Joseph Whitmer

Joseph L. Whitmer, 88, of Fairview, Apple Road, Petrolia, passed away Sunday morning at his home.

Mr. Whitmer was born on July 3, 1926, in Karns City. He was the son of the late Charles and Hazel Hutchison Whitmer.

He had been a longtime member of the former St. Peter's Reformed Church in Fairview and currently attended the Fairview United Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Whitmer attended school in Karns City and was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, serving with the Seabees in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. For many years, he and his wife enjoyed traveling to the annual Seabees Reunions, which took them to a different state each year.

He had been a member of the American Legion in Fairview and currently was a member of the American Legion and VFW Posts in Chicora.

Joe enjoyed hunting and trapshooting and fishing in Canada. He was a member of the North Butler Hunting and Fishing Club. He was a talented woodworker and enjoyed crafting wooden birds and hummingbirds and sharing them with family and friends.

In his earlier years he was employed by the Rex Hide Corporation in East Brady. He was later employed by Witco Chemical in Petrolia as the electrician supervisor in the acid plant and retired in 1988 after 36 years of service.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Nelda M. “Tillie” Campbell Whitmer, who he married on June 30, 1949, in Evans City.

Surviving are his two daughters, Kristie Christie and her husband, Dennis, of Parker and Robin Runyan and her husband, Sam, of Bruin; his son, Scott Whitmer and Peg Freiters of Petrolia; his five grandchildren, Marc Christie and his wife, Heather, of Petrolia, Kirby Christie and his wife, Jennifer, of East Brady, Ryan Christie of Parker, Jacob Freiters of Petrolia and Amber Weibel and her husband, Jay, of East Brady; his six great-grandchildren, Connor, Colton, Brayden and Addisyn Christie, and Malynn and Ethan Weibel; his sister-in-law, Lois Campbell of Parker; as well as a number of nieces, nephews and cousins.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his great-granddaughter, Claudine Christie; his brother, Robert Whitmer; as well as a number of brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Whitmer— The friends of Joseph L. Whitmer, who passed away Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Hile Funeral Home of Chicora, 339 Chicora Fenelton Road, Chicora.A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday from the funeral home with the Rev. Dennis Barger, pastor of the Scrubgrass Stone Church, Emlenton, officiating. Military honors will be accorded at the funeral home by the Chicora and East Brady American Legion Posts and the Chicora VFW. Interment will follow at Bear Creek Cemetery, Petrolia.Memorial contributions may be made to the Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 245, Petrolia, PA 16050, or to the Fairview United Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 204, Petrolia, PA 16050.