Barry A. Helfer of Southampton, died peacefully on Friday March 28, at his home, surrounded by his loving family and friends. He was 67.

Born in Abington, he was the beloved husband of Jean M. Barnett Helfer for the past 41 years. He was the son of the late Charles and Gertrude Davis Helfer.

Barry was a graduate of Northeast High School, class of 1964. Barry was a master carpenter for over 30 years, he was a member of the Carpenter’s Local # 1856, he worked on several major projects in Philadelphia, including, the Liberty One building, Barry retired in 2003 and the last major project was at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne.

He was a proud veteran of the United States Navy. Barry was proud of his service to his country and for the past several has been part of the Original 13 members of the Guardians of the Washington Crossing National Cemetery, and was on the “Thursday Honor Guard Team”.

Barry was a Harley Davidson owner and rider with the Patriot Guard, escorting fallen comrades of all branches of the service. He was talented with his hands and could craft wood into almost anything, he especially enjoyed making furniture.

Barry was devoted to his wife and his family, but his precious granddaughter Emily made his eyes sparkle.

Barry will be deeply missed not only by his loving family but also by his Guardian comrades.

In addition to his wife, Barry is survived by his beloved daughter, Jaime Hopkins and her husband, Ben, and his adoring granddaughter, Emily.

Barry’s family will receive condolences on Thursday from 11:30am until 1:30pm followed by his Funeral Service at the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home 800 Newtown-Richboro Rd. (at Holland Rd.) Richboro.

Interment with Navy Honors will follow at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown.

In lieu of flowers contributions in his memory may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.

Joseph A. Soto of Philadelphia, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Thursday, March 27, 2014, at Aria Health-Torresdale Campus. He was 42.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, Joseph was the son of the late Joseph and Dolores E. Schrandt Soto.

Joseph graduated in 1990 from Olney High School and had been a dedicated employee of James D. Morrissey, Inc., for many years as a purchasing agent.
He will be remembered by his loved ones as a hard working, single father who was extremely dedicated to anything he was involved with. He was always keeping busy with projects around the house and on his cars and was well known as a “jack of all trades”. The memory of his pleasant and sociable nature will be forever cherished by all who knew him.

He is survived by his beloved son, Anthony J. Soto; his sisters, Linda Soto Deitzel and her fiancé, Ray Pogorzelski; Cheryl Soto McClellan; Maryann Soto and her companion, Leonardo Vicent; and, Victoria Soto. He is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewings Tuesday April 1, 2014, from 6-8 pm and on Wednesday April 2, 2014 from 9:00 am until his funeral service at 10:00 am at the Joseph A. Fluehr Funeral Home, 800 Newtown-Richboro Rd., Richboro, PA. His interment will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem, PA.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established by his family for the benefit of his son and all donations may be made to:

JOSEPH SOTO MEMORIAL FUND
c/o Police and Fire Federal Credit Union
901 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Checks may be made payable to “Joseph Soto Memorial Fund”.

ALL DONATIONS ARE DEEPLY APPRECIATED.

Ignacio Roberto Vera, M.D. of Richboro, PA died suddenly on Thursday, March 27, 2014, at his residence. He was 57 years old.

He was the beloved husband of Jennifer L. Coffey Vera for 16 years.

Born in Cuba, Ignacio was the son of Adela Collado Vera of Puerto Rico and the late Roberto Vera.

Dr. Vera was a resident of Richboro for the past 14 years. A proud Cuban, he received his medical degree in the Dominican Republic in 1984. He has practiced as an anesthesiologist for more than 30 years. For the past 25 years Dr. Vera has been employed by the Capital Health System at their campus in Trenton, NJ. The Fuld campus was like his second home. He was a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists and was certified in pain management. He was completely devoted to his profession and prided himself in taking the best possible care of his patients. He made many wonderful friends at work and cherished and admired each of them.

Ignacio loved his family, starting with his Mom and Dad and continuing all the way through to his extended cousins. He was always so proud to hear of their achievements. His three children, Leonardo, Andrew and Isabella were his heart. He was so proud of them and loved spending as much time as he could with them. He couldn’t believe that he had such beautiful and talented children and constantly thought about their lives and future. He loved watching Andrew play tennis, long talks with Leonardo and spoiling Belle. He had grand dreams for each of them and would do anything possible for them.

Ignacio was a man of routine especially at mealtime. If he did not eat on time then he wasn’t happy. He loved good food and good restaurants. He had is favorite local spots that he never waivered from, such as Jake’s for breakfast and Dominic’s any other time of the day. Having a sweet tooth, he loved his sweets and deserts always saying, “I’ll just have a small piece.”

As a friend, Ignacio was always there to lend a helping hand and comfort those in need. He made his impact on life not through force or volume but with quiet grace, dignity and respect. He will be remembered for being soft spoken with a deep baritone voice that often brought comfort and calmness to those around him which made them feel protected. He loved vacationing at the beach with his family and socializing with his friends. He was passionate about cars, especially sports cars, and loved driving around just as a form of relaxation. He will be remembered for his warm heart, his kind voice and his beautiful gentle eyes. His talents and his love will be sorely missed by his wife, children, extended family members and colleagues.

In addition to his beloved wife and his mother, Dr. Vera is survived by his three loving children, Leonardo I. Vera, Andrew J. Vera, and Isabella Rose Maria Vera, all of Richboro and his sister, Vivianna Bennetti and her husband, Luis, of Puerto Rico. He is also survived by one nephew, Luis Gabriel Bennetti and one niece, Leilani Bennetti.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing on Sunday, April 6, 2014, from 1:00 PM until Words of Remembrance at 3:00 PM in the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 800 Newtown-Richboro Road (at Holland Road), Richboro, PA 18954. His interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Vera Children Educational Trust Fund, C/O Wells Fargo Bank, 725 Second Street Pike, Richboro, PA 18954.

George W. Freas of Southampton died peacefully on Sunday March 23, 2014, with his family by his side. He was 82.

Born in Philadelphia, George was the beloved husband of 59 years to Eileen M. McMahon Freas; he was the son of the late George W. and Florence Coady Freas.

George was a graduate of Northeast High School, class of 1950. George proudly served our country during the Korean Conflict and was discharged at the rank of Corporal from the United States Army.

George retried in 1995 after over 33 years with the Philadelphia Electric Company, working as a Gas and Utilization Mechanic thru out the Delaware Valley area. An avid Philadelphia sports fan, George looked forward to opening day for the Phillies and the Eagles. He enjoyed a round of golf with friends and watching old movies.

George will be remembered as devoted husband, loving father of George P. Freas and a grandfather who adored his 2 grandchildren, Kerry and Matthew, he is also survived by his sister Mary Drake and her husband Thomas.

George’s family will receive condolences on Monday March 31, from 9:30am until his Funeral Mass 11:00am at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, 2nd Street Pike and Knowles Ave., Southampton.

Interment with Military Honors will follow at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown, PA.

In lieu of flowers contributions in his memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association Del. Valley Chapter, 399 Market St. Suite 102, Phila. PA 19006.

Lisa K. Bollenbacher of Newtown died Saturday March 22, 2014 with her Life Partner by her side at Chandler Hall Hospice in Newtown. She was 62.

Lisa was the cherished Life Partner of 25 years to Catherine “Cathie” “Smittie” E. Smith of Newtown.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lisa was the beloved daughter of Ardys M. Benson Bollenbacher and the late Paul V. Bollenbacher.

Lisa was a former resident of Morrisville before moving to Newtown in 1994. She was a graduate of Rider University and also Hahnemann University and was a dedicated, motivated and professional Medical Assistant who worked with various companies throughout her distinguished career. Lisa had worked with Lawrenceville Neurology Center in Lawrenceville, NJ, Princeton Health Care System and Whalen and McElmoyle Family Practice in Yardley. She was a resourceful and inquisitive woman who would find out what one needed and would assist that person in acquiring it. Lisa established life goals and with the support of Cathie, would pursue and accomplish those goals to their fullest potential. She was a domestic violence medical advocate at a Woman’s Place in Doylestown and would volunteer countless hours of her time to assist woman and their families who endured the challenge of domestic abuse in Bucks County.

Lisa was a kind and gentle woman who always had a unique perspective to offer in a conversation especially when one was seeking her counsel for advice. She loved animals especially her dogs and would render support for the homeless and stray pets that would often come her way. Lisa will be deeply missed by all who had the fortune of knowing her.

In addition to her Life Partner and Mother, Lisa is survived by her brother Christopher P. Bollenbacher and his wife Ellen of New Hope.

Relatives and friends are invited to offer their condolences from 6:00pm until her Sharing of Memories at 7:00pm on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 in the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 800 Newtown-Richboro Road (at Holland Rd.) Richboro, PA 18954. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Lisa’s memory to the Happy Tails Rescue, P.O. Box 877, Morrisville, PA 19054 or Chandler Hall Hospice, 99 Barclay Street, Newtown, PA 18940.

Stephanie M. Slowick, of Churchville, died on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at Chandler Hall Hospice in Newtown. She was 95.

She was the beloved wife for 58 years to the late Stanley Slowick.

Born in Philadelphia, she was a daughter of the late Joseph and Bertha Trygar Szajna.

Stephanie and Stanley married and raised their two girls in the Nicetown section of Philadelphia. They were parishioners of St Ladislaus parish for 40 years along with many family members and numerous friends. They moved to Feasterville in 1963 and then back to Northeast Philadelphia when Stanley retired. When Stanley passed, Stephanie then relocated to Churchville and became a Communicant of St Bede the Venerable Church in Holland.

Stephanie is survived by her daughters, Patricia Esposito and her husband Ralph of Churchville and Christine Szymcak of Ivyland. She is also survived by her 3 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, her sister-in-law Mary Slowick and her brother-in-law Robert Phillips both of Philadelphia.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing from 10:00 am until her Funeral Mass at 11:00 am on Thursday March 27th in St. Bede the Venerable Church, 1071 Holland Rd., Holland, PA 18966.

Interment will follow in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Monastery of St. Clare, 1271 Langhorne-Newtown Road, Langhorne, PA 19047.

Stanley A. Meleta, of Upper Southampton, died on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at Lafayette Redeemer in Philadelphia. He was 78.

Born in Montreal, he was the only child of the late Alexander and Katherine Meleta.

He is survived by his loving wife, Hazel M. Brett Meleta.

In addition to his wife, Stan is survived by his children: Katherine V. Peoples-Foster and her husband Kent Foster, Stephen S. Meleta and his wife Susan, Susan N. Meleta, and Michael A. Meleta and his wife Janice; and his grandchildren: Kevin, Alexander, Danyelle, and Nichole.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing on Saturday, March 29, 2014 from 9:00 am until his Funeral Service at 11:00 am at Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 800 Newtown-Richboro Rd. (at Holland Rd.) Richboro, PA 18954. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104 or the charity of one’s choice.

Alvin J. Lenox of Richboro, PA died peacefully on Friday, March 21, 2014 surrounded by his loving family, and was welcomed into Heaven by his granddaughter Chelsea. He was 78.

He was the beloved husband of Joan F. Rinck Lenox for 58 years.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, he was the son of the late Mildred Convery Lenox.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his three children, Christopher A. Lenox and his wife, Maryann, of Dade City, FL, Diane J. Kirschner and her husband, Keith, of Holland, PA, and Dawn J. Merk and her husband, Jim, of Feasterville, PA. Alvin also has 6 loving grandchildren: Jimmy, Courtney, Jesse, Allison, Lindsay, and Emily.

Funeral services and interment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to The Gift of Life Donor Program, 401 North 3rd St., Phila., PA 19123.

Carlo Q. Silvestri of Quakertown, PA died peacefully on Thursday, March 20, 2014, at Hospice House of St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, PA. He was 80.

He was the beloved husband of Maria Delasondra Silvestri for 44 years.

Born in Italy, he was the son of the late Panfilo and Giovina Lostracco Silvestri and brother of the late Quintilio Silvestri and Felix Silvestri.

Carlo has been a resident of Quakertown since 1972 and formerly lived in Philadelphia. He was a stone mason by trade. Along with one of his brothers, he started his own business, Silvestri Brothers, which was originally located in Quakertown before moving its office to Pennsburg. He retired 18 years ago. In his leisure time, Carlo enjoyed all types of outdoor activities including hunting and fishing. He also made his own wine and canned his own tomatoes. He will be sadly missed as a loving husband, father and brother.

In addition to his beloved wife, he is survived by his son, Marco T. Silvestri and his wife, Patricia, and his daughter, Anita E. Silvestri, all of Quakertown. He is also survived by his two sisters, Connie Angelone and her husband, Eilo, of Quakertown and Bambina Pasqualone and her husband, Gino, of Warminster, his sisters-in-law, Olivia and Lucy Silvestri and his faithful dog “Buddy”.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 from 9:00 AM until his Funeral Mass 11:00 AM at St. Isidore Church, 2545 W. Pumping Station Rd., Quakertown, PA 18951.

Entombment Our Lady of Czestochowa Cemetery, Doylestown, PA.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to a Charity of the donor’s choice.

A. Martha Kimmel Orr, of Doylestown, died on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, at her residence with her family by her side. She was 81.

She was the beloved wife of 58 years to the late Harry Orr and mother to the late Brenda Orr. She was also preceded in death by three sisters, Helen Lokay, Ruby Drake, and Maxine Bieber.

Born in Armstrong, PA she was a daughter of the late Myers E. and Reba M. Neal Kimmel.

Martha was a long time resident of Doylestown. She was primarily a homemaker but also had her own shop called Early Settler in Peddler’s Village for several years. In addition, Martha volunteered her time with Meals on Wheels, and greatly enjoyed attending Phillies Games with her family and friends. She also enjoyed the arts, and would frequent the Bucks County Playhouse for shows and concerts. Above all else, she will be remembered by her family as a beloved mother, adoring grandmother, loving sister and aunt. She will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her daughter, Cindy Pugliese of Perkasie, her sister, Kay Clark and her husband, John; her two loving granddaughters, Michelle & Rachel Pugliese; and many beloved nieces.

Relatives and friends are invited to her viewing Saturday, March 22, 2014 from 9:30 a.m. until her Funeral Service 10:00 a.m, at the Joseph A. Fluehr Funeral Home, 241 E. Butler Ave. (at Sandy Ridge Rd.), New Britain, PA.

Interment will follow in Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Prospectville.

In lieu of flowers contributions in her memory may be made to Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer, 1111 Stewart Ave., Bethpage, NY 11714.