News
Alumni Notes | June 2023
Obituaries
Norman E. Dunkle ‘57 (English) Rev. Dr. Norman E. Dunkle, 91, died Thursday, November 10, 2022. He was a resident of Wesbury United Methodist Community.
He was born January 6, 1931 in Oil City, where he resided most of his childhood and youth. He was the first of four children born to N. Doyle and Marna Hale Dunkle. His brother Harold is deceased. His brother, William, resides in St. Cloud, FL, and his sister, Mary Samarra, lives in Marbury, MD.
In 1953 he married Lucille Roedel of Brockway. She preceded him in death on December 25, 2013. Their son Mark died in 1979. Sons, David of Cambridge Springs and Keith of Alliance, OH, survive. He is also survived by two grandsons, Guy and Reed Dunkle. Guy resides in Little Cooley with his wife Wilma and their sons, Nolan and Graham. Reed resides in Pittsburgh with his wife Rebecca.
After teaching in the public schools of Kenmore, NY, and Meadville, Dr. Dunkle completed his theological studies and was ordained elder in the Methodist Church in 1968. He then served for 25 years as Pastor of United Methodist Churches in Western Pennsylvania - Wright's Church in Venetia, Christ Church in Bethel Park, First Church in Aliquippa, and First Church in Bradford.
Dr. Dunkle held academic degrees from Roberts Wesleyan College, Canisius College, Drew University, and Pittsburgh Theological School. His principal hobby was writing, primarily for professional and scholarly journals. After retirement, he occasionally published poetry including one volume of collected works titled, On the Precipice, with Gravity, Levity, and Vertigo.
After returning to Meadville in 2005 as residents of Wesbury Retirement Community, Rev. Dunkle and his wife, Lucille, were very active members of Stone United Methodist Church. After Lucille's death, he chose to worship at Wesbury. The arrangements have been entrusted to the ROBERT W. WAID FUNERAL HOME, 581 CHESTNUT ST., MEADVILLE where memories and condolences may be shared at www.waidfuneralhome.net
LeRoy W. Kettinger ‘64 (English) The Reverend Dr. LeRoy W. Kettinger, 81, passed away on May 27, 2023, at Auburn Community Hospital, Auburn, NY.
LeRoy was born in Mansfield, OH to The Rev. Burton Edward and Mary Jane (Probst) Kettinger. As a child and teen, he lived in Cleveland and Warren, OH and was active in the Ohio Conference of the Free Methodist Church enjoying Bible quizzing, preaching competitions, singing in church, and assisting his father with worship.
He attended Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, NY and while there met Wilma Lawson. They were married on June 8, 1963, and in the reception line after the wedding was offered the opportunity to Pastor a Free Methodist Church in New Middletown, OH which he and Wilma accepted.
That began a wonderful career in ministry including appointments at New Middletown, Cleveland, OH, Director of Youth Ministries for the Free Methodist Church, Winona Lake, IN, Columbus, OH, and Seattle, WA, as well as graduating from Youngstown State University, OH and Asbury Theological Seminary, KY where he completed his Master of Divinity degree.
After pastoring the Seattle First FMC at Seattle Pacific University, LeRoy accepted a position at Roberts Wesleyan University where he worked for nine years as Vice President for Student Services. He also served as Dean of the Chapel, and during that time completed his Doctor of Divinity at United Theological Seminary, OH. The years at Roberts were some of his favorites, and the opportunity to minister to and build relationships with students were memories he cherished. Those years also included an interim appointment at the Lockport FMC, NY, and summers serving as the Camp Evangelist at church camps across the Northeast, Midwest, and Canada.
After Roberts, LeRoy returned to ministry as the lead Pastor of the Dearborn Free Methodist Church, MI, followed by a few more years working in higher education, consulting, and time as Pastor of Christ Chapel Wesleyan Church, Hamlin, NY. In 1998, he became the Senior Pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Auburn, NY, where he and Wilma began what resulted in 25 years of ministry in the Auburn community.
LeRoy loved his Auburn parishioners, friends, and network of ministers. He retired from the First United Methodist Church but never really retired. His most recent ministries included serving as Chaplain at Auburn Community Hospital, Chaplain of The Commons at St. Anthony, and Pastor of St. Andrews United Methodist Church, Mottville, NY, as well as officiating at numerous weddings and funerals.
LeRoy was someone who enjoyed people. You could often find him at a local diner with friends, participating in community events, taking part in a prayer breakfast with the local ministerial association, or spending time with his ever-growing family. He loved his family, ministry, and Auburn community, and throughout his lifetime kept a close association with his home state of Ohio spending summers at the Kettinger Cottage in Mansfield, OH.
LeRoy is survived by his wife of 60 years, Wilma; children: Kirk (Michelle), Kevin (Elsa), Valerie (Darby), Janelle (Rudy); 14 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and brother, Burt Kettinger.
A Memorial Service will be held at Pearce Memorial Free Methodist Church, N. Chili, NY, on Saturday, July 8th, 2023 at 10:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Roberts Wesleyan University or Northeastern Seminary, 2301 Westside Drive, Rochester, NY 14624.
Please leave a message for the family at https://farrellsfuneralserviceinc.com/.
Lucille Lewis Labart ‘47 died at the age of 95 on April 19, 2023.
A private memorial service for the family will be held on Saturday, April 22, at Bethel Baptist Church with Pastor Al Detter officiating. Visitation will not be observed. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery in Ashville.
Lucille C. Labart was born on September 21, 1927, in Fredonia. She attended South Park High School and later graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College. She also attended the University of the State of New York. Lucille worked as a teacher.
Lucille C. Labart is survived by her daughter, Deborah Hotchkiss, and her son, William Labart. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Herbert Hotchkiss, Stephen Hotchkiss, Douglas Hotchkiss, Caroline Saunders, Thomas Labart, Michael Labart, and her sister, Dorothy Butler. Lucille was preceded in death by her husband, Frederick Labart, and her brother, Leonda Lewis, and is also survived by her other preceding family members, Lois Lewis, Robert Lewis, Delores Lewis, Eugene Butler, Richard Lewis, and JoAnn Lewis Diodato.
Josephine Emilio Miles ‘51 age 96, went to be in the loving arms of her Lord Jesus on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. She and her husband, John J. Miles, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary on August 6, 2022. She is predeceased by her daughter Dr. Ruth C. Miles Stone and her son-in-law Arthur B. Stone, brothers Henry D. Emilio and Daniel J. Emilio, sisters Lucretia E. Roberts and Mary E. Foster. In addition to her husband she is survived by her youngest sister Rita R. Emilio, her daughters Lynette (Craig) Ledder, Drs. Mary Jo (Don) Calebaugh, and Valerie (Ted) Hoffman, her grandchildren Joanna (Steve) Cline, Stephanie Hoffman, Sara Stone, Lindsay Ledder and Lauren (Drew) Casale and many nieces and nephews.
She was a graduate of Binghamton North High School and Roberts Wesleyan College. She served the Lord Jesus in countless ways and was a faithful member of Hands of Hope Free Methodist Church of Binghamton, NY. Her beauty and sweet personality attracted her "on-the-wild-side" husband, John, and together they lovingly raised their four daughters to be professionals and to serve and love the Lord Jesus. Her unconditional love for all was, and continues to be, an example and an encouragement to family and friends. As the daughter of Italian immigrants, Domenico and Carmela Emilio, she celebrated and passed on the beauty of her Italian heritage to her children and grandchildren. Josephine was a beautiful, intelligent, loving and caring wife and mother. We are grateful for her life, a precious gift to us, and we look forward to the day we will see her again.
Baiba Nikiforovs Peelle ‘08 (Theological Professions) was born on July 24, 1946 in Augsburg, Germany. Her parents, Anatolijs and Vera Nikiforovs, were refugees from the Russian invasion of Latvia in 1944. Baiba and her parents emigrated to the United States in 1950 and settled in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where her brother, Andris Nikiforovs was born. Baiba excelled at her studies and also at the piano. She won a number of local and regional piano competitions. While in high school, she started teaching piano students in her home; she remained a dedicated piano teacher all her life until she retired in 2019.
Baiba earned a B.A. in music from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio and an M.M. in Piano Performance at the University of Illinois, Urbana, IL. Subsequently, she completed all the course work for a D.M.A. in Piano at the Cleveland Institute of Music/CWRU. Subsequently she taught at:
Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, N.C
Community Education Department, University of Minnesota
West Bank School of Music, also in Minneapolis, MN
Cleveland Music School Settlement, Cleveland, OH
Regina High School, South Euclid, OH
Notre Dame College, Cleveland, OH
Hochstein School of Music, Rochester, NY
In 2008, she began studies at Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, and received her M. Div. in 2011. She served as interim pastor at Trinity Covenant Church and as Associate Pastor at Park Ridge Free Methodist Church and Community of the Savior Free Methodist Church, all in Rochester, NY.
In 2010, she completed her chaplaincy internship and residency at Strong Memorial Hospital and served as chaplain there and at Unity Hospital until 2018.
The most important thing to Baiba was her family. She is survived by her husband, David, with whom she shared a love of music and the natural world, their son, Jonathan (Jill), grandchildren Eila, Morgan, and Bennett, her brother Andris Nikiforovs (Ruth Anne Goldberg), and sisters/brothers-in-law Kathy Douds, Karyl (Tony) Petruccione, Doug (Darla) Peelle, Karen (Tim) Stone, Tina Onion, and Derek Peelle, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. They will treasure her dedication, intentionality, sense of justice, and love for humanity.
As an alternative to flowers, donations can be made to The Hochstein School of Music (specifying in memory of “Baiba Peelle”).
Charles Cyrus Strimple ‘68 (English) age 75, of Swannanoa, NC, passed away on Sunday, November 29, 2020 at John F. Keever, Jr. Solace Center in Asheville. Mr. Strimple was born on September 5, 1945 in Hornell, NY to the late Cyrus Elliott Strimple and Eleanor Weaver Strimple.
Charlie served his country proudly as a sergeant in the United States Army, 25th Infantry Division “Tropic Lightning” during the Vietnam War. Upon his return from the war, Charlie and Bette married October 2nd, 1971, and lived an adventurous life including traveling, camping, boating, and caring for many family dogs.
In 1986, Charlie began teaching English at Owen High School. During his teaching tenure, he loved his students and they loved him. He was friend and confidant to many staff. He was known to break up a fight in the hall, wear a Viking hat while reading Beowulf, and remembered several of his students and his student’s kids by the time he retired in 2006. He accompanied students on class trips, created haunted Halloween parties, and absolutely loved driving a bus. During his retirement, he continued to drive a bus in Walterboro, SC and Hampstead, NC. All along the way, he made friends and enjoyed all his passengers.
Charlie attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenville, SC. Charlie was a loving husband, father, grandfather, teacher, and coach. Charlie was a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan and loved his Weimaraners. He would never turn down a fried chicken wing with blue cheese dressing, or a Beef on Weck sandwich. He made many family traditions including prime rib on Christmas Eve, holding hands for prayers before a meal including a cheer (Yeah Strimples), making caramel delights, and going on camping trips.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Cherie.
Those left behind to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 49 years, Bette Strimple; dog Harris; three sons, Ryan Strimple and his fiancé Kim Black of Swannanoa, NC, Josh Strimple and his wife Chris of Charleston, SC, and Peter Strimple and his wife Magen of Hampstead, NC; a brother, Bob and three sisters, Patty, Etta and Janie; four beloved grandkids, Grace, Wyatt, Charlie, and Runa; and many friends who cherish his legacy.
The family will announce a Memorial Service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial contributions be made to: www.fisherhouse.org or mail to: Fisher House Foundation at: 12300 Twinbrook Parkway #410 Rockville, MD 20852, which is a foundation that provides housing for families of hospitalized veterans.
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” -Psalm 91:1
Penland Family Funeral Home is honored to be caring for the Strimple Family and assisting them with arrangements.
Emory Towles ‘56 (Business Administration) age 96, formerly of Lincoln Park, passed away, February 24, 2023, in his daughters' residence. Born in Owings, West Virginia, he was a son of the late Emory Amos & Lelia P. (McIntire) Towles. He was the loving husband of the late Ruth Breen Towles who passed away January 25, 2022. They would have celebrated their 77th year of marriage on February 15, 2022. Emory served his country in the US Navy during WW II and Korea. He attended high school in West Virginia and received his bachelor of science degree in business from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY in 1956. Emory was a member of Lincoln Park Community U.M. Church, Lodge No.62 F&AM and the Rajah Shrine. He was an accomplished harmonica player and loved playing for his family and friends. Emory spent most of his working life in sales. From 1957 thru 1971 he worked for Lindsay Water Conditioning, Hydromatic and finally Culligan as a salesman and sales trainer opening many franchises on the east coast. From 1971 to 1986 he worked for Sears, Roebuck & Co. as a major appliance sales associate. He was very successful at what he sold because he believed in the products. After retiring, he started Emory's Collectables, dealing in sports memorabilia and coins at the Clock Tower in Morgantown and the Leesport Farmers Market.
He is survived by his children, Carol T. Kitzmiller Piersody wife of Phillip Piersody, Wernersville, Kevin L. husband of Sandra Towles, Hamburg, Christine D. Perez, Hershey, his grandchildren, Juliette Piersody, Justin husband of Heather Towles, Andrea wife of Michael Dautrich, Danielle wife of Mario Lamont, James Carpenter, Caitlin Herron, Christian Perez, his great grandchildren, William "Will" Carpenter, Celeste, Colin, Gabriel and Kayla Lamont, Felicity, Carissa, Analeah, Victoria, Josephine, Eden and Jonah Dautrich, Cierra and MacKevin Towles, Sofia Morrell Piersody Valverde, and his great great granddaughter, Aurelia Isabel Ruth Sensenig. He is also survived by his brother, George husband of Doris Towles, Ypsilanti, MI and his many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He is predeceased by his siblings, Esther Sellers, Eura Reese, Eloise Hayhurst, Doris Carpenter, Lenora "Sis" McCauley and Robert Towles.
The family would like to thank the caregivers from Bayada Home Health (Tim and Meredith) and Bayada Hospice (Guy, Heidi and Lilly) along with the others who took such wonderful care of dad and were so helpful to the family. The Klee Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., Shillington, is assisting the Towles family. www.kleefuneralhome.com
Faith Holloway Weldon ‘59 passed on Sunday, February 19, 2023, age 84. Predeceased by her husband, Hugh, and son, Jon. She leaves her son, Daniel; grandson, Casey; sister, Nancy Enright; nieces and nephews.
Faith taught at Webster School District for four years, was involved in childcare for many years, and was a retired paraeducator from #1 BOCES in Fairport. She was an active member of the United Methodist Church of Webster where she was a member of the Chancel Choir. She was known for her baking (always having a bag of cookies ready for a visitor or friend) , as well as her boundless love of children.
Valerie Mae Allen Williams ‘87 (Nursing) age 58, a mom, a wife, and a woman who loved Jesus, ascended into Heaven with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, May 7, 2023, at home peacefully, reuniting with her first-born son, Joshua.
She was born Feb. 14, 1965, in Lockport, NY, a daughter of the late Alvin and Ruth (Wood) Allen.
Valerie was a graduate of Starpoint High School and Roberts Wesleyan College.
Valerie was a dedicated nurse, and one who her family, friends and coworkers looked up to for her genuinely caring manner, her humility, her knowledge, her friendship, and her fellowship.
Valerie is survived by her husband of 32 years, Dan Williams; son, Caleb Williams; sister, Kathryn (Keith) Hibbard; two brothers, David (Candy) Allen and Larry (Jeanine) Allen; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and beloved puppy dog, Sadie Mae.
Arrangements are under the direction of Visneski Funeral Home, Inc., 42 W. Mahoning St., Danville. www.visneski.com.
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William “Bill” Reynolds ‘75 (English) is retired with emeritus status from Georgia Southern University. He retired after 48 years of teaching at both the public school level (in upstate NY) and university positions at University of Wisconsin-Stout, Oklahoma State University, Purdue University and Georgia Southern University. He will continue writing and remains an avid runner.