Barbara Edmiston Mitchell

Barbara J. Mitchell, 74, of Franklin Hill, PA passed away, Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Forest City Nursing and Rehab Center, Forest City, PA. Born May 24, 1940 in Clinton, IL, she was the daughter of the late Merle and Dorothy C. [McBride] Edmiston.

Barbara attended Hay-Edwards grade school and Springfield High School in Springfield, IL, and Monticello Preparatory School & College, Godfrey, IL and graduated in 1958. She attended the University of Maine, the Douglass College of Rutgers University and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in history from RU in May of 1982.

On May 17, 1978, she married her best friend and soulmate, David W. Mitchell. The inseparable couple loved their home on Franklin Hill that they have called home for over 20 years. She enjoyed nature, wildlife, flowers and animals. She and her husband were avid basketball fans, attending many Binghamton University basketball events. She was a beautiful soul, an amazing woman, who was intelligent, compassionate, kind, and a devoted wife with unwavering strength.

Throughout her life, she wrote and published two books, O’ Fairest Monticello, a book about Monticello Preparatory School and being a student there and How to Cope with Headaches, a book of compilations of weekly articles from online magazines. She was an editor for Business Digest in Waterbury, CT, a reporter with newspapers in Cheshire, CT and Montrose, PA, a columnist with The Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, IL and wrote numerous magazine articles and several op-ed pieces for various newspapers. Barbara even had her own blog called Views from the Country, freedomacres/blogspot.com where she wrote many book reviews on the books she read.

In 2006, Barbara retired from Southern Tier Imaging in Johnson City, NY as a medical transcriptionist. Graveside Services: Monday, April, 27, 2015 at 10AM at Franklin Hill Cemetery, 400 Franklin Hill Road, Hallstead, PA, 18822 with Rev. H. Chase Page officiating. Services are being entrusted to the Bartron-Myer Funeral Home, Inc., Montrose, PA.

Sandra Pence Nugent

URBANA – Sandra Lee Nugent (nee Pence) of Urbana passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening (March 11, 2015) at Illini Heritage nursing home. She had been struggling with kidney failure for 14 years. There will be no services. She donated her whole body to research in memory of her nursing friends, Lois and Laura.

Sandy was born Dec. 13, 1939, in Decatur, to Clyde Alvin Pence and Hazel Fern (Joseph) Pence [Dickinson]. She attended Springfield High School and graduated in 1958. She married Charles Stigers in 1960 and Sterling Glenn Nugent in 1967.

She was preceded in death by a brother, her parents, her second husband and her son-in-law, Russell Cler. She is survived by her son, Timothy (Theresa) Stigers; her daughters, Robin Cler and Antoinette (Michael) Novak; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a sister.

She worked at A1 Alarm Service for more than 20 years and was an active member of the Friends of the Urbana Free Library.

"Nothing is better than a rainy day, a comfy chair, a good book, and a cat on my lap." Rest in peace. Morgan Memorial Home, 1304 Regency Drive West, Savoy, is in charge of arrangements.

James E. Duncan

James E. "Jim" Duncan, 74, of Lancaster and formerly of Elizabethtown, entered life eternal on Monday, February 17, 2014 with his loving wife, Yvonne, by his side, at Homestead Village, Lancaster. 

Born in Waukegan, IL, he was the son of the late Edward and Elva (Osborne) Duncan. He was a graduate of Springfield High School in Illinois and Tarkio College in Missouri. Jim was a proud veteran of the Vietnam War, and was awarded the Bronze Star and attained the rank of Major after serving 15 years in the United States Air Force. 

Upon leaving the military, Jim was employed by M&M Mars of Elizabethtown and retired in 1997. He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church of Elizabethtown, was an active volunteer at Homestead Village of Lancaster, and enjoyed singing. Jim loved to travel, spend time with family, and work on wood and leaded glass ­projects. He will be missed by many for his caring ways and willingness to help others.

Jim is survived by Yvonne M. (Copenhaver), his wife of 50 years; aunt Hope Dallman,WA; cousin Concie Luna, WA; three sisters-in-law, Joy Lehman (Jay), Elizabethtown, Jean Ferguson, Lancaster, Jennie Copenhaver, CA; and a brother-in-law, John Copenhaver, TX.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend his funeral service at Christ Lutheran Church, 125 E. High St., Elizabethtown on Saturday, February 22, 2014 at 11:00 AM. Interment will be at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at 2:00 P.M. There will be a time of visitation with the family on Saturday at the church from 10:00-11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jim's memory may be sent to Christ Lutheran Church, 125 E. High St., Elizabethtown, PA 17022 or The Sebastian Foundation for animal rescue, 121 Ridgewood Court, Columbia, PA 17512.