Alene "Pinky" Newstrom

Surrounded by her family, Alene "Pinky" Newstrom, 82, of Charleroi, passed away peacefully on January 4, 2011, in the Mon Valley Care Center. A daughter of the late Harry and Edna Spencer Whitesel Sr., she was born December 30, 1928, in Webster. For over 20 years, Pinky drove school bus for the Ringgold School District where, in 1988, she received the Commonwealth's top award for safe driving, the Governor's Highway Safety Award. After her retirement she enjoyed playing bingo, cards, board games and making crafts. She enjoyed playing bingo so much that, at one point, she drove the bingo bus for the former 70s Bus Line. She was a hardworking and very loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Left to cherish her memory are a daughter, Debra Fredrick and husband Robert, of Charleroi; a son, Jeffrey Newstrom and wife Joezy, of Dunlevy; 10 grandchildren, Daniel Riebau and wife Heidi, Dani Patterson and husband Robert, Buddy Suppa and wife Wendy, Casi Skibo and husband Chad, Jeffrey Newstrom Jr., Bree Ondulick, Jessica Newstrom, Chad, Crystal, and Amber Owen; six great-grandchildren, Brandon Murphy, Ashlee Riebau, Tia and Sade Patterson, Willie Suppa, and Sydney Skibo; numerous nieces and nephews; sisters-in-law, Peggy Newstrom and Katherine Whitesel; and her loving cat, Diva. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Amelia Gibson and Grace Lashinsky and her brother, Harry Whitesel Jr. Friends will be received Thursday, from 6 to 8 p.m. and Friday, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. in the Melenyzer-DuBarr Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, Inc., 825 Fallowfield Ave., Charleroi, where a funeral service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 8, at 11 a.m. with Rev. Jim Linn presiding. Interment will follow in Monongahela Cemetery. The family suggests memorial contributions in memory of Pinky be made to the American Cancer Society, 320 Bilmar Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15205-4620.