Harlan Alexander 'Sonny' Batanian, 1031 Hall Ave., Sharon, passed away peacefully at 3:55 a.m. Monday, January 30, 2012, in the hospital of Sharon Regional Health System, after a brief illness. He was 82.

Mr. Batanian was born September 2, 1929 in Cambridge, Ohio a son of the late Leon G. and Helen Lucille Potts Batanian.

He attended Byesville High School and graduated in 1948 from Sharon High School.

He served as a Lance Corp. with the US Marine Corp in Korea during the Korean War. Sonny retired in 1989 as a tool and die cutter from the former Sawhill Tubular Products where he was employed for nearly 40 years. Following his retirement, he remained active with various business ventures in the Shenango Valley and in Florida where he and his wife spent many winters.

Sonny was an active member of St. Adalbert Church, Farrell. He was also a member of the North Sharon Volunteer Fire Department and a volunteer in the rehabilitation department of Sharon Regional Health System where he was, at one time, a patient and received extraordinary care. Years ago he coached the Sharon Colts midget football team. Through the North East Ohio Athletic Association, which his brother Ed served on the board, Sonny was able to become friends with many national sport figures he met at various charitable functions.

He will be dearly missed by his family and many friends, including the gang at Panera Bread in Hermitage.

Surviving are: his wife at home, the former Mary A. Yarzab, whom he married October 2, 1954 in St. Adalbert Church, Farrell; three children, Larry Batanian and his wife Tricia, Pennington, NJ; Debbie Eppinger and her husband Dr. Bradley Eppinger, Sharon; and David Batanian and his companion, Sally Wasikowski, Elmhurst, Illinois; three grandchildren, Mike, Alex and Kiel Batanian. He also leaves five sisters, Joanne Kazowski, Raleigh, North Carolina; Kitty Burns, Sharon; Jean Alward and her husband George 'Bud' Alward, Sharon; Patty Potts, Worthington, Ohio; and Anna Marie Wirick, Griffith, Indiana; a brother, Floyd Batanian and his wife Marylou, Toledo, Ohio; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Bonnie Batanian, San Diego, California; Bob and Rose Mazur, Parkersburg, West Virginia; and Jenny Gallan, Winchester, Virginia; and a dear friend, Mark Multari from the Gold Mine in downtown Sharon.

Besides his parents, Sonny was preceded in death by three brothers, Jack, Ed and infant Jimmy Batanian; two sisters, Doris Magnotto and Sarah Seinar; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Herman Magnotto, Rosalie Batanian, Ted Seinar, Jim Kazowski, Tom Burns and Walter Gallan; and his mother and father-in-law, Karol and Mary Yarzab.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Sharon Regional Hospice and Palliative Care, 2320 Highland Rd., Hermitage, PA 16148.

Calling hours will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon.

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

Mass of Christian burial will be 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in St. Adalbert Church, Farrell, with the Rev. Daniel Kresinski, pastor, as celebrant.

Interment: Holy Cross Cemetery, Hermitage, with military honor's rendered by the West Middlesex VFW and the Wheatland American Legion honor guard.