Obituaries
April 28, 2021

Walter A. ‘Wally’ Barch Jr.

By obits


Walter A. “Wally” Barch Jr., 77, of Washington Township, Belle Vernon, passed away Tuesday, April 13, 2021, in Monongahela Valley Hospital. He was born Dec. 26, 1943, in Charleroi, son of Walter A. Barch Sr. and Adeline Bilski Barch. He was a member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church, Belle Vernon. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War. Wally was retired from U.S. Steel with 35 years of service as a payroll clerk. He was a coach for the Washington Township football team and baseball teams for six years while his son played. He was a member of the Fairhope Rod & Gun Club, Fayette City American Legion Post No. 484 and Naomi Athletic Club. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Barbara Sabolek Barch; son, Wally Thomas Barch of Wadsworth, Ohio; daughter, Kimberly Ayersman and husband Timothy of Rostraver Township; brother, Robert Barch and wife Tammy of Lakeland, Fla.; grandson, Jordan Ayersman, granddaughter, Ashlyn Ayersman, grandson, Tommy Barchand grandson, Tyler Barch; special sister and brother-in-law, Marsha and Larry Carr; as well as numerous nieces and nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Walter A. Barch Sr.; and mother, Adeline Barch. Private committal service and interment took place April 20, 2021, at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Bridgeville, with military honors. Funeral arrangements were handled by the ELEY/MCCRORY FUNERAL HOME INC., Fayette City.

Clairton cuts ribbon on new library
Latest News, Main
By By THOMAS LETURGEY For the MVI 
September 28, 2026
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis was among the speakers at Friday’s ceremony. After a several-year project to help improve downtown, local, county and state officials as well as about 100 residents turned out Fr...
Worker dies in accident at Cleveland-Cliffs coke plant in Monessen
Latest News, Main
By TAYLOR BROWN, Senior Reporter 
September 28, 2026
The victim was identified as 53-year-old Jeffrey Smith of Newell. A Newell man was killed Sunday after becoming pinned between two door machines while working at the Cleveland-Cliffs coke plant in Mon...
Two Expressway sections set to open in November
Latest News, Main
By SARAH PELLIS spellis@yourmvi.com 
September 28, 2026
Work on other portions of the project is continuing. Sections 53A1 and 53A2 of the Mon/Fayette Expressway are now scheduled to open in late November. According to construction engineers in the Pennsyl...
Monessen Public Library welcomes new director
Latest News, Main
By MICHAEL VINSICK mvinsick@yourmvi.com 
September 28, 2026
Carrie Gessner takes over for Dave Zilka, who retired in August. Monessen Public Library welcomed new director Carrie Gessner on Saturday with a small reception at the library featuring desserts and p...
City man charged with sexual assault of juvenile
Around The Valley, Latest News
By TAYLOR BROWN, Senior Reporter 
September 28, 2026
Fifty-three charges were filed against Joshua Rioux of Monessen for the alleged attacks over two years. A Monessen man is being held without bail on 53 charges after police said he sexually assaulted ...