Gene Minarchick
Gene Minarchick, 85, of West Decatur, died Sunday, June 14, 2020, at Penn Highlands DuBois.
Gene was born on November 29, 1934, in (New Liberty) RD Osceola Mills, a son of the late George and Isabel Margaret (Rothrock) Minarchick.
Gene graduated from the former Philipsburg High School in 1954. Following high school, he attended the University of Pittsburgh on a football scholarship. However, his collegiate football career was cut short due to a knee injury.
Gene held a few different jobs during his early working career; including driving truck, working on a farm in New York state, working for the Ford Motor Co. and selling insurance for Washington National. However, he spent most of his working career with Penelec at the Shawville power plant. He started out as a janitor, ashman and general utility worker. Over the years he would work his way up through the ranks to shift supervisor. He retired from Penelec after 27 years of service.
Gene was a member of the Calvary United Methodist Church, West Decatur; a former member of the IBEW; and a longtime member of the former Philipsburg County Club (now known as the B.P.O. Elks Lodge and Country Club).
Gene was married on April 28, 1956, at Calvary United Methodist Church, West Decatur, to the former Marie G. Bock, who survives at home.
He is also survived by a daughter, Linda M. Bell and her husband, Edward K., of West Decatur; four sons: Gregory E. Minarchick and his wife, Denise J., Tracy L. Minarchick, Michael S. Minarchick and his wife, Shari L. and Joel Q. Minarchick, all of West Decatur; seven grandchildren: David E. Minarchick and his wife, Danielle, Nicholas J. Minarchick and his wife, Keila, Nathan G. Minarchick and his wife, Valerie, Michael S. Minarchick, Jr, and his wife, Lynn, Dustin A. Minarchick and his wife, Kylie, Tyler R. Minarchick and his partner, Jessie and Christopher G. Minarchick; nine great-grandchildren: Alex Wilkinson, Hannah J., Peyton J., Bella, Grace, Riley, Aidan, Jaxen and Nico Minarchick; and numerous other extended family members.
Gene was preceded in death by one sister, Nancy Speakman and one brother, John S. “Jack” Minarchick.
Some of his favorite pastimes included hunting, fly fishing, golf and restoring old cars. He was an avid fan of Penn State wrestling, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates. During his retirement, he also spent time volunteering at the country club. He would help working on the grounds, servicing the equipment and wherever else he was needed.
Most of all, Gene enjoyed going to see his great-grandchildren’s baseball and softball games, spending time with his family and getting together for Sunday dinners.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, June 19, 2020, at 11 am, at the Beezer-Heath Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 719 E. Spruce St., Philipsburg, with Lay Speaker Georgia Litz, officiating.
Visitation will be at the funeral home on Thursday, June 18, 2020, from 2 to 4 pm and 6 to 8 pm; and on Friday, from 10 am until the time of the service.
Interment will be in Mock’s Hill Cemetery, West Decatur.
Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made in Gene’s memory to the Calvary United Methodist Church, Handicap Entrance Fund, P.O. Box 41, West Decatur, Pa 16878.
