Ashton Funeral Home

Obituaries

Anne M. Magnuson

June 30, 2017

Anne M. Magnuson

Anne M. Magnuson, 85 of Cresco, PA died Friday, June 30, 2017 at Jeans Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Born July 14, 1931 in Easton, PA she was a daughter of the late Julia (McGee) and Harold O’Neill.  A 1949 graduate of Easton Catholic High School and devout catholic, she served on the ladies guild, as lector and Lay Eucharistic Minister at St. Bernadette’s in Canadensis.

She is survived by: her husband of 66 years, Gerald R. Magnuson;  her son: Michael Magnuson of Philadelphia, PA; her daughter: Karen Scannapieco and her husband Edward of Warrington, PA; and her granddaughter: Emily. Brothers William, Joseph and Harry O’Neill died earlier.

Mass will be held 10:30 AM Thursday (July 6) at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Catholic Church, 4049 Hartley Ave., Easton, PA with visitation 7 PM to 8:30 PM Wednesday in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton. Interment in Northampton Memorial Shrine.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Lois I. Werner

June 30, 2017

Lois I. Werner, 90 of Palmer Twp., PA died Friday, June 30, 2017 at home. Born April 11, 1927 in Easton, PA she was a daughter of the late Cora Jane “Jennie” (Schafer) and Kenneth Kirkpatrick. Her husband Thomas G. Werner died in 2014. She was a 1947 graduate of the Easton Hospital School of Nursing and worked for the hospital for several years. Lois was a member of Palmer Moravian Church, Palmer Twp. and Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter #214.

She is survived by two daughters: Deborah Ann Vayda and her husband Tom of Palmer Twp., Nancy L. Humes and her husband Richard with whom she resided; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be held 1:30 PM Friday (July 7) in Palmer Moravian Church, 2901 John St., Palmer Twp. with a calling period from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM in the church. Interment is in Northampton Memorial Shrine. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to Palmer Moravian Church, 2901 John St., Easton, PA  18045. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

 

Nancy J. Pfeffer

June 28, 2017

Nancy J. Pfeffer, 67, of Phillipsburg, died Wednesday, June 28, 2017 in Morristown Medical Center.

Born January 24, 1950 in Easton, she was a daughter of the late Lester E. “Pete” and Dorothy J. (Madison) Pfeffer.

Nancy worked for Abilities of Northwest Jersey, Phillipsburg and was a member of the former First Evangelical Congregational Church, Easton.

Surviving are her sister, Janet M. Bronico and her husband, John; two nieces, Mary-Katherine Barnhardt and her husband, Thomas and Barbara Mathis and her husband, Jim and two nephews, Brian Bronico and his wife, Lezlie and Rev. Christopher Bronico.

Services will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, July 1, 2017 in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton.  A visitation will be held from noon until service time on Saturday in the funeral home. Interment will be in Northampton Memorial Shrine.  Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Memorial contributions may be made to Abilities of Northwest Jersey, 340 Anderson St., Phillipsburg, NJ 08865.

Georgia Balaskas

June 27, 2017

Georgia Balaskas, 94, of Easton, died Tuesday, June 27, 2017 in Easton Hospital.

Born December 3, 1922, in Mahanoy City, she was a daughter of the late William and Katina (Hadjidakis) Balaskas.

Georgia was a waitress at My Place Lunch, Easton.  She was a member of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and Daughters of Penelope.

Surviving are her sister, Jean Karaliotis and her husband, Gus; two brothers, John Balaskas and his wife, Charlotte and Nicholas Balaskas and his wife, Fotini; and a sister-in-law, Demetra Balaskas.  Her brothers, Gus Balaskas and James Balaskas died earlier.

Services will be held at 12:30 pm on Friday, June 30, 2017 in Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Wilson Borough.  A visitation will be held from 11:30 am until service time on Friday in the church.  Interment will be in Easton Cemetery.  The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling the arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 319 S. 20th St. Easton, Pa 18042.  Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Mary R. Baker

June 26, 2017

Mary R. Baker

Mary R. Baker, 97 formerly of Phillipsburg, NJ died Monday, June 26, 2017 in Abington Manor at Morgan Hill, Williams Twp., PA. Born March 24, 1920 in Nazareth, PA she was a daughter of the late Jean (Buralli) and Nicholino Sevi. Her husband Frank T. Baker died in 2001. She had been a forelady at the Delightform Co. in Easton for many years before working in the cafeteria at Phillipsburg High School prior to retiring. Mary was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Phillipsburg and made quilts for ARC of NJ. She was also a Norwescap RSVP volunteer and Meals on Wheels of Warren County volunteer.

She is survived by: two daughters: Rosemary of Palmer Twp., PA; Carol of Holland Twp., NJ; a brother: Pete Sevi, a sister: Lillian “Dolly” Knecht both of Nazareth and a sister Jean Foelker of Lebanon, PA. She was predeceased by her husband Frank, a sister Rose Keenhold and a brother Alfred Sevi.

A Memorial Service will be held 10:30 AM Friday (June 30) in St. John’s Lutheran Church, 278 Chambers St., Phillipsburg, NJ with a calling period from 9:30 to 10:30 AM in the church.  Interment will be private in Greenwood Cemetery, Nazareth, PA. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Milford-Holland Rescue Squad, 151 Water St., Milford, NJ 08848 or the AAUW Easton Branch Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1464, Easton, PA 18044.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Harold L. Garren, Jr.

June 24, 2017

Harold Lloyd Garren, Jr., 73 of Easton, PA died Saturday, June 24, 2017 at ManorCare, Palmer Twp., PA.  Born December 28, 1943 in Easton he was a son of the late Mary (Harhart) and Harold L. Garren, Sr. He had been employed by Kramer Textiles in Nazareth and was a life member of the Vigilance Hose Company #1 in Nazareth.

He is survived by a brother: Richard Garren and  sister Gloria Roth both of Nazareth and a sister Betty Fogel of Bath, PA. He was predeceased by a brother: Ernest Garren.

Services are private. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling arrangements. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Richard M. “Dick” Brossman

June 23, 2017

Richard M. “Dick” Brossman, 95, of Bethlehem Township, formerly of Palmer Township, passed away on Friday, June 23rd. He and his wife, Louise Lindsey Brossman, resided in Palmer Township for 46 years.  He was the manager of ABCO Abstracting Company of Northampton County, a real estate title insurance company in Easton before retiring in 1990.  Prior to that, Dick was in the newspaper business for 20 years, starting as an editor of his hometown newspaper in Brookville, PA and then reporting news of the Northampton County Courthouse for the Easton Express. He was employed by a law firm involving real estate matters for 10 years before establishing the title insurance agency that he managed in Easton.

Born in Canton, Ohio, on February 10, 1922, he was the son of William G. Brossman and Cleo Mangas Brossman. He was a retired Naval Officer, having enlisted in 1942 as a Seaman Apprentice where he was stationed in the Netherlands West Indies and New York City headquarters for the US Navy Armed Guard. He was discharged from the Navy post World War II, as a Chief Petty Officer.  Graduating from Penn State College of Communications in 1949, he was commissioned in the US Naval Reserve serving for 20 years before retiring. While serving, he was Executive Officer of a Naval Reserve electronics unit which was cited as the outstanding unit of it’s type in the Fourth Naval District in 1956 and ranked second among all 240 units of that type in the US Naval Reserve for which he received a commendation from the Chief of Naval Personnel. He was a member of the US Naval Institute and lifetime member of the Military Officers Assn and the Lehigh Valley chapter. Being a former member of the Palmer Lions Club, he was the Club’s
first pool membership chairman at the time the Palmer Community Swimming Pool was built.  He was a member of the Calvary United Methodist Church and served as President of the board of Trustees, Chairman of the Administrative Board and chairman and member of other committees including the building committee for the new church facilities on Green Pond Road, as well as a choir member. He enjoyed photography, writing and barbershop singing in which he performed with many organizations.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Louise L. Brossman and three children, Beverly Brossman Shay, of Lutz, FL; Robert D. Brossman and wife Judy of Bethlehem; and Lindsey, wife of Scott Finken, of Merrimack, NH. He has 8 grandchildren. He is also survived by one sister, Phyllis Hood of Freedom, PA and was preceded in death by his sister, Billie R. Brossman.

Services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, June 29, 2017 in Green Pond United Methodist Church, 4411 Green Pond Rd., Easton.  A visitation will be held from 6 – 7:30 pm on Wednesday in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton.  Interment will be in Northampton Memorial Shrine. Memorial contributions may be made to Green Pond United Methodist Church, 4411 Green Pond Rd., Easton, PA 18045.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Michael R. Ducey

June 23, 2017

Michael R. Ducey

Michael R. Ducey, 54 of Easton, PA died June 23, 2017 at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest. Born June 21, 1963 in Bainbridge, Maryland, he was a 1981 graduate of Easton High School. He owned and operated Michael R. Ducey Plumbing and Heating since 1996. Prior to that he was employed by Dufek Plumbing in New Jersey for many years. He was a member of the Wilson Democratic Association and an avid deep sea fisherman.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years: Nancy A. (Seiple) Ducey; his parents: Pamela Ann (Lyons) and Armond DeFranco of Palmer Twp., PA; two sisters: Beth DeFranco and her husband Joseph Spence of Bethlehem, PA, Audra DeFranco of Los Angeles, CA; mother and father-in-law: Janice and Donald Seiple, Sr., brother-in-law: Donald Seiple, Jr. and his wife Zina and niece: Oksana Seiple all of Nazareth.

Services are 10:30 AM Wednesday (June 28) in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton; with visitation 6 PM to 7:30 PM Tuesday and 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM Wednesday in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www. stjude.org or to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation at www.guyharvey.com/donations.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.