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Chester County Press

Obituaries for the week of June 13

06/13/2022 09:54PM ● By Steven Hoffman
James Worth Greer
James Worth Greer passed away on June 5, 2022 at his home in Avondale. He was 92.
He was the husband of the late Mary M. (Blevins) Greer, who passed away on Aug. 15, 2016.  Born on December 22, 1929 in Lansing, North Carolina, he was the son of the late Roy Andrew and Vina (Calhoun) Greer.
James attended Lansing High School before moving to Pennsylvania to find work. In the early 1950s, he began working for Chrysler in Newark where he worked up until his retirement in 1983.  In his free time, he enjoyed gardening, woodworking and playing the guitar.  He was an avid NASCAR and Phillies baseball fan. He was a longtime member of the New London Baptist Church where he served the church as a custodian and in many other ways as well.  Most importantly, he loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He was the neighborhood ‘grandpa.’
James is survived by his children, Janet Barker (fiancée John R. Porter), Joyce Rivera (Roberto), Jenny Taylor (Robert Stoker), James Greer, Jr. (Dorothy), Janice Perry (Keith Brown), Julie Taylor (Douglas) and Dana Evans (Mike); 16 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren and his sister, Lullabell Horne. He is preceded in death by his daughter Mary Lou who passed away in 1959.
Services were held at the New London Baptist Church. The interment followed in Union Hill Cemetery in Kennett Square.  
Contributions may be made in Mr. Greer’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.  
Arrangements are being handled by the Kuzo Funeral Home, Kennett Square. 
Please visit Mr. Greer’s online memorial by going to www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

Clella Bay Murray
On May 28, 2022, Clella Bay Murray, a loving wife and mother, passed away at the age of 91. Clella was born on June 16, 1930 in Albia, Iowa to Dr. Francis and Ada (Kupfer) Bay.  She received a bachelor of science degree in genetics and embryology from Smith College, followed by a master’s degree in the field from the University of Michigan. She continued her scientific career in research at the Oak Ridge National Labs in Tenn.  In 1956, she married her fellow researcher, Richard, when they were working together at Oak Ridge. They later settled in Delaware, and raised their daughters, Ada Ruth and Annette. 
Clella was proud of the research that she did at Oak Ridge Nat Labs, looking at the atomic effects on chromosomes. Impressively, after raising her two daughters, she studied computer programming, and worked in programming and writing training manuals at the University of Delaware and small writing companies. Her passion for writing was continued later in her life with the publication of three novels, a mystery series of four books, a young adult historical fiction book, and most recently a children’s Christmas story. 
Over the years, Clella provided leadership and support for many organizations surrounding her love of reading, writing, gardening and music. Her creativity enabled growth for the Newark Symphony Society, and she served on the board of and volunteered for the Newark Library for many years. She was a Master Gardener, and left scissors by her glorious garden in Jenners Pond to share her flowers with those who walked by.  She received the prestigious first place in the young adult fiction section from the National Federation of Press Woman for her book “Dangerous Journey” and was Woman of the Year in 2005 for the University of Delaware Women’s Club.  A little known fact is that she also smocked baby clothes to donate to families of stillborn children, to provide comfort in their time of need. 
Even with her career, hobbies and volunteering, Clella never wavered that family came first. Her love for her Iowa homeland and family was matched by the passion with which she threw herself in to support everything in which her husband and two daughters were involved. Her daughters continue to feel the pride and confidence she instilled in them. Clella was known by all for her generous nature and talent for entertaining. She had a knack for making everyone feel welcome and part of her larger family network.  She creatively introduced her family to all kinds of new activities from Chinese Opera to camping, and she engendered a love of travel in her children and grandchildren by organizing numerous family trips for vacations around the globe (London, Italy, France and Japan). Special places for her included a cottage in the woods of North Carolina, and a beach condo in Bethany, Del., where she hosted annual sand castle contests. 
Clella was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Richard Murray, her parents Frank and Ada and her siblings Chloe Coon, Carol Daniels and Celia Bay.  
She is survived by daughter, Ada Koch and her husband Kevin and their children Megan Schraedley (husband Eric), Gwen and RJ; daughter, Annette Orella and her husband Chuck and their children, Michael and Frankie; and an army of friends she held near and dear. 
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Jenners Pond Allison Building Theater at 1 p.m. on June 17. A private family service will be held at the Kuzo Funeral Home in Kennett Square prior to burial in the family cemetery in Iowa. 
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Longwood Gardens (https://longwoodgardens.org/support/honor-and-memorial-gifts) or The Newark Symphony (https://newarksymphony.org/support-the-nso/) Please indicate ‘In memory of Clella Murray’ on your donation so the family is able to express their gratitude. 
To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit, www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

Rose Marie Hosmer
Rose Marie (Moore) Hosmer passed peacefully on May 30, 2022. She was 96.
She was visited by family that afternoon. She resided at Sunrise of Westtown for eight years, until recently moving to Fair Acres. Both facilities provided her with a warm, loving “home.” She always said, “I have no complaints.”
She was born in Quantico, VA at a time when her father served in the military. She met her husband, the late Elbridge Hosmer, at a USO dance in Miami. After he returned from service in World War II, they settled in Vineland, NJ until 1963 when they moved to Ridley Park, Pa.
Rose loved to garden and cook. Her coleslaw was excellent and the secret ingredient was pickle juice. She was an avid reader and always kept up with world events. She had a great sense of humor and made people laugh with her quick-witted quips. She was truly a sweet person whom everyone loved.
Rose is predeceased by her husband and adopted daughter, as well as one brother and one sister. She is survived by four nieces and one nephew.
Funeral services are private.
Arrangements are made by Kuzo Funeral Home of Kennett Square.

JAMES B. SNOW, JR.
James Byron Snow, Jr. died while at peace in West Grove on May 28, 2022.  
He was the son of Charlotte Louise Andersen and James Byron Snow and was born in Oklahoma City on March 12, 1932. 
During World War II, the family lived in San Antonio, TX while his father, a prominent pediatrician, was stationed at the Brooke General Hospital on Fort Sam Houston. Jim graduated from Central High School in Oklahoma City as a valedictorian.  He was educated at the University of Oklahoma, earning a bachelor of science degree with distinction in 1953. He married Sallie Lee Ricker on July 16, 1954, in Tulsa, OK, and they had two sons and one daughter.  He received his M.D. cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1956.  Dr. Snow served his surgical internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. and took his residency in otolaryngology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, Mass.  During 1960-61, he served as a Captain in the Army Medical Corps at the 121st Evacuation Hospital in Korea where he was the only otolaryngologist in the Eighth U.S. Army.
After his military service, Dr. Snow joined the faculty of the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City where he received the Regents’ Award for Superior Teaching. He rose to professor and head of the department of Otorhinolaryngology. In 1972, he assumed the same position at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia.  Dr. Snow published more than 150 articles in professional and scientific journals describing his work on the pathophysiology of the inner ear, the olfactory system and the treatment of head and neck cancer with combined surgery and radiation therapy.  He wrote books titled “Introduction to Otorhinolaryngology,” and “Controversy in Otolaryngology” and co-authored “Smell and Taste in Health and Disease,” and edited “Ballenger’s Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery” through several editions (including the 100th anniversary edition), and “Manual of Ballenger’s Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,” and “Tinnitus: Theory and Management.”  Dr. Snow was responsible for the training of over 80 specialists in his field.  During his academic career, he was active in organized medicine serving as a Director of the American Board of Otolaryngology, on the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association, as Regent of the American College of Surgeons and as President of the American Bronchoesophagological Association and American Laryngological Association.
In 1990, Dr. Snow became the first director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.  As director, he organized the new Institute and recruited many distinguished scientists in research on hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language.  Dr. Snow encouraged the application of molecular biology to the study of disorders of human communication.  He served as liaison between NASA and the National Institutes of Health. In 1991, Dr. Snow was inducted into the Society of Scholars of Johns Hopkins University, and in 1993 he received the Distinguished Achievement Award of the Deafness Research Foundation.  Dr. Snow received the Senior Executive Service Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Award for his government service.  Following retirement in 1997, he served as President of the international Collegium Otorhinolaryngologicum Amicitiae Sacrum and presided at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C. in 2000, only the third time the meeting was held in the United States since 1926.  Dr. Snow served as convener and correspondent of the Tinnitus Research Consortium.  Subsequently, the James B. Snow, Jr., M.D. Tinnitus Research Award was established in his honor by the Collegium Otorhinolaryngologicum Amicitiae Sacrum.  In 2003, he received the Award of Merit of the American Otological Society.  He was active in St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Oxford.
The sine qua non of his life, Sallie Lee Ricker Snow, his wife of 53 years, passed on to the next life in 2007.  He is survived by his sons, James B. Snow III and his wife, Susan D. Sprenger, of Wilmington, NC, and John Andrew Snow and his wife, Meryl Bilotta Snow, of Wayne, Pa.; his daughter, Sallie Lee Snow Sharer and her husband, Daniel J. Sharer, of Downingtown, Pa.; five grandchildren: Gabrielle Lippitt Snow and her husband, Brendan James Ward; Ricker Lippitt Snow and his wife Emily Acuña Snow; Kelly Anne Snow and her husband, Brian Christopher Blacker, and Sallie Lee Elaine Sharer, and James Daniel Sharer; five great-grandchildren: Juna, Willow, Oliver, Luna, and Astrid, and cousins, William “Bill” Louie Andersen and his wife, Loretta C. Andersen, of Norman, OK, formerly of Calumet, OK, and Ray Paul Snow and his wife, Suzanne, of Garland, TX, and their descendants.  
He will be missed by Anna Jane Mercer, who he described as his “dearest companion” in his dedication of the 18th edition of “Ballenger’s Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.” Many mourn his passing.
A service will be held at the Auditorium at the Alison Building at Jenners Pond, 2000 Greenbriar Lane in West Grove, starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 21. A private, family-only Commitment will follow graveside at Oxford Cemetery, 220 North 3rd St., Oxford PA, at 11:00 a.m. 
In lieu of flowers, a contribution to Jenner's Pond Retirement Community Benevolent Fund, 2000 Greenbriar Lane, West Grove PA 19390, may be made. 
Arrangements are being handled by the Foulk Funeral Home of West Grove. Online condolences may be made by visiting https://www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com/obituaries.

Theresa Fitzpatrick Smallacombe
Theresa (Terry) Fitzpatrick Smallacombe, 87, of Kennett Square, passed away on June 1, 2022 at Pocopson Home in West Chester.
Terry is survived by son Daniel, daughter Melissa (Sean Egan), daughter Maggi Hill, and son
Andrew. She is also survived by daughter-in-law Patricia Stern Smallacombe, a former daughter-in-law Angela Smallacombe, her grandchildren, Sarah Perrin, Jennifer Tyburski, Timothy and Stephen Perrin; Alex and Conor Egan; Ryan, Braden and Rebecca Hill; Kerry, Drew and Dylan Smallacombe; Anna Stern Smallacombe; great-grandchildren, Nathaniel Perrin, Charley and Henry Tyburski, Hayden and Jaxsen Perrin, Abram, Rockwell and Jameson Hill, Natalia Smallacombe and many beloved nieces and nephews and friends. 
She was predeceased by her sons Robert Alban and James Fitzpatrick Smallacombe.

Terry was born in Plattsburgh NY in 1935 to Alban James and Katherine Maude Fitzpatrick. She
earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Douglass College at Rutgers University and did
graduate study work at Georgetown University. She was a freelance stringer for several local
newspapers, profiling philanthropists, small business owners, and renowned residents, including
Jan and Stan Berenstain, who authored the popular Berenstain Bears children’s book series.
Terry penned a popular food column for several years for the Lambertville Beacon titled “The
Hopeville Gourmand,” where she authoritatively (she was a supporter of Chaine des Rotisseurs,
the oldest and largest food and wine society in the world, as well as a member of Les Amis
d’Escoffier Society) reviewed many highly acclaimed restaurants in the Lambertville/New Hope
area.
Terry was keenly interested and well-versed in many aspects of culture and the arts. A longtime
supporter of Riverside Symphonia, she hosted fundraisers and traveling guest musicians for the
organization at her home in New Hope. Additionally, she taught classic literature at a local adult
school, where she gained a loyal following of students eager to see which important novel she
would have them read next, leading them in enthusiastic analysis while considering how the
author’s own life experiences might have played a role in the way each story unfolded.
Terry was very active as a reader and choir member in her church, St. Patrick Church in Kennett
Square and enjoyed international travel and playing golf and bridge in her retirement.
The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to each member of the Willow Tree Hospice
Care team in Kennett Square for their efforts that went above and beyond every day to ease her
transition and keep her comfortable.
A memorial mass of Christian burial was celebrated on June 6 at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Lambertville, NJ.  Burial will follow in the Rocky Hill Cemetery in Rocky Hill, NJ.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Willow Tree Hospice Care, 616 E. Cypress St., Kennett Square, Pa., 19348.

Louis Joseph Ott
Louis Joseph Ott, 88, a longtime resident of Kennett Square, passed away on June 3, 2022 at Sunrise of Westtown in West Chester.  
He was the husband of the late Dolores (Hicks) Ott, who passed away in 1999.
Louis was a graduate of Duke University with a degree in mathematics education.  He was a teacher and principal with the Conrad High School and Middle School. He retired in the early 2000s.  In his free time, he enjoyed golfing and reading.
He is survived by his two children, Jayne Marshall (Bill) and Lauri Ott (Stephen Parrott), three grandchildren, Theresa, Sarah and Alexis and two great-grandchildren Beren and Rowan.
All services will be private.  
Arrangements are being handled by the Kuzo Funeral Home in Kennett Square. Please visit Mr. Ott’s online memorial by going to www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

Hans Andrew Christensen
Hans Andrew (Andy) Christensen, a resident of Oxford, passed away June 2, 2022. 
The son of the late Sally and Ivar Christensen, he is survived by his son Andrew, and his sisters, Kathryn Clement, Melanie Hohag, and Linda Rasmussen.
Andy graduated from Nether Providence High School in Wallingford,  and then he earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management at Widener University.
He discovered his love for golf, and successfully pursued his certification as a PGA professional. Andy worked at numerous country clubs in the Philadelphia region, including Springhaven, Penn Oaks, and Concord. Upon retiring from professional golf, he became a sales representative for American Packaging. He enjoyed driving and the West, making several cross-country trips with friends.
Thanks to his years in Boy Scouts, Andy developed a true love of the great outdoors. From going to Philmont, canoeing the Boundary Waters, winter camping, and hiking on the Appalachian Trail, to salmon fishing in Alaska and making his own lures for fishing in local waters, he was happiest when out under the sun or stars.
If you wish to make a donation in his memory, please give to either the Appalachian Trail Conservancy or Trout Unlimited (caring for and recovering rivers and streams). Services are private.
Arrangements by Foulk Funeral Home of West Grove.

Stephanie Ann Mattson
Stephanie Ann Mattson, age 63, of Newark, Del., passed away at home on June 7, 2022 while surrounded by her loving family. 
Stephanie was the wife of William J. Mattson, with whom she shared nearly 50 years of marriage. The pair met when they were 16 years old and were together ever since. 
Born in 1958 in Chester, Pa., Stephanie was the daughter of the late Archie Dale Vickers and the late Kay Henry Vickers. 
Stephanie graduated from Avon Grove High School then attended Wilma Boyd Careers School, a flight school in Pittsburgh. 
After opening a daycare later in life, she found her true passion. For 35 years, she helped young children develop and grow into adults that would then entrust her with their children. Stephanie was a part of many families across generations and loved every second of it. 
Stephanie treasured spending time with her family and adored her grand-babies. She enjoyed going to the beach and was a frequent visitor of Pottery Barn, where she loved to shop. Her family teases that Pottery Barn has lost their best customer. 
Stephanie leaves behind a legacy of kindness, patience and love that will continue on in the lives and hearts of all who knew her; she was truly a force to be reckoned with. 
In addition to her husband, William, Stephanie is survived by her daughters, Ashley Baker (James) and Nicole Patone (Mike); brothers, Archie Vickers, Kenny Vickers, Lonnie Vickers and Jack Vickers; her sister, Maryellen Vickers; and grandchildren, Camren and Sophia Baker. 
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Kay DiFilippo and Donna Schneider. 
You are invited to visit with Stephanie’s family on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Kuzo Funeral Home, 250 W. State St. in Kennett Square. Services will begin at 11 a.m. and interment will follow at Kemblesville Cemetery. 
Memorial contributions may be made to Supporting Kidds, a center for grieving children and their families. Donations in Stephanie’s name may be mailed to Supporting Kidds, 1213 Old Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, DE 19707. 
Arrangements are being handled by Kuzo Funeral Home of Kennett Square.