Tena Ruth Johnson Pletcher

Tena Ruth Johnson Pletcher, 92, of Buena Vista passed away Thursday November 22, 2018. She was born April 23 1926 in Buena Vista, the daughter of the late Ralph L. and Ruth Odessa (McClean) Johnson. She owned and operated the Ralph L. Johnson Funeral Home in Buena Vista having been a licensed funeral director for nearly 70 years. After graduating from high school in 1944 she approached her father and convinced him she wanted to become a funeral director. She attended Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. After graduating from mortuary school Ruth served her two year apprenticeship at the family funeral home in Buena Vista. About the time she got her funeral director license in early 1948 she met and married Rev. Remo H. Pletcher and they decided to move to Florida for a pastoral calling. Her funeral directing career could have ended there if it had not been for the untimely death of her father Ralph L. Johnson in 1953. Her mother received a widow’s license to keep the family business open and asked her daughter to move back to run the family business. This is a time we should celebrate and acknowledge Ruth’s commitment to the funeral service profession. She helped her community through good times and bad and raised her family while working fulltime. She was an excellent funeral director who happened to be a woman when most funeral directors were men. When another funeral director recently asked Ruth for any words of wisdom she shared “Treat every family you serve as if it were your own and never turn away people in need”. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Rev. Remo H. Pletcher and her son Leslie B. Pletcher. Ruth was a member Buena Vista United Presbyterian Church, the Elizabeth Township Historical Society, and was an honorary member of the Buena Vista VFD Ladies Auxiliary. She is survived by her children Alice Ruth Gallingane, Remo D. (Deborah) Pletcher, and Grace L. (Kenneth) Angelo all of Buena Vista; her grandchildren Kimberly Waligura Denne, Christian Gallingane, Veta (Lee) Randolph, Justin Angelo, Jordan (Samantha) Angelo, and Rachelle Pletcher; five great grandchildren; and a great great granddaughter. Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Buena Vista United Presbyterian Church, 335 Styche St., Buena Vista, where a funeral service will be held at Noon Monday. Interment will follow in Mount Vernon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers a contribution can be made to Buena Vista United Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 147 Buena Vista, PA 15018. The William Snyder Funeral Home, Irwin, 724-863-1200, is in charge of arrangements. For online condolences please visit snyderfuneralservices.com.

Tena Ruth Johnson Pletcher

April 23, 1924 - November 22, 2018