Obituaries

Catharine H. VanNess, 75, of Bethlehem died Tuesday, September 18, 2012 in Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia.

Born: July 24, 1937 in Easton, PA she was a daughter of the late George F. Hellick, Jr.  and Beatrice Churchill Hellick. Her husband Charles G. VanNess, III died in 2009.

Personal: She was a graduate of Easton High School and Lebanon Valley College and had been a substitute teacher for Colonial I.U. 20 and Easton Area School District.

Memberships: She was a very active member of the Central Moravian Church, Bethlehem.

Survivors: Her son: Bruce C. VanNess of Bethlehem; her brother: George F. Hellick, III and his wife Mary Jo of Hellertown; and 3 nieces.

Services: 11:00 a.m. Tuesday (9/25) in the Central Moravian Church sanctuary, Church and Main Streets, Bethlehem; with a calling period from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton. Interment will be in Easton Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions: May be made to Central Moravian Church, 73 W. Church St., Bethlehem PA 18018. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Yvonne L. Wright, 51, of Easton died Sunday, September 16, 2012 in the VNA Hospice House of St. Luke’s.

Born: October 2, 1960 in Easton she was a daughter of the late William and Edith Bishop, Sr. She and her husband John T. Wright have been married for 30 years.

Personal: A 1978 graduate of Easton High School, she had been employed by the Wilson Wash-a-teria for many years and previously by Country Miss and the Christmas Club.

Memberships: She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Easton.

Survivors: Her husband: John; son: Justin J. Wright and his fiancée Valerie J. Linn of Scarsdale, NY; daughter: Rachael  R. Wright of Easton; brother: William A. Bishop, Jr.  and sister: Sharon R. Bishop both of Easton.

Services: 1:00 p.m. Thursday (9/20) in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton; with a calling period from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home. Interment will be in Northampton Memorial Shrine. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

James M. Hockman, 82, of Palmer Township, died Tuesday, September 11, 2012 in Easton Hospital.

Born:  May 30, 1930 in Easton, he was a son of the late Edgar and Hilda (Seip) Hockman.

Personal:  He was a route supervisor for Mrs. Smith’s Pies, Wilson Borough and retired in 1981.  Prior to that he owned a Mobil gas station on 13th Street in Easton.  He graduated from Wilson High School in 1947.

Memberships:  He was a member of Arndt’s Lutheran Church, Forks Township for over 60 years and was an avid bowler.

Survivors:  a son, James “Butch” Hockman, Jr. and his wife, Gina of Palmer Township; two daughters, B.J. Cantu and her husband, Gary of California and Patricia Finney and her husband, Kevin of Forks Township; a brother, Larry Hockman; a sister, Helen Greenleaf; 4 granddaughters, Amy, Abby, Celena and Kerri and 5 great grandchildren.  Two brothers, Ervin and Elmer Hockman and a sister, Florence Beck died earlier.

Services:  10:30 am Monday, September 17th in Arndt’s Lutheran Church, 1851 Arndt Rd., Forks Township. Call from 9:30 am until service time Monday in the church.  The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling the arrangements.

Memorials:  Arndt’s Lutheran Church, 1851 Arndt Rd., Easton, Pa 18040.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Diane M. Hancharik, 51, of Saylorsburg died Friday, September 7, 2012 in Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Born:  December 31, 1960 in Easton, she was a daughter of Don M. and C. Elaine (Treher) Greek.

Personal:  She worked at Olivet Wee Care Day Care, Easton for over 25 years. She also worked at K-Mart, Palmer Township and Wind Gap and Wal-Mart, Easton.  She graduated from Freedom High School in 1980 and received a Certificate in Early Childhood Education from Northampton Community College.

Survivors:  parents, Don and Elaine Greek of Bethlehem Township; husband, AJ Hancharik; sisters, Dawn Billick and her husband, Bill and Donna Cicchiello and her husband, Joe; a niece, Danielle and a nephew, Ryan.

Services:  A memorial service will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 am in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton.  A visitation will be held on Monday from 6 – 7:00 pm in the funeral home.

Memorials:  Renal Transplant Fund, Lehigh Valley Health Network, 2100 Mack Blvd., P.O. Box 4000, Allentown, PA 18105.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Kenneth A. “Ken” Nier, 94, of Easton died peacefully Monday, September 3, 2012 at home.

Born: January 4, 1918 in Easton he was a son of the late William B. and Elfreda Robeson Nier. His wife, the former Joyce O. Seibel died in 2000.

Personal: He was a graduate of Easton HS Class of 1936 and Churchman’s Business College in 1938. After more than 34 years with Bethlehem Steel Corp., Billing Division, he provided accounting services to Geo. Seiple Scrap Metal and Concrete Deck. For three decades he was an instructor of brass instruments at Ken Brader Studios and was engaged in several local dance bands.

Memberships: An avid gardener and avid golfer, Ken was a past member of Harkers Golf Club and Northampton Country Club. He had 13 holes-in-one and shot his age several times. He was a member and past-treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of Palmer Township.

Survivors: 3 daughters: Cynthia J. Spinato and her husband Donald, Sr. of Phillipsburg, NJ; Carole M. Rapp of Forks Twp., PA; Judith E. Uhrich and her husband David of West Chester, PA; 5 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Services: Will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton Street, Easton, PA with visitation from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the funeral home.

Memorial Contributions: May be made to the Kiwanis Foundation of Palmer Twp., P.O. Box 3165, Palmer, PA 18043-3165. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.