Rose (Malene) Witherup

| June 20, 2016

Rose (Malene) Witherup, wife of the late David E. Witherup (1911-2003) and former resident of Franklin, Pa. until 2004, died on June 17, 2016, at the age of 97 at Emmanuel Center, in Danville, Pa., where she had been living for the last five years.

Born on February 9, 1919, in Kennerdell, Pa., Rose was the third of five children of the late Samuel and Antoinette Malene who emigrated to the U.S. from the Abruzzo region of Italy. Her sole surviving sibling is John Malene of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. One sister-in-law, Luzetta (Stranford) Malene of Tucson, Ariz., also survives. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers, Henry, Louis, and Michael, all former residents of Oil City, Pa.

Mrs. Witherup was a lifelong member of Saint Patrick’s Church in Franklin, where she was active in various organizations, especially the Christian Mothers and Altar Rosary Associations. She and her husband raised five children who survive her: Eugene S. Witherup of Bloomsburg, Pa., Thomas H. Witherup of Harrisburg, Pa., Very Rev. Ronald D. Witherup, P.S.S., of Paris, France, Joseph M. Witherup of Denville, N.J., and Janice M. Henderson of Sacramento, Calif. She is also survived by one grandson, six granddaughters, five great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and many cousins on the Witherup side of the family.

After her husband’s retirement from Joy Manufacturing Co. in 1976, Mrs. Witherup worked part-time in the Franklin Elementary School cafeteria. She particularly enjoyed cooking and baking, playing cards with friends, and maintaining a small garden where she tended flowers and a few vegetables.

Following the death of her husband of 62 years, Rose moved to Maria Joseph Manor Assisted Care facility in Danville, Pa., to be closer to her son, Eugene. After a fall, Rose resided at Emmanuel Center nursing home. Both facilities are staffed by the Sisters of Saint Cyril and Methodius.

Funeral services, arranged by Gardinier Funeral Home in Franklin, are pending and will be held at a later date at St. Patrick’s Church, Franklin. Donations in Mrs. Witherup’s memory may be made to Saint Patrick’s Church, 949 Liberty Street, Franklin, PA 16323 or to Emmanuel Center, 600 School House Road, Danville, Pa. 17821.


Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.

Category: Obituaries