John Jay Berdy, 96, beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, of 151 Autumn Drive in Butler Township died at 8 p.m. Tuesday at UPMC Passavant hospital, McCandless Township.

Born in Lyndora, April 18, 1908, he was the son of Austrian immigrants, Stephen and Sophia Hoblak Berdy, who lived in Lyndora's historic Red Row.

He started his career at Armco-Butler Works in the labor department and worked his way to the responsible job of a heater in the wheel works department. He retired Feb. 28, 1970, after 37 years and had been retired for 34 years.

Mr. Berdy was a member of the Calvary Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

He had served in the Army National Guard.

Surviving are three sons, J. Stephen Berdy and his wife, Lilene E., of Newark. N.Y., James Earl Berdy and his wife, Deidre, of Tampa, Fla., and Bruce A.B. Berdy of Butler; two grandchildren, Lewis Stephen Berdy and his wife, Candie L., of Victor, N.Y., and Lanalee Z. Buziak and her husband, Jeff Anthony, of Fredericksburg, Va.; and two great-grandchildren, Miranda L. and Aidan L. Berdy. Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Julia Palace and Miss Mary Berdy, both of Butler; two half-brothers, Steve Novak of Maryland and Pete Novak of Butler; and a number of nieces and nephews.

His wife, Grace E. Burkholder Berdy, died June 19, 2000. A brother, Michael Berdy; a half-brother, William Novak; and a half-sister, Catherine Novak, also preceded him in death.

BERDY - Friends of John Jay Berdy, who died Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday atTHOMPSON-MILLER FUNERAL HOME, 124 E. North St. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Larry Burkholder, pastor of Faith Independent Baptist Church of Frostburg, Md., officiating. Burial will be at North Side Cemetery.Information also is available at www.thompson-miller.com.