Obituaries

Joseph Gramauskis, 91, of Forks Twp., PA died Tuesday, October 7, 2014 in Easton Hospital.

Born October 31, 1922 in Easton, PA he was a son of the late Zenonas and Pauline (Entkos) Gramauskis.

He had been employed by Bethlehem Steel for many years before retiring. After his retirement, he worked as a steel inspector for MCP Company in Bath.  A 1940 graduate of Easton High School, he served in the Navy during WWII and was a very talented wood carver.

He is survived by his wife: Sara (Laubach) Cooley-Gramauskis; step-children: Ray “Skip” Scheetz and his husband Michael Perry of Stroudsburg, PA, Gail Schramel and her husband Glenn of Northampton, PA; niece and nephew and his special pal, his dog: Jesse. He was predeceased by a brother: Sam and his first wife: Eleanor.

Services will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday (Oct. 13) in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton, PA, with visitation from 1:30 to 2 p.m.  Interment will be in Northampton Memorial Shrine.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

William Arnold Smith, 68 of Easton, PA took his place in the Kingdom of God, Monday, October 6, 2014.

Born April 19, 1946 in Easton he was the son of the late William E. and Madeline (Arnold) Smith.

Bill was an Elvis fan and impersonator appearing locally and in Atlantic City. He was also a member of Cornerstone Ev. Free Church, Easton and former Civil Defense volunteer for the Palmer Fire Co.

Though he was taken from us suddenly he will be greatly missed by: his children: William, Lori, Carol and Louie; sisters: Darlene Solove, Deborah Mucklin; 10 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; companion: Dana Brown; 2 nieces, 2 nephews and 2 great-nieces. He was predeceased by 1 grandchild.

Services will be held Tuesday (oct. 14)  11:00 a.m. Graveside in Easton Heights Cemetery, N. 10th St., Easton, with visitation from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday (Oct. 13) in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton, PA.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Martha S. Orth, 95, of Plainfield Township, died Monday, October 6, 2014 in St. Luke’s Hospital.

Born June 2, 1919 in Easton, she was a daughter of the late Elbert and Martha (Santee) Seifert.

Her husband, Charles Orth died in May of this year.  She and her husband owned and operated Charlie’s Snack Bar, Forks Township.  She also worked at Binney and Smith, Easton.  She graduated from Easton High School in 1936.

Martha was a member of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, Tatamy, the Bushkill Valley Motorcycle Club, and the E-Z Goers RV Group.

Surviving are three daughters, Suzanne Keller, Priscilla Harvey and her husband, David, Rebecca Gelles and her husband, George; a son, Charles B. Orth and his wife, Kimberly; a sister, Harriet Laube; nine grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.

Services will be private.  The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling the arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter’s UCC, 401 Broad St., Tatamy, 18085.  Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Eleanor J. Morgenstern, 97, of Phillipsburg, NJ passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 27, 2014 at St. Luke’s Hospital, Warren Campus, Phillipsburg, NJ.

Born April 4, 1917 in Easton, PA she was the daughter of the late Mathias Frank Fegley and Jennie L. (Bieber) Fegley.  Her husband John E. Morgenstern, Sr. died in September of 1971.

A 1934 graduate of Wilson High School, she was a lifelong member of First Moravian Church, Easton where she had served as a Sunday School teacher, choir member and on the Guild. She was also named Member of the Year by the church in 2010. Eleanor was devoted to her family, her church and her church family.

She is survived by three children: John E. Morgenstern, Jr. and his wife Patricia Hanzsek of Hampton, NH, Wendy J. Mamana and her husband James, Robert M. Morgenstern and his wife Patty all of Bangor, PA; six grandchildren: Lisa Bath, Chris and John Mamana, Amanda Duane, Jared and Christian Morgenstern; and ten great-grandchildren: Sarah, Grace, Ella, Jenna, Jackson, Claire, Aiden,  Amelia, Tias, and Aurora. Her brother Robert Fegley preceded her in death.

Services will be held 1:30 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 1) in the First Moravian Church, 225 N. 10th Street, Easton, PA 18042 with visitation from 1 to 1:30 p.m.in the church. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton, PA is handling the arrangements. Interment will be in Easton Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Sharon K. “Sherry” Simms, 64 of Forks Twp., PA died Friday, September 26, 2014 at home.

Born June 10, 1950 in Frankfort, Germany she was a daughter of Verda (Schwendener) Simms of Forks Twp., PA and the late William F. Simms, Sr.

She was a graduate of Easton High School and the Easton Hospital School of Nursing. She had been employed by Easton Hospital as a Registered Nurse in the Obstetrics Department for 15 years. Sherry was a loving mother and grandmother with a great heart.

She is survived by her mother: Verda; two daughters: Kim Longacre and her husband Tim of Stewartsville, NJ, Christa Zechman and her husband Keith, Sr. of Bath, PA; brothers and sisters: Pamela Smith of Saylorsburg, PA, Marsha Simms of Wilson Borough, PA, Karen George of Allentown, PA , Glenn Simms of Barto, PA, William Simms, Jr. and Mark Simms of Forks Twp., PA; 6 grandchildren: Alyssa Bennett, Keith Zechman, Jr., Sierra Zechman, Collin Longacre, Carly Longacre, Arianna Zechman and a great-granddaughter: Myleigh  Zechman.

Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday (Sept. 30) in the  Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton, PA, with visitation from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  Interment will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation at www.Sjogrens.org.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Patricia A. (McGowan) Ditze, of Easton, PA passed away peacefully, Thursday, September 25, 2014 at St. Luke’s University Hospital, Fountain Hill, PA .

Born Patricia Ann McGowan, September 30, 1941 in Easton, PA she was the daughter of the late Martin J. and Gladys (Stone) McGowan and the loving wife of David M. Ditze for 43 years.

Pat graduated with the second graduating class of Notre Dame HS, Bethlehem Twp., PA. She continued her education at Marywood College, Scranton, PA receiving her BS in Home Economics. Over the course of her career as an educator, she was employed by the Phillipsburg School District, Delaware Valley School district, and Bethlehem Kids Peace.  She also taught tailoring in the evening to adults, was the Saturday afternoon Bier Fraulein at Which Brew House of Food and Spirits, supervised playgrounds, including the playground called her home. Pat was the mother of 5 girls, grandmother to one grandson, and aunt to nieces and nephews. She was a caring, loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She had a wonderful sense of humor that her husband admired, children inherited and friends shared. Her family and all who knew her will miss her strength, courage, patience, support, encouragement, and thoughtfulness.

She is survived by her husband David; five daughters: Kelly-Jo of Easton, Tara-Lin of Bethlehem, Mardi-Leigh of Philadelphia, Deidre-Anne of Bethlehem, Lorna-Jean of Chicago; a brother: James T. McGowan of Wilson Borough; and grandson: Tristen Odenwelder of Easton.

A calling period will be held from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 30) in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton, PA.

Memorial contributions be made to the American Stroke Assoc., 968 Postal Rd., Suite 110, Allentown, PA 18109.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.