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Obituaries

Songwriter behind such hits as ‘The Gambler’ dies at 73

NEW YORK (AP) — Don Schlitz, the storied country music songwriter known for such hits as “The Gambler,” “On the Other Hand” and “Forever and Ever, Amen,” died Thursday at a Nashville hospital. He was 73. The cause of death was not immediately known. A press release from the Grand Ole Opry described it as a sudden illness. The two-time Grammy Award winner was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Schlitz made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2017 and was later inducted in 2022. He is the only ...

Lynne A. Novisky 1953-2026

FOWLER — Lynne A. Novisky, 72, passed away Monday evening, April 13, 2026, at St. Joseph Warren Hospital. Lynne was born on June 28, 1953, in Youngstown, a daughter of the late Glenn and Ruth Smith. She was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, where she was the valedictorian of her ...

Robert S. Harris 1967-2026

YOUNGSTOWN — Robert Sean Harris, aka “Indian,” 58, sadly passed away on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. He was born on Nov. 24, 1967, the sixth child born to James and Helen Sanchez Harris, and spent his whole life as a Youngstown West Sider. Sean was a self-made man owning his own masonry ...

Area death

JOHN WRIGHT, 59, of Warren, died Tuesday in Mineral Ridge. (Arabugh-Pearce-Greenisen)

Services

PAMELA CURRAN, 74, Stuthers. SERVICES: 11 a.m. Saturday, First Covenant Church, Youngstown. CALLING HOURS: 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Clemente Funeral Home, Struthers, and 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, church. ANTHONY J. D’APOLITO, 79, Ocala, Florida. SERVICES: noon Saturday, Greenford Christian Church, Main Campus, Greenford. CALLING HOURS: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, church. JOAN B. DAVENPORT, 85, Canfield. SERVICES: 3 p.m. Saturday, Canfield Presbyterian Churach. CALLING HOURS: 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, church. WILLIAM A. FISHER SR., 88, Sharon, Pa. SERVICES: 10 a.m. Saturday, St. Joseph Church, ...

George A. Freeman 1932-2026

TIFFIN — George Arthur Freeman, 94, of Tiffin, passed away on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Tiffin. He was born on March 25, 1932, in Youngstown, to Arthur J. and Virginia O. Watt Freeman. George graduated in 1950 from Struthers High School, near Youngstown. George then went to Heidelberg College, Tiffin, graduating in 1954, with a speech major. George began a long and successful career in broadcasting at WKST AM/TV-45, New Castle, Pa. He then became the first “morning man” radio broadcaster at Youngstown’s Hot Radio, WHOT. He served as news director at WKST AM/TV, WBBW-AM, ...