Sleigh

James L. Sleigh opened his eyes on Jan. 27, 1938, in Sharpsburg, Pa., and closed his eyes from this side of heaven on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Andrea L. (Tray) Sleigh; five children, Mark (Melanie) Sleigh of Orlando, Fla., Matthew Sleigh of Saxonburg, Maria (Josh) Herrit of Butler, Jonathan (Lisa) Sleigh of Arlington, Va., and Amy L. (John) Jennings of Arlington, Texas; 10 grandchildren, Tiela Hunt, Noah Darsie, Jacob Herrit, Kiera (Kyle) Richard, Linnea Sleigh, Joshua Darsie, Luke Herrit, Sofia Sleigh, Gabriella Sleigh and Connor Sleigh; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was raised at an orphanage on Marwood Road along with his brother, Neil, and his sisters, Adrienne, Betty and Sandy. He was preceded in death by his best friend and sister, Adrienne Logan, this past July. She cared for him since he was 3 years old, always leading the way and providing comfort to him in this life. Fittingly, she left here a little bit earlier to help prepare his seat at the table.

Growing up on a farm, he mastered Christ’s lessons, sowing in one season and reaping in another. His life unfolded as proof of this during his 86 years by raising his children and grandchildren, coaching basketball, and mentoring students at St. Luke’s Lutheran School. He was known as Dad, Pop, Papa, Grandpa, Mr. Sleigh, James, Jimmy, and a coach of Penn Elementary basketball.

Jim was a 1957 graduate of Winfield-Clinton High School, where he excelled at basketball; we know this to be true from his yearbook and talk around Concordia of classmates who have confirmed his 3-point shooting abilities. Post-graduation, he served two years in the Army Reserve. Jim was employed as a rigger and crane inspector at Armco Steel, laboring for 38 years, working overtime but never missing his kids’ piano lessons, track meets, musicals, birthdays and Steelers games.

As a member of St. Luke’s Church in Cabot, he made a home in the choir for many years singing tenor notes. He spent retirement years building bookshelves for the school, painting the halls, planting flowers, flipping pancakes for early Easter service, taking mission trips to rebuild homes after hurricane disasters, and stocking the food pantry.

To look at the breadth of his life, one would say his passion was engineering, carpentry, providing for his family, and serving those in need. In all accounts, he was a number cruncher, showing off his math skills without a calculator, adamant about never going into debt, and having more than enough to feed the poor and giving a generous tip at his local establishments, Kelly’s and Eat’n Park. He never forgot he lived his life as an orphan. He never needed more than he had, and it showed on his one and only suit coat he wore to church every Sunday. James enjoyed traveling, the yearly adventures we remember growing up and fitting into the station wagon or Dodge Caravan to Conneaut Lake, Lake Erie, Cedar Point, or to the Amish country. He made frequent visits to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., and the orange blossoms in Orlando, grand adventures taking his wife to Colorado, Hawaii, and many places in between.

He was a friend to all who knew him, whether from the Armco retirees breakfast club or to a single mother of three working at the Dollar General. James made time to pour himself into a conversation. He was a jokester at times, always making you guess who was back. We liked him, we wrestled with his stubbornness, but most of all we loved upon him and were always so proud to know him. While we have a hole in our heart missing him, we rest knowing that in eternity we will gather around the family table another day.

Jim Sleigh in a blink of an eye went from “almost perfect” to “perfect.” Rejoice! This is the day the Lord has made!

SLEIGH — Visitation for James L. Sleigh, who died Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, will be held from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at FOX FUNERAL HOME, 410 W. Main St., Saxonburg.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 330 Hannahstown Road, Cabot.

In lieu of flowers, we ask donations be made to St. Luke Food Pantry, 330 Hannahstown Road, Cabot, PA 16023.

For more information, please visit www.foxfuneralhomeinc.com.

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