More than 300 local veterans have died in past year

A total of 193 Venango County veterans have died since Memorial Day, 2022, according to the Venango County Veterans’ Affairs office.

The following list contains the names of those veterans and the wars in which they served. Veterans who served during more than one war are listed under the earlier war.

Names that are missing from this list may be reported to the Veterans Affairs office at 814-432-9780.

World War II

Joseph A. Agnello; John T. Barber; Roy M. Daugherty; Richard H. Green; Louis C. Herb; Zane L. Hoffman; Joseph J. Hollabaugh; James E. Lindquist; Joseph R. Morrison; Ivan E. Ogle (also served during Korea, Vietnam); Donald J. Palmer, Jr.; Gerald E. Perry; William J. Pershern; Charles D. Rhoades; John C. Rodgers, Sr.; Wayde A. Spence, Sr.; Edward A. Tecza; Clinton L. Wasson, Sr.

Korea

Ronald L. Ashbaugh; Cecil E. Baker; Donald L. Baker; John L. Bashline, Lee W. Benedict; David J. Blum; Joseph R. Bukolt; William F. Craig; Richard E. Ehrhart; Frederick E. Fisher; Thomas W. Guyton; Ronald M. Hall; Garry A. Hartsell; Bartlett E. Haugh; Christopher Heydrick, Jr.; William W. Kapp; William R. Karns; Richard E. Kelley; Frank B. Kendrick, Jr.; James A. Lynn; Eric I. Manders; James H. McElroy (also served in Vietnam); James N. McLaughlin; Harry A. Moon; Thomas F. Myers; Donald D. Nicewonger; A.L. Reynolds; Russell L. Rinker; Glenn T. Ross, Sr.; Eugene C. Sheffer; Carl J. Sherman; Arthur Simpson; Roy L. Sliker; Samuel A. Swartz; Carl E. Townsend; Finley L. Wentling Jr.; Donald E. Westover; Donald R. Wightman (also served in Vietnam); Robert E. Young; George O. Zinsser

Vietnam

Robert E. Allen, Sr.; Floyd J. Baughman; George L. Beach; Edward J. Bergin; Dale E. Blauser; Robert H. Braden; Bruce A. Bryner; Robert R. Burns, Jr.; Robert H. Carns; Richard E. Carter; Leroy Clark; Gregory D. Collins; Thomas J. Combs; Robert M. Connor; David R. Crowther; Carolyn L. Curran; Joseph A. Curran, Jr.; William H. Earley; Douglas E. Elliott; Paul B. Flockerzi; Robert E. Goodman; Lester G. Graham, Jr.; James C. Guyton; Stephen D. Hahn; Jacqueline L. Hazlett; Robert Hazlett; Robert D. Huff; Paul L. Jones (also served in Gulf War); Kenneth R. Kaber; Jimmie E. Keener; Jonathon P. Kelly; William M. Kelly; Harold B. Kline; Wayne G. Klinger, Jr.; Raymond C. Kopf; Elu P. Lawrence; Dennis J. Mancini; James H. Marshall; Bruno J.P. Matthews; Loren S. Miller; Calvin E. Noal; William J. Nosko; Terrence O’Neil; Kenneth W. Orsino; James E. Patton; Thomas H. Peterson; John A. Reed; Rick A. Renninger; Randy L. Rice; Lynn B. Roche, Jr.; Betty Lou Rogers; James H. Sandok; Robert L. Schneider; David E. Schnell; Raymond E. Shaffstall; Edward E. Sharp, Sr; Paul E. Sloss; John H. Steele; Thomas G. Strawbridge; Barbara A. Stright; Donald H. Weisenfluh, Jr.; Paul M. Wheeling, Jr.; John T. Wren; Robert L. Yarnell; Donald J. Yount

Gulf War

Paul A. Barger; James B. Barthen; Dennis L. Coxson; Dennis J. Droddy; Dale R. Dunlap; Gary C. Faller; William W. Hunter; Lucas A. Mitchell; Ryan Shane Steer

Peacetime

Danny L. Amon; John L. Baker; Vernon Baker; William Baker; Glenn L. Bauder; Thomas P. Bish; William J. Book; Robert J. Bookwalter; John L. Bracken; Francis A. Bruno; Richard D. Burk; Ronald L. Carson; Albert B. Clark; Thomas R. Clawson; Orbic D. Crawford; Harvey R. Cricks; Ronald R. Dloniak; James P. Exley; Walter J. Flinchbaugh; Bernard M. Foster; Errol P. Fredley, Sr.; Edward L. Gariepy; Roy D. George; James M. Gibbons; Timothy M. Hargenrader; Richard B. Heath; Linda S. Henderson; Ronald J. Hoag; John T. Hopwood, Sr.; Thomas R. Horner; Roger R. Johnson; Gerome Joslin; Clarence R. Keener, Jr.; Jay D. Klingler; Clifford E. Lake; William E. Matesich; James C. McCutcheon; Robert R. McDonough; Walter J. McFadden; James B. McGinnis; Jerry A. McMurdy; Paul L. Meehan; Dave K. Nelson; Richard Oxenham; Robert F. Posego; Walter J. Reavis; Gerald B. Reed; Richard A. Reed; Alvin G. Roddy; Bruce D. Rodgers; Arthur D. Ruth; Jay A. Scott; Maximillian Serafin; Richard L. Socha; Donald E. Stillings; Alan R. Wagner; John Wallace; Richard O. Way; John E. Whitmire; James L. Winger; Richard J. Wujcik

CLARION COUNTY

Approximately 100 Clarion County military service veterans passed away between April, 22, 2022 and April 19 of this year, according to Clarion County Director of Veteran Affairs Rodney L. Sherman. The Veterans Affairs office tracks the passing of county veterans and releases the tally each year before Memorial Day.

According to the informal data, of those veterans, six served during World War II; 11 served during the Korea War; seven served during the Korean War Era; 18 served in Vietnam; 12 served during the Vietnam War Era; three served in the Gulf War and one served during the Gulf War Era; 33 served during peacetime; four served in the National Guard or Reserves; and three county veterans’ military service was during an unspecified period.

Some veterans served during more than one designated period.

For additions and corrections, contact Sherman at the Clarion County administration building, 330 Main St., Clarion, Pa., 16214, or call 814-226-4000, ext. 2601 or email rsherman@co.clarion.pa.us

Cedarview Memorial Park — Oren L. Solida, peacetime; Gerald E. Byers, Vietnam; David L. Best, Vietnam Era; Leland R. Dunkle, National Guard; David C. Elliott, Vietnam Era; Lloyd G. Bachman, peacetime; Ralph H. Minich, peacetime; William M. Motosicke, Korean Era

Clarion Cemetery — Edward L. Elliott, WWII; Gilbert E. Slaugenhaupt, Vietnam; Todd A. Bashline, Gulf War Era

Concord Cemetery — Russel B. Wetzel – Korean Era

Fisher Presbyterian Cemetery — Edward G. Clowney, WWII

Hawthorn Cemetery — Thomas B. Smith Sr., Korean Era

Knox Union Cemetery — George W. Freeman, Korean; Harold “Bud” Price, peacetime

Leatherwood Cemetery — Ronald H. Foringer, peacetime; David Alan Delp, Vietnam

Miola Cemetery — James D McCleary, Korean Era; Ronald B. Cummings, Korean; Edward T. McClain, Vietnam Era

Perry Chapel Cemetery — Francis T. Baran, peacetime

Presbyterian Brick Church Cemetery — Michael L. Elder, peacetime; Benjamin P. Sherman, peacetime

Rimersburg Cemetery — Clayton E. Rhodes, Korean; Walter J. Henry, peacetime; Robert A. Burt Jr., Vietnam; Dr. O.D. Crawford, unspecified; Roy E. Summerville, Vietnam; Jonette L. Roland, Vietnam Era; Donald A. Stemmerich, Korean Era

Salem (Frogtown) Cemetery — Norman F. LaBarre Jr., peacetime

Salem United (rural Valley) — W. Dale Shelter, peacetime

Sligo Cemetery — Roy T. Hile, Korean; Wesley (Pat) Sherman, peacetime

Starr Cemetery — Lawrence Shoup, peacetime; John A. Baughman, peacetime; W. Dean Weaver, peacetime

St. Charles Catholic Cemetery — James J. Stepulla, peacetime

St. Eusebius Cemetery — Richard L. Greenawalt, Vietnam Era; Thomas R. Criner, peacetime; Roy J. Guntrum, Korean Era 03/02/2023

St. Paul Union — William L. Shaner, Korean Era; Cecil R. Ashbaugh, peacetime

St. Petersburg Cemetery — Robert L. Montgomery, WWII

St. Joseph’s Cemetery — Raymond L. Seitz, Vietnam; William J. Wolbert, Vietnam Era; W. Roger Wilson, Vietnam Era; Lawrence B. Gatesman Jr., Vietnam Era

St. Michael’s Cemetery — Russell J. Smerkar, Vietnam; Norbert S. Ochs, WWII

West Freedom Cemetery — Alvine Leroy Best, Vietnam Era

Brought back for burial — John A. Gatesman, St Joseph’s Cemetery, Reserves; Victor J. Troese, Immaculate Conception, Vietnam; John L. Minich, Paradise Cemetery, peacetime; Joseph A. Ritts, Salem Church Cemetery, WWII; Carl P Redick, Sligo Cemetery, Peacetime; Ryan S. Steer, Venus Cemetery, Persian Gulf; Kenneth Kaber, Fern Trinity Cemetery, Vietnam; Claude E. Gray, Fern Trinity Cemetery, peacetime; Robert Groner, Perry Chapel Cemetery, Vietnam; Arnold M. Radaker, Hawthorn Cemetery, WWII

Buried out of Clarion County — John S. Ziegler, Korea-Vietnam; John D. Cole, Vietnam, Crawford County; Mervin L. Kahle, peacetime, Jefferson County; Paul L. Jones, Persian Gulf; Donald D. Nicewonger, Korea; Robert B. McElravy, Vietnam

Private held by family — Daniel S. Boehme Sr., Vietnam; Frederic T. Todd, Vietnam Era; William B. Hiles Sr., peacetime; Charles Costan, Vietnam; Gary P. Perry, peacetime; Patrick O. Baker, peacetime; David Betchel, peacetime; Dan D. Davis, Reserves, peacetime; Ronald L. Wilhelm Jr., peacetime; Kenneth W. Orsino, Vietnam; George R. Larimer, Korea/Vietnam; Jonathan L. Sheehan, Vietnam; Robert C. Wingard, Persian Gulf Era; David G. Richardson, peacetime (Reserves); Robert L. Jackson, peacetime; Clyde M. Shumaker, Vietnam; Leonard “Sony” L. Hoffman, peacetime; Paul B. Flockerzi, Vietnam; Richard L. Reese, Vietnam; Richard G. Boddof, Korea; William W. Kapp, Korea; Charles E. Jeannerat, peacetime; Larry Charles Smith Sr., Korea; Julius Turteltaub, Korea/Vietnam; Stanley B. Kline, peacetime; Gerald (Jerry) McFarland, Vietnam Era; William D. Beveridge, Sr., peacetime; Robert J. Schiffhouer, Vietnam

FOREST COUNTY

According to the Forest County, a total of 14 Forest County veterans have died in the past year.

Names that are missing may be reported to the Veterans Affairs Office at 814-755-3404.

William F. Bemis, Robert Houston Jr., Frank Comunale, Lawrence Imperiale, George H. Weaver, Alton Z. Hall, Robert E. Osten, Richard Calkins, Jeff Wagner, Ralph Folk, John Wallace, John Wante, Don Stinebiser and Art Clow