November 30, 2006 Issue                                       

Click Here

©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Obituaries

John F. Arts

John F. Arts

John F. Arts, 73, of East Falls, a former language teacher at Penn Charter School, died Oct. 27 of cardiac arrest at Roxborough Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Arts retired in 1998 after teaching French to middle and upper school students at Penn Charter School from 1984-1998. Before coming to Penn Charter, he taught French, Latin, and Spanish in private schools in New Jersey and New York.

Born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1933, Mr. Arts was educated in both Flemish and French as a child and grew to love languages. After graduating from a Jesuit prep school in Belgium, he earned a degree in philosophy from the University of Louvain.

In 1958, he received a scholarship to attend Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He was awarded an M.A. in Romance Languages magna cum laude from Villanova University in 1964.

Mr. Art’s mastery of six languages — English, French, Flemish, Spanish, German, and Latin — enabled him to teach French and Spanish to all levels of students, including senior advanced placement. At Penn Charter, he coached freshman soccer, was faculty representative at student council meetings and moderated the French Club.

Mr. Arts was the first foreign language teacher at Penn Charter to introduce French to lower school students in their enrichment program. He introduced his high school students to French films and documentaries to familiarize them with French culture.

He also initiated a video exchange program with a high school in Lille, France, in which each class spoke in their native language in order for the others to translate the spoken word.

An accomplished musician, Mr. Arts studied music for years and learned to play the piano. He taught his French classes French folk songs by singing and playing his accordion. He also accompanied the Penn Charter chorus on piano for its annual concerts and musicals.

Mr. Arts is survived by his wife of 35 years, Geri, four brothers living in Belgium, as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He was preceded in death by a brother Marc and a sister Miriam Jacobs.

A memorial service was held Oct. 31 at the McIlvaine Funeral Home in East Falls. A second memorial service was held Nov. 4 in Edegem, Belgium, attended by 200 relatives.

William A. Kalkbrenner

William (“Bill”) Adam Kalkbrenner, 78, of Blue Bell, a former All-American soccer player, died of cancer Nov. 18 at his home.

Mr. Kalkbrenner was a soccer champion, having won several awards, including selection on the All-American Soccer team of 1950. He coached the Chestnut Hill Soccer Club for 15 years.

He attended Duke University and graduated from Temple University. He served in the U.S. army during the Korean War and was awarded two Bronze Stars for combat in 1951.

In 1953 he married Dorothy Mucha and they had two children. He worked in the food industry, and assumed sole ownership of KDM Foodsales Inc., later becoming Chairman Emeritus and consultant for the company.

Mr. Kalkbrenner was the son of Madeline and Matthew Kalkbrenner. His brother Robert died in 1978 at the age of 46. He is survived by his daughter, Debra K. Diener and his son, William M. Kalkbrenner Jr. and eight grandchildren.

Services and interment are private.

Marion L. Beardsley

Marion Longo Beardsley

Marion Longo Beardsley, 94, formerly the proprietor of Marion’s Girl and Boy Shop in Chestnut Hill, died Nov. 24 at Albert Einstein Hospital.

Mrs. Beardsley ran the shop from 1946 to 1997. She saw many children grow up and become parents who then became shoppers for their children. She always had pretzels behind the counter for the children and thus became known as “The Pretzel Lady.”

Mrs. Beardsley, a member of the Chestnut Hill Businessmens’ Association, officiated at the bicycle parade and gave out lunches at the Fourth of July celebrations at the Water Tower for many years.

She was president of the Ladies Auxiliary, VFW Post No. 5205 for many years and will be remembered for the casino bus trips she ran.

Mrs. Beardsley was the wife of the late Marvin Beardsley. She is survived by a brother Tony (Ruth) and sisters Louise Longo and Jean Przybylko. A brother Jim preceded her in death.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 29 at Our Mother of Consolation Church in Chestnut Hill. Interment was at Arlington Cemetery.

Alfred E. S. O’Neill, Sr.

Alfred Emmanuel Smith O’Neill

Alfred Emmanuel Smith O’Neill, Sr., 78, of Philadelphia, a former insurance salesman and entrepreneur, died of cancer Nov. 20.

Mr. O’Neill entered the insurance business after serving in the U.S. Army during World War II.

He was the youngest of eight children born to Barney and Nellie O’Neill, who emigrated from Ireland.

Mr. O’Neill is survived by a daughter, Kate O’Neill (Joe Zajaczkowski); a son Alfred Jr.; brothers Robert (Joan) and Buddy; sisters Helen Morris (Frank) and Rita Stahley and by four grandchildren.

Funeral services were private. Memorial contributions should be made in the name of his deceased daughter, Noreen O’Neill, to the Foundation for Melanoma Research, 3601 Spruce Street, Room 489, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

James J. Boyle

James Joseph Boyle, 62, of Chestnut Hill, a former Philadelphia advertising executive, died Oct. 27 of lung cancer at Chestnut Hill Hospital.

Mr. Boyle worked at both the N.W. Ayer & Son and Rich & Green agencies during a career in advertising that spanned 35 years. For the past year, he was a Realtor with Prudential Fox & Roach in Blue Bell.

After graduating from La Salle College in 1965 with a degree in business administration, Mr. Boyle joined the Philadelphia police force. In the same year he married Jane Lewis. The couple had two children before their marriage ended in divorce.

A patrolman along with his two brothers, Maurice and Tony, Mr. Boyle left the force in 1970 because of the stressful nature of the job on his family.

An avid golfer, Mr. Boyle was coach of the Middle Atlantic Blind Golfers Association for 11 years.

In addition to his brothers, he is survived by his wife of 11 years, Allison Staib Boyle; a son, Jay; a daughter, Kelly Calandra; two sisters and four grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Nov. 13.

Rose Catrambone

Rose R. Catrambone (Serianni), 100, of Chestnut Hill, died Nov. 22 of heart failure at St. Mary’s Manor in Lansdale.

Mrs. Catrambone was the wife of the late Joseph Z. Catrambone. She is survived by a son, Joseph F. Catrambone and daughters, Connie Perri (Joseph) and Rosemary Vesci (Vincent); three sisters; one brother; nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 28 at Our Mother of Consolation Church and interment was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.