We Remember Those We Have Lost

We Remember Those We Have Lost
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Robert W. Parsons

SALISBURY – Robert W. Parsons, age 83, of Salisbury and formerly of West Ocean City, died Tuesday, June 9, 2009, at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury.

Born in New York, he was the son of the late Lee Parsons and Eda Cropper Parsons. He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Cora Parsons, in 2003.

Parsons spent his early childhood years in Southampton Long Island, where his father was stationed with the US Coast Guard. After graduation from high school, he entered military service, first with the US Coast Guard and later with the Army. Through a career that spanned 20 years, he served in active duty in World War II, in Germany during the Korean War years and in South Vietnam prior to his retirement in 1964. Also, during his later Army years, he was privileged to serve as a chauffer in the White House garage, where his passengers included then Vice President Richard Nixon and the poet Robert Frost on the day of the famous JFK inauguration poetry reading.

After his retirement from the Army, Parsons and his wife, Cora, resided for many years in West Ocean City, where they raised their three children in the family home built by his paternal grandfather. During these years, he worked primarily as the caretaker at the Maryland State Police Barracks in Berlin.

He is survived by two sons, Mike Parsons and his wife Vie of Key West, Fla. and Jim Parsons and his wife Molly of Bishopville; one daughter, Barbara Parsons of Salisbury; two sisters, Virginia Massey and her husband Robert of Fruitland and Julia Logan of Salisbury; and eight grandchildren, Stephanie, Natalie, Brian, Jeff, Neal, Nicole, Kelly and Hannah. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Linda Parsons, and a brother, Jim Parsons.

Services were held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, PO Box 5216, Glen Allen, Va, 23058-5216.

Geneva Maxine Matthews

BERLIN – Geneva Maxine Matthews, age 84, died Friday, June 12, 2009 at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin.

Born in Nitro, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late John W. Tester and Ida Mae Davis Tester.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Stephen E. Matthews, Sr.; one son, Stephen E. Matthews, Jr. and his wife Darlene of Frederick; one

daughter, Patricia Gentry of Preston; three grandchildren, Matthew Gentry, Stephanie Matthews and Josie Tucker; and one great grandchild, Daniel J. Tucker. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Linda Matthews, and her siblings, Ancel Tester, John Tester, Agnes Kelly and Rida Stole.

Services and interment are private. Donations may be made in her honor to the American Cancer Society, c/o Gerri Harrison, 337 Winter Quarters Drive, Pocomoke City, Md. 21851.

Arrangements are being handled by the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.

Anna Mae Forstrom

OCEAN CITY – Anna Mae Forstrom, age 87, died Thursday, June 11, 2009 at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin.

She was born on May 11, 1922 in Revere, Mass. to Rosina Belmonte and Raffael Ferragamo from Bonito Avalino Naples, Italy. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Forstrom.

She served in the military branch of WAC from 1943-1946 at Fort Myers, Va. and had worked at the Pentagon. She had attended trade school to become a beautician. She had worked in the government printing office and was retired from the United States Postal Service.

She was active in many local civic organizations including, AARP, Knights of Columbus, American Legion and the VFW. She loved her family, friends and life in general.

She is survived by two daughters, Kathy Baker and her husband Charles of Columbia and Bonnie Jacobs and her husband Robert of Berryville, Va; four grandchildren, Robert Jacobs, Jr., Jill Jacobs, Chad Jacobs and Charlie Baker; three great grandchildren, Ashley, Mary and Molly Devereux; and two brothers, Stanley and Edward Ferragamo.

Services were held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, c/o Gerri Harrison, 337 Winter Quarters Dr., Pocomoke City, Md. 21851 or the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company, PO Box 27, 1409 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, Md. 21842.

Madge Virginia Ayres

WILLARDS – Madge Virginia Ayres, age 94, died on Friday, June 12, 2009 at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury.

Born in Willards she was the daughter of the late Benton R. Adkins and Nancy Taylor Adkins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Collins D. Ayres.

She is survived by two sisters, Mary Lee Lambert of Willards and Barbara Ann Powell and her husband Frank of Newark; four grandchildren, Collins Veneables, Lisa Gaye, Janie Veneables and Roger Veneables; four great grandchildren, Shawn, Adam, Erin and Amber; and two great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Joseph E. Ayres "Bunky"; two brothers, Paul R. and Jacob Adkins; two sisters, Elva M. Williams and Mattie G. Willson; amd one grandchild, Michael Veneables.

Services were held.

Helen Edith Lebo

SALISBURY – Helen Edith Lebo, age 72, died Sunday, June 14, 2009 at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury.

Born in Harrisburg, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Russell Wentz and Alva Richcreek Wentz. She was preceded in death by her husband, Albert G. Lebo.

Lebo had been the manager of the Lewis Cottages on Baltimore Ave. and 1st Street in Ocean City for over 25 years.

She is survived by three sons, Albert Lebo, III and his wife Kathy of Palmyra, Pa., Robert Lebo and his wife Darlene of West Ocean City and Michael Lebo and his wife Linda of Eden; one daughter, Barbara Ann Lebo of Steelton, Pa.; one sister, Alva Krebs and her companion Richard Sheets of West Ocean City; one aunt, Mary Fach and her husband Harry of

Middletown, Pa.; five grandchildren; three great grandchildren; and many

nieces, nephews and a host of friends.

Services were held atthe Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City, 1301 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, Md. 21842.

Alvin James West

SNOW HILL – Alvin James West, 75, of Snow Hill, passed away on June 15, 2009.

He was born in Wango, Md. to the late Frank P. West and Mattie B. Mitchell West.

After 30 years of employment as a crew foreman with the Worcester County Roads Department, West enjoyed 17 years of retirement. Prior to that, he worked the family farm and spent several years with the Snow Hill Milk Plant.

In his earlier years, he relished playing softball and competing in local private pool tournaments. His favorite activities included hunting, gardening, and backyard barbeques with family and friends. He gave many years of loyal fraternal service to the Salisbury Moose Lodge, # 654, and the Tony Tank Tribe of the Red Men’s Organization.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Betty Jean West; his sons, Frank M. West and wife Connie of Snow Hill and Alvin West II and wife Olga of San Francisco; his daughters, Kathleen E. West of Ocean City, Susan W. Lauer of Ocean City and Jean W. Pruitt of Snow Hill; his grandchildren, Amy Davey, Lynn West, and Mitchell Pruitt; his great-grandchild, Richard Wyatt Davey; his sister, Pauline W. Laws; and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his brothers, William F. West and Maurice M. West; his sisters, Mildred West and Margaret Bynum; and a son-in-law, Theodore L. Lauer.

Services will be held Saturday, June 20 at All Hollows Episcopal Church in Snow Hill at 11 a.m. Friends may call from 10-11 a.m.. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Snow Hill Ambulance Fund, PO Box 83, Snow Hill Md., 21863, in memory of Alvin J. West.

Dr. Jack Tyler Gibson

SNOW HILL – Dr. Jack Tyler Gibson, age 80 died Tuesday, July 16, 2009 at Salisbury Nursing Home, Genesis Elder Care.

Born in Litwar, McDowell County, W.Va., he was the son of the late George Tyler "Hoot" Gibson and Ruby Coleman Gibson. He was preceded in death by his former wife, JoRetta A. Snowberger Gibson, who died in May of 2000. He is survived by two daughters, Tyla Jayne Gibson and Julianne Conkel Petti.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, June 20 at the Burbage Funeral Home in Snow Hill at 2 p.m. Friends may call one hour prior. Rev. Danny Bradford will officiate. Interment will take place in the Salem United Methodist Church Cemetery in Upper Falls, MD., where a graveside service will be held on Tuesday, June 23 at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company, PO Box 83, Snow Hill, Md. 21863.

Janet Catania Fisher

OCEAN CITY – Janet Catania Fisher, 75, of Ocean City, died Tuesday, June 16, 2009. She was born May 21, 1934.

She was the wife of the late Charles W. Fisher Sr.; devoted mother of Charlie Fisher and his wife, Lisa, John Fisher and his wife, Holly, and Billy Fisher and his wife, Renee Nonna; grandmother of Zack, Kristen, Justin, Courtney, Shelby, Riley and Nolan; and dear sister of Connie C. Panzer and the late Verna C. Smith, Helen C. Levy and Francis "Boots" Catania.

Fisher moved to Ocean City in 2000. She was a member of St. Lukes Catholic Church in Ocean City, Ocean City Senior Citizen Pinochle Club, Mystic Harbor Pinochle Club, Mahjong with the Ocean City Ladies, the Board of Directors — Sundowners, the Seton High School Alumni Association and traveled with the Ocean City branch of the AARP.

A Christian wake service will be held at the family-owned Duda-Ruck Funeral Home of Dundalk Inc., 7922 Wise Ave., in Dundalk on Friday at 4:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 4414 Frankford Ave., in Baltimore on Saturday at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery. Friends may call Friday from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.

Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, Md. Affiliate, 415 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md. 21201.