Beryl Righter

MISSOULA - Beryl Gable Righter passed away Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009, with her son at her side.





She was born October. 11, 1920, at Columbia, Penn., to Albert R. and Mabel Hull Gable. She was the baby of the family and had an older brother Charles and sister Florence, both of whom are de-ceased. Her maternal grandfather, Gilmer Hull, was a plasterer and served in the Union Army in the Civil War.





Beryl married Wilbur Eugene Righter in 1949, and they had one child. They lived in Columbia until 1955, when they moved to Lancaster, Penn. Beryl was a homemaker, but later worked in the school kitchen at Nathan C. Schaeffer Elementary School. Later she worked in the drapery department at Watt and Shand Department store in downtown Lancaster, and a few years later took over management of the drapery department at Watt and Shand’s new store. When her husband became ill, she retired. Wilbur passed away in 1985, a few days before their 36th wedding anniversary. Beryl then worked at Weis market in Lancaster until she moved to Missoula in 1994, to be closer to her son.





She was a faithful member of Covenant United Methodist Church in Lancaster, and First Presbyterian Church in Missoula. She often said she was not afraid to die because she knew she would meet her Lord.





Beryl had many friends in Missoula, and kept in touch with family and friends in Lancaster. She moved to the Beehive Homes in Missoula in December of 2008, and shortly afterwards was hospitalized. She then spent two weeks at the Village Health Care Center for therapy, but returned to the hospital where she passed away.





The nurses, hospitalists and therapists at St. Patrick Hospital’s neuro unit lavished care and affection on her in her last days. Her son was at her side when she passed away.





Beryl is survived by her son Ron of Missoula; her nephew John Vincent Dietz, Jr. and his wife Florence and family of Lancaster County, Penn.; her niece Doris (Dietz) Hall and her husband Tom and family of Miami; her sister-in-law Thelma Kress of Columbia, and her family; and Wilbur’s cousin Wilma Jean (Bitting) Swartz of Millerstown, Penn. and her family.





Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, at First Presbyterian Church in Missoula. Beryl will then be returned to Pennsylvania for services at Covenant United Methodist Church in Lancaster and interment next to Wilbur at Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens in Columbia. They will rest together on a hill overlooking the beautiful Susquehanna River.





The family suggests that memorials may be made in Beryl’s name to either the Humane Society, 5930 Hwy. 93 S., Missoula, 59804; or to the First Presbyterian Church, 201 S. 5th St. W., Missoula, 59801.





Garden City Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.






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