Decorated war veterans, bakers, retired steel workers, artists, loving grandparents and the keepers of family history were among the victims of former nurse Heather Pressdee.

Gerald Shrum Sr., 90, of Penn Township, was a Korean War veteran; James “Matt” Bartoe, 55, of East Brady, survived brain cancer; and Nicholas Cymbol, 43, of Rural Valley, had surpassed doctors expectations after surviving anoxic brain damage.

Stories about each victim were shared during impact statements given to the court Thursday, May 2, before Pressdee was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without parole and an additional 380 to 760 years in prison, which are to be served consecutively.

Some family members, like Cymbol’s older sister Melinda Brown, found relief from hearing about the lives of the other victims.

“It was really helpful to meet the others and hear their stories,” she said.

Pressdee, 41, of Natrona Heights, pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of first-degree murder related to their deaths and 19 counts of attempted murder related to 19 other victims at nursing homes in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler and Westmoreland counties. In total, she was linked to the death of 17 patients and administered lethal, or potentially lethal, insulin doses to 22 total patients between October 2020 and May 2023.

These are the 22 victims who were either died under Pressdee’s care, died following her care or survived lethal insulin injections, according to the filed charges.

Pressdee pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder in relation to her employment at Concordia at Rebecca Residence in Allegheny County from October 2020 to April 2021.

One resident, an 89-year-old woman, died at the facility while under Pressdee’s care.

Ruth Erikson

Ruth Erikson, 89, of Richland Township, Allegheny County, died Dec. 17, 2020, under Pressdee’s care while at Concordia at Rebecca in Allegheny County. Her son Mark said during his victim impact statement Thursday his mother was employed as a physical therapist for most of her life.

Erikson had a love of music, the arts, classic movies and animals, even nursing a Maine coon cat back to health after veterinarians told her to put it down. The cat, named Beauty, lived to be 18 years-old, according to Mark.

Erikson is survived by her son and daughter and their partners, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Pressdee pleaded guilty to five counts of attempted murder in relation to her employment at Guardian Healthcare, operating as Belair Healthcare and Rehabiltation Center in Westmoreland County from April 2021 to February 2022.

Four people died in Pressdee’s care and one person suffered hypoglycemia on a day Pressdee cared for him.

Sherry Stilitino

Sherry Stilitino, 58, of New Kensington, died Aug. 9, 2021, after being in Pressdee’s care.

According to her obituary, Stilitino was a lover of crafts and coloring.

Marianne Bower

Marianne Bower, 68, of Freeport, died Sept. 28, 2021, under Pressdee’s care.

Her family said during victim impact statements she “smiled through the pain always.”

According to her obituary, Bower was a homemaker who enjoyed reading, shopping, jewelry and spending time with her family and loved ones.

Jack Rogers II

Jack Rogers II, 79, of Lower Burrell, died Nov. 16, 2021, on a day Pressdee was working.

He was a Vietnam War veteran, serving in the Army as a Cobra helicopter pilot and was awarded the Purple Heart for rescuing injured soldiers. A family member described him as “an American hero” in their victim impact statement read Thursday.

He also was a chemical engineer in the state of Washington for many years. He is survived by siblings, nieces and nephews, according to his obituary.

Mary Colwell

Mary Colwell, 92, of Lower Burrell, died Dec. 28, 2021, under Pressdee’s care.

Colwell’s grandson, Russ, described her as an avid swimmer who even taught him how to swim. She also loved the beach.

Her obituary indicates she was incredibly committed to her Christian faith.

She is survived by grandchildren and siblings.

Norman Hendrickson

Norman Hendrickson, 88, of Economy Township, suffered hypoglycemia in February 2022 under Pressdee’s care. He survived.

Hendrickson later died in December 2022. He was one of nine siblings, according to an impact statement given by his family Thursday. He served in the U.S. Army and was later employed in the steel mills for 33 years.

According to his family, Hendrickson loved his farm, tractor and tinkering in his garage. He was married to his wife, Louise, for 62 years.

He is survived by a son, daughter, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pressdee pleaded guilty to one count of murder and seven counts of attempted murder in relation to her employment at Quality Life Services in Donegal Township, Butler County, from May to November 2022.

A 55-year-old East Brady man was hospitalized when Pressdee was working and later died, resulting in one of the murder charges to which she pleaded guilty. Three other people died in her care or following her care, and four others suffered hypoglycemia following insulin injections.

Barbara Schmidt

Barbara Schmidt was 83 years old when she suffered a hypoglycemic incident on June 17, 2022, while Pressdee was working. She survived.

James ‘Jim’ Fair

James “Jim” Fair, 92, of Chicora, died Aug. 6, 2022, under Pressdee’s care. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving in the Korean War, according to his daughter, Debbie Bly.

He retired from the barrelhouse at WITCO in Petrolia in 1992. His family described him as a music lover, listening to country and gospel albums.

According to his obituary, Fair was also a member of Harvest Community Church in Fairview.

He is survived by two daughters, five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Elmer Allbee

Elmer Allbee was 73 years old when he suffered a hypoglycemic incident on Aug. 31, 2022, while Pressdee was working. He survived.

Charles Kamer

Charles Kamer was 51 years old when he suffered a hypoglycemic incident on Oct. 8 into Oct. 9, 2022, while Pressdee was working. He survived.

Betty McQueeney

Betty McQueeney, 99, of Chicora, died Nov. 6, 2022, under Pressdee’s care.

During victim impact statements made Thursday, McQueeney was described as an intelligent woman who loved reading, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates, gardening and her Bible. She was a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith for 50 years, according to her obituary.

McQueeney is survived by children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

Betty Hutchison

Betty Hutchison, of Chicora, was 93 years old when she received a non-prescribed injection of insulin while Pressdee was working on Nov. 9, 2022. She survived, but had a stroke as a result, according to her family members during their victim impact statement Thursday.

Hutchison is now 95.

Her great-niece described her as “Rosie the Riveter,” since she worked in the Bantam factory in Butler as a teenager. When her husband entered the ministry for the Church of God of Prophesy, the two traveled around Pennsylvania serving different parishes.

Hutchison’s hobbies included baking pies and crocheting.

James ‘Matt’ Bartoe

James “Matt” Bartoe, 55, of East Brady, was hospitalized when Pressdee was working on Nov. 19, 2022, and died Dec. 4, 2022.

Bartoe was a graduate of East Brady High School and Lenape Vo-Tech, according to his mother, Helen. He worked for Standard Bent Glass for a number of years and was a brain cancer survivor.

Bartoe’s brother said he had “the biggest heart” and a “magnetic personality.” He was a lover of Dale Earnhart, art, puzzles and cats.

He is survived by his mother and several siblings.

Joseph L. Campbell

Joseph L. Campbell, 82, of Butler, died Dec. 25, 2022. He was hospitalized after being under Pressdee’s care on Nov. 19, 2022.

His family members described him in their victim impact statements as a hardworking man, who served as a pipe fitter at Calumet-Penreco for 40 years.

He is survived by four children, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, three sisters, two brothers, and nieces and nephews.

Pressdee plead guilty to two counts of attempted murder in relation to her employment at Premier Armstrong Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Armstrong County from November to December 2022.

Two women, one age 85 and the other age 90, died in December 2022, while Pressdee was working or under her care.

Louise Skinner

Louise Skinner, 90, of, Kittanning, died Dec. 18, 2022, under Pressdee’s care.

She was a former insurance clerk and a member of the Montgomeryville Baptist Church in Adrian, according to her obituary.

According to her family members, Skinner enjoyed gardening, cooking, traveling, riding roller coasters and bikes and camping.

She is survived by her husband of 68 years, two daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Alice Stewart

Alice Stewart, 85, of Kittanning, died Dec. 27, 2022, while Pressdee was working.

Her obituary described her as a generous woman with strong spiritual devotion and a love of board games and puzzles.

She is survived by a son and daughter, grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pressdee pleaded guilty two counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder in relation to her employment at Sunnyview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Butler Township from January to May 2023.

A 90-year-old Penn Township man died March 25, 2023 under Pressdee’s care and a 42-year-old Rural Valley man died May 1, 2023 under Pressdee’s care, resulting in two of the murder charges to which she pleaded guilty.

Four others died under her care or while she was working.

Marguerite “Peggy” Laskovich

Marguerite “Peggy” Laskovich, 80, of Hampton Township, Allegheny County, died Jan. 21, 2023, under Pressdee’s care.

Her obituary indicated she worked as co-chief executive officer at ABC Glass Service Inc., a customer services associate at JCPenney and a part-time front desk receptionist at Concordia at Rebecca Residence.

During victim impact statements, her family described her as a lover of dogs and wildlife. She was a member of various dog clubs.

Laskovich is survived by one son.

Ann Victain

Ann Victain, a 104-year-old woman of Middlesex Township, died March 21, 2023, while Pressdee was working.

One of Victain’s favorite past times was bingo, according to her granddaughter, Cheryl Reynolds. She was also a lover of sweet treats.

Reynolds described Victain as an “amazing woman” who lived a very healthy and generous life. She added that her grandmother was also considered herself a “Cupid,” playing matchmaker over the years for her family.

Her obituary indicated she was a homemaker who cherished her family and friends, enjoyed cooking and baking.

Irene Simons

Irene Simons, 78, of Butler, died March 24, 2023, under Pressdee’s care.

She was employed by the IRS in Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2017, and then by Sechler Memorial Co., according to her obituary.

She was a member of All Saints Parish and the Unionville Volunteer Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary and she was a supporter of the Special Olympics. She is survived by her husband, a daughter and son, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Gerald Shrum Sr.

Gerald Shrum Sr., 90, of Penn Township, died March 25, 2023, under Pressdee’s care.

His obituary described him as a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was a Korean War veteran, according to family members who spoke during victim impact statements Thursday.

Shrum is survived by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Sandra Lincoln

Sandra Lincoln, 82, of Chicora, died April 17, 2023, under Pressdee’s care.

She was a graduate of Karns City Area Jr./Sr. High School and member of Chicora Senior Center and Life of Butler County, according to her obituary.

She is survived by her daughter, several grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Nicholas Cymbol

Nicholas Cymbol, 43, of Rural Valley, died May 1, 2023, under Pressdee’s care. His obituary describes his love for fishing, playing pool, tinkering in his garage, collecting trains and doing his “monkey call” with his niece.

Cymbol was a 1997 graduate of Shannock Valley High School. He lived in Maryland for a time and Port Charlotte, Fla. with his father. In Florida, he worked as a cook at Chili’s.

In her victim impact statement, Cymbol’s sister, Melinda Brown, referred to Cymbol as her baby brother. Cymbol called her his “big sis.”

Brown recalled how Cymbol would take road trips with his father, and how he would help prepare pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. He loved the beach and swimming, she said.

Cymbol was looking forward to returning home from Sunnyview, where he had been placed temporarily. He looked forward to his niece’s high school graduation and seeing her attend prom, his sister said.

Before Pressdee began killing or attempting to kill patients, she was employed by five other facilities across Allegheny and Butler counties.

In Allegheny County, she was employed by Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Harmarville from October 2018 to April 2019; Allegheny Valley Hospital from April 2019 to September 2019; and Platinum Ridge Center for Rehabilitation and Healing from September 2019 to January 2020.

She then worked from February to April 2020 at Orchards of Saxonburg before returning to another Allegheny County facility, UPMC Passavant-McCandless from April to October 2020.

Following her employment at Sunnyview, she worked briefly at Cheswick Rehabilitation Center in Allegheny County.

Pressdee was also employed briefly by Woodhaven Care Center, Allegheny County directly before coming to Quality Life Services in Donegal Township. No charges have been filed related to her employment at the Allegheny County facility from March to May 2022.

Eagle staff writer Irina Bucur and Eagle assignment editor Tracy Leturgey contributed to this report.