Paul V. Kocis, Farrell, PA passed away surrounded by his loving family on Monday, January 24, 2011 at Sharon Regional Hospital following an extended illness. He was 80.

Mr. Kocis was born on Wednesday, July 16, 1930 in Buhl Hospital, Sharon, PA, a son of Steve and Anna Buynak Kocis.

He graduated in 1944 from St. Ann's Parochial grade school and was a 1948 alumnus of Farrell Area High School.

Following high school he served in the United States Navy.

Mr. Kocis earned the Westinghouse machinist apprentice certificate and retired from Westinghouse in 1985 after 36 years of service as a tool and die machinist. He was a member of the AFL-CIO-617 and a section steward at Westinghouse. After early retirement in 1984, Paul was employed at D.G. and Associates in Warren, Ohio as well as operated his own machine shop, P. V. Kocis Machining.

A devout Catholic, Paul was a member of the Church of Notre Dame. He was involved with Special Activities Group (SAG) and also was a member of the original Notre Dame School Board in the mid 1970's. Until recently Paul was leader of the Wednesday Rosary group at Notre Dame and an hourly coordinator of Notre Dame adoration. Paul also volunteered with the Notre Dame funeral catering group. For the last twenty years he attended morning Mass at St. Stanislaus Church in Sharon. He was a former member of Kennedy Christian High School Booster Club, member of the Knights of Columbus #684, and volunteered for the Keystone Blind Association where he read the newspaper each morning to the blind. Following retirement he enjoyed bowling and golfing in various senior leagues in the area. He loved high school basketball and was an avid fan of the Kennedy Catholic Golden Eagles basketball team for over 30 years. Paul loved ethnic music, especially music of his childhood friend, John Krizancic, dancing on Saturday evenings and playing his keyboard.

A gentle, loving and devoted husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather he leaves his wife of 47 years, the former Virginia A. (Ginny) Krzysiek, who he married on November 30, 1963 in St. Ann's Church in Farrell, with the now deceased Rev. Emmanuel B. Krzysiek, uncle of the bride, officiating.

Also surviving are his son, Paul T. Kocis, Hummelstown, PA and his daughter, Marianne V. Iyer and her husband, Nataraj Iyer, Cincinnati, Ohio and grand-son Justin T. Kocis and three grand-daughters, Lata Iyer, Sonu Iyer, and Pooja Iyer. Also surviving are his uncle Andrew Buynyak and wife, Rosalie, Hermitage and a sister-in-law Sophie Kocis, West Middlesex, his wife's extended family, and many nieces and nephews and their families.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents, his twin infant sons, Kevin Gerard and Kenneth Gerard Kocis in 1968, his brothers George, Joseph and Stevan and sister, Mary B. White.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942 or the Keystone Blind Association, 1230 Stambaugh Avenue, Sharon, PA 16146.

Calling hours: 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday (1-26-11) and from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. on Thursday (1-27-11) in the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. 1090 E. State St. Sharon.

Friends can send condolences by visiting the web site www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com

Services: Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Thursday (1-27-11) at 10:30 a.m. in Church of the Notre Dame 2325 Highland Road, Hermitage with Jeffrey J. Noble, pastor as celebrant. A brief prayer service will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the funeral home prior to leaving for the church.

Interment: St. Ann's Cemetery, Hermitage.