Werner

Eric Werner, 61, of Butler, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Good Samaritan Hospice in Wexford surrounded by loving family after a hard-fought battle with cancer.

Born May 25,1963 in Butler, he was the son of the late Ervin and Norma Jean (Raybuck) Werner. Eric was a 1981 graduate of Butler High School, a 1985 graduate of Duquesne University with a degree in business and went on to work for Goettler Distributing as a sales manager for 35 years, where he sold “the best beer brands in the world.” He was also a member of All Saints Parish in Butler.

Eric was a caring, loving and generous man and will be remembered for his sense of humor and always finding a way to get a laugh out of others. He loved spending time with his family having dinner, playing cards and games with his grandchildren. He especially loved golf outings with his brothers and friends when he was able to chauffeur them in his beloved Lincoln Town Car. Eric loved studying maps in the road atlas, planning vacations and going on cruises.

Sports were always a huge part of Eric’s life starting at a young age and continued to be through high school where he played football, baseball and track and field. At age 15, Eric was the youngest and first pony league player to hit a home run out of Pullman Park, clearing the trees behind the left field fence. Eric received many coveted awards including Butler Cubs MVP award, Holiday Inn Defensive Player of the Year and the Jim McDowell Award.

Following his senior season, he was named first team All-Mac Conference as a linebacker, first Post-Gazette North All-Star team and All-State Honorable Mention and six times player of the week. He was named co-MVP in his senior year as a catcher on the baseball team and was a member of the 1981 Section 2 AAA Championship Team.

In college at Duquesne, he played as a linebacker, fullback and catcher, lettering three years in football and four years in baseball. He was named MVP of the baseball team his sophomore, junior and senior seasons and was named to the All-District football team as a fullback in 1983 and as a linebacker in 1984.

Eric capped off an incredible career at Duquesne by being named MVP in both football and baseball, as well as Male Athlete of the Year in 1985. In 2008, Eric was inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame. There’s an old expression in sports — he is built like a tank. Eric Werner was the tank.

Surviving are his wife, Geralyn “Gen” Werner of Butler, whom he married March 15, 2002; his son, Luke (Alisa) Werner of Gibsonia; stepson, Tom (Amanda) Phillips of Vowinckel, Pa.; four grandchildren, Thomas, Carter and Lincoln Phillips and Dilek Werner; six siblings, Linda (Harry) O’Donnell of Chicora, Cindy Stefanik of Butler, Carol (Ron) Weitzel of Butler, Brian (Brenda) Werner of Chicora, Mark (Jan) Werner of Butler and Gerard (Colleen) Werner of Butler; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ervin and Norma Jean Werner; sister, Connie Gannon; brother-in-law, Barry Gannon; and brother-in-law, Frank Stefanik.

WERNER — Friends of Eric Werner, who died Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, will be received from 1 to 3 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Conrad Roman Catholic Church, 125 Buttercup Road, Butler (Meridian). Interment will follow in Butler County Memorial Park.

For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.geibelfuneralhome.com.

Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.