Frank J. Shoaf Jr.
Retired mine inspector served in U.S. Army
Frank J. Shoaf Jr., 89, of Carmichaels, died Saturday, June 22, 2013, in his home.
He was born August 9, 1923, in Masontown, a son of the late Frank J. Sr. and Margaret Morgan Shoaf.
On July 5, 1948, he married Lucy “Sue” Marucci Shoaf, who survives.
Also surviving are five children, Kathleen Dyer (Jeffrey) of Morgantown, W.Va., Frank J. Shoaf III (Connie) of Carmichaels, Rebecca Brockey (James) of Flowerland, Texas, Nancy Coll (Thomas) of Stafford, Va., and Thomas J. Shoaf (Denise) of Carmichaels; 15 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Dolores Wolfe of Uniontown.
Deceased are three sisters, Anna Mary Sparks, Camilla Patton and Aileen Patton; and a brother, Theodore Shoaf.
Mr. Shoaf was a graduate of All Saints High School in Masontown and attended Penn State University for mining.
His mining career began at U.S. Steel in 1941. From 1943 to 1946, he served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a ball turret gunner on a B-24 bomber. He flew 35 missions over Germany with the 716th Squadron, 449th Bomb Group. He received the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters and four bronze stars.
Mr. Shoaf resumed working in the mines, and became a foreman at Robena Mine. From 1972 until his retirement in 1988, he was a Pennsylvania state mine inspector.
He was active in organizations that supported coal mine safety. He belonged to the National Mine Rescue Association, Mine Rescue Veterans Association as secretary/treasurer, Holmes Safety Association and Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America.
Mr. Shoaf was a devout Catholic. He was a member of St. Hugh Church in Carmichaels, the men’s choir of St. Hugh, Senior Activity Group, Holy Name Society and church council. He also was a member of Carmichaels Knights of Columbus.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in Lesako Funeral Home Inc., 204 Dowlin Avenue, Carmichaels, PA 15320, 724-966-5100, Paul M. Lesako, director/supervisor/owner. A prayer service will be held there at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 26, followed by a Mass at 11 a.m. in St. Hugh Church, Carmichaels. Full military rites will be accorded by American Legion Post 400 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3491 of Carmichaels in Greene County Memorial Park, Waynesburg.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to All Saints School, 100 S. Washington St., Masontown, or Amedysis Hospice, 2181 McClellandtown Road, Masontown. www.lesakofuneralhomeinc.com