Obituaries

Mildred Emily (Pastorius) Kovar passed away Sunday,  September 5, 2021, in Nazareth, PA after a long illness. She was 89. Millie was born and raised in Pittsburgh and graduated from Brentwood High School and the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing. Moving to Easton in 1966 with her family she devoted herself to Republican Party politics and was a State Committeewoman for many years representing Palmer Township. She was a great admirer of Ronald Reagan, was an alternate delegate to the Republic National Conventions in 1976 and 1980, and enthusiastically supported his nomination and subsequent election.

She was also elected to the Easton Area School Board, volunteered widely, and was a member of numerous social clubs. She had an abiding love for animals. A devoted traveler, Millie visited her sons and their families in countries all over the world and traveled herself to many more, including Antarctica and South Africa. Although her nursing career was interrupted by family and children, she returned to it in the late 1980s, when she spent over a decade at the Lafayette College health center.

She is survived by her four sons: Robert of Doylestown, PA, Jeffrey (Katherine) of Washington DC, James (Maida) of Guatemala City, and Jonathan (Elizabeth) of Contoocook, NH; by her ten grandchildren; her brother: James Pastorius of Scotland, PA and her sister: Alice Pastorius of Williamsburg, VA.

Services are private with interment in Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, Pittsburgh. Contributions in her memory may be directed to the Center for Animal Health and Welfare in Williams Township or to the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, TN. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com

Juan W. “Pipo” Gonzalez, 85, of Whitehall, died Monday, August 30, 2021 in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Muhlenberg. Born March 30, 1936 in Havana, Cuba, he was a son of the late Juan W. and Bertha M. (Duran) Gonzalez.

Surviving are his wife, Ana D. (Pacheco) Gonzalez; three sons, Harry J. Morales, Manuel Morales and Julio Morales; three daughters, Ana L. Morales, Damaris Morales and Angelica Gonzalez; fourteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Private graveside services will be held at Northampton Memorial Shrine. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling the arrangements. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

James S. Young, 82 of Forks Twp., PA died Saturday, August 28, 2021, at The Easton Home, Easton, PA. Born April 14, 1939, in Hackensack, NJ he was a son of the late Helen (Wertz) and Alexander Young. A graduate of West Chester University, he received his master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and continued on in their PhD program. He was as an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Penn State University Lehigh Valley for 30 plus years before retiring.

Professor Young also created the Penn State Cycling Team and coached cycling at Penn State for 30 years. Through the years, and his efforts, cycling expanded its reach to the Eastern Intercollegiate Cycling Conference. Cycling competition soon grew beyond a single spring race to a series of races with riders from all over the country.  Coach Young pushed for the creation of a national collegiate program and as such is credited with the formation of the National Collegiate Cycling Association. He led his team to ten national championships, more than 45 individual national championships and he personally coached 5 US Olympians. He was the President of the US Collegiate Cycling Association and President of the Future Champions Cycling Club. He also authored a handbook on cycling safety and training techniques. Jim continued to mentor his students well after retirement and will be remembered not only as a great coach but as a good friend.

Jim and his wife of 50 years, the former Barbara Bohning, loved dancing with Mark Morris’ Dance for Parkinson’s Disease group at Juilliard in New York City for many years. Never letting the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease stop him, Jim was able to enjoy his three passions in life until the very end: his family, cycling and dancing.

He is survived by his wife: Barbara Young; daughter: Kate Young (husband Keith Abrahamsson) of Brooklyn, NY; son: Matt Young (wife Katie Parson) of Mill Valley, CA; four grandchildren: Stellan and Leif Abrahamsson, and Charlotte and Sienna Young. He was predeceased by two brothers: Alexander and Bruce Young.

Services will be held at the convenience of the family, for information contact the Ashton Funeral Home, Easton at 610-253-4678. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Dance for Parkinson’s Disease at www.danceforparkinsons.org or American Parkinson’s Disease Assoc. at www.apdaparkinson.org or Search for Common Ground at www.sfcg.org.

Lillian Gaines, 91, of Easton, died Friday, August 27, 2021 in St. Luke’s Hospital. Born October 24, 1929 in Warren Glen, NJ, she was a daughter of the late Harold and Mary (Case) Freeman. Her husband, Thomas L. “Tony” Gaines died in 2017. She worked at the former ITT, Palmer Township for 35 years and retired in 1996. She was a member of American Legion, Lester Pfeffer Post 611 and VFW Post 1290.

Surviving are a son, J. Tim Freeman; a sister, Elizabeth “Liz” Freeman; three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. A son, David Freeman; four brothers, Bill Freeman, Merwin Freeman, Harold “Brud” Freeman and Joe Freeman; two sisters, Marie Smith and Dean Cook; and a grandson, died earlier.

Services will be held at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton. A visitation will be held from 3:00 pm until service time on Tuesday in the funeral home. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Sharon C. LaRose, 72 of Bethlehem, PA went home to be with the Lord, Monday, August 16, 2021 at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Muhlenberg. Born March 28, 1949 in Easton, PA she was the daughter of the late Grace A. (Trauger) and Alfred V. Lock, Sr. Her husband, Lee A. LaRose died in 1992. She was retired from Selective Insurance Companies of America and had attained her Associate in Underwriting and Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter designations. For 50 years Sharon served as the organist at several churches including Green Pond United Methodist, the former First United Methodist both in Easton and Hawley United Methodist Church, Hawley.  She was also a member of the American Guild of Organists Lehigh Valley Chapter.

She is survived by her sister: Linda Lock and her husband Michael Nizza of Bethlehem Twp, PA; nephew: Donald Kemmerer of Bristol, PA; nieces: Susan Lock of Nazareth, Deborah Lock-Smith of White Post, VA; a great-niece and great-nephew; pet companions: Shyla and Samson and many special friends. A brother: Alfred Lock, Jr. and nephew: Kristian Kemmerer predeceased her.

Services are 10:30 AM Friday in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton, with a calling period from 9:30 to 10:30 AM. Interment is in Northampton Memorial Shrine.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com 

Julia Alice Allen, 83 of Saylorsburg, PA, died August 15, 2021 at St. Luke’s Hospital, Monroe Campus. Born April 19, 1938 in Tunkhannock, PA she was the daughter of the late Lois Marie (Steinruck) and Alex Zona. Her husband Ellis W. Allen, Sr. died in 1995. She is survived by her sons: John Allen of Bethlehem, PA, Alfred Allen of Sciota, PA; her brothers: Tom Zona of Oswego, NY, Joe Zona of Tunkhannock; best friend: Bobby Branham; and 4 grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Ellis and sons: Ellis, Jr. and Jeffrey.

A graveside service will be held 11:30 AM Tuesday, August 24 at St. John’s Union Cemetery, Williams Twp., 2745 Morgan Hill Rd., Easton, with visitation 5 to 6 PM Monday in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com

Ruth E. Cassidy, 77, of Tafton, PA, died Sunday, August 15, 2021. Born September 25, 1943 in Springfield Township, PA. she was a daughter of the late Robert and Ruth Eleanor (Beyer) Vogel. She and her husband, James Edward Cassidy were married 55 years. Ruth worked for the Warminster Township Municipal Authority for 25 years.

Surviving with her husband are two sons, Christopher Cassidy and James Cassidy and a granddaughter. Her sister, Nancy Anne Spencer died last month.

A visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:30 am on Monday, August 23, 2021 in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton. Burial will be held at 1:00 pm on Monday in Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Ambler, PA. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Jeanette H. Wilkins, 92, of Easton, died on August 12, 2021 in St. Luke’s Hospital – Anderson Campus after a recent illness. She was born in Easton on March 18, 1929 to the late Elmer F. Hinkel and Catherine Ryerson. She was married for 67 years to Raymond E. Wilkins until his passing in 2016. She graduated from Wilson High School and was employed by the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania and Wanamaker’s Department Store after retirement. She lived in Forks Township most of her life and up to her passing.

Survivors include daughters, Renee Wilkins of Palmer Township, Cindy Badway of Ocala, FL, a son, Raymond F. Wilkins of Easton; a brother, Bruce Hinkel of North Dakota and a sister, Barbara Cuva of Phillipsburg. Also, her beloved grandchildren, Chad, Christopher, and Matthew Tonay, Kevin Badway, and Lisa Badway-Maloney; and five great grandchildren. A brother, Richard Hinkel, and a sister, Virginia Hinkel-Beidler preceded her in death.

Services will be private. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling the arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army, 1110 Northampton St., Easton, PA 18042 or Paralyzed Veterans of America, www.pva.org. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.