Kopnisky

Joseph Louis Kopnisky, 78, of Grove City passed away at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

He was born in Etna on July 25, 1935, to the late Joseph and Alberta Kopnisky.

Joe was united in marriage on Dec. 10, 1954, to the late Janice Foreman and they spent the next 55 happy years of their lives together. On Aug. 21, 2010, Joe found new love and married Joan Mae Adams. Joe was a remarkable husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle who will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Joe was an All-WPIAL football player at Shaler High School in 1953 who went on to become an All-Conference player at West Virginia University, where he finished his career in the East-West Shrine game and garnered Academic All-American honors. He returned to Shaler to be the assistant football coach and head up the wrestling program. He became head wrestling coach at Grove City College in 1965, where he was also an assistant in football and track.

From 1973 to 1984, Joe was the head football coach at Grove City College and finished his football career as defensive coordinator at Slippery Rock University. He retired in 2000 after a distinguished 44-year career in coaching.

His wife, Joan at home, and his loving children, Jack Kopnisky and his wife, Kathy Wood Kopnisky of Mahwah, N.J., and Jill Clark Kopnisky and her husband, Timothy Clark, of Naperville, Ill., survive Joe. He is also survived by Joan's daughter, Robin Bruck and her husband, Jerry, and her son, Steve Adams and his wife, Heidi, of Grove City.

Joe loved his grandchildren, Joseph Kopnisky and his wife, Miranda, Dane Kopnisky and his wife, Jaclyn, and his great-granddaughters, Vivian and Maggie Kopnisky, all of Boston, Mass., and Christopher Clark and his wife, Molly, Amanda Clark and Tiffany Clark, all of Chicago, Ill. He loved his brothers, James Kopnisky and his wife, Nancy, Robert Kopnisky and his wife, Gini, as well as many loving nieces and nephews.

Kopnisky— A memorial service for Joseph Louis Kopnisky, who passed away Thursday, June 19, 2014, will begin with greeting at 9:45 a.m. Saturday at the Grace United Methodist Church, 210 S. Broad St., Grove City, followed by the service at 11 a.m.An open house will follow the ceremony at 1175 E. Pine St., Grove City.In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Joe's memory be made to The Joe and Jan Kopnisky scholarship fund at Grove City College, 100 Campus Drive, Grove City PA 16127.Arrangements are by theCunningham Funeral Home, Grove City.