John A. Goga, 3380 Cardinal Dr., S. Pymatuning Twp., passed away peacefully at 9:22 a.m. Thursday (4-8-10) in St. Elizabeth Medical Center Youngstown, Ohio with his family at his bedside, following a brief illness. He was 82.

Mr. Goga was born March 11, 1928 in Sharon a son of the late John and Mary Grexa Goga.

A lifelong area resident, he was a 1946 graduate of Sharon High School.

John served with the US Marine Corp. for two years and then earned his bachelors degree from Marietta (Ohio) College.

He retired as a draftsman from the former Sharon Transformer Division of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation where he was employed for more than 25 years.

John was one of the area's most outstanding athletes and was inducted into the Mercer County Hall of Fame on January 29, 1994 for his athletic achievements. He was an exceptional baseball and basketball player during high school and college and later with the many Westinghouse sport leagues. John pitched for St. Bartholomew fast pitch softball team in the church league for many years and played until he was 67 years of age. He was a fan of all Cleveland sport teams and a member of the Italian Home bocce league. John enjoyed crossword puzzles, collecting an assortment of different items, canning, gardening, going to flea markets, having coffee with his buddies and attending his grandchildren's sporting events. John had a beautiful voice and spent many hours entertaining his family and friends singing country songs. He also loved to dance and taught his daughters how to polka. John was a lifelong active member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Hermitage. His church was very imp!

ortant to him and he was instrumental in helping to build its present location.

Surviving are: his wife of 51 years, the former Carol A. Jamieson, whom he married March 21, 1959 in the former Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Farrell; three children, Leslie E. Griffin, Transfer, PA; John G. Goga, Temecula, CA; and Kelly A. Goga, Orlando, FL; seven grandchildren, Marshall, Holly and Marissa Jovenall; Ian Scott; and Cory, Clay and Cassidy Goga; and a great grandson, Noah.

Besides his parents, John was preceded in death by his siblings, William Goga, Anne Racketa, Mary Goga and Margaret Combine.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 3325 Morefield Rd., Hermitage, PA 16148.

Calling hours will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (4-10-10) in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon.

Friends may email condolences by visiting our web site www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com.

Funeral service will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday (4-10-10) in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Hermitage, with the Rev. Donald Hake, pastor, officiating.

Interment: Holy Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Hermitage, where military honors will be rendered by the West Middlesex VFW and the Wheatland American Legion honor guard.