Lillian Emogene McGee Stahlman passed away on August 3, 2015 at Jefferson Manor after a lengthy and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 87 years of age.
Born on December 7, 1927 at Farmhouse, McCalmont Twp, Jefferson County, near Punxsutawney, PA, she was the eldest child of Wilbert Carl McGee and Florence Mable Bowser McGee.
Lillian graduated from Punxsutawney High School, and then went to Meadville during World War II and made material at the Viscose Plant for parachutes. She returned home and attended DuBois Business College. She met her first husband, James Fink, a Navy radioman, while there and they married August 28, 1947. He died March 20, 1958 in Brookville.
In the late 1960’s she attended Jefferson County Vo-Tech and graduated in the first LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) class. She returned to Jefferson Vo-Tech later for her Pharmacy certification. She found time to be home-room school mother and Sunday school teacher for 3-5 year olds at Trinity United Methodist church in DuBois. She was a Cub Scout den mother for 13 years in the DuBois Bucktail Council division. In 1972, she hosted a Rotary Exchange student from Japan, Hiroshi Tadamoto, while he attended DuBois High School.
After graduating from Jefferson Vo-Tech as a LPN, she began working at Maple Avenue Hospital in DuBois, where she met her second husband, Dr. Frederick Stahlman. They had a church wedding on May 24, 1975. The director of Nursing for Maple Avenue Hospital, Jean McDonald, got replacements for all the nurses and so they all could attend the wedding. Yes, Jean McDonald even sang at the wedding.
Immediately after the wedding Lillian moved to Clarion in 1975. She worked for Clarion Hospital and her husband’s office until 1978 when she was hired as School Nurse at Clarion Area High School until her retirement.
Lillian was a member of First United Methodist Church in Clarion. Lillian was a Stephen Minister, head usher, maintained the Cradle Roll for infants, and was a member of Circle 3. She also was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life, Clarion Civic Club, Clarion River Red Hatters, American Auxiliary Post #66, CME, Clarion Historical Society, RSVP (Retired Seniors Volunteer Program), and PSAR (Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees).
Lillian is survived by her sons, James Fink II and John Charles Fink both of Reisterstown, MD. She also had 3 step-children Frederick B. Stahlman II of Fort Myers, FL, Diane Louise Stahlman Mitchell of Sherwood, MD, and Jeffrey Michael Stahlman of Bristol, PA. Lillian had 16 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She is also survived by her siblings, Lee McGee (Delores) of Des Moines, Iowa, Doris Getty (Donald) of Apalachin, NY, Elsie Snyder (Clayton) of Punxsutawney, PA, and Ethel Davis (Frank) of Oliveburg, PA.
In addition to her parents and husbands, Lillian was preceded in death by her daughters, Phyllis Catherine Fink Bathurst deceased October 26, 2014, and Beverly Eileen Fink Eggert deceased June 18, 2004; and her son, David Carl Fink deceased December 4, 2007. She was also preceded in death by two siblings, Budd McGee and Rue McGee.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society (www.acs.org).
Arrangements are under the care of the Goble Funeral Home and Crematory, 330 Wood Street in Clarion, where visitation will be held from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. on Friday. An additional visitation will be held from 10-11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 600 Wood Street in Clarion on Saturday. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the church with Rev. Kevin Haley, pastor, officiating. Interment will be in Morningside Cemetery, DuBois.
Friends and family may send online condolences, order memorials, and obtain additional information by visiting www.goblefh.net.
