Earl Yingling
Earl Edward Yingling, 89, of Mercer, passed away peacefully Friday, Sept. 24, 2021.
Earl was born in Pittsburgh, and was the son to Ester and Elmer Yingling. Earl graduated from Westview High School in 1949 and then studied business at Robert Morris College.
Earl started working at his Uncle Herb's Esso station and soon took over the business and expanded North Park Service with offering gas, bait, tackle, bikes, ice and towing. He worked long hours and the towing was 24/7. If that wasn't enough to keep him busy, he also drove a school bus.He enlisted in the US Army in 1952 during the Korean War and had basic training in Fort Knox, Ky. He was in the 3rd Armored Division where he spent one and a half years in Germany and was a tank driver. He rose to the rank of corporal and was chief communications officer.Before heading off to war, Earl asked Mary Catherine Hardt to marry him. They married on New Year's Eve, one week after he returned from the war, and they were happily married for 66 years. They both loved to travel.Earl loved the outdoors and enjoyed spending time with his family hunting, snow skiing, water skiing, ice skating, sledding, biking, windsurfing, fishing, jet-skiing, swimming and golf. He got his first hole-in-one at the age of 82. He used to trap muskrats and sell the pelts to make money. Earl was a Boy Scout and a BSA merit badge counselor as an adult. He and his high school buddies took dance lessons and Earl became a lifelong dancer. He and his wife entertained many with their fancy footsteps. He also enjoyed bocce, bridge, crossword puzzles, reading and Sequence.Earl faithfully attended church and Sunday School at St. John's Lutheran Church and received the 100% attendance award. Earl was also very active and a well-respected member in the McCandless Lion's Club and served as a past president.Earl is survived by his sister, Virginia Yingling; his five children, Mark and Carol Yingling, Deanna and Alan Armstrong, Glenn Yingling, Dwight and Glenda Yingling, and Janeen and Roger Struthers. He is also survived by his cousin, Jim and Mary Yingling; his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and his nieces, nephews and extended family.He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Yingling; his parents, Esther and Elmer Yingling; and his brother, Robert Yingling.Yingling — Funeral arrangements for Earl Edward Yingling, who died Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, have been entrusted to Rose and Black Funeral Home & Crematory, 99 Franklin St, Stoneboro, where family and friends are welcome from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with Pastor Kari Smail of St. John's Lutheran Church of Highland, officiating. Full military honors will be rendered by the VETS Honor Guard.Interment will take place in Mercer Citizens Cemetery.Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.RoseAndBlackFH.com.
