OBITUARIES

Henry W. Gayek
Henry W. Gayek of Erie, Pa., died Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Saint Vincent Health Center. He was 82 years of age.
Born Nov. 27, 1920, in Detroit, he was the son of the late Alexander Gayek and Antonina Gregorew Gayek Malicki.
He recieved a B.A. in electrical engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1942. He worked for General Electric for over 40 years in engineering and engineering management in Schenectady, N.Y., Waynesboro, Va., King of Prussia, Pa., and Erie, Pa. He was the author of numerous technical papers and a life senior member of the IEEE. He was active in the GE Elfun Society, from which he received awards for his community service. After retirement, he was the co-founder and chief archivist of the Museum of Erie GE History.
He was active in community theater since 1946 and appeared in 55 productions in theaters in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. He acted at the Erie Playhouse, Roadhouse Theatre, Directors Circle, Gannon University and the Erie Civic Ballet. He appeared in How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, Love Letters, You Can’t Take It with You, On Golden Pond and The Second Time Around.
He was active in the Unitarian Universalist Association for over 50 years. He served for many years as a lay leader of the First Unitarian Church of Erie, and more recently with the First Universalist Church of Girard. He was a commissioned lay leader serving a district covering most of Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
He was preceded in death by his wife, June Tracy Gayek, in 1996, and by two brothers, Joseph and Bill Gayek.
He is survived by two daughters, Ann Gayek of Yellow Springs and Alexandra Gayek of Kirkland, Wash.; a son, Peter Gayek, and his wife, Alison, of Chapel Hill, N.C.; a sister, Irene Blatchford of Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich.; two grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
A service was held on Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie.

Edith E. Hampton
Edith E. Hampton of Cedarville died Saturday, Dec. 21, in Greenwood Manor in Xenia. She was 83 years of age.
Born on April 10, 1919, in Dayton, she was the daughter of Jacob and Marie (Birdzisk) Gierus.
She was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Yellow Springs and the American Legion Post No. 544 Ladies Auxiliary of Cedarville.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Roy M. Hampton; grandson, Joshua Matthew Chesser; two sisters, Jean Krowalias and Mary Brozowski; and her brother, Ziggy Gierus.
Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Roy M. and Debbie Hampton Jr. of Germantown and Ron Hampton and Suzette Castonguay of Yellow Springs; daughters and sons-in-law, Beverly J. Hampton of Xenia, Barbara and Robert Slone of Xenia and Sherry and Dennis Chesser of Toledo; grandchildren, Justin and Jennifer Slone of Centerville, Seaman Apprentice Brandon Slone of Indiana, Jeremy, Jeffrey, Jason and Jena Chesser of Toledo, Amy, Lisa, Kristen and Megan Hampton of Springfield; one great-granddaughter, Jenifer Marie Slone of Miamisburg; and her sister, Irene Bockenek of Dayton.
A funeral mass was held Tuesday, Dec. 24, in the St. Paul Catholic Church in Yellow Springs. Burial followed in St. Paul Cemetery. Contributions in her memory may be made to the S.I.D.S. Foundation & Children’s Medical Center, One Children’s Plaza, Dayton, OH 45404.

Memorial service for Dorothy Hilbert
A memorial service celebrating the life of Dorothy Hilbert will be held Monday, Dec. 30, 7 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meeting house in Goes.
Hilbert died unexpectedly on Oct. 18, at the age of 91.
The service will include musical offerings by family members and a time for memorial tributes. A reception will follow, hosted by the Unitarian women’s group.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to the Unitarian Fellowship, Friends Care Community or Antioch College.

Marjorie A. Kinney
Marjorie A. Kinney of Springfield died Thursday, Dec. 19, at Oakwood Village Health Care Center following a short illness. She was 87 years of age.
Born Oct. 17, 1915, in Yellow Springs, she was one of three daughters and three sons born to Charles and Jessie Kinney.
She attended Beehive Grade School in Yellow Springs. She attended Ohio State University for undergraduate work and took graduate-level courses at the University of Chicago and New York University, where she received an M.A.
She served as an officer in the Army Nurse Corps from 1943 to 1948. She taught nursing at Michigan State University, Western Reserve University and Wright State University, from where she retired in 1984 as professor emeritus.
After retirement, Marjorie developed an avid interest in genealogy and began a several-year quest into the study of the ancestry of the Kinney family. This search led not just to hundreds of letters and phone calls but many trips throughout the country and even outside of this country. She had documented her findings and had begun a book on the Kinney family ancestry, still to be finished by others.
She was preceded in death by both parents, one sister and three brothers.
She is survived locally by one sister, Elma Wolf and her sons, Dana, Larry and Leslie of South Charleston; two nephews, Charles Kinney of New Moorfield and Keith Kinney of Yellow Springs; a sister-in-law, Marjol Kinney of Springfield. She is also survived by six nephews, Mike, Daryl, Myron, Joe, Charles and David; one niece, Sarah; and several great-nephews and great-nieces.
Funeral services were held on Sunday, Dec. 22, at Littleton Rue Funeral Home in Springfield. Burial was at Glen Forest Cemetery.

Memorial service for John McConville
A memorial service for John McConville will be held Saturday, Jan. 4, at 1 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church, 314 Xenia Avenue.
McConville died on Monday, Nov. 25.Susan Sieminski

Susan E. Sieminski
Susan E. Sieminski died Sunday, Dec. 22, in Community Hospital in Springfield after a brief illness. She was 90 years of age.
Born in Clifton, she was the daughter of George W. and Laura Belle (White) Iliff.
She retired from the Civil Service at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 1976 after 27 years. She was a member of the Eagles.
Music was her inspiration. During her teens she played the piano for most of the musical events at Bryan High School and for the Yellow Springs United Methodist Church. She loved to dance, fish and travel.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, Virgil Crabbe, and second husband, Frank Sieminski.
She is survived by her daughter, Shirley Finney of Springfield; grandson Graig Finney and his wife, Allison of Marysville; sister, Ethel Beatty of Yellow Springs; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Richards, Raff & Dunbar Memorial Home today (Thursday), 10–11 a.m. Funeral services will be held today (Thursday) at 11 a.m., with burial in Rose Hill Cemetery to follow.