Susan Jefferson, center, is comforted as she looks at the East Brady Street house where her brother, George Walters, died during a fire early Monday morning.

The sister of George Walters arrived at about 9:30 a.m. to the scene of Monday morning's East Brady Street fire and screamed when she saw the blackened, smoldering walls of the structure that was her brother's home for 18 years.

She was helped to a nearby stoop by family members.

“They were talking about selling the house and moving away,” Susan Jefferson said.

George Walters, 57, and his wife, Linda, 69, died in their home at 329 E. Brady St. after a fire of unknown origin developed in the front of their two-story home and quickly spread.

Jefferson said Linda collected kerosene lamps and other items, and that her previous home was filled with antiques that she brought with her to the East Brady Street house.

Firefighters said a hoarding situation at the house hindered any rescue attempts that might have been made and the stacks of items served as fuel for the fire.

“Linda loved to go to flea markets and she loved collecting furniture,” Jefferson said. “I know (the East Brady Street house) was overloaded.”

She was shocked and grieving as she stared at the house from across the street.

“I feel lost,” she said. “I've never had to go through managing something like this.”

She said her late parents owned the home until 2000, when George and Linda took it over.

“They were happy together,” Jefferson said. “They were a good couple.”

Jefferson said she saw the fire on the early morning news and wondered if it was her brother's house. Her daughter then called and confirmed the tragic news.

“They are going to be sadly missed,” Jefferson said.

She said the couple worked at St. John Specialty Care in Mars for many years.

Mark O'Donnell, director of communications at Lutheran Senior Life, which is St. John's parent company, said the couple had a combined 82 years of service in the environmental services department.

He said Linda started working there in 1975 and George in 1979.

“They were longtime employees and beloved,” O'Donnell said. “There are a lot of tears (at St. John) today.”

He said the staff was too broken up to speak to the Eagle.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family and friends,” O'Donnell said. “They will be missed and long remembered because they were a part of the team there for a long time.”He said an impromptu memorial service was held at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the chapel at St. John's.Communications coordinator Deanna Hall attended the service. She said it was informal, with the Walters' co-workers sharing stories about the couple.“For a lot of people, they were their first friends here,” Hall said. “They were always very welcoming with new hires.”She said many shared that the couple took their job seriously, arriving every morning even though both had mobility problems.“They were dedicated to wanting to do their best job for the residents of St. John,” Hall said. “They knew the residents by name, and they knew what they wanted.“They always did their best to make (the residents') stay as pleasant as they could.”The Walters' next-door neighbor, Renee Cunningham, said the couple did not use their furnace and relied many times on their kerosene lamps for warmth.Cunningham was still shocked at 10 a.m. Monday as firefighters and the state police fire marshal investigated the scene.She said the couple took her grocery shopping and anywhere else she needed to go over the years.“They were like family to me,” she said. “I would sit on the porch with them in the summer.“I guess I won't be able to go over and say 'Hey, how are you doing?' anymore.”She said she came out onto her porch at about 2 a.m. after hearing commotion and spotted the house's gutter burning. Soon, the fire overtook the structure.“I just feel very sad because they didn't make it out of the house in time,” Cunningham said.