Calahan

Gilda Sue (Fewkes) Calahan, 78, of Center Township passed away at 5 p.m. Monday from congestive heart failure and other complications at Butler Memorial Hospital. She had been a resident of St. John Specialty Care Center, Mars, since Feb. 18, 2003.

She was born Sept. 27, 1931, in Meridian, the daughter of the late Maurice Alfred Fewkes and the late Adaline (Rigrish) Fewkes.

Gilda retired from Allied Auto Parts in 1988, where she was a bookkeeper. She held bookkeeping positions over her career with The Fashion Store, The Ladies Store and Paul Kirkpatrick's Sporting Goods store. She also doubled as a ladies purchasing agent at Kirkpatrick's, and while there, the Butler High School athletic department purchased uniforms. In the 1960s, the Golden Tornados did not have an official design for the insignia so Gilda submitted a design that became her high school's official emblem.

After her retirement, she drove a school bus and a van for the Bryan and the Campbell Bus companies.

She enjoyed ceramics and genealogy, having traveled on genealogy research trips with her husband, Chuck, in the United States, Ireland, Wales and England.

She was a non-denominational Christian.

Surviving are her husband of nearly 60 years, Charles E. Calahan; two daughters, Suzan Lynn and her husband, Dr. James Wray Johns, D.M.D. of Lititz, Lancaster County, and Linda Gale and her husband, Dwayne Gallia of Corpus Christi, Texas; a son, Dr. Charles A. Calahan Ph.D. and his wife, Nancy, of West Lafayette, Ind.; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Donald Gordon Fewkes, and sister, Norma Jane Pflugh.

<B>CALAHAN</B> — Friends of Gilda Sue (Fewkes) Calahan, who died Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at <B>Young Funeral Home</B>, 127 W. Jefferson St., Butler. Services will be at noon Saturday at the funeral home with her son-in-law, Dr. James W. Johns of Church of God of Central, Pa., officiating. Interment will be in Greenlawn Burial Estates, Mount Chestnut.In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Good Samaritan Hospice, 134 Marwood Road, Cabot, PA 16023.For more information, go to www.youngfuneralhomes.com.