Fennell

James Samuel Fennell, 87, of Butler passed away at 3 p.m. Thursday at VA Butler Healthcare.

He was born Nov. 24, 1924, in Washington Township, Westmoreland County, near Vandergrift, to the late W.J. Bryan Fennell and Ruth Gilchrist Fennell.

During World War II, Mr. Fennell served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. As radio operator on a B-24, with the 8th Air Force 466th Bomber Group, based in England, he flew a full 32 missions over Europe.

Mr. Fennell met Paulina Takach of Leechburg on a New Year's Eve blind date and they married on June 26, 1948. Together they raised six children, James, Kathleen (deceased), John, Richard, Marcia and Sandra.

A 1950 graduate of Penn State University, Mr. Fennell was an agricultural sales representative and sales manager for Eastern States Cooperative, later Agway, before finishing his work life as a security guard for Allegheny Ludlum Steel.

Mr. Fennell loved the outdoors, planting a yearly vegetable garden, hunting, camping, taking long walks and golfing. As a salesman, he enjoyed learning and traveling the back-roads of Western Pennsylvania and meeting with local farmers.

Mr. Fennell loved following the news and avidly read the Butler Eagle and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Mr. Fennell was a member of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, the American Legion, and the Western PA Wing of the 8th Air Force Historical Society.

Surviving are his wife, Paulina T. Fennell; five children, James S. Fennell Jr. (Jeanne) of Beaumont, Texas, John A. Fennell of Butler, Richard B. Fennell (Nancy) of Birmingham, Ala., Marcia Kostic (John D.) of Pittsburgh and Sandra Dryer (Shawn) of Baden; 13 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; his sister, Edwina Pearce; and his brother Richard L. Fennell.

<B>FENNELL</B> — Friends of James Samuel Fennell, who died Thursday, March 22, 2012, will be received at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, 127 Franklin St., Butler. The Rev. James Dolan, pastor, will officiate. Interment will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery, Butler.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to World War II's Eighth Air Force Libraries Endowment, Penn State University, 104 Paterno Library, University Park, PA 16802 or to St. Peter's Church, 127 Franklin St., Butler, PA 16001.