The family of Dennis J. Bechtel wants to extend our sincere gratitude and thanks to all those who have reached out with cards, food offerings and kind words during our time of grief.
A special thanks to The Daily Bread (Spot and Ginny) for providing the luncheon after the funeral services. May GOD Bless and Keep you all in HIS loving arms.
Sincerely,
The Bechtel Family
BRADFORD, PA & OLEAN, NY – Caitlin Bachman and Katelyn Spears, RN, were announced as the Upper Allegheny Health System (UAHS), parent company of Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and Olean General Hospital (OGH), December Star Award winners.
The star award is offered monthly at BRMC and OGH to an employee who displays exceptional performance and inspires others to do the same. Members of the team are nominated for outstanding customer service, ongoing performance improvement, teamwork, communication, ownership/accountability, and excellence. Employees are selected by patients as well as co-worker nominations.
The December Star Award winner for BRMC was Caitlin Bachman, lead CT tech, CT scanning.
“Caitlin has received several positive comments from patients and co-workers commenting on how she displayed a high level of patience while conducting a CT scan on an extremely nervous patient. She is also diligent with her work and recently played an integral role in finding a possible fracture on another patient which was communicated with the radiologist who was able to use another imaging exam to confirm the fracture,” said her nomination. “She is very compassionate, empathetic, and a huge patient advocate. Caitlin does her best to ensure the patient receives the correct study for the diagnosis and is a valued member of our imaging team.”
Katelyn Spears, RN, acute care 3A, was announced as the December OGH star award winner.
“Katelyn was recently recognized to have a positive impact on a patient’s experience which commented how she continuously went above and beyond caring for a patient’s family member who has severe dementia and underwent hip surgery. Katelyn stayed after her shift to ensure that the patient was safe. She is highly skilled, patient, cares, and goes above and beyond to communicate with knowledge and empathy,” said her nomination. “I am very thankful she was on the team of providers when my family member needed care.”
Other employees who were recognized and nominated for the November star award included Eileen Smith, EVS; Patricia Houghton, respiratory care. OGH nominees were: Bridget Flannery, acute care 3A; Conrad Gadson, EVS; Bonnie Lyman, acute care 3A; Lisa Sworts, RN, subacute rehab. All five nominations for the December Star Award at OGH were made by patients.
“These ceremonies are a great way to bring everyone together and recognize the hard work of team members from all levels of the organization. This month with having all our nominations for our Olean star award come from patient nominations is a testament to how our employees can positively affect the lives of others,” said Jill Owens, MD, president, UAHS. “No gesture is too small to help make a difference for one of our patients. These nominations exemplify the work we’re doing overall to improve quality of care and change the company culture throughout UAHS.”
Star award recipients received a Chamber of Commerce gift certificate, additional paid time off, certificate of recognition as well as the coveted star award parking spot. All nominees were recognized for their hard work towards UAHS’ drive to five ¾ five-stars!
Ellen Patricia Hays
Ellen Hays passed away peacefully at the age of 89 years on the morning of Sunday, Dec 10th, 2023 in Gerry, NY.
Ellen was born in Manhattan, NY to Guy V. Wilber and Mary Butler-Shaw on Nov. 14th, 1934. On June 26, 1954 she married her loving husband of 49 years, Donald J. Hays who predeceased her November 23, 2003.
Ellen went to Allegany School and lived in several places including Shinglehouse, Allegany, Olean, and Bradford. She was employed throughout her lifetime as a waitress with her mother in Bradford, worked at Corning Glass, a company called Spears, and then Line Material/McGraw Edison/Cooper Power and retired from Cooper after 35 years in 1996.
Amongst many things that she loved to do were playing cards, spending time with her friends at Cranberry Court, spending time with family, and life with her dog Bandit.
Surviving are her remaining children, Cheryl Underwood, of Chico, CA, Michael (Remilee) Hays of Russell, PA, and Donald R. (Brenda) Hays, of Oswayo, PA. She had 9 grandchildren: Tonie Columbia of Frankfort, KY, Pete Cunningham of Frankfort, KY, Dustin Underwood of Phoenix, AZ, Mike Underwood, of Chico, CA, Shawna Rothery of Tully, NY, Matt Hays of Meadville, PA, Mikela Davis of Gold, PA, Alex Hays of Oswayo, PA, and Nicholas Flamini of Oswayo, PA, and 20 great grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren.
Along with her loving husband, Donald, Ellen was predeceased by; her parents; her daughter Patricia J. Cunningham; her sister, Joan (Ayers) Firkel.
Friends will be received at the Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc., 646 E. State St., on Thursday, December 14, 2023 from 11:00am to 1:00pm at which time a funeral service will be held. Deacon Matt Wenke will officiate. Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery. A memorial gathering in Ellen’s honor will be held at later date and time to be announced. Online condolences may be made at www.letromcintoshspinkfuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to any SPCA in her memory.
Jesse William Chaffee, age 91, of Elkland, PA passed away on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at his home surrounded by family.
Born January 26, 1932 in Mills, PA, he was the son of the late Clarence and Bessie (Sabin) Chaffee.
Jesse was a proud worker for the WAG Railroad. He enjoyed puzzles, reading, tinkering and building things. He was a simple man who loved his family, his grandkids and his animals.
“loving husband, father and grandfather”
David “Dave” Amidon, 81, a lifelong resident of Shinglehouse, PA passed away with his loving family by his side on Friday, December 8, 2023, in UPMC Cole, Coudersport, after a short illness.
Born on Tuesday, June 2, 1942 in Wellsville, NY, he was a son of Lewis H. and Luella E. “Midge” Studer Amidon. On August 4, 1962 in Shinglehouse, he married Rachelann “Cookie” Bryant, who survives.
Dave was a graduate of Oswayo Valley High School in Shinglehouse. He was employed as a traveling supervisor for the former Market Basket grocery chain. He then was employed for over 34 years as a scheduler for the former Dresser Rand in Olean, NY. He later worked for Wending Creek Farms in Coudersport for almost 18 years.
Darrell E. (Sonny) Henry, age 83, died on December 7, 2023 at Valley View Nursing Home.
Born April 15, 1940 in Blossburg, PA and raised in Charleston Township, he was the son of the late Wayne Henry and Anna (Wagner) Henry. Darrell was the very beloved husband and soulmate of Susan (Wetmore) Henry for 42 years.
Darrell graduated from Wellsboro High School in 1958. Then he went into heavy construction with his dad, eventually becoming a diesel mechanic, then Master mechanic and sometimes equipment superintendent. He worked construction all over the United States and for many years, Susan went with him. He always was passionate about his work and loved his bulldozers and tractors.
Port Allegany – Thomas Francis Edgreen, 75, of Eldred, PA passed away Sunday (December 10, 2023) at his home in Eldred.
Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Hartle-Tarbox Funeral Home, Inc, Port Allegany.
Lydia G. Rich, 100, Warren, PA passed away on Thursday morning, December 7, 2023, surrounded by her family.
She was born in Rome, Italy on April 26, 1923. She completed her education at the University of Rome. On March 1, 1945, she married her husband, Frank Rich. She arrived in the United States in March of 1946. She retired from IPSCO, a drilling company owned by UGI Corporation, where she was employed for many years as an accountant.
Patricia Lee (Beers) Brill, 74, of Wellsboro, PA passed away on December 9, 2023, at Valley View Nursing Center in Montoursville.
She was born in Jorhat, Assam in India to Richard and Ann Elizabeth (Baker) Beers on January 30, 1949. She married Donald Lee Brill on January 16, 1970, having shared more than 53 years together.
Patricia was an Elementary Crisis Counselor for The Phoenixville School District in Phoenixville, PA. She was a member of The American Baptist Women’s Ministry Program and The First Baptist Church of Wellsboro for many years, where she took on many roles within the church. Aside from founding The Sleighton School Chaplaincy Program, she was also a very active volunteer within her community having sung in numerous chorus and choirs over the years and enjoyed teaching Christian education.
Cheryl Anne “Baha” Zero, 72, of Russell, PA, formerly of Goodyear, AZ, passed away on Saturday, December 09, 2023, surrounded by her family in her home.
She was born in Lander, Wyoming, on October 3, 1951, the daughter of the late Robert Wilson and Joyce Parks. Cheryl was a graduate of Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, AZ. She worked as a merchandiser, dental technician and loan officer, however her true passion in life was crafting. Cheryl spent her later years devoted to creating unique greeting cards that she not only shared with family and friends, but also donated to bring joy to those in need. Cheryl was a loving mother and grandmother who shared very special bonds with her children and grandchildren.
On January 17, 1987, she married Alan Zero in Tucson, AZ, and they enjoyed 36 years of blissful marriage.
At 1:32 PM on Monday, Coudersport Fire & EMS have been called to Rt. 6 West for a vehicle backed into a garage crash with no injury reported.
Kevin and Patty Dusenbury, of the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home, Shinglehouse, are grateful for the extreme generosity of many donors to their Gift of Memory program again this year. Toys and gifts in excess of 1400 items were delivered to the Christmas House in Coudersport, marking the 23rd year of the program.
Delivering the toys were Kevin and Patty and the Klesa family, who have graciously embraced the Gift of Memory program to honor their son and brother, Jon, having themselves brought almost 500 gifts and toys donated by their family and friends this year.
Dusenbury said, “We have donors from the first year that continue to donate and new donors every year. We had several donors who contributed very generous amounts of money which allowed us to shop for specific needs to purchase items for the older children”.
Dusenbury, who is the owner and funeral director of the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home in Shinglehouse and the Potter County Coroner stated, “we are once again amazed by the generosity of so many people. As we have done the last three years, we started collecting gifts early at the request of the Christmas House. We truly THANK each person who donated, assuring that many less fortunate individuals and families will have a brighter and happier Christmas. We wish everyone a beautiful, blessed and very Merry Christmas.”
Pictured with this year’s gifts are the Klesa family, volunteers from the Christmas House, and Kevin Dusenbury.
The following donated toys and gifts in memory of their loved ones:
Do your future plans include postsecondary education? Northern PA Regional College (NPRC) brings affordable education to you. Their Spring 2024 semester begins Wednesday, January 17th. Courses being offered include Introduction to Psychology, Foundations of Math, Environmental Biology, Cyber Crime, Public Speaking, and many more. These courses are part of five associate degrees – Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Liberal Studies, and Social Sciences. Of course, if you are not interested in pursuing an associate degree at this time, NPRC’s team will help you select courses or training that meets whatever goal you would like to achieve.
At 11:00 AM on Monday, Westfield Fire Dept. has been dispatched to 312 Mill Street in the borough for a natural gas leak inside the house. Knoxville, Elkland & Clymer also dispatched.
11:25 AM–RECALLED. Structure checked by FD & UGI with no natural gas detected.
On December 12 at 7:38 am Lafayette Fire and two Ambulances from Bradford City were dispatched for a one vehicle rollover crash on Rt. 59 near Airport Rd. with entrapment.
Breakfast with Santa
Austin Area School’s National Honor Society sponsored Breakfast with Santa at the Austin Firehall. While Curtis Dean-Inman age 5 has a serious talk with Santa, a couple of the elves enjoyed their breakfast.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
850 PM EST Sun Dec 10 2023
…SNOW TO IMPACT TRAVEL OVERNIGHT…
Snow will continue to overspread the northern and western areas
of central Pennsylvania overnight. While valley locations will
hold onto rain longer, as temperatures remain just above freezing,
higher elevations will have potential to have icy spots develop,
as temperatures are expected to fall into the upper 20s by sunrise.
Icy spots will be most likely on untreated surfaces such as
bridges and ramps. Persons traveling overnight should be alert for
a wide range of conditions and allow extra travel time. The
heaviest snow is expected to be west and north of Interstate 99.
Martin
A $150 early bird season pass to attend all 17 Endless Mountain Music Festival concerts is available now through Sunday, Dec. 31.
“The early bird season pass is an opportunity to give a music lover a great gift for Christmas, a birthday, anniversary or just because,” said Cindy Long, EMMF executive director.
Of the 17 concerts, two of the symphony orchestra concerts are free and six are $39 per person or $234 and two of the chamber concerts are free and seven are $30 per person or $210 for a total of $444.
By comparison, for $150, the price to attend each of the 13 concerts is $11.54, a saving of $294.
On Jan. 1, 2024, the price of a season pass will return to $250 or $19.23 per concert.
Dear Editor:
Redemption is a concept that most people subscribe to EXCEPT when it means putting the words into action.
Take for instance Gov. Hochul’s new bill, the Clean Slate Act, which could seal conviction records for some convicted citizens. The Act is getting push back from the Right, as they would rather these people carry their conviction as a ball and chain for the rest of their lives. Or as one former ‘convict’ termed it, perpetual punishment.
This is different from clemency or expungement.
The Act, however, does NOT seal ALL records. Only for those with clean records following their release from incarceration. Three years for those with misdemeanor convictions and eight years for felonies. And the records would NOT be sealed for certain categories, such as any conviction resulting in a possible registration as a sex offender, nor are murderers eligible, nor domestic terrorists, nor others convicted of non-drug Class A felonies.
The records would only become shielded when a person applies for schooling, jobs and housing. The records would still be available to the police and the courts.
By allowing for those who have served their time to re-integrate in the community and work to improve their social position, this Act will reduce recidivism.
Let those who have paid their debt pick up the pieces and put their lives back together productively for the benefit of all.
Sincerely,
Ly Kesse, Representative
Alfred, NY District 1
Allegany County Democratic Committee
| PA Permit Violation Issued to CHESAPEAKE APPALACHIA LLC in Rome Township, Bradford County |
| Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/05/2023 to CHESAPEAKE APPALACHIA LLC in Rome Township, Bradford county. 78a56(a) – TEMPORARY STORAGE – Operator failed to contain regulated substances and wastes used at or generated at a well site in a tank, series of tanks or other storage structures approved by the Department. |
| Incident Date/Time: 2023-12-05 00:00:00 |
| Tags: PADEP, frack, violation, drilling |
Sandra L Taylor Holt, 72, of Knoxville, TN passed away at home on November 26, 2023 following a lengthy illness.
She was born December 19, 1950 in Port Allegany, PA to the late Harold W. Taylor and Cinderella L. Taylor and grew up in Betula, PA.
She is survived by her children, Tina M. Knight (Mitchell Bentley) of Mascot, TN, Paul Knight of Mascot, TN and Richard Knight of Clifton, TN, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and her dear friend Paul Knight of Mascot, TN
