Gertrude E. Keenapple

MOUNTAIN TOP — Gertrude E. Keenapple, 92, of Mountain Top, passed away Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, at Geisinger Wyoming Valley, Plains Township.

Gertrude "Gertie" was born in Dennison Township on Aug. 30, 1927. She was the daughter of the late Silas and Hannah (Meckes) Keiper. Her birth mother passed away at 28 and her father remarried Elmira McCracken.

Gertie graduated from White Haven High School in 1945. She received awards for her beautiful penmanship.

For the most part, Gertie was a life resident of White Haven until she moved to Mountain Top five years ago to reside with her daughter, Peggy, and her husband, Charlie DeLorenzo.

Gertie was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Our family can't imagine what our lives will be without her. We remember all the good times we've shared. She saw many changes in her life. She endured many difficult times from the untimely death of her husband of 34 years, Charlie, and the loss of her two daughters, Susan Searfoss and Linda Burke. She lost two granddaughters, Chris Burke and Haylee Searfoss. She taught the family to have strength and courage to get through the hard times. She was an inspiration, very soft spoken, kind and humble.

In her younger years, she loved to bowl and belonged to two leagues in Freeland. She loved going to the casino and she continued to play bingo at Good Shepard Church every Tuesday night. She loved her bingo friends. She and her husband enjoyed many fishing trips to Gananoque, Canada, with family and friends.

Gertie worked at Eberhard Faber Pencil Company in Mountain Top for over 30 years from the time it opened until it closed.

Surviving are her daughter, Peggy; sons-in-law Charlie DeLorenzo and Thomas Burke; sisters Elenor Hartranft, Myra Radley, Charlotte Luton, Jackie Kresge, Eileen "Rose" Hornum, and Margie Strittmatter and her husband, Richard; brother Buddy Keiper; grandchildren Chas DeLorenzo and his wife, Melissa, Nicholas DeLorenzo, Craig Hittinger and Sara Hittinger, Michael Burke and his wife, Jennifer, and Nicole Burke; great-grandchildren Alyssa Burke, Ayrton DeLorenzo, Jazlyn Searfoss, Aden Hosein, Jordel Hosein and Autumn Rose Hook; great-great-grandchild Elijah Hoffman; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is where she belongs, in the arms of the Lord.

Memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, 2019, from the Desiderio-Lehman Funeral and Cremation, 436 S. Mountain Blvd., Mountain Top, with the Rev. Michelle Kaufman officiating. Interment will follow in Laurel Cemetery, White Haven. Friends are invited to join the family for a visitation from 10 a.m. until time of service.

Visit www.DesiderioFuneralHome.com for additional information.