Obituary of Jack McGee Lavery

Jack McGee Lavery, 85, of Cooksburg passed away at home, early Monday morning, December 31, 2012. Born August 12, 1927 in California, PA, he was the son of the late Andrew Lavery and Catherine McGee Lavery Fallon. He was first married to the former Sarah Inez Stacey of McClellandtown on August 7, 1947 and she went to be with the Lord on May 19, 1988. He then married Mary Ann Schill Farrell of Leeper on April 8, 2003 and she survives. Mr. Lavery served in the U.S. Navy at Sampson Naval Base and then in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific during World War II. He worked at Uniontown Coke Works in Fayette County and then went on to graduate from the 10th class of Ross Leffler School of Conservation in 1959 in Brockway. His first assignment was in Clarion as the State Game Protector. He and his family resided there for 11 years. He then was promoted to Law Enforcement Assistant in Ligonier, Jersey Shore and Harrisburg and then accepted the position of the District Supervisor of the Northwest Division in Franklin, PA, from which he retired in 1989 after 30 years of service with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. His life-long love of hunting and the enjoyment of animals of all kinds were his favorite pastimes. In later years, he enjoyed watching various birds that he could see from his window. He was a member of the VFW Post 2145 in Clarion, the American Legion, Ducks Unlimited, National Rifle Association, Knights of Columbus in Crown, Sampson WW II Vets and also was a member of St. Dominics Church in Sigel. In addition to his wife, Mr. Lavery is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Jane and Don Harp of Marienville and Pat and Ed Hopkins of Clarion; two step-sons, Tim Farrell and his wife, Amy of Newmansville and Keith Farrell and his wife Lorie of Tampa, FL and a step-daughter, LuAnne Yates of Leeper. In addition he is survived by 8 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, 8 step-grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. In addition to his parents and first wife, Mr. Lavery was preceded in death by a daughter, Jeannie, who died at the age of 4 and a son, Jack E. Lavery in 1999. He was also preceded in death by a step-son, Jeff Farrell. Friends and family may call from 2 - 4 & 6 - 8 on Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at the Borland Funeral Home, Inc. in Leeper. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 3, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lucinda, with Rev. Joseph Czarkowski, pastor, as celebrant. Interment will follow in Cedarview Memorial Park in Strattanville. The family requests that memorials be made to Charitable Deeds, 98 Hickory Nut Lane, Knox, PA 16232 or The Salvation Army, c/o Rev. Clara Belloit, 175 Westwood Drive, Clarion, Pa 16214.