Obituaries

BRADEN
James R. Braden, 74, a former Washington County school administrator, died at 4:15 am Saturday, February 26, 1977, in Washington Hospital after a three-week illness.
He was born August 27, 1902, in Ten Mile, a son of Dr. Leroy S. and Emma Sharp Braden. At the time of his death he lived at 755 East Maiden Street.
Mr. Braden attended the one-room Pleasant Hill School and graduated from Washington High School. In 1928 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Jefferson College. He received a masters degree in education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1938.
He formerly taught at Union High School, Burgettstown, and from 1936-46 was principal of Trinity High School. Twenty-three of his 43 years in education were spent as an assistant superintendent of Washington County schools – from 1946 to 1969. In June, 1969, he retired from this position. From 1969 to 1972, he served as court administrator of the Washington County Courts.
A member of the City Planning Commission, he served on the Washington County Retired Teachers Association and was a member of the Pennsylvania and National Retired Teachers Associations.
He taught Sunday school and served as an elder at the Church of the Covenant, where he was a member. He was a member of the Washington Presbytery Ministerial Relations Committee.
A member of the Washington Kiwanis Club for more than 32 years, he also belonged to the George Washington Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. He was a member of the civil War Round Table of Washington, D.C., and helped organize a local chapter of the Civil Was Round Table.
On June 6, 1938, in Washington, he married Camilla Adams, who survives along with a son, Dr. James A. Braden of Washington, D.C.; two daughters, Jean Claire, wife of Gary Reeder of Montoursville, and Camilla Margaret, wife of Patrick Briley of Barrlesville, Okla.; and three grandchildren.
A sister, Hazel Bennett, is deceased.

BUCKINGHAM
Vera Yorty Buckingham, 64, of Bridgeville, died Sunday, December 16, 1979, in St. Clair Hospital.
She was born May 17, 1915, in Centerville, a daughter of Norman D. and Tryphena Scott Yorty.
Surviving are her husband, William Buckingham; three daughters, Donna Klemm, Marian Johns and bilie Byers; three sisters, Thelma Hill, Sara Roberson and Helen Montgomary; one brother, George Yorty, and 10 grandchildren.

DUNBAR
Dr. David McCarrell Dunbar, 81, of 418 Leonard Avenue, Washington, died at 5 am Wednesday, February 22, 1978, in Washington Hospital after a short illness.
He was born August 19, 1896, in Elderton, a son of the Rev. Joseph W. and Leila McCarrell Dunbar.
A member of the First Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder, he was also an avid outdoor sportsman.
Dr. Dunbar was a practicing physician since 1924, beginning in the Buffalo Village and West Middletown area, later moving to Washington. He was the oldest practicing physician in Washington County.
A graduate of Chester High School, he graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in 1919, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, and from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, in 1923, where he was a member of Alpha Kappa Kappa medical fraternity.
He served his internship in Allegheny general Hospital, Pittsburgh, and was a member of Washington county Medical society, Pennsylvania Medical Society and American Medical Society. He was a staff member and former president of the staff of Washington Hospital.
Dr. Dunbar was a 50-year member of the University Club of Pittsburgh, and a member of Vaux Lodge No. 454, F & AM Burgettstown.
On September 14, 1929, he was married in Chester, W. Va., to Helen Allison, who survives.
Also surviving are a son, David M. Dunbar Jr., at home; one brother, Joseph S. Dunbar, martins Ferry, Ohio; and four nephews, Albert and Richard Rabenstein, Washington, Joseph S. Dunbar Jr., Martins Ferry, and Richard Dunbar, New York City. One sister, Mary D. Patton is deceased.

THOMAS
Rosetta K. Thomas, 78m of 2894 Unclemorse Avenue, Akron, Ohio, died Sunday, November 6, 1977, in Akron.
Born March 6, 1899, in Lawrence County, Ind., she lived most of her life in Washington prior to moving to Akron six years ago.
She was employed at the Washington office of Mellon Bank for 32 years.
Surviving are two stepsons, David Earl Thomas of Frostburg, MS., and F. Lee Thomas of Akron, Ohio; two step-daughters, Eleanor Martins of Frostburg, Md., and Mrs. Anna Jenkins of LaBale, Md.; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be held in the Prentice Funeral Home, 1154 Kenmore Boulevard, Akron, Ohio, at 1 pm Wednesday, with the Rev. Dale O. Smith officiating. Interment in Greenlawn Memorial Park.

SARGENT
Creta Sargent, 79, of 220 Dague Road, Brownsville, died at 11:30 pm Wednesday, February 4, 1981, in Brownsville General Hospital.
She was born September 19, 1901, in Centerville Borough, a daughter of Joseph and Emma Hess Harrison.
She was a member of Taylor United Methodist Church and order of Eastern star, California.
Surviving are her husband Francis (Buck) Sargent, and several cousins.



ESLER
Mrs. Peggy Paxton Esler, 61, of Miami shores, Fla., formerly of Houston, died Tuesday, August 5, 1980.
She was born April 12, 1919, in Canonsburg, a daughter of Hugh B. and Merle Wallace Paxton. She was a former member of the Houston United Presbyterian Church. A graduate of East Washington High School, she also attended Westminster College.
Mrs. Esler was employed by Linsley Lumber Co. in Miami, Fla.
Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Patricia Amberg and Mrs. Amy Brock, both of Port Charlotte, Fla.; on brother, Hugh W. Paxton of Houston; and two grandchildren.
A twin brother, Joseph is deceased.
Services and burial will be held in Miami, Fla.

O’DONNELL (appeared in a 1977 paper – no date)
Francis O’Donnell, Former Brownsville Banker, Dead
Francis H. O’Donnell, 73, 60 Shenango St., Sharpsville, formerly of Brownsville, died at 4:30 am today in Sharon General Hospital following an extended illness.
He was born Feb 6, 1904, in Centerville, a son of William D. and Mary Horner O’Donnell.
Mr. O’Donnell attended East Bethlehem Twp High School and was graduated from Chalfant Business College, Brownsville. He also had attended Seddon’s Secretarial School.
He was a 50-year member of Brownsville Lodge 60, F & AM., Uniontown Lodge of Perfection, American Association of Retired Persons and the First Presbyterian church of Sharpsville.
Mr. O’Donnell was a retired banker and began his career in Brownsville, August, 1933, at the former national Deposit Bank and later helped organize the First national Bank of Brownsville of which he had been cashier.
He moved to Sharpsville in 1955 as cashier at the First national Bank of Sharpsville of which he was later president. The bank was later merged with the McDowell National Bank of Sharon of which Mr. O’Donnell had been a vice-president and member of the board of directors, retiring in 1966. He remained on the bank’s Sharpsville advisory board.
In 1976, he was honored by the Pennsylvania Banker’s Association for more than 50 years of membership.
While residing in Brownsville he had been active in many civic and community organizations and had served as treasurer of the local Salvation Army service unit.
He had been a trustee of the former First Presbyterian Church of Brownsville.
Survivors include his wife, the former Rebecca Warren whom he married May 30, 1927.
Also surviving are three sons, William W. of Sharon, James A. of North Canton, Ohio, president of the United National Bank of Canton and F. Scott of Steubenville, Ohio, banking commissioner for the state of Ohio; a daughter, Mrs. Altha Brady, Greenville, and nine grandchildren.

ROBISON
Herman E. Robison, 73, of 951 Old national Pike, Brownsville, died at 6:25 am Monday, August 16, 1976, in Brownsville General Hospital.
He was born August 25, 1902, in Somerset Township, the son of Jacob and Sadie Hill Robison.
He was a resident of the Centerville area for 47 years, and was a member of the Centerville United Methodist Church.
Mr. Robison was in the grocery business for 50 years, having worked for the Pittsburgh Mercantile Co. for five years in the 1920s followed by five years of employment with the Kroger Co.
He owned and operated stores in Centerville and Malden for 30 years, and was employed by the Ranch Market in California for six years. In 1975, he retired from Sheehan’s Ranch Market, California.
Surviving are his widow, Sara Yorty Robison; two daughters, Mrs. Paul (Ann) Miller and Miss Sandra Robison, both of Akron, Ohio; a sister, Miss Estella Robison of Beallsville; a brother, Alva Robison of Akron, Ohio and four grandchildren.

HOPKINS
Hilda Hopkins, 79, of Washington County Health Center, formerly of West Pike Run Township, died at 4:30 pm Friday, August 1, 1980, in the health center.
She was born June 28, 1901, in West Pike Run Township, a daughter of Loren and Ella Williams Hopkins.
Surviving are a sister, Zelda McClatchey, and a brother, Gaylord Hopkins, both of Belle Glade, Fla.
One brother, Irwin Hopkins, is deceased.

COCHRAN
Lewis Vincent Cochran, 52, of 2442 Broadlawn Drive, Upper St. Clair, formerly of Centerville, was dead on arrival at St. Clair Hospital at 6:49 pm Thursday, September 28, 1978, of an apparent heart attack.
He was born August 29, 1926 in Clarksville, a son of Dean A. and Pearl M. Lancaster Cochran.
Mr. Cochran was a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and a member of Delta Sigma Pi. He was a regional claims manager for Chubb, Inc.
A Pittsburgh resident for the past 19 years, he belonged to Bower Hill Community United Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Cochran was a U.s. Army veteran of World War II and a member of elks Lodge No. 776 Washington.
Surviving are his wife, Roberta Ganoe Cochran, and three brothers, Edwin S. Cochran of Alexandria, Va., J. Maurice Cochran of Pleasant Hills and Donald L. Cochran of Carmichaels.

COCHRAN – funeral card – Clergyman – Dr. William Phillipe, burial La Fayette Memorial Park

GRAY
Ina Thistlethwaite Gray, 89, of Petaluma, Calif., formerly of Centerville borough, died Saturday, January 19, 1980, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
She was born December 29, 1890, in Centerville Borough, daughter of Elmer Timothy and Lizabeth Watkins Thistlethwaite.
Surviving are two sons, Allen d. Gray of Denver, Colo., and John H. gray of Scottsdale, Ariz.; three daughters, Eleanor Wolfe of Oloee, Fla., Ruth Luzena of Mill Valley, Calif., and Mildred Arehart of Columbus, Ohio; 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Her husband, Allen D. Gray, died July 8, 1978.

GRAY – funeral notice
Friends of Ina Thistelthwaite Gray of Petaluma, Calif., formerly of Centerville Borough, who died Saturday, January 19, 1980, are being received in the Greenlee Funeral home, Beallsville, Tuesday, January 22, from 10 to 11 am., the hour of services, with interment in Taylor Cemetery.