Leroy S. "Skinny" Wolford, 79, of Karns City died of natural causes at 4:27 p.m. Tuesday at Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh.

Born May 17, 1926, in Chicora, he was the son of Willis C. and Emma B. Smith Wolford.

In his younger years, he drilled and prepared oil wells in the Chicora and Karns City area. He worked for West Freedom Strip Mining for 12 years. He then worked at Penreco in Karns City for 24 years and retried June 1, 1991.

Mr. Wolford attended Karns City United Methodist Church.

During the Korean War, he served in the Army from Sept. 28, 1950, to July 31, 1952, and obtained the rank of private first class. He was member of the Parker VFW and the Lyndora America Legion.·

Surviving are his wife, Connie L. Claypoole Wolford, whom he married Feb. 14, 1955; two daughters, Mrs. Larry (Margie) Pennington of Bruin and Lee Ann Weiland of Chicora; two sons, Lawrence Stanley Wolford of Karns City and Robert Leroy Wolford of Sarver; nine grandchildren; two step-grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Ruth Bellemy of Parma Heights, Ohio, and Geraldine Wolford of Chicora; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by three sisters, three brothers and a son-in-law.

<B>WOLFORD </B>— Friends of Leroy S. "Skinny" Wolford, who died Tuesday, March 7, 2006, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the <B>STEIGHNER FUNERAL HOME</B>, 111 E. Slippery Rock St., Chicora. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Glea Foster, pastor of the Karns City United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be at the Bear Creek Cemetery, Petrolia.Military honors will be provided by the Chicora VFW American Legion Post.