The Daily Item from Sunbury, Pennsylvania • 17

The Daily Item Sunday, January 14,1 996 Page B7 OBITUARIES SNOWSTORM 'J J- Elizabeth Robinson, 82, r.iddleburg RD4 Former teacher MIDDLEBURG Elizabeth E. Robinson, 82, of Middleburg RD4 died Friday, Jan. 12, 1996, at University Community Hospital, Tampa, Fla. She was born May 29, 1913, in v. i 'A .1 MV ,1 i In addition, the District of Columbia city government is receiving federal assistance.

James Lee Witt, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the funding authorized by the president is intended to cover only emergency snow removal operations. He said states and affected local governments can apply for reim April Tanner, 15, of Danville digs snow Saturday to uncover her storm was concentrated on the Central Susquehanna Valley. Pennnnvlvama grandmother's car on Center Street in Danville. The fury of Friday's dffiriie ffioir aid. WASHINGTON (AP) President Clinton on Saturday added Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia to the list of states eligible for federal assistance cleaning up from recent winter storms.

Delaware, Maryland and New York previously had been declared eligible for the same type assistance. State continuing to dig Melvin Chamberlain, 59, Sunbury Carpenter SUNBURY Melvin C. Chamberlain, 59, of 323 Linden St. died Friday afternoon, Jan. 1 2, 1 996, in the emergency room of Sunbury Community Hospital.

He was born in Paxinos on Sept. .19, 1936, a son of the late Robert and" Martha (Paul)Chamberlain. He the former Carolyn R. Zimmerman in 1959. He was a carpenter for the Rcbert Feaster Construction Northumberland RR1.

He; was a member of the SeHnsgrove the, Americus Hose Company in Sunbury, the Northumberland Fire Company No. 1 and the Stonington Fire Company. In addition to his wife; he is survived by one son, Melvin C. two grandchildren; two brothers, Paul and Ned, both of Paxinos; and one sister, Mary Ann Hill of Paxinos. He was preceded in death by one son, David, and one brother, Charles.

The funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Jerre Wirt Blank Funeral Home, 395 State Sunbury, by the Rev. Thomas W. Noyes. Burial will be in Northumberland Memorial Park, Stonington.

Visitors will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Laura E. Walter, 91, Mifflinburg Retired saleswoman MIFFLINBURG Laura Elizabeth Walter, 91, of 20 E. Green St.

died at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, 1996, at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where she had been a patient since Jan. 10. She was born July 19, 1904, in Buffalo Township, Union County, a daughter of the late Irvin William arid Margaret Jane (Fox) Emery.

She married Edgar Howard Walter on Dec. 26, 1922, in West Milton; he preceded her in death in 1975. She attended Mazeppa and Cowan elementary schools. Before moving to Mifflinburg in 1977, she had lived her entire life in Vicksburg. She recently retired as a sales representative for Westmoreland Sterling Silver Co.

Mrs. Walter was an active member of Faith Lutheran Church, Lewisburg, the Union County Republican Women and the Vicksburg Flower Club. Surviving are two sisters, S. Viola Zimmerman of Milton and Isabel A. Dietrich of Mifflinburg RD2; a brother, George O.

Emery of Lewisburg; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Foster A. Emery and M. Luther Emery, and two sisters, Miriam C. Feaster and Martha E.

Benner. The funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Faith Lutheran Church, 177 Old Turnpike Road, Lewisburg, by the Rev. Robert D. Kitchen.

Burial will be in Mazeppa Union Cemetery. Visitors may call from noon until the time of the service Wednesday at the church. Arrangements are by the James L. Schwartz Home for Funerals, Mifflinburg. Pauline J.

Bamhart, Watsontown WATSONTOWN Pauline J. Bamhart, wife of Kenneth H. Bamhart, of Warrior Run Manor, Watsontown, died Saturday morning, Jan. 13, 1996, at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh. Funeral arrangements will be announced Monday by the Dale E.

Ranck Funeral WHHam J. Dyess, 66, former ambassador WASHINGTON (AP) William J. Dyess, former ambassador to the Netherlands, died Jan. 6. of prostate cancer.

He was 66. After several overseas stints as a foreign relations officer, Dyess was named assistant secretary for public affairs by President Carter. He also served as State Department spokesman under former Secretary of State Alexander Haig. OttoKaus, 76, retired justice LOS ANGELES (AP) Otto Kaus, a retired state Supreme Court Justice who served on the court from 1981 to 1985. died of cancer Thursday.

He was 76. Kaus' majority opinions included four rulings upholding the state's 1975 medical malpractice law, a doctor-sponsored measure aimed at reducing insurance costs by limiting damages and the right to sue. "I can't get in or out of the door. We had to climb up all over that stuff to get in the house. Everybody is out there now, pushing the snow off their roofs." Mary Sharpless, South Philadelphia Harrisburg, a daughter of the late Richard and Iva (Bodmer)Clouser.

She was married to Tyrrell O. Robinson, who died in 1988. She was a graduate of John Harris C.kn.i j- irigu juiuui, uainsuuig, anu Shippensburg State Teachers She taught school in Harrisburg, Troxelville, Beavertown -and Middleburg. Mrs. Robinson was a member of Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Middleburg; Lady Selin Rebekah Lodge; the Home Study Club, Middleburg; and the Pennsylvania Association of State Retirees.

Surviving are a daughter, Phyllis J. Rasnick of Baltimore, and a granddaughter. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Dorothy Blough and Eleanor Greene. A private graveside service will be conducted at Glendale Cemetery, Middleburg, by the Rev. William D.

Jones. A memorial service will be held at Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Middleburg, at a later date. Arrangements are by the Hummel Funeral Home, 574 Hill Middleburg. Ida A. Lahr, 80, Northumberland RD1 Was active in church NORTHUMBERLAND Ida A.

Lahr, 80, of Northumberland RD1 died at 6:10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12, 1996, at Buffalo Valley Lutheran Village, Lewisburg, where she had lived for five years. She was born on Aug. 6, 1915, in Sunbury, a daughter of late John F.

and Loretta A. (Wert) Shaffer. In October 1932, she married Paul E. Lahr. She attended Sunbury schools.

She was formerly employed by the Bobb shirt factory in Sunbury. She was a homemaker. She was a member of First Church of the Nazarene, Mifflinburg. She formerly taught in the Sunday school and sang in the church choir. Besides her husband, she is survived by two sons, Burdette E.

of Northumberland RD1 and the Rev. Wendle R. of Pittsburgh, N.Y.; one daughter, Carolyn E. Young of Kingston, 10 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; five sisters, Rachel Seiple of Sunbury, Helen Zerbe of Danville, Hazel Wynn of Levittown and Mary Jones and Ruth Jenkins, both of Hollins, and three brothers, the Rev. William Derr of Spartanburg, S.C., Calvin Derr of Manheim and Robert Derr of Hollins Ala.

Fivp hrnthprs nrpredeH her in death: Jack Shaffer, Paul Shaffer, Glenn Shaffer, George Derr and Roy Derr. TM. i -II 1 I 1 ine runerai win dc conuucicu ai 11 a.m., Tuesday at the Joseph W. Epler Funeral Home, Second and King streets, Northumberland, by the Rev, Fred D. Pick.

Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Sunbury RD1. Visitors may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Contributions may be made to the First Church of the Nazarene JBuilding Fund, East Market Street, Mifflinburg, Pa. 17844.

Iva M. Weaver, 89, TurbotvilSo I- TURBOTVILLE Iva M. Weaver, 89, a former resident of IBroadway Estates, Turbotville, and kramm Health Care Center, Milton, died at 4:25 p.m. Saturday, 13, 1996, at Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg, rwhere she had been admitted on -Jan. 11.

Arrangements will be announced by the William F. Brooks Funeral Turbotville. DEATH NOTICES CHAMBERLAIN, MELVIN C. 59. 323 Linden SL, Sunbury, died Friday Jan.

12, 1996, in the emergency room of Sunbury Community, 'Hospital. Funeral at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. ll 7, in the Jerre Wirt Blank Funeral Home. 395 Sunbury.

Burial in Northumberland Memorial Park, Stonington. Visitors will be 'received from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at funeral thome. "LAHR, IDA 80, Northumberland RD1. died Friday, Jan.

12. 1996, at Buffalo Valley Lutheran Village, Lewisburg. Funeral at 1 1 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, at the Joseph W.

Epler Funeral Home, Second and King streets, Northumberland. Burial in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Sunbury RD1. Visitors may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Mortday at funeral horns. Contributions may be made to the First Church of the Nazarene Building Fund, East Market Street, Mifflmburg, Pa.

17844. Daily Item photo by Butch Comegys nursing homes and other critical facilities. Witt emphasized that salting, sanding and other anti-skid measure's are not covered by the assistance and that selective hauling of snow may be eligible only when it can. be shown that the hauling was absolutely necessary to maintain the required lane openings. out of the dangers of roof collapses.

"Friday night's storm dropped a significant amount of snow on top of the snow already there. The combined weight could cause serious roof damage," Schweiker said. Flat and shallow-pitch roofs are most vulnerable, he said. He warned residents to make sure chimneys and ventilation pipes are clear of snow and ice, to speak with a professional before removing snow themselves, to be careful when standing under eaves, to look out for live wires i and gas line breaks in case of collapse, and to leave buildings at the first sign of structural failure. He also said building managers should consult with architects or engi-.

neers. Philadelphia also saw some street flooding as rain and wanner temperatures started to melt the roughly 32 inches of snow on the ground. Philadelphia Water Department spokeswoman Joanne Dahme said 13 crews were working on flooding problems Saturday. She asked that residents clear their nearest storm drains of ice and snow. With 75,000 stormwater drains in the city, she said, crews cannot get to them all.

Elsewhere in the state, road crews were working to keep highways opened. Interstate 81, closed throughout the length of Susquehanna County late Friday, was reopened by noon Saturday, according to Comey. A stretch of Interstate 78 westbound in Berks County, closed Friday by drifting snow, also reopened Saturday morning. State and local governments in Pennsylvania have spent more than $69 million on the storm cleanup efforts since last Sunday, Comey said. Roughly 70 Pennsylvanians have died from storm-related deaths, but Comey said the figure may not be exact.

umm mftam irfYVPI bursement of 75 percent of the costs for equipment, contracts and personnel overtime required to clear one lane in each direction along snow emergency routes. Areas that do not have previously designated snow emergency routes can select primary roads and routes necessary to allow passage of emergency vehicles to hospitals, 3 Philadelphia. Her workers had been cleaning gutters and downspouts and patching snow and ice leaks. The biggest problem appeared to be water coming into houses because snow and ice had clogged the drains. "Some people have had four feet of snow on their roof," said Kirby.

Problems will get worse as the snow melts and the water has no place to go, she said. Kirby said she had stumbled upon a more sinister problem: competitors who used scare tactics to gouge customers. She said she received a call from a woman in her 90s who told her another roofed warned her that the built-up snow could cause a fire, and that he'd remove it for $400. "It saddens me when you hear an old person on the phone telling me these people are trying to take advantage of her," said Kirby, who sent men to help the woman for free. "In a situation like this is when their fangs come out." In Beaver County, a woman was killed by a falling beam when her barn roof collapsed as she and her 17-year-old daughter were feeding horses.

Patsy Hacker, 46, of Darlington, died of multiple blood force trauma to the chest, county coroner Wayne Tatalovich said. Her daughter was treated for injuries at a hospital and released. PEMA's Comey said the state agency had heard of a death resulting from the garden center roof collapse in Berks County, but he had no further details on it. Lt. Gov.

Mark S. Schweiker on Saturday warned Pennsylvanians mmur uwjt-iMi'iiw 'ii By The Associated Press Mary Sharpless and her husband were working' in their South Philadelphia variety store early Saturday morning neighbors came to tell them the porch roof of their house had collapsed. When the Sharplesses got down the street, they found that two neighbors' roofs also had fallen under the weight of wet heavy snow. "I can't get in or out of the door. We had to climb up all over that stuff to get in the house," Mrs.

Sharpless said later. "Everybody's out there now, pushing the snow off their roofs." At the end of a week a second storm added snow, ice and rain to the up to 30 inches of snow that had fallen before, Pennsylvanians struggled with roof problems, large puddles of slush, and roads that remained shut by unplowed snow. In Beaver County, a woman died when her barn roof collapsed on top of her. A lawn and garden center in Berks County also collapsed Friday, killing one person, said Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency spokesman John Comey. "We're continuing to dig out," Comey said Saturday.

"There are continued roofs that are collapsing." Gov. Tom Ridge late Saturday announced the snow emergency speed limits on roads in counties affected by the blizzard will be lifted at 7 a.m. today. Interstates and expressways in affected counties had been posted for, 40 mph with all other roads posted for 30 mph unless they already had a lower speed limit. Some 10,000 state workers, including those from the Pennsylvania National Guard, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and State Police, remained on duty to help clear roads and handle other problems, Comey said.

In an eight-county area including Montgomery, Lancaster, SUNBURY MONUMENTAL WORKS 1-800-480-0781 286-0781 A I l) Adams and Schuylkill counties, residents whose postal boxes were covered by as much as 40-inches of snow were collecting their mail in buckets, cardboard boxes, pipes or old milk boxes stuck atop snow drifts. "A lot of people are ust putting (it) out on the drift in front of their mailbox," said Diane Ditzler, spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service in that area. "It's really been beneficial in this area and a lot of people have been doing it." The Postal Service told customers they could use makeshift mailboxes as long asthey're secured people were using rocks and sticks and labeled U.S. Mail, she said.

Ditzler predicted some postal customers would have to use their temporary boxes a couple of weeks longer. Friday's storm dropped 10.8 inches on Harrisburg, adding to previous snowfall to bring the monthly total to 38.8 inches, the snowiest January in records that date back to 1888, the National Weather Service reported Saturday. The previous record was 34.2 inches for all of January 1994. In northern regions, close to a foot of new snow fell Friday on top of 1 to 3 feet lefr by the blizzard earlier in the week. Philadelphians slogged through puddles forming from heaps of melting snow, endured mass transit delays and dealt with various roof emergencies.

"We've been getting a tremendous amount of calls due to the weather now," said Nina Kirby, owner of Fischer Roofing in -ixvmmktte'' A I. V. To ii mini i i ii i i i mi nil mi i inn ii.