OBITS: FLECK Family, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Aileen Fulcomer Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ ____________________________________________ CORBIN, Nettie J. (FLECK) - 1953 FLECK, Aaron - 1892 FLECK, Emory Grazier - n. d. FLECK, George Dare - 1970 FLECK, Harry Scott - 1940 FLECK, Jesse C. - 1938 FLECK, Lloyd - 1987 FLECK, Margaret E. (GRIFFITH) - 1968 FLECK, Mary E. (PLUMMER) - 1909 FLECK, Mazie Neff (FLECK) - 1947 FLECK, Thomas M. - 1924 FLECK, Thomas R. - 1958 FLECK, Thomas R. - 1967 KEATLEY, Edna Grace (FLECK) - 1995 ____________________________________________ Nettie J. (FLECK) CORBIN January 6 1953 Mrs. Nettie J. Corbin of 5815 California Ave. (Altoona, Pa) died at 9:34 o'clock in Mercy hospital where she had been a patient since Nov. 2. She was born in Sinking Valley, June 1, 1876, a daughter of Aaron and Mary Plummer Fleck. Her husband, Howard Corbin, died five years ago. Surviving are one son and one daughter, LeRoy K. Corbin of Ridgewood, N.J., and Mrs. Marie Gottshall, with whom she resided; four grandchildren, two brothers and one sister, Thomas Fleck of the city, Mrs. William Kephart of Sinking Valley and Roland Fleck of Philadelphia. Mrs. Corbin was a member of the First Church of Christ and had been active in the Sunday School for many years until her health interfered. Friends will be received at the Laughlin funeral home after 7. . . . _____ Aaron FLECK August 25, 1892 We take the following from the Daily Herald of August 25th: At his home in Sinking Valley this morning, occurred the death of Aaron Fleck. Heart disease was the cause his sudden demise. Mr. Fleck was aged 66 years and nine months. Deceased was a life-long resident of Sinking Valley, and a man much respected by everybody. He was married twice. Surviving him are his brother, Jacob Fleck, and sisters, Mrs. Susan Hostler and Mrs. Charlotte Stewart, of Sinking Valley, and Mrs. Mollie Orr, of Altoona. The surviving children of his first wife are: Mrs. Mary C. Richebaugh, Mrs. Lizzie Orr, and James S., of Altoona, and Emery B., of Huntingdon. In addition to above, he leaves his second wife and the following named children: Myrtle E., Nettie J., Oliver R., Grace M., Roland K., Jesse C., Thos. K., all of whom reside at home. Mr. Fleck was a faithful member of the Lutheran church. He also belonged to Sinking Valley Grange, No 484, P. of H. The funeral will be held on Saturday at 11 o'clock, Rev. A. J. Bean to conduct the services. _____ Emory Grazier FLECK Emory Grazier Fleck, who died suddenly of heart failure at his home in Huntingdon, Tuesday, December 10, was born in Sinking Valley May 17, 1857. He is survived by his wife and three children: Wallace, James T., and Veda, all at home. A brother James, and two sisters, Mrs. John Rickabaugh and Mrs. Croft Orr, of Altoona, survive, also his stepmother, Mrs. Mary Fleck, and these half brothers and sisters: Roland K., Mrs. John Morrow, of Sinking Valley; Jesse, Mrs. Nettie Corbin, Thomas and Miss Grace Fleck of Altoona; Mrs. William Kephart, of Tyrone. He was a member of the Lutheran church and of No. 134 Improved Order of Heptasophs, of Huntingdon. He was a man of good principle and stood high in the estimnation of his employers at the Blair building, where he has been employed for the past fifteen years. The funeral services were held at the Lutheran Church in Huntingdon on Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock, conducted by Revs. H. N. Follmer and S. F. Forgeus." _____ George Dare FLECK August 25, 1970 G. DARE FLECK, RADIO PIONEER, DIES AT AGE 88 G. Dare Fleck, one of history's first radio announcers - with station KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pa., died at Winter Haven hospital this morning at 1 o'clock after a brief illness. He was 88 years old and had lived in Winter Haven since 1948, when he retired. He joined KDKA, one of the world's first commercial broadcasting stations, in 1920, the year it went on the air. He had previously edited the house magazine for the Westinghouse Co., which launched KDKA. He started as a program checker, with authority to order anything off the air that did not conform to standards. Two years later, he was named editor of "Radio Broadcasting News," the first radio magazine, and in 1924 was named program director at KDKA. In 1932, he became traffic manager, a post he held until his retirement. He was the first to broadcast a boxing match from ringside over KDKA, and also made the first broadcast to the South Polar region. He was a native of Cherry Tree, Pa., and a graduate of Indiana State Normal. He worked in a Pittsburgh store until he joined Westinghouse. Fleck was a member of Beymer Memorial United Methodist Church; a member and former teacher of the Oxford Sunday School Class and a member of the Men's Club of the church. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mabel Stewart Fleck of Winter Haven; a son, Benjamin A. Fleck, United State Embassy official in Rangoon, Burma; two sisters, Mrs. W. S. Ober of Denver, Colo., and Mrs. W. L. Allison of Havertown, Pa.; and three grandsons. Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. from the Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. James C. Rowan, pastor of Beymer Church, officiating. Burial will follow in Lakeside Memorial Park. Members of the Oxford Sunday School Class will serve as pallbearers. Friends may call at the Ott-Laughlin Chapel on Wednesday from 5 until 9 p.m. _____ Harry Scott FLECK September 12, 1940 SOLDIER - TEACHER DIES AFTER LONG CAREER AS LEADER Professor Harry Scott Fleck, retired soldier, teacher and superintendent of schools, died this morning at 6:20 o'clock at his home in Tyrone, where he had been confined to his room by illness since Jan. 29 of this year. Mr. Fleck was an outstanding citizen in Blair county because of his numerous affiliations and his active life in local and national military affairs. His last public service was as assistant superintendent of public schools in Blair county, serving in that capacity for a period of fifteen years. Harry Scott Fleck was the son of Gabriel and Rebecca Stober Fleck being the ninth in a family of twelve, nine boys and three girls, and was born in Sinking valley on July 30, 1860. He was united in marriage with Katherine L. Wertz on June 30, 1897. To this union, three children were born: Edith R. Fleck, Harold B. Fleck and Hester K. Fleck. After a long and successful career as teacher, high school principal and borough superintendent in Tyrone, Mr. Fleck was appointed to the office of assistance county superintendent under Tarring S. Davis in April 1915, a post he filled most acceptably until his retirement in 1930, having served in that important capacity for fifteen years. In his early life, Mr. Fleck followed farming and thus entered the educational field to become prominent in school work, church activities and civic affairs, a soldier, writer, public speaker and teacher. His schooling included training in the public schools, under private tutors, Chautauqua course (4 years), regular and summer courses in college work, and received his M.A. degree at Susquehanna university in 1909. His teaching included the ungraded schools of Tyrone township, Tyrone High school, principal of Tyrone High school, superintendent of Tyrone borough schools and assistant superintendent of Blair county. The position held in his military activities were as trooper in the Sheridan troop, P. N. G., corporal, sergeant, first sergeant, second lieutenant, and first lieutenant and he served during the Spanish-American war in 1898, part of the time on the squadron staff. Mr. Fleck was in command of the Sheridan troop upon its return from Purto Rico to the United States. He retired in 1906 with the rank of captain. He also served as post commander of the U.S.W.V., Tyrone camp, No. 85. In his civic and political life, Mr. Fleck served as township clerk, leader of the Sinking Valley band, school direct (Tyrone borough), director of a building and loan association, member of the Republican county committee, secretary of the Blair County Pomona grange, secretary to Sheridan troop Veterans association and a director in the Blair County Tuberculosis and health society. In the church, Mr. Fleck was president of the Christian and Endeavor, treasurer of the Aid society, assistant secretary of council, elder in the Lutheran church in Tyrone, teacher in the Sunday school, delegate to synod, member of the choir in Sinking valley and president of the Laymen's association in the Alleghany synod. In fraternal circles, Mr. Fleck was a member of Tyrone lodge, No. 494, F. and A. M., Harrisburg consistory A.A.S.R., Sinking Valley grange, No. 484, P. of H., Pennsylvania State Educational association, National Educational association, Blair County Game, Fish and Forestry association, the Blair County historical society and the National Geographic society. Surviving are his wife and three children and two grandchildren, Harry and William Fleck of Tyrone, and three brothers, John S. Fleck of Sinking valley, David Fleck of California and Clair C. Fleck of Hollidaysburg, president of the Blair county board of county commissioners. FLECK - Funeral services for Harry Scott Fleck will be conducted Saturday after noon at 2:30 o'clock in the Lutheran church in Tyrone, in charge of the pastor, Rev. Dr. E. M. Morgan. Interment in St. John's Lutheran cemetery in Sinking valley. The body may be viewed at the Graham & Getz funeral home at 10 West Tenth street, Tyrone. _____ Jesse C. FLECK June 21, 1938 Jesse C. Fleck, well known building contractor, died of a heart attack yesterday morning at 11:45 a.m. at his home, 215 First Avenue, Altoona, after an illness of six months. He was sitting on a swing on the front porch of his home when stricken fatally. While his impaired health kept him from active business within the past several years, his condition was not regarded as serious. Mr. Fleck had been in the construction business for the past 20 years. Prior to that time, he was a carpenter by trade. He was a director of three building and loan associations, the Mountain City, the G. W. Shaffer and Independent. He was the oldest member of the Lions club in the city from the standpoint of membership in the organization. Born in Sinking Valley, June 11, 1874, he was a son of Aaron and Mary Fleck. He went to Altoona when a young man. Members of the family include his wife, Mrs. Flora Bowers Fleck, seven children. William C. Fleck of Woodbury, New Jersey; Miss Leota Fleck, at home; Kenneth and Ivan Fleck and Mrs. Carl Woods, all of Altoona; Mrs. John Barry, of Tyrone, and Durwood Fleck, at home; 13 grandchildren and six brothers and sisters, Thomas Fleck, of Altoona; Mrs. John Morrow. of Tyrone; Mrs. Thomas Crawford and Mrs. Howard Corbin, of Altoona; Mrs. William Kephart, of Sinking Valley, and Roland Fleck of Philadelphia. Mr. Fleck was a member of Bethany Lutheran church, of the Modern Woodman of America and of the Odd Fellows. Funeral services will be conducted by Rev. Harry L. Saul of the Bethany Lutheran church at 2:30 o'clock Friday afternoon in the church. Interment in Rose Hill cemetery. The body may be viewed at the home after 6 o'clock this evening. _____ Lloyd FLECK Lloyd M. Fleck - Mr. Fleck, 87, of the Hollidaysburg Veterans Home, formerly of 110 6th Ave., died at 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, 1987, at the home, after a brief illness. Mr. Fleck retired as a mechanic from the Altoona and Juniata shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1965, after 40 years service. He was born July 13, 1900, in Altoona, the son of Lewis L. and Laura A. (Hawksworth) Fleck, and July 29, 1925, married Alma Naomi Feathers, who died Feb. 1, 1971. Surviving are two children: William L. of Lancaster and Kathleen J. Monaco of Bay Shore, N.Y.; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Also surviving is a sister, Anna of Altoona. Mr. Fleck was a member of the Bethany Lutheran Church, and the Men's Bible Class. He was an Army veteran of World War I, serving in the Cavalry. Mr. Fleck was former commander of the Altoona Barracks of the World War I Veterans and a member of the Redmen. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Daniel R. Myers Funeral Home. Services for Lloyd M. Fleck, formerly of 110 6th Ave., will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Daniel R. Myers Funeral Home, by the Rev. Carl W. Alexy. Interment at Carson Valley Cemetery. _____ Margaret (GRIFFITH) FLECK August 5, 1968 Margaret E. Fleck, a former Altoona residing with her daughter, Mrs., Agnes Heltman in Lakewood, Ohio, died at 10:10 p.m. Saturday. She was born July 4, 1882, a daughter of John and Sally (Johnston) Griffith, and married Thomas Fleck, who died in 1958. Surviving are the daughter, three grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, three sisters and a brother, Mrs. Alma C. Stonebreaker, Mrs. Grace E. Blanchard, Mrs. Ruth Sharrar and Frank of Altoona. Mrs. Fleck was a member of the Bethany Lutheran Church and a charter member of the Oriental Shrine Ladies. Friends will be received in the Books Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. today. _____ Mary E. (PLUMMER) FLECK November 28, 1909 Mrs. Mary E. Fleck, widow of Aaron Fleck, at her residence, 124 Fifth Avenue, yesterday forenoon, at 10:15 o'clock, of perforation of and gall bladder, superinduced by gall stones, from which she had suffered for some time. Mrs. Fleck was born in Bedford county, Sept. 26, 1842, her maiden name being Mary E. Plummer. In 1869, she was married to Aaron Fleck, with whom she came to this city eighteen years ago, when (where?) she died. The following children survive: Mrs. Myrtle E. Morrow and Thomas R., both of Sinking Valley; Roland K., of Philadelphia; Mrs. Olive R. Kephart, of Warriors Mark; Jesse C., Mrs. Nettie J. Corbin and Mrs. Grace Crawford, all of this city (Altoona). Three step- children, Mrs. Mary Rickabaugh, James S. Fleck and Mrs. Crawford Orr, all of this city; also survive as to these brothers and sisters: John Plummer, Joseph Plummer, Mrs. Lucy Fleck and Mrs. Jennie Daugherty, all of this city, and Mrs. Sadie Dibert, of Claysburg. Thirty-five grandchildren and seven great- grandchildren also survive. Funeral services will be held at the Bethany Lutheran church tomorrow afternoon at 2:15 o'clock, and interment will be made in Rose Hill Cemetery. _____ Mazie Neff (FLECK) FLECK July 21, 1947 Miss Mazie Neff Fleck died at 11:50 o'clock Monday morning after a short illness at the home of her niece Mrs. Franklin McIlvaine, 221 Twenty-seventh Avenue, where she had resided for the past three years. She was born in Sinking valley, Aug. 30, 1869, the daughter of Thomas M. and Sarah (Stone) Fleck. She was a lifelong member of the St. Johns Lutheran church, the Women's Missionary society, and the Sinking Valley Grange. Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Harry Lotz, Tyrone, and Mrs. John P. Wilson, Altoona, and a number of nieces and nephews. Six brothers preceded her in death. Friends will be received at the Graham and Getz funeral home, Tyrone after 1 o'clock this afternoon. _____ Thomas Maxwell FLECK Feb 9, 1924 THOMAS M. FLECK CALLED TO REST - Well Known Sinking Valley Resident Died at Farm Home - On Sunday morning about 7 o'clock at the family home in Sinking Valley, the spirit of Captain Thomas M. Fleck leaving the tenement body which bound it for over eight-nine years took flight to the better world. The going out of this universally loved man was in peaceful sleep. When Andrew Jackson was serving his second term as president of the United States, when the "DeWitt Clinton" locomotive was on trial and nullification was rife in South Carolina - then it was on September 17, 1824, that Captain Fleck was born. He lived in the administrations of twenty-four out of the thirty presidents of our country; he saw the number of the states of the Union doubled, and the population of the country increase from 13,000,000 to 110,000,000. Thomas Maxwell Fleck was the son of Abram and Mary (McKee) Fleck and was born in Sinking Valley almost within sight of the home in which he passed away. When he was three months old, his father died and his boyhood days were largely spent at the home of his grandparents near the center of Sinking Valley. At sixteen years of age, he became a carpenter's apprentice and later a skilled tradesman in a day when everything in woodcraft was worked by hand. He helped to build some of the first dwellings in Altoona and for a time was foreman for the late D. K. Ramey. He lived in Hollidaysburg for two years meanwhile working at his trade. The most of his life, however, was spent in Sinking Valley where he engaged in building and farming. For a number of years, he was the Valley undertaker. He worked one year in the P.R.R. passenger car shops of Altoona. Early in life Thomas M. Fleck united with the Lutheran church and there has scarcely been a year in his long useful career that he was not an elder, choir leader, Sunday school superintendent or teacher in the Sunday school. At one time, he was the superintendent of both the Lutheran and the Presbyterian Sundays schools in his home valley, dividing his time each Sabbath. Military Career - Early in the life of the Sheridan Troop, Lieutenant Fleck began a military career which meant much to his native country and state. The National Guard of Pennsylvania has had just reason to be proud of the military organization which Lieutenant Fleck helped to nurture and to which he gave freely of his time during the years from 1874 to 1898. For several years himself and four of his sons were members of this organization. He succeeded to the rank of captain when he organized the second Sheridan Troop in 1898 to held the territory against the return of the original organization then in United States service in Porto Rico. On the 25th of February, 1858, Thomas M. Fleck and Sarah Stoner were united in holy wedlock. To this union were born six sons and three daughters. Surviving the father are the following: Louis L., Frank E., J. Edward; and Mrs. Carrie Wilson, all of Altoona; and Miss Mazie N. and Mrs. Annie Lotz at the family home. The wife and mother with the sons, William S., Charles M., and Howard S., preceded the father to the spirit land some years ago. Surviving also are eighteen grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two half sisters - Misses Nannie and Hettie Hamilton of Altoona. Captain Fleck was familiarly and lovingly known as "Uncle Tommy". In times of sorrow, it was his sympathy which healed; in times of joy, it was his young spirit which added pleasure to the occasion. He was generous to a fault, he was faithful to duty, he was true to religious obligations. Children loved him, citizens sought him, church-people honored him. The life he lived was his self-erected monument. He was strong for habits of correct living, was strictly temperate and thoroughly Christian. Truly, we may say "Whence comes there such another?" The funeral, conducted by his pastor, Rev. E. N. Fry, assisted by A. J. Rudisill of Altoona and Rev. L. N. Fleck, D.D. of Tyrone, will be on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 at the Lutheran church in Sinking Valley, interment at cemetery adjoining. _____ Thomas R. FLECK August 8, 1958 Illness Fatal to Life member, Bethany Church - Thomas R. Fleck, 79, of 124 5th Ave. (Altoona, Pa), died at 9 a.m. yesterday in the Altoona Hospital. He and Mrs. Fleck, the former Margaret E. Griffith, whom he married Aug. 16, 1905, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1955. He was born in Sinking Valley Nov. 20, 1878, a son of Aaron and Mary (Plummer) Fleck, and was a retired employe of the Beasley Motor Company. Mr. Fleck was a life member of the Bethany Lutheran Church and treasurer for many years of the Men's Bible Class. Surviving are his wife, two children, Mrs. Agnes Heltman of Lakewood, Ohio, and Thomas R. in the military service and stationed at Camp Zama, Japan; three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, one sister and one brother, Mrs. Olive R. Kephart of Sinking Valley and R.K. of Philadelphia. Friends will be received at the Books Funeral Home from 7 p.m. today until 10 a.m. Wednesday and thereafter at the church. _____ Thomas R. FLECK April 15, 1967 Thomas Roy Fleck, a native of Altoona, residing in Honolulu, Hawaii, died in the Kaiser Memorial Hospital there Saturday, after a brief illness. He was born Feb. 19, 1909(?), a son of Thomas R. and Margaret (Griffith) Fleck, and married Marie L. Walker of the city. Surviving are his wife, a son, Thomas R. of Los Angeles, Calif.; three grandchildren, his mother and a sister, Mrs. Agnes Heltman of Lakewood, Ohio. Mr. Fleck was a charter member and elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Honolulu and a civilian employee of the Army Intelligence Agency, a graduate of Altoona High School in the Class of 1928. Interment will be made in Altoona. . . . Services for Thomas Roy Fleck, Altoona native, will be held Tuesday in Honolulu, Hawaii, and interment made at a later date in Altoona. Arrangements by Axe Funeral Home. _____ Edna Grace (FLECK) KEATLEY January 6, 1995 Edna G. Keatley, 101, a guest at the Glencroft Retirement Home, Glendale, AZ, for the past 13 years and formerly of 304 W. 10th. St., Tyrone, died Friday, Jan. 6, 1995 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Mary Louise Williams of Phoenix, AZ. She was born Nov. 3, 1893, in Sinking Valley, the daughter of John and Myrtle Fleck and on Dec. 20, 1919 at the bride's home in Sinking Valley, she was married to John B. Keatley, who precede her in death on March 16, 1979. She is survived by three children: Robert M. Keatley, Tyrone; Mrs. Kenneth (Mary Louise) Williams, Phoenix, AZ; Mrs. Francis (Helen) Lehner, Bakersfield, CA; six grandchildren: Ann Hutchinson, Reading, PA; Sondra Williams, Phoenix, AZ; Robert M. Keatley Jr., River Falls, WI; Lori Sue Lehner, Bakersfield, CA; Michael Lehner, Montana; Steven Lehner, CA; and seven great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters: Mrs. David (Dorothy) Kessler, Port Charlotte, FL, and Mrs. Eva Lenning, Tyrone. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two sisters and one brother. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Tyrone. She was a graduate of the Tyrone Township High School in 1911 and attended West Chester University and the Hartford Retreat Hospital. She was a member and past president of the World War I Veterans Auxiliary; and a member and past president of the Tyrone Chapter of the W.C.T.U.; a member of the Tyrone Civic Club and a charter member of the Auxiliary to the Howard Gardner Post #281 American Legion. Her interests included gardening, sewing, and reading. Edna had worked as a private duty nurse in the Tyrone for a number of years. A memorial service will be held at a date to be announced. Contributions in her memory may be made to the First Presbyterian Church or the Sinking Valley Presbyterian Church. Arrangements are under the direction of the Richard H. Searer Funeral Home Inc.