, 2020, in Athens, Georgia. A long life, well lived. Harvey passed away on his 68th wedding anniversary with his beloved bride, Bayla, and his three children at his side.

Banging on pots and pans as a child, it was clear from an early age that music would set the course for his entire life. He enjoyed a long and rich career, inspired by his dual passions for performance and music education.

He enrolled in The Eastman School of Music in 1943 as a percussion student. His studies were interrupted by a call to service during World War II. Harvey served in the Army’s 835th Signal Service Battalion and was stationed in India for over two years, an adventure he loved to colorfully recount. After the war, he returned to Eastman and completed his studies, earning a Bachelor of Music in Performance and Music Literature in 1949 and a Masters in Music Literature and Theory in 1950.

He began his professional career at Chautauqua Institution in Western New York in 1950, and performed with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra for 45 seasons. His commanding presence on the Amphitheater stage, dramatically poised at his timpani, won him many admirers.

That same year marked the start of a 40-year association with the San Antonio Symphony, where he started as a percussionist and, after one season, was promoted to principal timpanist, a role he held until 1991.

A miraculous South Texas snowstorm the day after an initial blind date kindled a lifelong romance with Bayla Sheinberg, a young pianist from Fort Worth. They married in 1952.

In 1955, Harvey became the San Antonio Symphony’s Education Director. It was in this role — programming, producing and narrating concerts, and later also conducting them — that he discovered his life mission for bringing classical music to children who otherwise might have never heard a live orchestra. He developed an extensive program of young persons’ concerts that reached three generations of students across San Antonio and beyond, becoming a model for outreach and enrichment to orchestras nationwide. Harvey expanded the program through relentless fundraising and intricate school district coordination. He trained a network of volunteer docents to prepare students for every performance, and added dance, opera, and student soloists to the programs, which reached over 150,000 children annually. Harvey was a beloved musical celebrity to the youth of San Antonio, as the charming explainer of the instruments of the orchestra, the mysteries of musical composition, and the history, romance, humor and drama contained in music.

He also instructed college students in timpani and percussion, as well as music literature and history, for 45 years, first at the University of Texas at Austin, and subsequently at five San Antonio campuses and at Chautauqua. He was known as a demanding but inspiring teacher, and many of the students he mentored went on to pursue professional careers in music.

Harvey applied this same talent, creativity and attention to detail to his other great passion — the kitchen. He was known for the elaborate Chinese feasts that he and Bayla (but mostly he) would prepare for their friends. Harvey loved all things food — both consuming and concocting — but it was the planning, preparing and eating Chinese cuisine that was truly his forte. Harvey and Bayla were ideal hosts; anyone invited to one of their gatherings was assured of a bountiful, first-rate meal, accompanied by Harvey’s lively storytelling and well-told jokes.

After his retirement from performing, Harvey continued to support the San Antonio and Chautauqua musical communities as a devoted audience member. It was hard not to notice his deep knowledge of whatever was being performed as he instinctively conducted the scores from his seat. He made it his policy to always congratulate the performers backstage after every concert.

Harvey and Bayla moved to Athens in 2015, where they continued to support the local music scene and to pursue their love of literature and learning.

In addition to Bayla, Harvey is survived by his three children Jill, Andy and Roslyn, along with their spouses Tom Cerbu, Limor Tomer and Rodney Crumrine, and four grandchildren: Alois Cerbu, Amal Harvey Biskin and Eli and Zach Crumrine.

Memorial gifts may be directed to the Chautauqua Foundation in support of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in memory of Harvey Biskin.