Rich Gavula

Richard Andrew Gavula Sr., 72, of Butler passed away early Monday morning at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital.

Rich was born March 26, 1947. He grew up in Lyndora and was a son of the late Andrew Gavula Jr. and the late Mary (Krul) Gavula.

He was a devoted altar server at St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church.

Rich was married to his loving wife, the late Patricia (Morgus) Gavula, whom he married on Nov. 30, 1968.

He had two incredible children, Jennifer (Paul) Roush of Mars, and Richard A. (Christina) Gavula Jr. of Butler.

He was blessed with five wonderful grandchildren, Emily Roush, 20, Nate Roush, 16, and Lauren Roush, 13, and Brady Gavula, 16, and Lindsay Gavula, 13, whom he loved and treasured dearly. They were Papa’s favorite starting line-up and were the main source of light in his life.

His dedicated immediate family consisted of one brother, the late Robert Gavula and his sister-in-law, Barbara Gavula Whitaker, of Franklinton, N.C., Robert J. (Connie) Morgus of St. Peters, Mo., and Nicholas J. Morgus (Nada) of Huntsville, Ala. He also had two nieces and five nephews.

Richard graduated from Butler High School in 1965 and from Slippery Rock University in 1970.

He was an Armstrong School District health and physical education teacher, where he taught for 35 years. Mr. Gavula spent time teaching and coaching at Ford City High School, along with East Franklin, North Buffalo and West Hills Elementary schools. His love of sports and recreational activities were some of his most special lifelong hobbies and interests.

He played football, baseball and basketball throughout his youth and high school years. He was an Eagle Scout and a volunteer fire fighter, and he served as fire chief of the Lyndora Volunteer Fire Company for 20 years.

He continued to keep up with his love of sports by officiating basketball, softball and baseball. Rich was the most senior active member of the 75 member BCSOA umpire group. He was also the longest tenured member of the PIAA Umpire Chapter, with more than 49 years of experience.

Throughout his life, he valued and cherished his dearest family/friends and enjoyed many trips and activities together. He was fortunate to have traveled the world and visited 47 countries throughout his life’s journey.

Rich’s interest in reading began as a young boy, when he had a paper route in his neighborhood, which led him to becoming an avid reader, especially of newspapers.

He led a very active life with passions for fishing, swimming, cycling and golfing. In addition, he had always been characterized as an extremely hard worker with many projects in the yard and around the house. Even though he was often found behind home plate or running up and down the hard courts, he always put his grandchildren’s sports and activities as his highest priority to support and encouraged them all! He will always be remembered by his character, integrity and unique sense of humor.

GAVULA — Friends of Richard Andrew Gavula Sr., who died Monday, June 10, 2019, will be received from 4 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. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Butler.

Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Butler.

In lieu of flowers, his family strongly requests that donations be made for a specially designed field for special needs children and adults to play baseball — “In Loving Memory of Richard Gavula Sr.” to the Miracle League Southwestern PA (MLSWPA), P.O. Box 1519, Cranberry Township, PA 16066, or at http://mlswpa.org/donate.

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