Glenside

Charles E. Gerhard Jr., 71, a Glenside businessman who was honored for his volunteer firefighting service, died Saturday of cancer at his Warrington home. He was owner and president of Gerhard's Inc., a four-generation family business that became a retailer of major appliances. The firm has been in Glenside for nearly 60 years, and Mr. Gerhard began working with his father, brothers and sisters and ended working with his children and grandchildren. Last month, he was presented the Life-Long Achievement Award by Weldon Fire Company of Glenside, which he had joined in 1953.

Frank L. Staub's drums are silent. The 81-year-old musician died Aug. 24 at his Glenside home. Known as the "drummer with personality," he drew crowds with his flamboyant style and his rocking rendition of the 1960s' favorite Wipeout. "He really went to town," said his wife, Virginia Anderson Staub. "He was what you would call a drummer with expression. " Mr. Staub played for 20 years with his own orchestra, booking events and carrying his own equipment until 1981, when he suffered a stroke.

Jane F. Gerhard, who was described by a family member as "the mother to everyone in Glenside" died Thursday at home after a lengthy illness. She was 66. "Everyone knew her in Glenside. Everyone loved her," said her youngest daughter, Janet Gerhard. "All her sons were volunteer firemen here, and Dad was a chief. Mom and Dad were grand marshals in the Fourth of July parade in 1976. " Mrs. Gerhard was a receptionist for 12 years at Gerhard's Appliances Inc., a Glenside institution for 48 years.

Doris M. Knouse, 86, of Glenside, who traveled the globe for 40 years as a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines, died of an apparent stroke Friday, Aug. 27, at her home. In 1946, Ms. Knouse was accepted into the TWA training program in Kansas City. Mo., for stewardesses. A neighbor who had a connection at the airline had put in a good word for her, said a niece, Kim Beidler. At the time, women had few career options, and being a stewardess was a plum job, Beidler said. Ms. Knouse brought her family gifts from Africa, broke a leg while skiing in the Alps, and had many exotic adventures on international flights.

Abington Township police have arrested two children after one brought an unloaded handgun to the Copper Beech Elementary School, and the other removed it from a bookbag and pointed it at third child as they walked home. "It's a serious, serious incident," Deputy Chief John Livingood said yesterday. Police said they found no evidence that either child was planning to do harm at the school or elsewhere. The gun had no magazine or bullets. Parents are upset, however, and community meetings are planned.

"We are born from the darkness," read the sign out front at St. Luke the Evangelist Church on Saturday, a reference to the Catholic teachings of original sin and salvation. But a day after the Glenside parish's popular pastor, Msgr. Michael Flood, was cleared to return to his post, the message could have described the mood of his waiting congregants as well. "It's like we've been under this dark cloud," said John Ginty, 48, a lifelong parishioner. "I can't wait to see him again and give him a big hug. " Flood, 72, was one of three priests reinstated Friday after archdiocesan officials cleared them of allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct with minors.

The saga involving John Dieterly Jr. is not over. Seven months after Cheltenham Township settled a four-year legal battle out of court with Dieterly - who owns a scrap-metal salvage business on Tyson Avenue - township officials are going to request that Dieterly be found in contempt of court. The commissioners made the decision at their Building and Zoning Committee meeting Tuesday night after they criticized Dieterly's reluctance to follow through on the settlement. The business is in Commissioner Robert C. Gerhard Jr.'s ward.

Carol Chiodo fastened the blue foam belt around her waist, slipped the webbed gloves onto her hands, and jumped into the deep end of her backyard pool. In the water, she was weightless. She could exercise hard in 96-degree heat and not break into a full sweat. Out here, there were no mirrors, no excuse for her to criticize the stomach and hips that carried a baby boy five years ago or the legs that used to play sports but now moved between business meetings and birthday parties.

Earl S. Vollmer, 83, an old-fashioned family doctor who practiced in Glenside for 54 years and founded several allergy clinics in the area, died Wednesday at Abington Memorial Hospital. He lived in Rydal, Montgomery County. Dr. Vollmer opened his practice in Glenside in 1935, the same year he joined the staff of Abington Memorial. In the years that followed, he treated patients with ardent interest and old-school style. Medicine was Dr. Vollmer's 54-year love. "He was not afraid to go out and make house calls at night," said his son, Earl Jr. "Out into the night he would go - at the bat of a hat. And his practice was not the carriage trade; his practice was serving the public.

Earl Goldberg, 87, of Glenside, owner and operator of an auto body and painting company in South Philadelphia for more than 40 years, died Friday, April 19, of complications from heart failure at Abington Memorial Hospital. Mr. Goldberg operated Star Auto Painting at Eighth and Reed Streets, a business started by his father in the 1930s. It did painting and bodywork for car dealers and owners. Mr. Goldberg wore flannel shirts and jeans to work every day, except during warm weather, when he would wear short-sleeve plaid shirts, his family said.