Michael

Arthur L. “Art” Michael, 89, of Chicora passed away Wednesday at the Chicora Medical Center.

Born in New Castle, Jan. 19, 1922, and raised in Fairview, he was the son of James and Florence Harmon Michael.

After graduating from Karns City High School in 1939, he worked at the Cloverleaf Store in Petrolia before starting his employment at Sonneborn Refinery in 1941. He retired from Sonneborn Refinery in 1987 after 46 years.

Art joined the U.S. Air Force in 1942 and was a tail gunner on a B-24 Liberator. On his fifth mission, his plane was shot down over Germany after an airstrike on the Munich Aerodrome. The pilot was able to maneuver the plane for a force-landing at Dubendorf, Switzerland, where the crew was held as “interns” for two months in a POW camp. He was the recipient of the American Service Medal, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, Air Medal and Victory Medal.

He was the oldest member of the Fairview United Presbyterian Church and formerly served as an elder and clerk of session and was a member of the choir.

Art was an avid baseball fan and in his earlier years enjoyed hunting, fishing and bowling.

Surviving are his wife of nearly 64 years, Jean Hiles Michael, who he married Aug. 16, 1947, in the Fairview United Presbyterian Church; a son, Dennis Michael and his wife, Kathy, of Chippewa Township; a daughter, Carla Flick of Chicora Road; eight grandchildren, Jeffrey Michael and his wife, Kathy, of Darlington, Bradley Michael and his wife, Holly, of Beaver, Shawn Michael and his wife, Jennifer, of Easton, Eric Michael and his wife, Christy, of Mars, Nathan Flick and his companion, Rebekka Anthony, of Chicora, Caralie Hertweck and her husband, Todd, of Chicora, Ashley Michael and her fiancé, Rob Gamble, of Butler, and Amber Michael of Butler; 10 great-grandchildren, Trent, Brooke, Erika, Elizabeth and Luke Michael, Malia, Mylie and Gage Hertweck, Adalyn Flick and Aubrey Kaplin; a brother, Joseph Michael and his wife, Anita, of Clarion; a sister, Marie McElhatten of Butler; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Michael of Arizona; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Art was preceded in death by a son, Richard L. “Dick” Michael; two brothers, Everett Michael and Gerald Michael; and a sister and her husband, Elsie and Dick Kelly.

<B>MICHAEL</B> — Friends of Arthur L. “Art” Michael, who died Wednesday, July 13, 2011, will be received at the <B>Hile Funeral Home of Chicora</B>, 339 Chicora Fenelton Road, Chicora, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and at the Fairview United Presbyterian Church, 109 Petrolia St., Fairview, from 10:30 until 11 a.m. Saturday. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the church with the Rev. Scott W. Bunting, church pastor, officiating. Interment, with full military honors accorded by the Chicora VFW, the Chicora American Legion and the Kaylor American Legion, will follow in Bear Creek Cemetery, Petrolia.Memorial contributions in Mr. Michael’s name may be made to the Fairview United Presbyterian Church, c/o Patricia Bishop, 119 Chestnut St., Petrolia, PA 16050.Online condolences to the family may be sent by visiting www.hilefh.com.