Clarence J. 'Jess' Holton II, 369 Baldwin Ave., Sharon, passed away peacefully early Sunday morning, September 25, 2011, in his home. He was 66.

Mr. Holton was born April 21, 1945 in Altoona, PA a son of the late Clarence J. Holton I and Betha Heck Holton.

He served with the 25th Infantry Division of the US Army from 1962 to 1965 and was stationed in Hawaii. Jess was also a member of the Mill Run (PA) VFD and a lifetime member of the Bavarian Aid Society, Altoona. Moving to Sharon in 1998, Jess was a member of the VFW, Post 5286, Farrell; and the American Legion, Post 299, Sharon.

He was most recently employed by the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service as a driver for the past two and a half years. Hw previously worked as a bus driver for Campbell Bus Lines, Slippery Rock, PA; the former Bortner Tours, Sharpsville; and Blue and White, Altoona, PA. He was also a truck driver for Jevic and Transport America for thirty-one years.

Jess was of the Presbyterian faith and became a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, Sharon, on June 2, 2009. He was a former member of the Altoona Bible Church.

In his spare time, Jess enjoyed collecting trains and building model cars and houses. He also found joy in looking up railroad facts on the computer. Most of all, Jess took pride in building his train display, which included a combination of many towns and railroad tracks. Anyone who knew him will always remember him for the joy he possessed from showing others the multiple table models and the noises they made.

Surviving are: his companion at home, Diane R. Miller; a sister, Dorothy 'Dolly', wife of Ed Nuehart, Mechanicsburg, PA; his children, Clarence J. Holton III and Linda L. Holton, both from his first wife; David Holton and his fiancé, Michele Hallinan; and Aaron Miller and his wife Melissa, both from his second wife and both Altoona. He also leaves; his companion's children, who loved and respected him as a father figure, Lee Tharp, Farrell; Diana Miller, Pittsburgh; Kimberly, wife of Brian Shander, Sharon; and Amy Mortimer, Greenville, PA; grandchildren Ava Miller; Danielle and Andrea Tharp; Matthew Cremonese; Samantha Clarke; Jacob Mortimer; and Giovanni Guerino; great grandchildren, Makaela, Aiyona, Mary Rose and Dale Tharp, Jr.; a sister-in-law, Shirley Holton, Hollidaysburg, PA; and many nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, Jess was preceded in death by a sister, Eddith Lenz; and two brothers, John and Ralph Holton.

Calling Hours will be 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, September 28, 2011 in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon.

Friends may email condolences by visiting www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com.

Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Thursday (9-29-11) in the funeral home with the Rev. William Meyer, officiating.

Interment: Alto Reste Park Cemetery, Altoona, PA.