Angelina Louise Battalini (1945-2025)

Angelina Louise Battalini, 80, passed away on August 3rd, 2025. She was born in Rochester on February 24th, 1945. She was preceded in death by her parents, Pietro and Fraulina (Sylvestri) DeChellis, her beloved husband, Anthony Battalini, a granddaughter, Maria Grazia, and an infant sister and cherished sister, Deanna Sonsino. She was a loving grandmother to her grandchildren: Francesca and her fiancé, Justyn Francona, Luciano, Carlo, Lilia, Livia, Octavia, and Gianna.Louise was the beloved mother of four devoted sons, Aaron (Jackie) Battalini, Chris Battalini (Sarah Galo), Justin (Karra) Battalini, and Marc Battalini (Chrissy). She is also survived by two-daugthers-in-law. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy, and she delighted in sharing with them her traditions, her recipes, and her steadfast faith. Louise was a faithful member of Mary Queen of Saints Parish and St. Titus Church of Aliquippa and the former St. Joseph Church of West Aliquippa. Louise was retired from Steelworkers Local 1211 and the Beaver County Sheriff’s Department.

She was born into a life she would fill with laughter, faith, and the aroma of home-cooked meals, She raised her family with gentle wisdom, endless patience, and a love that knew no bounds. Her home was a haven, a place where Sunday dinners became cherished rituals: where sauce simmered on the stove, bread was always warm, and every seat at the table was filled with stories, laughter, and the comfort of belonging.
Her unwavering devotion to Saint Anthony was evident in both her prayers and her deeds. Her spirit of generosity and compassion reflected the saint she so admired. Her kitchen was the heart of her home, a place where everyone was always welcome. Friends, neighbors, and family alike found solace in her presence and joy in her hospitality. She believed that life’s greatest blessings were found in the simple act of breaking bread together and that no one should ever feel alone at her table.
Her kindness, resilience, and loving nature will be deeply missed but forever remembered by her family, her friends, and all whose lives she graced. We take comfort in knowing that her gentle spirit and the warmth of her welcome will live on in the hearts of those she has left behind. She was an inspiration to many and showed us how to live and love by suffering with grace and joy.
A visitation will be on Thursday, August 7th from 4-7 p.m. at the ANTHONY MASTROFRANCESCO FUNERAL HOME INC., 2026 McMinn Street, Aliquippa, who was in charge of her arrangements, and where departing prayers will begin on Friday, August 8th at 9:30 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 10:00 a.m. in St. Titus Church, 972 Franklin Avenue, Aliquippa Entombment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, 2186 Broadhead Road, Aliquippa.

Rosemarie “Marie” (Matteo) Tooch (1942-2025)

Rosemarie “Marie” (Matteo) Tooch, 82, of Chippewa, passed away on August 3rd, 2025 at Lakeview Personal Care Home of Darlington. She was born in Rochester on November 26th, 1942, a daughter of the late Andrew and Amelia (Cucinelli) Matteo. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Francis “Bevo” Tooch, her sisters, Bea Matteo and Joan DeRose, and her niece, Jan Haberle. She is survived by three daughters and two sons-in-law, Tracy J. Beare of South Beaver Township, Tammy Harrison (Tom) of Tallahassee, Florida, Nicole Ford (Kenny) of Union, Kentcucky, one granddaughter, Dakota Lozano (Logan) of Tallahassee, Florida, two grandsons, Andrew Ford and Logan Ford of Union, Kentucky, her brother-in-law Edward DeRose of Chippewa Township, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and her lifelong friends. Rosemarie will be remembered by many for her years working as a barber in her father’s shop, as well as her time working for her sister at Decorator’s World, making flower arrangements. She was a member of St. Monica Roman Catholic Parish of Beaver Falls, St. Anthony’s organization committee of West Aliquippa, as well as a former member of St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church of Rochester, part of Our Lady of the Valley Parish. She was a 1960 graduate of Rochester High School who enjoyed being a member of the cheerleading team. Marie loved the time she spent with her friends at their various card clubs where they met to share laughter, food, and sometimes play cards. Friends will be received on Wednesday, August 6th, from 9 a.m. until the time of Mass at 11 a.m. at St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church, 632 Virginia Avenue, Rochester. Interment will follow in St. Cecilia Cemetery of Daugherty Township. Arrangements have been entrusted to the the William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester.

Man that tried to kill a North Braddock church pastor during a 2024 church service and who is suspected of killing his cousin in their North Braddock home not long after pleads guilty to his charges

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(North Braddock, PA) The man that tried to kill the pastor of Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock on May 5th, 2024 during their church service that day pleaded guilty, but mentally ill, on Monday. Twenty-seven-year-old Bernard Junior Polite was captured on the livestream video for the church service that day trying to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany with a handgun while Pastor Germany was preaching his sermon. According to police, Polite tried to fire the gun but it did not go off that day. Polite pleaded guilty to criminal attempt homicide and third-degree murder on Monday. The murder charge was given because not too long after, specfically hours after Polite was arrested on May 5th, 2024, his cousin, fifty-six-year-old Derek Polite, was found after being shot dead in the home that the two cousins shared together. This home was located at the 500 block of Stokes Avenue in North Braddock. Polite will get fifteen to forty years in jail for killing his cousin with a sentence that is consecutive after that first jail sentence of five to twenty years in jail for attempting to kill Pastor Germany. The total sentence in jail is twenty to sixty years for Polite.

Barbara Ann (Nelko) Pribulsky (1940-2025)

Barbara Ann (Nelko) Pribulsky, 85, of Conway, passed away peacefully at home on August 1st, 2025. She was born on January 16th, 1940, the daughter of the late John and Anna Nelko.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert Peter Pribulsky, her cherished son, Robert Paul Pribulsky, and her brother, John Nelko.

She is survived by her daughter, Carol Urban and Carol’s partner, Roscoe Ellis, her loving granddaughter and devoted caregiver, Corrin Ellis (Kaitlyn Urban), two grandsons, Jonathan (Maddie) Pribulsky and Zachary Pribulsky (fiancée Kaycee), her brother, Michael (Betty) Nelko, her sister-in-law, Judith Nelko and many dear nieces and nephews.

Barbara was a longtime member of the former Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Conway, now part of Saint Luke the Evangelist Parish and Good Samaritan Catholic Church in Ambridge. She was known for her exceptional cooking and especially her delicious baked goods. She was a talented crocheter like her mother, Anna and Barbara created countless treasured keepsakes for those she loved. She worked for over 20 years at Hills and later Ames Department Store, where she made many lasting friendships.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Friday, August 8th at Good Samaritan Church, 725 Glenwood Avenue, Ambridge. Interment will take place at a later date at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, 1158 Morgan Road, Brdigeville, where she will be laid to rest beside her husband. Arrangements have been entrusted to Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made directly to the funeral home.

Katherine A. Leihgeber (1943-2025)

Katherine A. Leihgeber, 82, of New Galilee, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully on August 3rd, 2025, at her lifelong home.

She was born in Big Beaver, Pennsylvania on May 12th, 1943, a daughter of the late Clara and Carl Leihgeber. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings: Carl Edward Leihgeber (Veda), Thelma Phillips (Bill), Emma Sepsie, Lawrence Leihgeber; as well as her great-niece, Ashlee Leihgeber. She is survived by her nephews, Carl Allen Leihgeber (Marlana) of New Galilee, Bill Phillips (Jody) of New Galilee and George Sepsie of New Castle, her nieces, Michele Sheridan (Bob) of Pittsburgh, Cindy Musquire, Kim Webb (Bruce) of New Galilee and Marie Sepsie of Kansas; as well as many great nieces and nephews.

Katherine was known for her faith and dedicated work at Providence Health Care (Providence Health and Rehabilitation Center) of Beaver Falls. She spent her life as a loyal lamb to her Lord, a devotee of the Christian House Baptist Church (Chapel) of Aliquippa, and was very close with her dog Scotty. She loved crocheting in the sunshine on her porch.

Katherine will be remembered for her fierce personality, her quiet strength through hard times and the love she shared with those around her. Her recent fight with dementia and other health conditions is now finally at an end, with Marlana holding her hand, in restful peace.

Family and friends will be received Friday, August 8th at 10 A.M. until the time of service at 12 noon in the GABAUER-LUTTON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, Inc., 117 Blackhawk Road Beaver Falls, who was in charge of her arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Beaver County Humane Society, 3394 Brodhead Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001 or simply asks that you hold her in your thoughts.

Carl “Dio” Dioguardi, Jr. (1947-2025)

Carl “Dio” Dioguardi, Jr., 77, of Summit Township in Erie, Pennsylvania, formerly of Rochester and Beaver Falls, passed away on July 30th, 2025, at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Rochester on October 24th, 1947, the son of the late Carlo Sr. and Emma Ottaviani Dioguardi. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister and brother-in-law, Anna and Bob Primo, a brother-in-law, R. D. Smith, his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Willa Smith and Jack Manypenny and a father-in-law, Forrest Smith. He is survived by his wife of forty-nine years, Linda S. (Smith) Dioguardi, one daughter and son-in-law, Jeannene L. and Jason Willow, of Fairview, Pennsylvania, two granddaughters, Emma and Avery Willow, one sister, Josephine C. Smith, of Rochester, two nieces, Sherri Wilks and her husband Todd, of Rochester Township and Renee Herstine and her husband Bruce, of Vanport, a nephew, Robbie Smith and his wife Paula of Rochester Township, his sister-in-law, Kathy and Tom Hall, as well as four great-nephews and two great nieces. Carl was a retired supervisor with Rome Metals in Rochester and a member of St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church of Rochester and Our Lady of the Valley Parish. He was a 1965 graduate of Rochester High School and was a lifelong member of the Rochester B.P.O.E. Lodge 283. He also appeared on The American Band Stand in the 60’s with Dick Clark. Friends will be received on Monday, August 4th, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the William Murphy Funeral Home Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester, who was in charge of his arrangements. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, August 5th, at 10 a.m., in St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church, 632 Virginia Avenue, Rochester. Interment will follow in Beaver Cemetery. The family wishes memorial contributions be made to Pancreatic Cancer Research at Lustgarten.org, or the https://eriecancerwellness.org/. The family would like to thank the family hospice of Erie for the care and comfort given to Carl.

East Rochester-Monaca Bridge being reduced to a single lane of traffic through August 8th, 2025 to undergo bridge inspection work, weather permitting

(File Photo of Road Work Ahead Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) PennDOT made an announcement that through Friday, August 8th, 2025, weather permitting, the East-Rochester Monaca Bridge will get reduced to a single lane of traffic this week. This will occur daily through this Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists will be assisted through the zone of work this week on the East Rochester-Monaca bridge by flaggers. Bridge inspection work will be conducted by crews from Mackin Engineering and the Sofis Company.

Sixteen-year-old male juvenile from Georgetown, Pennsylvania arrested for attempting to steal items from a motor vehicle in Greene Township

(File Photo of Handcuffs)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Greene Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that a sixteen-year-old male juvenile from Georgetown, Pennsylvania was arrested for attempting to steal items from a motor vehicle in Greene Township on Saturday. The juvenile tried to steal from the vehicle of the owner of the home at 231 Hill Road and the victims were forty-two-year-old Thomas Fontana and forty-year-old Elise McKenna, both of Georgetown, Pennsylvania. The juvenile was both detained and caught by the owner of the home there. According to police, the male juvenile got transported to Children’s Hospital for a self-inflicted head injury and for being highly intoxicated and charges will be filed against him for his actions.

Aliquippa man arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol on the 600 block of Maratta Road in Aliquippa

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Aliquippa, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that a man from Aliquippa was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in Aliquippa on Friday. Forty-two-year-old Kevin Anderson got stopped by police after committing a vehicle violation on the 600 block of Maratta Road. According to police, Anderson was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Aliquippa man arrested for driving under the influence of drugs on the 900 block of Franklin Avenue in Aliquippa

(File Photo of Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Aliquippa, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that a man from Aliquippa was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs in Aliquippa on Sunday. Twenty-three-year-old Jaylen Guy was stopped by police during a traffic stop on the 900 block of Franklin Avenue. According to police, Guy was arrested for driving under the influence and his charges are pending.