Paserba

John J. Paserba Sr., 72, of Chicora died Thursday afternoon at the Kindred Hospital North-shore in Pittsburgh while surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Butler on May 2, 1939, a son of John “Shorty” Paserba and Mary Ruth Benson Paserba.

John was a 1957 graduate of Butler Area Senior High School, and following that proudly served his country by serving four years in the U.S. Navy, two years of which he was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejune, N.C., as an FMF Corpsman.

He had been employed for 18 years at Pullman Standard until the plant closed. He retired in 1997 as a nursing assistant from the VA Butler Healthcare Medical Center with 18 years of service.

John was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church at North Oakland; the Bantam Marine Detachment 743 of the Marine Corps League; the Military Order of Devil Dogs, Bantam 743; the American Legion Post 6042 and the VFW Post, both in Chicora; the East Butler Firemen's Club; the Happy Hunters Sportmen's Club; the A.A.R.P.; the Chicora Senior Center; and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.

Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Mary Neff Paserba, who he married Oct. 19, 1963; three children and their spouses, John J. (Marie) Paserba Jr. of Cranberry Township, Julie Ann (Roy) Lampe of Downingtown and Christine Elizabeth (Thomas) Rice of Chicora; seven grandchildren, Kayla and Jill Lampe, Nikko and Miya Paserba, Emelia, Grant and Christopher Rice; three brothers, Dr. Robert (Henrietta) Paserba, James (Mary Ann) Paserba and Thomas (Gail) Paserba, all of Butler; also a number of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

<B>PASERBA</B> — Friends of John J. Paserba Sr., who died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011, will be received at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, North Oakland, 864 Chicora Road, Chicora. The Rev. Joseph Pudichery, pastor, will officiate. Military honors will be accorded following the mass by the Bantam Marine Detachment 743 of Butler. Private interment will follow at the parish cemetery.The Bantam Marine Detachment will hold a prayer service at 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. A parish prayer service will be held at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, at the funeral home.