Death notices and obituaries from the July 14 Springville Journal

George Barthel

George Barthel
George William Barthel, 92, of East Concord, passed away July 8 at Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home in Springville.

He was born in Sardinia in 1920, the son of the late William and Grace (nee Petrie) Barthel.

He married the former Eleanor Marble in Springville in 1944.

Mr. Barthel served in the U.S. Army from 1941 – 1946 and was a member of the American Legion for more than 50 years and was the last of the charter members.

He was also a woodscraftsman. He had been a mechanic for Weidner Chicken Farm in Armor from 1963 – 1980.

He was the husband of Eleanor (nee Marble) Barthel; father of Barbara L. (Roger) Griffith of Springville, Patricia (Jay) Beesley of Indiana and Janet Hopkins (Russell Spalti) of North Carolina; grandfather of 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; brother of the late Robert E. (Elizabeth) Barthel.

A funeral was held from the First Presbyterian Church of Springville. The Rev. David Kunselman officiated. Burial was in Fairview Cemetery, Springville.

Arrangements were made by the Smith-Weismantel Funeral Home, 271 East Main St., Springville. Online condolences may be made at www.smithweismantelfuneralhome.com.

Leon Blasdell
Leon C. Blasdell, formerly of Eden and Mortons Corners, died July 10 at Cortland Park Rehab and Nursing Center. He was the husband of Helen (nee Chechowich) Blasdell. Funeral services will be held from the Smith-Weismantel Funeral Home, 271 East Main St., Springville. Burial will be in Mortons Corners Cemetery.

Mary Blasdell
Mary Lugarda “Mary Lu” Blasdell (nee Sixt), 72, of Manassas, Va., passed away on Tuesday, July 3.

She was born Sept. 30, 1939 in Springville. She graduated from the Griffith Institute High School.

After Mary Lu married her husband, Donald “Butch” Blasdell in February 1963, the couple traveled the world, due to Butch’s government service. The couple lived in many places, including Okinawa, Cyprus, Coral Gables, Fla., Hawaii and Virginia. The family relocated to Manassas in 1977.

Mary Lu worked as a tax preparer, piano teacher, homemaker and mother. She was a member and past secretary of the Ole Virginia Amateur Radio Club and was also a member and religious educator at All Saints Catholic Church.

Survivors include her husband of 49 years, Donald; children Donald (Brenda) Blasdell Jr., Regina Blasdell, Marcie (Bill) Coomer, Blaine Blasdell, Dennis (Pamela) Blasdell and Matthew Blasdell; her mother, Ina A. Sixt; two sisters, Regina Schohn and Jonna Murphy; two brothers, John Sixt Jr. and Joseph Sixt and three grandchildren, Remington Blasdell, Hannah Blasdell and Riley Coomer.

She was preceded in death by her father, John E. Sixt.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday, July 6 from All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas. Burial was in Quantico National Cemetery. Arrangements were made by Pierce Funeral Home.

Mary Lu had Parkinson’s disease for the past six years. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Movement Disorder Centers of Georgetown University Hospital, care of Georgetown University Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 96882, Washington, D.C. 20077.

Online condolences may be sent to www.piercefh.com.

Richard Bridges
Richard M. “Dick” Bridges, 52, of East Otto passed away July 5 in Cheektowaga.

He was born in 1959 in Gowanda, the son of Richard (Penny) Bridges of Gowanda and the late Gale (nee Jacobs) Bailey.

He is survived by his wife, Cathie (nee Hintz) Bridges; his sons, Bradley Bridges of West Valley and Corey Bridges of Hamburg; a sister, Deborah Bridges of Florida; stepbrother, John Bailey of Georgia; stepsisters Tina Pierce of Olean and Marcia Reese of Georgia and is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

A funeral service was held Saturday, July 14 from the Mentley Funeral Home Inc., 411 Rock City St., Little Valley. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the East Otto Volunteer Fire Department.

Lulu Gold
Lulu Esther Gold, 92, (nee Aldrow) of Little Valley, town of Mansfield passed away July 5 at her residence.

She was born in 1919 in the town of Ashford, the daughter of Carl and Lena (nee Schwartz) Aldrow.

She was a dairy farmer in Mansfield and a member of the New York Farm Bureau.

She volunteered at Little Valley Historical Society, researched genealogy and was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ellicottville.

Charities she contributed to included the Disabled American Veterans and the Sheriff’s Association.

She was the wife of the late Leone E. “Bud” Gold; sister of Erma (late Gerald) Blemel of West Falls Arnold (Carol) Aldrow of Florida and the late Florence Russell, Laura (Ed) Frank, Leonard (Elsie) Aldrow and Willard Aldrow; also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Monday, July 9 from the Smith-Weismantel Funeral Home, 271 East Main St., Springville. The Rev. William L. Kay officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Springville.

Online condolences may be made at www.smithweismanelfunealhome.com.

Mark Woodring

Mark Woodring
Mark A. Woodring, 34, of Springville, passed away July 4 at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in Springville.

He was a comedian, celebrated the Christmas holidays starting with playing Christmas music in August and was a Medicaid service coordinator for Suburban Adult Services, Inc. in Yorkshire.

He was the husband of Emily (nee Jordan); father of Rebecca, Ryan, Abigail and Finegan, all of Springville; son of Debbie (nee Lazell) and Garry Woodring; brother of Nathan Woodring of Orchard Park and Stacy Piscitelli of Springville; son-in-law of Peggy Jordan and the late Eddy Jordan and brother-in-law of Eric Jordan.

Funeral services were held from the First United Methodist Church of Springville on Sunday, July 9. The Rev. David C. Derk officiated. Arrangements were made by the Smith-Weismantel Funeral Home, 271 East Main St., Springville. Online condolences may be made at www.smithweismantelfuneralhome.com.

Ollis Wright
A graveside service for Ollis “Tiny” Wright, who passed away in Venice, Fla. on Jan. 21, will be held July 21 at 11 a.m. from the Maplewood Cemetery, section 35, in Springville.