Looking for some handwriting interpretation...

[Justin J. Rebbert]

There are a couple of fields on a death certificate that I'm having trouble making out. If anyone with experience reading bad or faded handwriting, or better eyes than me, could give me some help, I'd greatly appreciate it.

The document can be seen here: http://gallery.me.com/jjr512/100612/Catherine-20Theiss-20-Heiser--20-Peuplie--20--20De/web.jpg

On the left, I can make out the father's name as John Theis, born in Germany, and that the mother was born in Germany, but I can't make out the mother's name (box 13). The first name appears to be Rose, that's all I can tell. On the right side, cause of death, I can make out the first line as "fractured femur", I believe, and on the line below it, the second word appears to be "heart", but i can't read anything else in this box.

[kyuck]

There are a couple of fields on a death certificate that I'm having trouble making out. If anyone with experience reading bad or faded handwriting, or better eyes than me, could give me some help, I'd greatly appreciate it.
I would say you are right with "John Theis" because if you Google that name there are many of them. Likewise with "Rose Batah" and Google.
I believe the words to the right of John Theis are "arteric sclerotic heart disease."
HTH,
Kevan

[dfilpus]

The medical term is "arterioscleretic".

[Dennis J. Cunniff]

The medical term is "arterioscleretic".

"Arteriosclerotic heart disease", and I think that's what's written on the form; the physician just didn't close up his "o", making it look like a "c".

[Bob White]

The 1920 census has two John Theis with a spouse named Rosa. Could the one in Pennsylvania be your John Theis? If so, it is possible that he is in Pennsylvania as Tees (Theis) in 1910 and in New York Thies (Theis) in 1900... The original in 1920 looks like Rosa not Rose to me.

[Philpott]

There are a couple of fields on a death certificate that I'm having trouble making out. If anyone with experience reading bad or faded handwriting, or better eyes than me, could give me some help, I'd greatly appreciate it.

The document can be seen here: http://gallery.me.com/jjr512/100612/Catherine-20Theiss-20-Heiser--20-Peuplie--20--20De/web.jpg

On the left, I can make out the father's name as John Theis, born in Germany, and that the mother was born in Germany, but I can't make out the mother's name (box 13). The first name appears to be Rose, that's all I can tell. On the right side, cause of death, I can make out the first line as "fractured femur", I believe, and on the line below it, the second word appears to be "heart", but i can't read anything else in this box.

The word before "heart" is arteriosclerotic" and after it is "disease" so it reads "arteriosclerotic heart disease"; the rest of your reading of the cause of death is correct as you wrote it (being a physician seals the deal). I cannot make out exactly the maiden name of Rose -- my guess is "Batch."

[Justin J. Rebbert]

The 1920 census has two John Theis with a spouse named Rosa. Could the one in Pennsylvania be your John Theis? If so, it is possible that he is in Pennsylvania as Tees (Theis) in 1910 and in New York Thies (Theis) in 1900... The original in 1920 looks like Rosa not Rose to me.

I don't think either of these could be the relative mentioned on the death certificate, but thank you very much for your efforts there. The reason I rule them out is because the death certificate is for his daughter Catherine, born 9-Oct-1864, died 13-Aug-1949, both events in NY, NY. This John Theis most likely wasn't born after 1848. This death certificate is the only evidence I have of her parents, in fact.

"Rose" and "Rosa" are so close to the same, and names were recorded so inaccurately back then, with faults on both sides of the forms...

[Bob White]

......"Rose" and "Rosa" are so close to the same, and names were recorded so inaccurately back then, with faults on both sides of the forms...
As with my own mother... The ship's purser recorded her as Rosa, so Ellis Island did likewise. Before and after that, she was always Rose. :)