Ronald Edgar Bookhamer, 79, of Saxonburg died at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at VA Butler Healthcare.

Born May 28, 1930, in Altoona, he was the son of the late Edgar C. Bookhamer and Catherine E. Westover Bookhamer.

Mr. Bookhamer was a brakeman with U.S. Steel in the railroad yard at the Saxonburg plant.

He was a Protestant.

He was a veteran of the Navy, serving in the Korean War.

He enjoyed fishing and he was an avid sports fan.

Mr. Bookhamer is survived by his wife, Ellen (Smith) Bookhamer of Saxonburg; two daughters, Mrs. Robert (Sue) Tirk of Petrolia and Tanya Hackwelder of Butler; a son, William Bookhamer of Boyers; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a brother, David Larry Bookhamer of Chambersburg; a sister, Marian Maxine Keefert of Woodsfield, Ohio; and numerous nieces and nephews. He also is survived by his children's mother.

Mr. Bookhamer was preceded in death by a son.

<B>BOOKHAMER</B> — There will be no public visitation or funeral services for Ronald Edgar Bookhamer, who died Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009.Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association Western Region, Wexford Professional Building II, Suite 2104, 11676 Perry Highway, Wexford, PA 15090.Arrangements were handled by the <B>Thompson-Miller Funeral Home</B>, and information and a private guest book are available at www.thompson-miller.com.