The obituaries published daily in the Butler Eagle usually list the accomplishments and interests of those individuals.These hundreds of obituaries, taken as a whole, reveal a wide range of Butler County residents who led interesting lives and who accomplished a great deal.Here is a snapshot of some of the people who died in 2009 in the county and the unique contributions they made.More of these items will be in the Monday Butler Eagle.———Mary E. Burns, 86, of Chicora, who died Jan. 1, worked at Uber's Clothing for more than 50 years and walked up and down the hill for work every day.———Donald Luffy, 73, of Butler, who died Jan. 3, was an avid stock car racer, received the Dapper Dan Award for Racing and is in the Circle Track Hall of Fame.———Raymond C. Kifer, formerly of Butler, who died Jan. 19, operated a prison ministry in the Butler jail for about 20 years.———Father Theodore J. Seginak, O.S.B., 87, died Jan. 24.He was known as the rhyming priest and poet.———Fred F. Turnblacer, 84, of Butler and Cranberry Township, died Jan. 28.He was instrumental in the development of Cranberry Township.———Olga Martin Keyes, 94, who died Jan. 29, climbed to the top of Machu Picchu in Peru at the age of 80.———Christine R. Walters, 60, of Chesapeake, Va., died Jan. 29.The Mars High School graduate created animal artwork and donated her work to raise funds for animal shelters and rescue groups.———Michele DePrille, 61, of New Castle, died Jan. 31.The Butler native spent her career teaching profoundly disabled children, and she developed and promoted a variety of innovative teaching methods.———Esther Bilowick, 89, formerly of Butler, died Feb. 1.Her numerous sports achievements led to her induction into the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.———Dorothy Beck Stern, 96, of Butler, died Feb. 13.She was the Pennsylvania Mother of the Year in 1978.———Irene D. Tamaska, 85, of Harrisville, formerly of Butler, died Feb. 16.A native of Romania, she worked for the French Underground during World War II.———Butler native, Sister Germaine (Phyllis) Convery of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, died Feb. 15.During her years at St. Ann's in St. Croix, she was director of religious education and director of the diaconate program of the diocese. She also began the Secular Franciscans Order and was instrumental in founding the West Indian Franciscans.———Mary Louise Ferguson, 88, of Butler, died March 4.While working in Washington, D.C., as a secretary for the assistant director of the Agency for International Development, she met diplomats, astronauts and presidents, and worked with Henry Kissinger. She moved to Paris for five years while working on the Paris Peace Talks.———Nancy VanWhy of Zelienople, who died March 5, was recognized as one of the premier experts on early American antiques.———William F. Smith, 84, of Meridian, died March 8.Bill, a Navy veteran, accompanied Admiral Byrd on one of his trips to Antarctica.———Valerie B. Schnitski, 91, of Butler, who died March 29, became famous for designing and making a dress entirely made of Armco steel.———Christina M. Ligas, 66, of Butler, who died March 28, was the first Butler County Fair homemaker queen.———Janet "Jan" Besnecker, of Butler, who died April 5, was a foster mother to 75 children, mostly newborns.———Knoch High School teacher and coach, Dale E. Mahan, 76, of Saxonburg, died April 19.He never had a losing season.———Ralph J. Edwards, 52, of Butler, died April 19.He coached the East Butler Bulldogs in the Butler Area Midget Football League for more than 20 years.———Patricia L. "Pat" Steighner Revoir, 75, of Middlesex Township, died May 7.Pat was well known for her painting of angels and was world renowned as an artist, with her angel work being found in Spain, Italy, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, South America, Africa and Australia.———Dale B. Fleming, 93, of Renfrew, died May 12.Dale retired from the Big Butler Fair after 30 years as secretary-treasurer. In 1978, he received the Bullshipper's Award for his promotion of agriculture in Butler County.———Paul R. Ritter, M.D., 92, of Chicora, died May 19.He was a pioneer in nuclear medicine and established the first nuclear medicine lab at Shadyside Hospital in 1956.———George "Red" N. Slater, 81, of Meridian, died May 22.He had been the longest continually active coach in Butler County and had guided a team every year since 1946.———Jeanne Marie "Rie" Kaufman, formerly of Parker, died May 28.Rie, who graduated in 1970 from the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind, enjoyed traveling and she did cross-country skiing, kayaking and sky diving.