Love

Richard R. “Dick” Love, 72, of Harmony passed away at 1:15 p.m. Thursday in Butler Memorial Hospital.

He was born Aug. 3, 1940, in Butler to the late Howard Maxwell Love and Martha Louise (Rettig) Love.

Mr. Love was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Harmony. He served in the U.S. Army in peacetime; however, he extended his service for six months more during the Berlin Crisis. His comment when the Berlin Wall came down was, “I told them not to build it in the first place.”

Mr. Love, in his earlier years, worked at Natili's South and at Reliable Furniture. Then, he worked for the International Staple and Machine Co. in East Butler as a tool and die repairman, retiring in 2002.

He was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church men's breakfast Bible study group and the United Steelworkers. Mr. Love was a past member of the Newry Lions Club, and also was a Sunday school and Catechism teacher. He played Santa Claus for the Lion's Club and for friends.

Mr. Love was a pastoral spouse par excellence. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, being a history buff and was a teller of tale, mostly true, and some with a little touch added. Mr. Love loved humor and had a croaking party before his passing.

Mr. Love is survived by his wife, the Rev. Barbara E. (Gilkey) Love, who he married July 23, 1972; one son, Sgt. Eric William Love and his wife, Mary Ellen, of Gettysburg; three grandchildren, Alberta Grace-Ellen, Hannah Jean and Elijah William Love; one stepbrother, Richard Walker and his wife, Kitty, of Butler; two brothers of the heart, Grant Schmid III of Butler and Bruce Walker of Evans City; three sisters, Betty Lou Carney and her husband, Arthur, of Butler, Mary Murphy and her husband, Lee, of Rimersburg and Elizabeth Scarnato of Butler; one sister of the heart, Pat Boltz of Cowansville; two sisters-in-law, Kathryn Gilkey and Kay Karole Wharton, both of Butler; a number of nieces and nephews; and a number of great-nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his stepmother, one brother, two sisters, one stepbrother, three brothers-in-law, his mother-in-law, his father-in-law and three nephews.

LOVE — Friends of Richard R. “Dick” Love, who died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, will be received from noon to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, 124 E. North St., Butler. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 557 Perry Highway, Harmony with Bishop Kurt Kusserow of the South West PA Synod and the Rev. David Saylor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church of Evans City officiating. Burial will take place in Gruenwald Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 557 Perry Highway, Harmony, PA 16037.Online condolences can be given at www.thompson-miller.com.