Mercersburg

Dolores L. Fowler Keefer, 82, of 12903 Williamsport Pike in Greencastle, Pa., and formerly of Charlestown Road in Mercersburg, Pa., died Thursday, April 25, 2013, at her home. The family will receive friends Monday from 10 to 11 a.m. at Miller-Bowersox Funeral Home, Greencastle. The service will be Monday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery, Mercersburg.

Louise W. Smith, 84, formerly of Mercersburg, Pa., died Tuesday, April 23, 2013. There will be no viewing; however, the family will receive friends Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lininger-Fries Funeral Home Inc., Mercersburg, and Friday one hour before the service at The Presbyterian Church of Mercersburg. The service will be Friday at 2 p.m. Friday at the church. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, Mercersburg.

Achsa Jane Shoemaker, 91, of Hancock, Md., died Monday, April 22, 2013, at Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown, Md. Born May 3, 1921, in Hancock, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Bertha Keefer Younker, and the widow of Floyd J. Shoemaker, who died Jan. 6, 2007. She was a homemaker, attended Hancock Church of God and was a member of Little Cove United Methodist Church. She is survived by one daughter, Wilma Jean Cook and husband, Darl, of Hancock; one sister, Fayetta Egolf of Hancock; grandson, Terry Cook and wife, Becky; and three great-grandchildren, Ashton, Terra and Aaron Cook.

J. Lester Myers, 84, a resident of Providence Place, Chambersburg, Pa., and formerly of Letzburg Road, Greencastle, Pa., died Friday, April 19, 2013, at Providence Place. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Harold M. Zimmerman and Son Funeral Home in Greencastle, and one hour before the service Wednesday at Montgomery Brethren in Christ Church, Mercersburg, Pa. The service will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the adjoining church cemetery.

Mr. Wallace V. Bricker, 93, of Mercersburg, Pa., passed away Saturday, April 20, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. at the Long Term Care Unit of Fulton County Medical Center in McConnellsburg, Pa. Born Nov. 26, 1919, in Mercersburg, he was the son of the late Charles G. and Ida Yost Bricker. Wallace worked for 20 years at Fairchild Industries and for 23 years at Mack Trucks, both in Hagerstown. He retired from Mack in 1983. He was a member of First Church of God of Mercersburg, where he was an elder for a number of years and also a former trustee and a former member of the Men's Bible Class.

Margaret Ellen Gordon Reed, 88, of Hagerstown, Md., went home to be with the Lord on Friday, April 19, 2013. Born Dec. 1, 1924, she was the daughter of the late Clyde V. and Nellie Katherine Gordon. She attended Huyetts School, Woodland Way, Hagerstown High School and Columbia College. She was employed by Victor Products, Fairchild Aircraft and Western Maryland Railway. She retired from Western Maryland Railway after 22 years of service. She belonged to VFW 6242 Auxiliary and American Legion Post 517 of Mercersburg, Pa. Margaret attended Mountain View Baptist Church.

Bond hearings were held Thursday for three of four people charged Wednesday by the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office in connection with a series of arsons in Washington County on the night of March 22 and 24. Two Clear Spring men and two Mercersburg, Pa., women were charged, their arrests bringing the number of people accused in the arson spree between March 17 and April 7 to eight, Washington County District Court records said. The bond on Brandy Lynnett Sneider-Koontz, 19, of 10733 Knob Road, Mercersburg, Pa., was reduced from $120,000 to $65,000 during a bond review before District Judge Mark D. Thomas.

Four more people have been arrested and charged in connection with a recent string of intentionally set fires in Washington and Frederick counties, the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office announced Wednesday. Jacob Hess, 18, and Joshua Hess, 19, both of Clear Spring, as well as Sarah Couch, 18, and Brandy Sneider-Koontz, 19, both of Mercersburg, Pa., were being held at Washington County Detention Center on numerous arson-related charges, the fire marshal's office said in a news release.

Paul “PL” Smith, 94, of Mercersburg, Pa., formerly of Williamsport, Md., passed away with his wife by his side on Saturday, April 13, 2013. He was born in Hagerstown, Nov. 6, 1918, to the late James and Gertrude Smith. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Arthur Smith of Clearwater, Fla., Lester Smith of Hagerstown, Md., Bernard Smith of Chicago, Ill.; and sisters, Geraldine Munday of Clearwater, and Agnes (Smith). After serving in the Maryland National Guard he re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the onset of WWII serving with the Seabees in the South Pacific.

Marie E. Witherspoon Washburn, 89, formerly of 12 Bennett Ave. in Mercersburg, Pa., died Friday, April 5, 2013. There will be no viewing; however, the family will receive friends Saturday from 2 to 3 p.m. at Lininger-Fries Funeral Home Inc., Mercersburg. A memorial service will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at the funeral home.