Terrible January for BJ deaths

This was the worst January in years for those with BJ connections. There were six January deaths reported in the BJ Alums blog. Going back to 2009, there had never been more than two January deaths in previous years.

The BJ list of those who have passed away:

2013

Jan. 12 – Art Yengling, retired Circulation driver, in Clearwater, Florida.

Jan. 18 – Mary Ahern, former BJ ad employee, founder/director of Decker Family Development Center in Barberton.

Jan. 22 – LaVonne Crawley, wife of Circulation retiree Richard Crawley.

Jan. 23 – Don Fermoyle, retired copy editor and reporter.

Jan. 24 – Bill Aylward, who retired in 1991 as assistant circulation director after 50 years at the BJ.

Jan. 28 – Ed Furcsik, Composing retiree, of Barberton.

2012

Jan. 2 – Jack McDermott, retired Plain Dealer sportswriter.

Jan. 19 – Rose Mary Biliczky, mother of reporter Carol Biliczky, in Medina County.

Feb. 11 – Faye Stoyer, wife of retired assistant managing editor Lloyd Stoyer.

March 11 – John Rice, brother of retired Features Desk editor Joan Rice, in South Carolina.

March 17 – Jane Stone, mother of former State Desk reporter Paula Stone Tucker.

March 19 – Gene McClellan, composing retiree.

April 2 – Nicholas Reswow, father of copy desk’s Olga Reswow Griffin.

April 26 – Donna Furman, widow of composing retiree Larry Furman.

April 30 – Betty Iula, widow of promotion department retiree Ralph Iula.

May 8 – Ron Edwards, mailroom retiree.

June 16 – Howard Wood, Loomis Electric & BJ pressroom production equipment electrician.

July 3 – Dave Allbaugh, former BJ reporter, in Dayton, Ohio.

July 11 – Donna Giffels, former BJ columnist David Giffels’ mother, in Bath.

July 25 – Composing retiree Cal Deshong, at 93.

July 26 – Art Cullison, copy desk retiree, in Erlanger, Kentucky.

Aug. 21 – Stephen Froelich, brother of former BJ reporter Larry Froelich.

Sept. 14 – Jane Herbert of Green, BJ retiree after 20 years at paper.

Sept. 15 – Henry Ruppel, former BJ financial editor, Goodyear corporate communications manager.

Sept. 21 – Lloyd Long, BJ Retail Ad retiree.

Sept. 27 – Joe Kovach, Babcock Publications, Auto Week Magazine.

Oct. 12 – Former BJ reporter and Los Angeles Times columnist Jim Ricci’s mother, Cecelia Ricci.

Dec. 3 – Dave White, retired Composing foreman, in Venice, Florida.

Dec. 21 – John Spencer, pressroom retiree.

Dec. 31 – Bob Kendall, Composing retiree.

2011

Ralph E. Norman, widow of former BJ reporter Pat Norman, Jan. 3.
Jack Patterson, former BJ sports writer, Jan. 22. RoseAnn Schleis, BJ reporter Paula Schleis’ mother, Feb. 6.
Guy F. Limbacher, former BJ reporter Jolene Limbacher’s former husband, Feb. 12. 
Dennis ``Denny' O'Neil, former BJ circulation department, March 1. 
Lloyd S. Leadbetter, Composing retiree, Feb. 12. Frank William Pantages, father of BJ's Larry Pantages, March 14
Donald Lee Bandy, BJ rewrite man, March 20. Michael Ryan Tople, grandson of BJ photographer Paul Tople, May 17. 
Anne Louise Henry, former BJ correspondent, May 28.
Luella D. Cordier, retired Record-Courier editor, June 8. 
Linda Golz, BJ reporter, June 11.
James Kirby (Jim) Farrell, former BJ ad director, July 1. 
Richard H. Backderf, 84, father of former BJ artist John "Derf" Backderf, July 3.
Charlotte Ruth McCarthy, former BJ reporter Pam McCarthy’s mother, July 28. 
Harry Dunphy, father of former BJ reporter John Dunphy, July 31. 
Philip Hegenderfer, 66, BJ astronomy column, Aug. 9. 
Creed C. Black, former president of John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Aug. 16. 
Theodore J. Mellow, former PD editor/slotman, Aug. 21. 
Danny Hess, son of retired BJ reporter Dave Hess, Aug. 23.
Dr. Evonne H. Whitmore, Kent State journalism professor, Aug. 25.
Harold Ray McElroy, BJ business retiree, Sept. 5. Bob August, former Cleveland Press columnist, Sept. 9.
Lisa Katz Pagel, daughter of Marv Katz, PR and BJ, Sept. 21. 
Leonard Arthur Burkhard, father of Sharon Loentzen, Sept. 22. 
Robbie Stillman, PR and former BJ reporter, Oct. 4. 
Evelyn Ruth (Gretta) Pantages, mother of Beacon Journal business editor Larry Pantages, Oct. 5. James E. Dancy, Sr., retired engraver, Oct. 14. Elizabeth Hallowell, former BJ reporter, Nov. 9. Terry Oblander, former BJ and PD reporter, Nov. 13.
Leo V. “Vern” Osmar, 83, Composing retiree, Nov. 24. 
Ethel Rita Aspell, wrote for the BJ before 1970s, Dec. 14. 
Brian Usher, former BJ Ohio Statehouse reporter, Dec. 23.


2010

Joan Morris, 73, retired chief artist Bud Morris' widow, Jan. 22. 
Ann Deskovich, 88, maintenance department retiree John Deskovich's widow, Feb. 19. 
Mary Elizabeth Swartz, 87, former BJ reporter, March 7. 
Charles "Chick" G. Lipford, husband of accounting retiree Martha, March 26. 
Ruth Kenny, 85, in the BJ accounting department in the 1970s and 1980s, March 31. 
Mary Ohlinger, 90, retail ad retiree and sister of the late retired BJ printer Jerry VanSickle, in March. 
Terry Lieberth, husband of Maribeth Lieberth, Accounts Payable (previously Human Resources and the Newsroom), April 11. 
Steven Spragg, 38, of Middleburg, Virginia, retired printer Sid Sprague's son, May 4.
Nettie Evans Skeens, 75, retired printer Bob Skeens' widow, June 12. 
Helen C. Liggett, 79, wife of newsroom retiree Harry Liggett, June 26.
Michelle LeComte, former BJ enterprise and features editor, Aug. 3. 
Carol F. Guregian, mother of BJ staffer Elaine Guregian, Sept. 2. 
William "Bill" James Carney, father of BJ staffer Jim Carney, Sept. 7. 
BJ Circulation truck driver retiree Raife Woodall, 69, Sept. 12. 
Arleen Louise Durst, 88, widow of former BJ printer Gene Durst, Sept. 26. 
Carlos ``Carl' Anderson, 85, Nov. 11. 
Theresa Ann Osmar, 78, wife of composing retiree Leo Osmar, Nov. 16. 
Elizabeth Margaret Harvey, 95, former BJ food editor, Nov. 25.
Dick Shippy, 83, BJ staffer, Dec. 6. 
Robert A. Coudriet, 87, retired circulation manager, Dec. 10.
M. Elaine Schoenleb, widow of former BJ News Editor Edwin Schoenleb, Dec. 30.


2009


Cleveland Phillips, maintenance, Jan. 20. Barbara Patterson, wife of sports retiree Jack, March 17. 
Robert Kamenar, freelance photographer, March 22. 
Watson Blanton, printer, March 25. 
Robert Cull, father of reporter Mike, April 4. Nancy (Lile) Wise, May 27. 
Bill Kennedy, July 20.
Armand Lear, printer, June 5. 
Virginia Berger, wife of promotion's Bill, Aug. 5. Kevin Jackson, son of Gary, Aug. 6. 
Olga O'Neil, Aug. 22. 
Stephen Schleis, father of reporter Paula, Oct. 11. 
Terry Dray, printer, Oct. 25. 
Trammel Hogg, printer, Nov. 15. 
Kevin Vest, sports statistician, Nov. 18. 
Bob Nold, sports writer, Dec. 20.