In Memorium Marijane Ann (JOHN) ZERPHEY "Johnnie" 29 September 1921 � 15 October 2004 Author of GRIFFITH JOHN: His Ancestors and Descendants

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Text of the obituary from the SundayNews, Lancaster, PA, October 17, 2004

Marijane A. "Johnnie" Zerphey

Marijane A. "Johnnie" Zerphey, 83, of Lancaster, died Friday, October 15, 2004, at the Lancaster Regional Medical Center as a result from complications following surgery.

She was the wife of Winfield K. Zerphey. They celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary in December 2003. Born in Hazelton, she was the daughter of the late Bert W. and Mary Delaney ; John.

She was a 1939 graduate of Columbia High School.

Marijane was an avid reader, craftswoman, and published  genealogist. Her extensive genealogy research led her to travel outside of the U.S., to Great : Britain and Wales. She was a member of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, and known as "The Rosary Lady".

Surviving in addition to her husband are: two daughters, Cynthia wife of Dennis Zimmerman of Lancaster, and Karen Zerphey of Dover; a son, John husband of Patricia Zerphey of Mon;toursville; two grandsons, Lee and Matthew Zerphey; a brother, Walton John, husband of Barbara of Columbia.

Friends are invited to attend the Mass of Christian Burial from Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, 558 W Walnut St., Lancaster, PA, on Tuesday, at 11:00 . AM. Interment will be in St. Joseph New Catholic Cemetery. A viewing will be held at the church on Tuesday morning from 10:00 AM until the time of Mass. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be  made in "Johnnie's" memory to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 558 W Walnut St., Lancaster, PA 17603. Arrangements by the Charles R Snyder Funeral Home, Inc., 414 E. King St., Lancaster, PA. www.snyderfuneralhome.com

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In her own words � from Johnnie�s book, published in 1994:

Marijane Ann, d/o Bert W & Mary (Delaney) John, was b. 29 Sept., 1921 in Hazleton, Pa.

When I was about 8 months old my parents moved back to Shamokin as my maternal Grandmother had died and Mother was asked to keep house for my Grandfather. He walked with a limp due to a broken hip and so the town of Shamokin had one of their policeman (Mulvie Thomas) drive him wherever he wished to go in the sidecar of the motorcycle and I most always was with them. Each year when the Circus came to town I rode with Mr. Thomas when he led the parades. My Grandfather (Dada) had passes to two of the three movie house and he and I went to the movies each afternoon. And Mother's brother used to take me to the third movie house for it also had a vaudeville and that I loved. My uncle, crazy as it sounds, used to take me along on some of his dates and I can remember sitting on top of a piano while they danced. He had a light blue coupe with a rumble seat and oh, how my cousins and I loved ride in it! Then later one of Mother's sisters became a widow and moved home so my parents were free to go on alone. For a time we lived in Canton where my uncle had a hotel (during Prohibition).

We also lived for a short time in Newark, New Jersey, Scranton, and Phila. Then moved to Columbia, Pa. Weekends our family always went to visit relatives unless some of them were with us. I wanted to be a nurse, but learned quickly that I was too soft-hearted and cried and prayed for the sick rather than help them! During this period I was close friends with 11 girls and we called ourselves "The Gang". We are still friends to this day and those who remained in Columbia still have the same club we had started back about 1936! Through friends I met Win on the 1st of March, became engaged on the 6th of June, and we were married on the 21st of December, all in 1946. We married in the Rectory of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Columbia. Winfield Kling Zerphey was b. 12 Oct., 1924 in Florin, Pa., the s/o Winfield Loraw & Dorothy(Kling) Zerphey. When Win was graduated from high school he had been awarded a scholarship to Elizabethtown College for baseball, but he enlisted in the Navy instead and became a Radioman in the Navy Air Corp stationed in the southern part of England. He flew 46 missions and their crew was credited with sinking a German Submarine. After the war, he managed to get into Elizabethtown College on the strength of the scholarship, but never went out for sports as we married during the Christmas season of his first year. Win finished the 4 years in 3 by going to summer school. His first position upon graduation was with the Food Fair in Phila. Later he applied for and Was accepted by RCA in Lancaster where he worked for 36 years and 1 day as a Production Analysis. We had 3 issue: Cynthia L., (486) Karen M.(487) and John D. (488). Somewhere during my teens I was called Johnnie and that name has stuck to this day!

We have enjoyed traveling and when the children left the nest, we took short trips. Then in 1987 we took a month in the United Kingdom. Later we took a trip around the United States, visiting 27 of them at that time. At other times we took in the rest of the 48 states, returning to the New England States each fall. In 1992 we returned to the United Kingdom again for a month - this time taking a few days in Paris. Win became a Catholic back in 1949. We have had a wonderful life together here in Lancaster in a lovely home we bought 40 years ago.

We belonged for a good many years to a formal dance club and enjoyed the dances and the company of friends.  We played so much bridge and had and attended so many parties and dinners.  It is a beautiful life.  For ten years I was the Craft Consultant for the Brownie Troops in our neighborhood.

Some pictures of Sacred Heart Church:

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