Harold A. 'Herk' Weller, 3460 Ridgewood Dr., Hermitage, PA passed away peacefully at 5:15 p.m. Thursday (7-2-09) at home with his family by his side following a courageous battle with cancer. He was 77.
Mr. Weller was born March 20, 1932 in Patton, PA a son of the late Michael E. Weller and Julia Duffy Weller. He moved to Sharon in the late 1930's and was a 1951 graduate of Sharon High School. Mr. Weller excelled in football during high school and received a full scholarship to Mississippi State University.
Mr. Weller served as a Sergeant with the US Army's Third Armored Division during the Korean War and was honorably discharged on December 14, 1954.
For a brief period he worked at the former Sharon Transformer Division of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Herk owned and operated the Brookfield Drive-In, Inc. and the former Flame Restaurant, both Masury, Ohio, since 1968.
He was a longtime member of the Church of Notre Dame, Hermitage. Herk was one of the founding members of the Nite Owls Hunting Lodge in Tionesta, PA where he enjoyed hunting with his family and friends. He was a member of the former Greenville Country Club and was an avid golfer.
A loving husband, father and grandfather, Mr. Weller is survived by his wife at home, the former Suzanne Lyons, whom he married July 3, 1954 in Our Lady of Peace Church, Canton, Ohio; his children, Teresa 'Terry' Borger and her husband Mark F. Borger, Warren, PA; Mary Beth Hughey, Hermitage; Mark Weller and his wife Deborah, Parma, Ohio; and Eric Weller and his wife Amy, Mercer, PA; seven grandchildren, Will, Scott and Andrew Hughey; Lauren and Megan Borger; and Ian and Julia Weller; two brothers, Frederick J. Weller and his wife Angela, Hermitage; and Michael E. Weller and his wife Sara, Transfer, PA; a brother-in-law, James Keister, Sharon; and several nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, Mr. Weller was preceded in death by three sisters, Betty Keister, Anna Caldwell and Julia Weller who died in infancy; and two brothers, Robert Weller and Paul Weller, who also died in infancy.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Sharon Regional Health Systems Hospice and Palliative Care, 740 E. State St., Sharon, PA 16146; or to the Church of Notre Dame, 2335 Highland Rd., Hermitage, PA 16148.
Calling hours will be from 1-4 p.m. Sunday (7-5-09) in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon, PA.
Friends may email condolences by visiting www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 1:00 p.m. Monday (7-6-09) in Church of Notre Dame, Hermitage, with Msgr. Edward Zeitler, Sr. associate pastor as celebrant.
Interment: St. Mary's Cemetery, Hermitage, with military honors rendered by the Sharon Honor Guard.