November 28, 2016 - ChaddsFordLive.com

The Rev. Duane Paul Mehl of Avondale

The Rev. Duane Paul Mehl, 85, of Avondale, died Tuesday, Nov. 22, at Oxford Health Center, Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford. He was the husband of Dorothy Pannell Mehl, with whom he shared 58 years of marriage.

Born in Arkansas City, Kan. on Feb. 14, 1931, Duane was the son of the late Paul Theodore Mehl and the late Anita Von Fange Mehl.

Duane graduated from St. John’s College in Winfield, Kan. He then went on to earn a master’s degree in divinity at Theology from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo. During this time, he completed a two-year vicarage in Nigeria, Africa as a missionary and teacher at a Lutheran mission school. Later he earned an master of arts degree in English literature from Washington University in St. Louis, and a doctorate in English literature from St. Louis University in St. Louis.

Duane began his career in 1957 as the first pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Newark, Del. In 1964, he accepted a call to serve as a writer of religious instructional literature for the Board of Parish Education for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in St. Louis. Subsequently he became a professor of homiletics at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. In 1978, he accepted a call to become the pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Charlottesville, Va., where he served until becoming disabled in 1989.

Survivors, in addition to his wife Dorothy, include his daughter Jennifer Ferrara and husband Stephen of Birchrunville; his son David Mehl and wife Brigitte of Charlottesville, Va.; and his five grandchildren, Anthony Ferrara, Joseph Ferrara, Katherine Ferrara, Frances Mehl, and Lillian Mehl. He is also survived by two brothers, Gary Mehl (Lyn) of Florida and Roger Mehl (Betsy) of Minnesota.

Family and friends are invited to join Duane’s family for his viewing on Wednesday, Nov. 30, from 7-9 p.m., at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home (610-444-4116) 250 W. State St., Kennett Square, PA 19348. A memorial service will be held the next day, on Dec. 1, at 1 p.m., at Concordia Lutheran Church, 3003 Silverside Road, Wlimington, DE. Interment will be held privately.

Memorial contributions in his memory may be made to Oxford Health Center, 7 East Locust Street, Oxford, PA, 19363-1399. To view Rev. Mehl’s online tribute and to share a memory please visit www.griecocares.com

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Robert Eugene Mason of Chadds Ford

Obituaries

Robert Eugene Mason, 80, of Chadds Ford, died Wednesday, Nov. 23, at home after a long illness. He was the beloved husband of Sally Meadowcroft Mason, with whom he shared 20 years of marriage.

Born in West Chester, on March 28, 1936, He was the son of the late Raymond and Dorothy Brown Mason.

Bob graduated Kennett Consolidated School in 1956. He took pride in attending all of his class reunions. He maintained a lot of those friendships throughout the years. He attended Kings College, in Scranton.

Bob was a well-known member of the Kennett Square community. He worked in the automobile business for 53 years. At age 14 he started washing cars for his dad’s business, Mason Chevrolet-Oldsmobile on State Street in Kennett. He became a salesman when he returned from College. Bob worked for two other owners, retiring from Bill Luke Chevrolet-Oldsmobile in 1999. He always drove a Chevrolet or an Oldsmobile.

Bob enjoyed playing golf at the Kennett Square Golf and Country club where he was a Emeritus member. He was a past member of the Board of Directors, The men’s Golf Committee and the F.R.O.GS, Friendly Retired Old Golfers. He also was very instrumental in setting up the Pro/Am tournament to raise money for the Diabetes Association and the Folds of Honor. He was also a lifelong member of the Oldsmobile Association. Bob could usually be found at ‘The Club”’ playing golf or playing gin rummy with his many friends in the 19^th hole.

He also enjoyed, cruising, visiting Maui, being with his family and friends, reading, dancing, and watching all of the Philadelphia sports teams: Eagles, Phillies and Flyers.

“Son, Brother, Father, Pop-Pop, Husband, Lover and Friend” These are just some of the words that describe Bob. Some others words are “Trustworthy, Honest, a true Friend, Loyal and an all-around good guy”.

In addition to his wife He is survived by two sons; Thomas and Robert ( Lori) Mason, two daughters; Robin Ciorrocco(Michael) and Deborah Mundy; by grandchildren Carrie, Kelly, Anthony Ciorrocco, Christina D’Alessio(Andrew), Jennifer, Michael, and Wendy Mason. Also Amanda and Sarah Mason. Great-grandchildren; Trista and Logan Mason. Bob was predeceased by one sister, Jo Ann Mason.

Thank you to his many friends, neighbors and family members for your thoughts and prayers, cards and visits. We appreciated every one. We would also like to thank the Bayada Home Care and Jenner’s Pond Preston Unit for the Care and concern they showed to us during this trying time.

You are invited to visit with Bob’s family and friends from, 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, and again from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, 250 West State Street, Kennett Square,. His funeral service will follow at 11. Burial will be in Union Hill Cemetery, Route 82, Kennett Square.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Neighborhood Hospice, 795 E. Marshall Street, Suite 204, West Chester, PA 19380 or The Jenner’s Pond Benevolent Fund , 2000 Greenbriar Lane, West Grove, PA 19390

To send online condolences, please visit www.griecocares.com

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Donations sought to save Beaver Valley

_1JF0109 — Colleen Morrone, vice chairman of Delaware County Council, addresses a group of reporters during a press conference at Pends Woods Winery on the preservation Beaver Valley.

It’s time for those who want to keep Beaver Valley green to step up with some green. That was word from Concord Township Supervisors’ Chairman Dominic Pileggi during a press conference at Penns Woods Winery.

The session was a formal announcement regarding the preservation of 240 acres along Beaver Valley, property currently owned by Woodlawn Trustees. Eastern States Development and the McKee Group are the equitable owners.

The land had been earmarked for development, but it was learned last week that a conservation agreement had been reached to keep the land preserved.

To make that happen though, the Conservation Fund needs to raise an additional $8 million.

“This is a great day for Concord Township,” Pileggi told a small group of reporters. “I do realize they are requesting additional funds to be raised and I would just hope that those who were such advocates for saving this valley will join in the passion they had in coming to our meetings, and open their wallets and pocketbooks to fund this worthy cause.”

Pileggi announced last year, the same night the supervisors approved a plan to build 160 homes on the property, that Concord would donate $500,000 to keeping the land preserved. He also said at the time that Delaware County would donate an additional $250,000.

“It’s been quite a journey to get here,” Pileggi said as he gave a brief history of five years worth of talks.

In 2011, Woodlawn requested a zoning change for the property, a request that was met with, what Pileggi called a “raucous” crowd of opponents. Woodlawn withdrew the request, but came back two years later with a plan that it, along with developers and the supervisors, considered “by right,” meaning it met the township’s zoning code.

While that plan was approved in 2015, residents appealed to Delaware County Court where Judge Michael Green, in October, remanded the decision to supervisors saying the board failed to meet criteria set forth by the state Constitution regarding environmental issues and other procedural requirements.

Then last week came the announcement of the conservation agreement.

Colleen Morrone, vice chairman of Delaware County Council, reiterated during the press conference that the county would donate $250,000 and the township would kick in $500,000.

“County Council is thrilled to have worked with Concord Township to preserve this beautiful piece of land for our residents,” Morrone said. “This serves as a model for future open space initiatives and we look forward to working together with other municipal leaders and conservation groups to preserve open space throughout our county.”

Morrone also said The McKee Group confirmed the agreement of sale, but there’s been no disclosure of the actual selling price.

She did say, however, that the Brandywine Conservancy is accepting donations for the extra $8 million needed to close the deal, which she thinks, would happen by early 2017.

Pileggi said it’s unlikely that the conservation groups would fail to raise the money.

“I personally think they wouldn’t have gotten this far unless they were confident in their fundraising efforts, he said.

The conservancy, along with The Beaver Valley Preservation Alliance is crediting the Beaver Valley Conservancy, Mount Cuba Center and the Conservation Fund joined to help preserve the land.

Those interested in donating should make checks made payable to The Brandywine Conservancy, with Beaver Valley noted on the memo line, and send them to the attention of Kim Reynolds, Director of Development, Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art, PO Box 141, Chadds Ford PA 19317

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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Alternative therapy for chronic ailments

Health

Outpatient-Physical-Therapy — As a full-service health system, we offer specialized care for virtually every physical therapy and rehabilitation need.

If you’re suffering from debilitating pain caused by an injury or aging, you want long-term relief…and you want it fast. Many people think surgery and medications are their best options for treating chronic ailments like low back pain, knee injuries and degenerative disk disease. But they may not be. Both surgery and medications may provide some temporary relief, but not without potential risks and significant side effects.

Doctors have found that when treating several types of chronic pain, physical therapy is just as effective – and sometimes longer lasting – than surgery or medication. Plus, the only “side effects” are increased physical fitness, better mobility, and improved health.

The Downsides of Surgery and Medications
Every surgery involves risk. From bad reactions to anesthesia, excessive bleeding and post-operative infections, surgical complications, while rare, sometimes become a reality. In addition, specific surgeries have their own unique set of unique risks. For example, surgery to alleviate lower back pain puts you at risk for nerve damage that can lead to weakness, loss of bladder and bowel control, and paralysis in some rare cases.

Medications, even over-the-counter varieties like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, also come with their own list of risks and side effects. When used over a long period to treat pain, they can cause stomach ulcers, bleeding and may hurt your kidneys and liver.

For these reasons, many doctors like to take a more conservative treatment approach before recommending surgery and medications.

How and When Physical Therapy Can Help
In several studies, researchers compared physical therapy to surgical treatment for results such as pain relief, health status, disability, and overall satisfaction. They found that there was no increased benefit of having surgery compared to physical therapy for several conditions, including:

Low back pain
Spinal stenosis
Degenerative disk disease
Meniscal tears
Knee osteoarthritis
Rotator cuff tears

Based on these results, many doctors will now recommend physical therapy before trying a more invasive surgical solution or medication.

What to Expect from Physical Therapy
If your doctor recommends physical therapy before moving on to surgery or medications, you may be wondering what to expect during your appointment. Typically, the physical therapist will start by asking questions about your health and specific condition. They will perform a detailed examination to evaluate your strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and posture. They will then work with you to create a plan to reach your goals, which will include alleviating your pain and improving your ability to perform your daily activities and tasks.

While physical therapy is less invasive and risky than surgery or medication, it’s not necessarily easy. You’ll be expected to be an active participant in your treatment, which can be challenging at times. This includes performing the exercises and activities recommended by your physical therapist, keeping your therapy appointments, and following up with your doctor regularly. Performing the home exercises and activities prescribed by your physical therapist are as vital to your healing process as the ones you do during your therapy sessions.

Most people experience significant improvements in mobility and pain relief as a reward for the hard work of physical therapy – all without the added risks of surgery and medications.

About Crozer Keystone Staff

Crozer-Keystone Health System’s physicians, specialists and advanced practitioners are committed to improving the health of our community through patient-centered, quality care across a full continuum of health services. Crozer Brinton Lake is Crozer-Keystone’s comprehensive outpatient care facility in western Delaware County, offering primary care, specialty services, outpatient surgery and advanced cancer treatment. Contact us: 300 Evergreen Drive, Glen Mills, PA 19342 http://www.crozerkeystone.org/Brinton-Lake 1-855-254-7425

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