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Chester County Press

Obituaries for the week of November 7

11/07/2022 01:23PM ● By Steven Hoffman

Ruth Eileen Hammell Lefever

Ruth E. Hammell (Lesley) Lefever, of Kirkwood, Pa., went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Oct. 31, 2022, while at home with family. She was 88.

She was born on March 14, 1934 in Camden, NJ.  She was the daughter of the late Reeve H. Hammell and Mary (Penhallow) Hammell of West Collingswood, NJ.  She attended Collingswood Senior High School.  She then attended Penn State University and received a degree in general science and home economics.  While at Penn State, she met and married Hugh Lesley.  They moved to the farm in southern Lancaster County to start a family and for her to teach in the Oxford Area School District. She taught for 27 years in the Oxford and Solanco school systems.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her twin brother Rodney, her brother Robert, her sister Jean, her first husband, Hugh Lesley, and her second husband, James Lefever.  

She is survived by her four children, Kenneth Lesley (and Catherine Osman), Karen Lesley (and Ronald Rice), Eileen Scotten (and Michael Godra), and Peter Lesley.  She is also survived by five grandchildren, David Lesley, Sarah Osman Lesley, Dwayne Hugh Scotten, R. Christopher Scotten, and Cheyenne Lesley.  She has five great-grandchildren, Tyler Scotten, Jared Scotten, Landon Scotten, Olivia Scotten, and Sydney Fey.

Ruth was a life member of the Union Presbyterian Church.  She directed the Junior Choir for 15 years.  She sang in the Senior Choir, supported the church’s bookkeeping as treasurer, and was always available to support the church’s many ministries.  She was an active member of the community.  She belonged to the Soroptimist Club and the Octoraro Art Association. Her art was her passion. She enjoyed teaching arts and crafts to anyone who wanted to learn.  

She and Hugh built their house starting in 1960 from a picture she saw in Better Homes and Gardens.  She was a self-taught house designer and stone mason, laying all the stones in the house herself with assistance from her husband and children.

Ruth loved to travel.  She had close friends in France and traveled to southeast Asia with her son and daughter-in-law.

The cancer that finally claimed her life started when she was 42 years old. She never let cancer control her. Despite its many returns, she always kept a positive attitude.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12 at Union Presbyterian Church, 5637 Street Road in Kirkwood, Pa., where friends and family may visit from 10 to 11 a.m.

Interment will be in Union Cemetery.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., in Oxford.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.


Osborne Elton Moran

Osborne Elton Moran, 82, of Oxford, passed away on Oct. 28, 2022 at Lancaster General Hospital.

Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Everett and Mildred Greer Moran.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Osborne attended St. John’s United Methodist Church in Elkton, Md..

He retired from the Chester Water Authority in 2002 and was a member of the Ancient Order of Croaking Frogs in Quarryville.

Osborne was a dedicated family man and enjoyed blue grass music, playing banjo and liar’s poker. He loved his cat, Sweety.

He was affectionately known as “Pa Paw” by family and friends.

He is survived by his son, Theodore O. Moran, Sr. of Oxford; two grandchildren, Theodore O. Moran, Jr and Sara Agnes Moran; and four sisters, Cecelia Ranck of Quarryville, Elma Dean of West Grove, Elizabeth England of Oxford and Linda Crowl Oxford.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mildred and Everett Moran and three brothers, James Moran of Christiansburg, VA, Robert Moran of Oxford and Dave Moran of Oxford.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11 at the Oakryn Hall, 569 Nottingham Road in Nottingham.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brandywine River Valley Home Health & Hospice, 121 Bell Tower Ln, Oxford, PA 19363.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.


Agnes Marie Sheehan

Agnes Marie Sheehan, a resident of Kennett Square who formerly resided in Drexel Hill, Pa., passed away on Oct. 25, 2022 at Friend's Home in Kennett Square. She was 92.

Born in Philadelphia, she was a daughter of the late Timothy Sheehan and the late Mary Ann (Hannon) Sheehan.   

Agnes enjoyed drawing and coloring as a hobby.  She enjoyed gardening, cooking, and word puzzles.   During her career, she worked as a secretary for Smith, Kline, and French. Agnes was a member of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Drexel Hill, Pa.   

Agnes is survived by her brother, Paul Sheehan and his wife, Joan, of Media, Pa. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.   

Along with her parents, she was predeceased by her sister Theresa Mary Sheehan and her brother John Sheehan, Sr. 

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Nov. 3 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Kennett Square.  

Interment followed at Calvary Cemetery, 235 Matsonford Road, West Conshohocken, PA 19428.  Arrangements are by Matthew Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square. To view her online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.

Marie H. Spencer

Marie H. Spencer, of West Grove, peacefully passed away on Oct. 31, 2022. She was 97.

She was the wife of Bryan Spencer, with whom she shared 55 years of marriage until he passed away in 2000.

She was was born on May 17, 1925 to parents Mary Kelly and Irving Chambers. 

Marie grew up in Hockessin, Del.

Marie is survived by one daughter, Judy  Hoopes and her husband Richard of West Grove; three grandsons, Bryan Hoopes and his wife Gwen, Kevin Hoopes and his wife Lauren, Eric Hoopes and his wife JoAnne; two great grandchildren Logan Hoopes and Jordon Hoopes, and several nieces and nephews.

Marie was predeceased by eleven brothers and sisters.

She retired as a fabricator from NVF in Kennett Square. She and Bryan loved spending time at their cottage on the Elk River, something she enjoyed doing up to this year. Through the years, she hosted many parties and reunions; was an avid decorator for the seasons and holidays, and her favorite pastime was baking delicious desserts to share with her family and friends. Most importantly she loved her family very much and loved spending time with them.

She was a wonderful mother, grandmother and great grandmother, and will be deeply missed.

The family would like to thank all her caregivers for their dedicated and loving care over the past year.

You are invited to visit with her family and friends from 8:30 to 9:45 on Saturday morning, Nov. 12 at Assumption BVM Catholic Church, 300 State Road, West Grove.  Her Funeral Mass will follow at 10 a.m. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Ashland, Del.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 399 Market Street, Suite 102, Philadelphia, PA 19106 or www.alz.org/donate.

To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

Arrangements are being handled by the Kuzo Funeral Home in Kennett Square.