Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday for Virgil John Yoest Jr. of Juniper Village of the Shenango Inn, and formerly of 738 Service Ave., both Sharon, who passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on Saturday (8-22-09) in the Emergency Room of Sharon Regional Health System. He was 85.
He was Born in Farrell on March 9, 1924 the son of Virgil John Yoest Sr. and Leora Doyle Yoest.
Virgil was raised in Sharon and attended Sacred Heart School and graduated from Sharon High School in 1941.
Upon graduation, at the age of 17, began working in the Circulation department of the Sharon Herald, a career that would last until 1989.
In March, 1943, he was drafted into the US Army. He received his basic training in Florida, then was sent to attend Bowdoin College in Maine, where he was enrolled in the engineering program. After one year of college, he was sent overseas to France to fight in World War II.
He was wounded in November of 1944, spent time in a French Hospital until December when the Bulge broke out. After this stay in the hospital, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge, spending the winter in Germany., in the Black Forest and in Austria. He was later honorably discharged in October of 1945, with the rank of sergeant. A decorated veteran, he received numerous medals and citations including the Purple Heart and the WWII Victory Medal.
He then returned to work at The Sharon Herald, where he worked in the composing room until April of 1989.
He was a member of St. Joseph's Church, Sharon, where he served for many years as an usher and worked as part of the church Bingo crew on Monday and Friday nights.
He was a member of the Holy Name Society of the church, the Knights of Columbus, Sharon council 684, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Typographical Union. For many years, he also played in the Herald Golf League and played a great deal at the Hickory VFW course over the years.
Married the former Pauline Gloria Mankas on June 5, 1948, in St. Elizabeth's Church, Farrell. She preceded him in death on June 16, 2006.
Everyone knew him as a kind, caring man of great character. His smile and quiet manner will be remembered by many. He enjoyed traveling throughout the United States with his wife and family and he enjoyed family activities, attending all of his grandchildren's' school and sports events.
He is survived by a daughter, Barbara Patton and her husband Jeffrey, Sharon; two sons, Thomas P. Yoest and his wife, Lisa, Hermitage; and David J. Yoest, and his wife, Debbie, North Carolina; two brothers, William Jerome 'Jim' Yoest, and Donald (Joan) Yoest, both of Sharon; a sister-in-law, Julie Mankas, Hermitage; five grandchildren, Eric (Katie) Patton, Hermitage; Neil (Ashley) Patton, Audubon, PA; Valerie Patton and Matthew Patton, both of Sharon, and Nicholas Yoest, North Carolina; two great-grandchildren, Luke Matthew Patton, Hermitage, and Aubrey Danielle Patton, Audubon, and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his wife he was preceded in death by his parents, a Brother-in-law, Donald Mankas, three sisters-in-laws, Rosalie Antus, Mary Sujka and Anna Kuzel.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made in his memory to the Buhl Day fund through the funeral home.
Calling hours: 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday (8-24-09) in the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. 1090 E. State St. Sharon.
Condolences may be sent by visiting the web site www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com
Services: Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday (8-25-09) at 10:30 in St. Joseph Church 79 Case Ave., with Rev. J. Thomas Dugan, Senior Associate Pastor as the celebrant.
Interment: St. Rose Cemetery, Hermitage with full military honors provided by the Sharon Honor Guard.