Mrs. Anna C. Getz, age 96, formerly of 1507 Madison Avenue, Tyrone, and a guest at Epworth Manor died Friday, August 17, 2007 at 9:45 a.m. She was born January 12, 1911 in Altoona, the daughter of Seneca A. and Mary Slep Coffey and on July 7, 1930 at the bride’s home in Sylvan Hills, Hollidaysburg was married to Melvin U. Getz who preceded her in death December 24, 1978. She is survived by two children – Diane Kirwan and husband Raymond of Sun City West, AZ and Melvin C. “Pete” Getz and wife Judy of Tyrone; four grandchildren – Steve Yon, Shelley Ann Moyer, Laura Kirwan, and Amy Messner, 10 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a brother Arthur “Bud” Coffey and two sisters – Frances Klevan and Cordelia Smiley.
Mrs. Getz was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where she had served as a Deacon and an Elder and was always very generous with her time, talents and presents for church, civic and charity affairs. She had attended the Mary Lyon School in Swathmore, PA, the Combs Music Conservatory in Philadelphia and the Ithaca Conservatory of Music in Ithaca, NY and had studied in New York City at the Fred Waring Workshop. She was an accomplished pianist and piano teacher and was active in music all her life. She taught many students of piano. Ann had been a member and served as president of the Logan Study Club, the Tyrone Junior Service League and the Civic Club. Her other memberships included the Tyrone Hospital Auxiliary, the Eastern Star, the Tyrone Players, the Questers and the Tyrone Chamber of Commerce. During the 1940’s she was the organist for the Warriors Mark Methodist Church. Ann was one of the organizers of the Tyrone Fred Waring Day in the 1950’s. She was the pianist for the 1954 dedication of the Tyrone Hospital and also for the hospital’s rededication in 1991.
Mrs. Getz served on the Board of Directors of the Altoona Engraving Company, the Altoona Mirror Printing Company and the Pennsylvania Mirror. In 1984 the Tyrone Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi named her “Woman of the Year”. She has been an active and generous supporter of the Altoona Symphony and the Blair County Civic Music Association.
To her many friends Ann was also affectionately known as Cupcake Anne, Green Bean Queen, The Great Mechanic and the Great Navigator-Buffalo & Jethros.
Funeral service for Anna C. Getz will be held Monday, August 20, 2007 at 11 a.m. at the Richard H. Searer Funeral Home Inc. with her nephew Tom Klevan and Chaplain Joan Smith officiating. Music will be provided by her longtime friend and associate Richard Merryman. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Altoona. Friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and on Monday from 10 a.m. until the time of service.
