Heavy Equipment Operator

Michael H. Stehlik, 44, of Ivyland, a heavy-equipment operator who loved motorcycles, died Sunday of severe trauma suffered in a motorcycle accident in Northampton Township. Northampton police said Mr. Stehlik was riding his 2001 Harley-Davidson Sportster south on Second Street Pike, south of Tapeworm Drive, at 3:50 p.m. when the cycle crossed the northbound lane on a curve and went down an embankment. Mr. Stehlik was born in Abington, graduated from Archbishop Wood High School in 1974, and attended Bucks County Community College.

Donald A. Houser, 61, of Furlong, a heavy-equipment operator who had owned a demolition business, died Saturday at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Chester after suffering a heart attack. For the last two years, he operated heavy equipment for Sun Oil Co. at its refinery in Marcus Hook. Previously, he was the owner-operator of R.A. Houser & Son, a demolition contractor with offices in Philadelphia and Cinnaminson, N.J. The business had been founded by his father. Mr. Houser was a longtime member of Local 542 of the Operating Engineers Union.

After illegally dropping tons of building debris on land he owns near Cobbs Creek Park, demolition contractor Howard Parsons offered to cover the dumpsite with good topsoil and sell the land to nearby residents for gardens or picnic areas. Parsons never said a word to the residents about several thousand square feet of asbestos-containing material in the rubble. He still swears he didn't know a thing about the asbestos, a hazardous air pollutant and possible disease-causing material.

At age 40, John Brown was a success story. The Springfield resident had achieved his goal of becoming a heavy equipment operator and a commercial diver - jobs that paid him enough to live comfortably and take up scuba diving as a hobby. It therefore came as something of a surprise to some of his friends when he quit his job in March and opened the Anchor Line Scuba Shop in Media. "This is something that I've always wanted to do," Brown said. Selling scuba-diving equipment was only part of his dream.

Talk about the one that got away! The four central Pennsylvania construction workers who won $28,098,090.80 in the state lottery tried to talk a fifth worker into joining their betting pool. He declined. The decision cost him $5.6 million. "I imagine he's a sick puppy today," said Frank Rubinic, 39, of suburban Harrisburg. Rubinic, one of the winners, was holding a check for $216,139.16, the first payment of his share of the take after federal taxes. He and each of his three colleagues will receive a check for that amount annually for 26 years.

Samuel Staffieri, 74, who spent years patrolling his beloved Delaware River and helping anyone in need, died Saturday of cancer. Mr. Staffieri, a lifelong Philadelphian, fell in love with boats in 1938, when he and a brother built their own cabin cruiser, said his wife, Dottie. From then on, he spent every available moment on the water. "Everybody knew him, up and down the river, from Trenton to Tinicum," his wife said. In 1957, as an enthusiastic pleasure boater, Mr. Staffieri helped found the Pennsylvania Water Patrol, which later became the Pennsylvania Marine Police and ultimately the Pennsylvania Fish and Boating Commission.

Gaetano A. "Tom" LaFauci Jr., shop chairman of the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper mailroom, died Monday after suffering a head injury in a fall. He was 42 and lived in South Philadelphia. LaFauci, who began in the old Bulletin newspaper mailroom 25 years ago and who moved to the Inquirer in 1985, fell while descending the stairs in his home and struck his head against a TV set at the bottom of the landing. The blow broke a major blood vessel. LaFauci's father, Gaetano A. "Tom" Sr., is president of Mailers Union Local 1414, International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

The debate was over the pros and cons of wearing high-heeled shoes, and the women involved could barely remain seated at their desks as the discussion grew more heated. Their instructor, Rose Marie Picardi, was in constant motion, fueling the fire with her comments about a woman's right to dress as she chooses. Linda Stover El, 32, of Williamstown, quickly found herself on the verbal defensive against her Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School classmates. "I'm uncomfortable if I'm not dressed up when I go out to a social thing," she said.

Even Peter Bercik, who has been said to rustle up some pretty good grub on the family's backyard grill in St. Clemens, Mich., was impressed by what he saw and smelled sizzling in a parking lot cookout at the Wine Cellar in Cinnaminson last Sunday. And nary a hamburger or hot dog was in sight. A barbecue for Bercik, who said he's been "throwing things on the grill ever since they invented charcoal," means whole roasted pigs, goats, lambs, sides of beef and wild game such as elk and bear that he's shot on big game expeditions into Canada and Alaska.

Harry Garrett Sr., a retired city employee who was dedicated to his family and the community, died Friday of complications of coronary arterial disease. He was 78 and lived in West Philadelphia. Garrett worked as a heavy equipment operator for the city for 36 years. He had previously worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and for home building contractors in South Jersey. "Garrett was a hard worker who was dedicated to any job he held," said a family member. ". . .Garrett was known as a family man and a good neighbor.

Harry Garrett Sr., a retired city employee who was dedicated to his family and the community, died Friday of complications of coronary arterial disease. He was 78 and lived in West Philadelphia. Garrett worked as a heavy equipment operator for the city for 36 years. He had previously worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and for home building contractors in South Jersey. "Garrett was a hard worker who was dedicated to any job he held," said a family member. ". . .Garrett was known as a family man and a good neighbor.

Michael H. Stehlik, 44, of Ivyland, a heavy-equipment operator who loved motorcycles, died Sunday of severe trauma suffered in a motorcycle accident in Northampton Township. Northampton police said Mr. Stehlik was riding his 2001 Harley-Davidson Sportster south on Second Street Pike, south of Tapeworm Drive, at 3:50 p.m. when the cycle crossed the northbound lane on a curve and went down an embankment. Mr. Stehlik was born in Abington, graduated from Archbishop Wood High School in 1974, and attended Bucks County Community College.

Donald A. Houser, 61, of Furlong, a heavy-equipment operator who had owned a demolition business, died Saturday at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Chester after suffering a heart attack. For the last two years, he operated heavy equipment for Sun Oil Co. at its refinery in Marcus Hook. Previously, he was the owner-operator of R.A. Houser & Son, a demolition contractor with offices in Philadelphia and Cinnaminson, N.J. The business had been founded by his father. Mr. Houser was a longtime member of Local 542 of the Operating Engineers Union.

After illegally dropping tons of building debris on land he owns near Cobbs Creek Park, demolition contractor Howard Parsons offered to cover the dumpsite with good topsoil and sell the land to nearby residents for gardens or picnic areas. Parsons never said a word to the residents about several thousand square feet of asbestos-containing material in the rubble. He still swears he didn't know a thing about the asbestos, a hazardous air pollutant and possible disease-causing material.

Gaetano A. "Tom" LaFauci Jr., shop chairman of the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper mailroom, died Monday after suffering a head injury in a fall. He was 42 and lived in South Philadelphia. LaFauci, who began in the old Bulletin newspaper mailroom 25 years ago and who moved to the Inquirer in 1985, fell while descending the stairs in his home and struck his head against a TV set at the bottom of the landing. The blow broke a major blood vessel. LaFauci's father, Gaetano A. "Tom" Sr., is president of Mailers Union Local 1414, International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Samuel Staffieri, 74, who spent years patrolling his beloved Delaware River and helping anyone in need, died Saturday of cancer. Mr. Staffieri, a lifelong Philadelphian, fell in love with boats in 1938, when he and a brother built their own cabin cruiser, said his wife, Dottie. From then on, he spent every available moment on the water. "Everybody knew him, up and down the river, from Trenton to Tinicum," his wife said. In 1957, as an enthusiastic pleasure boater, Mr. Staffieri helped found the Pennsylvania Water Patrol, which later became the Pennsylvania Marine Police and ultimately the Pennsylvania Fish and Boating Commission.

DON'T TRUST THE SCIENTISTS Mubarak S. Dahir (column, "HIV doesn't cause AIDS? Who is kidding whom here?"): As a gay man, I would think you especially would see the importance of having every avenue of this disease explored and questioned. It is a known fact that the scientific community has, and will continue to lie to the public at large. It's nothing new. Scientists and researchers are concerned with grants and recognition first, saving lives last. I'm not saying HIV does not cause AIDS, but enough anomalies exist within this theory for other avenues to be considered.

Even Peter Bercik, who has been said to rustle up some pretty good grub on the family's backyard grill in St. Clemens, Mich., was impressed by what he saw and smelled sizzling in a parking lot cookout at the Wine Cellar in Cinnaminson last Sunday. And nary a hamburger or hot dog was in sight. A barbecue for Bercik, who said he's been "throwing things on the grill ever since they invented charcoal," means whole roasted pigs, goats, lambs, sides of beef and wild game such as elk and bear that he's shot on big game expeditions into Canada and Alaska.

In winter, when the denizens of summer have fled back to the cities like so many migratory birds, the ice toboggan slide down Lake Avenue is Eagles Mere. There is precious little else to occupy the 150 year-round residents of this lakeside resort village. Out of season, the dozen local gift shops are open only on weekends. Even the nearest grocery is a 30-minute drive away. And so every winter weekend from mid-January on, Eagles Mere becomes a Norman Rockwell painting come alive.

The debate was over the pros and cons of wearing high-heeled shoes, and the women involved could barely remain seated at their desks as the discussion grew more heated. Their instructor, Rose Marie Picardi, was in constant motion, fueling the fire with her comments about a woman's right to dress as she chooses. Linda Stover El, 32, of Williamstown, quickly found herself on the verbal defensive against her Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School classmates. "I'm uncomfortable if I'm not dressed up when I go out to a social thing," she said.