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Jim (right) is seen here circa 1987 with siblings (from left) Bill, of Dallas, Texas; Susan Gillies Ladd, of Coatesville, and John, who lives in Switzerland.
Ex-Hiller, hero, star athlete, dies at 66
James Gillies, a former Chestnut Hill resident, died of heart failure at age 66 at St Luke’s Hospital in Allentown on March 26. more
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Lew and Ginny Ashenfelter, who were married for 72 years, in front of their store, The Happy Butterfly, in 2014. The shop sold mostly children's clothing for 32 years at 8419 Germantown Ave.
Virginia Ashenfelter, co-owner of The Happy Butterfly, dies at 94
Virginia “Ginny” Ashenfelter died on April 22 at age 94 in the Complete Care at Harston Hall Nursing Home in Flourtown. more
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Thom Cardwell is seen with his younger sister, Janice Canfield, who told us that Cardwell wrote, choreographed, directed and acted in summer plays as a teenager. “We charged 20 cents to attend and donated the proceeds to cancer research.”
Germantown LGBT+ icon, film festivals creator, dies at 79
From 1982 to 2017 I wrote a weekly restaurant review column. It seemed almost every time we visited a Center City restaurant, we would see Thom Cardwell. more
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Nancy Williams told us this about Randy: “He had such a great sense of humor. He would laugh so hard that his shoulders would shake. We had similar values, and we had a great 56-year run.”
Beloved Hill architecture preservationist dies at 82
John Randolph Williams Jr., a bon vivant known for his prowess as a cook, competitive tennis player and builder of homes, died on April 9. more
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Cellist Ronald Lipscomb (left), who lived in both Mt. Airy and Germantown, had a remarkable career, playing with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, the American Symphony under Leopold Stokowski and with an orchestra conducted by Duke Ellington.
Mt. Airy cellist played with Bernstein, Ellington, Casals
Not too many local musicians have memories of playing with two legendary American innovators and composers, but Ron Lipscomb performed with the best. more
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Lauren Wiley with her husband, Jason, and sons, Ben (left), now a student at Penn State University, and Elliot (right), a student at Houston Elementary School.
Mt. Airy education activist dies suddenly at age 50
Lauren Wiley, a fierce advocate for public education, dedicated journalist and community leader, died of a heart attack in her West Mt. Airy home Feb. 28. more
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Chestnut Hill resident Bernadette L. Maguire did trailblazing work at a time when there were very few female engineers in the U.S.
Trailblazing engineer dies at 89
Longtime Chestnut Hill resident Bernadette L. Maguire worked on projects including the development of heat shields for the Apollo spacecraft program. more
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Receiving a preservation award from the Chestnut Hill Conservancy in January of 2016 (from left) were Phil Tankel of the Chestnut Hill Rotary, Conservancy Board President Randy Williams, Rotary member Carl Shaifer, Valley Green Bank CEO Jay Goldstein, Conservancy Board member Emily Cooperman, and Conservancy Executive Director Lori Salganicoff.
Chestnut Hill community champion dies at 92
Carl Shaifer, a longtime Chestnut Hill resident known for his business acumen and tireless community service, died March 5 of age-related causes. more
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Sarah West, a beloved Trail Ambassador for Friends of the Wissahickon, took visitors on guided tours of Wissahickon Park for many years. She also won four bronze medals at age 76 in an international Dragon Boat competition in 2013 in Hungary.
FOW ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award winner dies at 87
Sarah West, a longtime Mt. Airy resident and beloved figure in the Wissahickon Valley community, died of age-related ailments. more
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Bob Perkins received numerous awards for his contributions to Philadelphia music and culture, including a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts.
Radio icon and promoter of local talent dies at 91
Bob Perkins, of Wyncote, a legend in Philadelphia radio who worked as an on-air host in broadcasting for more than 50 years, died Jan. 21. more
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Patricia Anne Urevick and her partner of 50 years, Irv Ackelsberg, are surrounded by their grandchildren – Chaya,Ari, Bobby, Ivy and Roman – in a photo taken one year ago.
Community champion leaves a lasting park legacy
Patricia Anne Urevick, an acclaimed park advocate and healthcare provider, died Jan. 20, four days before her 70th birthday. more
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Jay Flaherty and his wife Nanie in St. Peter’s Square on a 2016 trip to Rome.
Master gardener brought neighbors together
John Edward “Jay” Flaherty Jr., an attorney, former deputy mayor, Vietnam veteran and master gardener, died Feb. 9. more
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Georgie Bonds (right) is seen in the mid-2010s with Deb Callahan (left), Mt. Airy blues/soul singer, and Gene Shay, “Dean of the Philly Deejays” and Philadelphia Folk Festival founder, who passed away in 2020 from Covid-19.
G’town’s Sweet Georgie Bonds was ‘married to the blues’
Bonds, who died Jan. 13 at age 72, was a member of the Philadelphia Black Cowboys. But as much as he loved horses, he loved playing the blues even more. more
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Retired Local editor Mary Jane Shelly, who raised a family of ten children, would leave home after dinner to attend a meeting assignment, return home and dictate an article over the phone.
Mary Jane Shelly, longtime Local editor and reporter, dies at 94
During her decades as a journalist at the Local, Shelly not only won statewide awards for her work, but also earned deep respect and gratitude. more
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Charles Ingersoll is seen here approximately 40 years ago on vacation in Acadia National Park in Maine.
Charles Ingersoll, 77, champion of arts and family
Charles Jared Ingersoll, a lifelong Chestnut Hill area resident and former Executive Vice President and Director of The Rittenhouse Trust Company, died Jan. 15. more
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Julie Chovanes, a lawyer, was a champion of transgender rights.
Julie Chovanes, pioneering trans attorney, dies at 64
Julie Chovanes, of Chestnut Hill, championed transgender rights and won landmark cases for the transgender community. more
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Richard George Alexander
Richard Alexander passed away peacefully on January 14, 2025 at the age of 78.  more
Sallie and her husband Jim at an event in 2011.
Druim Moir heir leaves legacy of service at 81
Sarah Ludlow Ogden Smith, a social worker and community advocate with deep ties to Chestnut Hill history, died Jan. 4 at her home. more
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Charlie Dilks, sailing near his easement-protected farm in Maryland.
Charles Day Dilks, Hill conservation giant, dies at 83
Charles Day Dilks, a Chestnut Hill giant in the field of conservation, died Dec. 28, 2024, of cardiac amyloidosis at his home. more
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Emilie Brégy created acclaimed oil and watercolor paintings, both abstract and representational, for 80 years.
Beloved Hill portrait painter for 80 years dies at 104
I have met many extraordinary individuals in the Chestnut Hill area over the last 40 years, but Emilie (Kayo) Rivinus Brégy is definitely among the most memorable. more
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