Marie Elizabeth Beichner Dale, 90, of 522 15th St., Franklin, died at 6:20 a.m. Saturday, June 23, 2001, in The Caring Place, Franklin. Born July 6, 1910, in Franklin, she was a daughter of Edward L. and Mabel G. PIPER Beichner. Mrs. Dale was a member of St. Patrick Church, Franklin. She also was a member of The Monday Club of Franklin and Oil City, The Wednesday Club and The Franklin Club. Mrs. Dale was a homemaker. She was married Nov. 27, 1932, to Robert M. Dale, who died Aug. 19, 1983. Surviving are four children, Mrs. James (Catherine) McCOMB of Peoria, Ill., Mrs. John (Angela) MURPHY of Providence, R.I., Dr. Robert M. Dale of Marblehead, Mass., and Mrs. Lawrence (Paula) MULLIGAN of Grand Rapids, Mich.; 17 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren. She also is survived by two brothers, the Rev. Paul E. Beichner, C.S.C., of Notre Dame, Ind., and Martin P. Beichner of Charleroi; and a sister, Mrs. Sheridan (Louise) TITLER of Charleroi. Mrs. Dale was preceded in death by her parents and husband. The Robert W. Gardinier Funeral Home, Franklin, is in charge of arrangements. There will be no visitation. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday in St. Patrick Church with the Rev. Ricardo Tancinco of St. Stephen parish, presiding. The family will receive friends in St. Patrick Church from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday prior to the mass. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Visiting Nurses Association of Venango County, St. Patrick School Building Fund or to The Caring Place. Arrangements are being handled by Edward W. Gabrys, associate director of the funeral home.

Daniel DeShong, 77, of 124 E. Oak St., Titusville, died at 2:15 p.m. Saturday, June 23, 2001, at his home after a lengthy illness. Born July 8, 1923, in Needmore, he was a son of Orville and Amy WAGNER DeShong. He attended Polk schools. Mr. DeShong was employed as a maintenance supervisor for 36 years at Continental Can Co. in Oil City, retiring in 1985. He enjoyed attending all sports activities and his pets. Mr. DeShong was married in Oil City March 31, 1951, to Evelyn M. COULTER, who survives. Also surviving are two sons, Robert C. Coulter and his wife, Patricia, of Titusville, and Ervie L. DeShong and his companion, Mary, of Dempseytown; four grandchildren, Mrs. Glenn (Bobbie Jo) POST, Lance Coulter, Daniel A. DeShong and Dustin DELP; and two great-granddaughters, Sara Post and Tori Post. He also is survived by a brother, Charles DeShong of Chambersburg; two sisters, Mrs. Lester (Pearl) YOUNKERS of Hagerstown, Md., and Esther PLESINGER of Maryland; and several nieces and nephews. The Gordon B. Garrett Funeral Home, Titusville, is in charge of arrangements. There will be no public calling hours. Interment will be private. Memorials may be made to the Hospice of Crawford County, 322½ W. Main St., Titusville.

David R. "Farmer" Downs, 89, of Cottage Hill, 118 W. Washington St., New Bethlehem, died at 8:50 p.m. Sunday, June 24, 2001, in Armstrong County Memorial Hospital, Kittanning. Born June 10, 1912, in Porter Township, Clarion County, he was a son of Ross O. and Lottie Mae FAGLEY Downs. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Navy. Mr. Downs was a carpenter all his life and last worked as a carpenter for PennDOT until his retirement in 1982. He was a member of the Carpenters Union Local 811. He was a member of the American Legion Walter W. Craig Post No. 354, New Bethlehem, and was an active member of the New Bethlehem VFW Post. Mr. Downs was a Protestant. His favorite past-time was meeting his many friends for breakfast at different restaurants in New Bethlehem and Rimersburg. Mr. Downs was married March 18, 1936, to Mary Elsie KERR, who died Nov. 5, 1978. Surviving are two sons and their wives, David Q. and Carol Downs and Fred L. and Margie Downs, all of Austintown, Ohio; four daughters, Mrs. Daniel (Marsha) McCAULEY, Mrs. Robert ("Bootsie") WELLS and Lori Beth RUPP, all of New Bethlehem, and Mrs. Donald (Mary Jane) MILLER of Hermitage; 13 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. He also is survived by two sisters, Bernice Downs of New Bethlehem and Mrs. Dale (Margaret) WHITE of Kittanning. In addition to his parents and wife, Mr. Downs was preceded in death by twin infant grandchildren; four brothers, Charles Downs, Darl Downs, Paul Downs and William Downs; three sisters, Hilda DOVERSPIKE, Mabel NOWRY and Genevieve FISCUS; and a half brother, Fred FAGLEY. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Charles D. Alcorn Funeral Home, Hawthorn. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home with the Rev. Ben Shindledecker officiating. Interment will be in the Lawn Haven Burial Estate, Inc., Kittanning.

FINKBEINER MEMORIAL SCHEDULED A memorial service for Rudolph J. "Rudy" Finkbeiner will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 30, in the First Baptist Church, Clarion. The Rev. Keith Richardson will officiate. Mr. Finkbeiner died Saturday, April 21, 2001, at his home in Fisher. The Goble Funeral Home of Clarion is in charge of arrangements.

Mildred Bell "Millie" Lee, 79, of Cooperstown RR 1, died at 2 p.m. Monday, June 25, 2001, when the mower she was riding dropped over a steep embankment into a creek, trapping her in two to three feet of water. She was the wife of Charles Lee, a former Oil City policeman. The Reinsel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. A complete obituary will be published Wednesday in The Derrick.

 Harry L. Switzer, 67, of 162 Wozniak Road, Mercer, died at 2 a.m. Sunday, June 24, 2001, at his residence of an apparent heart attack. Born April 10, 1934, in Rimersburg, he was a son of Harry Michael and Elsie SALADA Switzer. Mr. Switzer was employed for 23 years as a laborer for Pittsburgh Plate Glass Corp., retiring in 1986. He attended the New Life Baptist Church in New Wilmington. Mr. Switzer was married Sept. 10, 1954, to Peggy WALKER, who survives. Also surviving are two daughters, Lorri SCHNEIDER and her husband, George, of Mercer and Erin Switzer at home; two sons and their wives, Mark and Lynne Switzer of Stoneboro and Eric and Laura Switzer of Mercer; and six grandchildren. He also is survived by two sisters, Alice CROWLE of Rimersburg and Greta SHIREY of Tampa, Fla.; and two brothers, Ernest Switzer of Rimersburg and Clarence Switzer of Hartford, Conn. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today in the W. Wayne Cunningham Funeral Home, 3126 Main St., West Middlesex. Funeral and committal services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the funeral home with Dr. Donald Wilson of the Lebanan UP Church, officiating. Interment will be in Reidsburg Cemetery, Clarion County.

Robert Daniel Aikins, 64, of Franklin HCRS, died at 4:52 p.m. Sunday, June 24, 2001, in Northwest Medical Center at Franklin. Born July 19, 1936, in Oil City, he was a son of Thomas Arnold and Helen RILEY Aikins. He served eight years as a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Mr. Aikins was employed as an MRA for Polk Center. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and family gatherings. Mr. Aikins was married May 21, 1975, to Sandra L. FELTENBERGER, who survives. Also surviving are five children, Russ Aikins of Clintonville, Robert Aikins Jr. and Wanda Aikins, both of Cooperstown, Roberta HORNBECK of Linesville and Christine BOWEN of Polk; a stepson, Mark PAGE of Utica; five stepdaughters, Debra SNYDER and Tami SCHEFFER, both of Utica, Sherri CHOFFEL and Mrs. Marc (Trina) KNOX, both of Franklin, and Missy RECTOR of Oil City; several grandchildren; and two great-grandsons. He also is survived by three brothers, James L. Aikins and Charles N. Aikins, both of Oil City, and Raymond A. Aikins of Franklin; three sisters, Patricia CYPHERT of Butler, Janet OSBORNE of Cooperstown and Gloria PRINDLE of Oil City; his former wife, Barbara Aikins HUFF of Cooperstown; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Janice E. KAY. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Robert W. Gardinier Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home with the Rev. Christopher Hill, pastor of the Willow Street Free Methodist Church, officiating. Interment will be in Old Sandy Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the American Respiratory Alliance, 352 W. Eighth St., Erie, 16502.

Mary C. "Honey" Young, 75, of Young's Lane, Emlenton, Cherry Valley Borough, Butler County, died unexpectedly at 2:27 a.m. Monday, June 25, 2001, in the emergency room of Clarion Hospital shortly after her arrival there. Born June 17, 1926, in Clearwater, Fla., she was a daughter of Charles C. and Eva M. KING GORDON. Mrs. Young was a 1944 graduate of Emlenton High School. She was married in Parker's Landing on Nov. 13, 1945, to Earl H. Young Sr., who died March 22, 1989. Mrs. Young and her husband operated M&M Coal Co. in Cherry Valley and Cochranton in partnership with Dolphin and Jean Stalker. In her earlier years, she worked as a waitress and also had worked at Conchula's Plaza near Emlenton. Mrs. Young was judge of elections in Cherry Valley Borough, Butler County, for many years. She was a member of the Scrubgrass Stone Church at Emlenton RD 3 and the Emlenton Area Over-55 Club. Mrs. Young enjoyed attending the monthly fellowship dinners. Surviving are three children and their spouses, Earl H. Young Jr. and his wife, Jane, of Young's Lane, Emlenton, Robert E. Young and his wife, Nancy, of Foxburg and Patti MORRISON and her husband, Richard L., of Emlenton; five grandchildren, Eva Marie SWARTZWELDER of Atlanta, Ga., Earl H. "Skip" Young III of Emlenton, Michael A. Young of Butler, Missy MONTGOMERY of St. Petersburg and Timothy S. Young of Foxburg; three stepgrandchildren, Brent E. Morrison of Miles City, Mont., and Randy L. Morrison and Barry L. Morrison, both of Emlenton; and three step-great-grandchildren, Olivia and Jeremy Morrison of Emlenton and Matlock Morrison of Miles City, Mont. She also is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Mac (Mae) McGINNIS of Emlenton, Mrs. Eugene (Helen) REICHART of Pittsburgh and Mrs. Roy (June) KENNEDY Sr. of Emlenton; and a number of nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Young was preceded in death by a brother, Charles Gordon. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Christopher M. Hile Funeral Home, Emlenton. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Scrubgrass Stone Church with the Rev. Charles Vanderhoff, retired church pastor, and the Rev. James Oliphant, pastor of the church, officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery, Scrubgrass Township, Venango County.