Ernest Baxter

Ernest Joseph Baxter, 84, of Butler passed away at 8:50 a.m. Saturday at the VNA Inpatient Hospice.

He was born on Feb. 25, 1930, in Butler, to the late Joseph Baxter and Annie Anthony Baxter.

Ernie was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving during the Korean War as a tech sergeant in Japan.

He was the co-owner of the Eagal Coal Co. and owned Baxter's Mobile Home Park, both in Unionville.

Ernie was a member of the Muddy Creek Evangelical Presbyterian Church and loved spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Ernie is survived by his wife, Jean Baxter, who he married on June 14, 1952; his two sons, Robert Baxter and his wife, Saundra, and Ernest Jay Baxter and his wife, Amy, all of Butler; his two daughters, Debra Oesterling and her husband, Raymond, and Cindy Crawford and her husband, Dennis, all of Butler; his 12 grandchildren, Carly, Kellie, Jarrod, Cole, Cait, Megan, Caleb, Ryan, Michael, Anna, Cooper and Adraya; his two brothers, Kenneth Baxter and Ronald Baxter and his wife, Cleo, all of Butler; and a number of nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his three grandchildren, Dustin Robert, Landon Joseph and Jayden Reese; his brother, James Baxter; and his three sisters, Sue Clark Shearer, Betty Sarvey and Jean Scott.

Baxter — The friends of Ernest Joseph Baxter, who passed away Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, will be received from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, 124 E. North St., Butler.Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Muddy Creek Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 341 Muddy Creek Drive, Butler, with the Rev. Dan Schomer, Ernie's brother-in-law, and the Rev. Matthew Kail of the Muddy Creek Evangelical Presbyterian Church officiating.Officers and members of the VFW Post 249, the American Legion Post 117 Butler and the American Legion Post 778 Lyndora will conduct military honors following the service at the church. Private burial will take place in the Greenlawn Burial Estates.In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society of Greater Pittsburgh, 320 Bilmar Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15205, or to Emily Brittain School's “Hop” for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, c/o Debbi Wellner, 338 N. Washington St., Butler, PA 16001.Online condolences can be given at www.thompson-miller.com.