Ralph D. Spithaler Sr. 76, of Evans City died Monday morning at his home.

Born May 13, 1929, in Cranberry Township, he was the son of Charles D. and Asia Murray Spithaler.

He was a member of St. Matthias Roman Catholic Church of Evans City, where he served as an usher. He received the 3rd Degree Knights of Columbus St. Gregory Council 6177 and the 4th Degree Beaver Valley 0936. He also belonged to the Catholic Golden Age and St Vincent de Paul.

He was an auxiliary member of the Independent Telephone. Pioneer Association and a member of Bunova Club. He also belonged to the AARP.

Mr. Spithaler had attended the one-room Sample School in Cranberry Township and Evans City High School. He retired from Consolidated Freightways and had formerly worked at Plunkett Motor Freight. He was a member of the Teamsters Union Local 249.He was a collector of American Flyer Trains and Antique Farmall tractors. He was an active member of his son's No. 56 sprint race team and was a successful go-cart racer from the 1970s to 1982.He served in the Army from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War as a motor pool mechanic and was a member of American Legion Post 219, Evans City.Surviving are his wife, Dorothy J. Steighner Spithaler, whom he married Sept. 5, 1955; a son and his spouse, Ralph Jr. and Bette Spithaler of Evans City; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Frank and Rose Spithaler and Daniel Spithaler, all of Evans City; a brother-in-law and his wife, Charles G. and Carol Steighner of Butler; and his special pet companion, Buster.He was preceded in death by a brother, Carl.

<B>SPITHALER</B> — Friends of Ralph D. Spithaler Sr., who died Monday, March 27, 2006, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the <B>A. Carl Kinsey-Ronald N. Volz Funeral Home</B>, 328 W. Main St., Evans City. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Matthias Roman Catholic Church, Evans City, with the Rev. William Ritzert, administrator, officiating. Burial will be at St Peters Catholic Cemetery, Butler.The rosary will be recited at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.Memorial donations may be made to St. Matthias Roman Catholic Church, 417 E. Main St., Evans City, PA 16033.Information also is available at www.kinsey-volzfuneralhome.com.