Elsie Mae Lehew

Grandmother of 20, great-grandmother of 9. Elsie Mae Lehew, 75, of Washington, died at 4:30 a.m. Sunday, May 14, 2006, in the home of her daughter on Dunn Avenue, Washington. She had been in declining health for a year. She was born August 16, 1930, in Shenandoah Valley, Va., a daughter of Hosea and Marion Shelton Dalton. She was last employed as a cook at Italian Oven. She was Baptist. She enjoyed word search puzzles, her dog, Pepper, and doves. On April 20, 1970, she was married to Rex Ted Lehew, who died November 14, 1998. Surviving are five sons, Preston J. Foster of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., James Edward Foster of Mt. Airy, Md., John W. and wife Barbara Lehew of Belle Vernon, David Lee Foster of Washington and Kenneth Wade and wife Kathy Foster of Donora; three daughters, Barbara and husband Dickie Tusing of Mt. Airy, Md., M. Adele and husband Woody Wood of Washington and Patricia Ann and husband Gary Paterini of Bentleyville; a brother, William "Jitter" Dalton of Florida; 20 grandchildren, John Allen and Rich Tusing, Craig Foster, Jason, Josh and Zachary Foster, Sabrein James King, Marissa Foster, Amanda and Erica Lehew, Jessica and Charles Wood, Krystal, Kenny, Kara and Katrina Foster, Nycole and Robby Fetty, Gary Mike and C.J. Paterini; nine great-grandchildren, Melissa Ann, Justin Allen, Matthew Edward, Jenna Marie and Madison Drew Tusing, Austin, Cierra and Chase Foster and Jay King. Deceased, in addition to her husband, are four brothers, Howard, George, John T. and Joseph Dalton, and seven sisters, Dorothy Foster, Irene Miller, Juanita Suess, Viola Miller, Ada Roup, Gladys Dalton and Minnie Payne. Friends will be received by the family from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 395 East Maiden Street, Washington, where services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, with the Rev. Fred McCloskey officiating. Interment will be in Washington Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to American Cancer Society, 355 East Maiden Street, Washington, PA 15301.