Walter J. Vilish Jr.
Walter J. Vilish Jr., 63, of Grove Avenue in Emlenton, Venango County, a well-known Emlenton businessman, died of natural causes at 12:17 p.m. Tuesday at UPMC Presbyterian, Pittsburgh.
Born in Canonsburg, Feb. 13, 1943, he was the son of Betty Ellis Vilish Ketron of Mesa, Ariz., and the late Walter J. Vilish Sr., who died June 13. 1967.
He was a member of St. Michael Roman Catholic Church in Emlenton.
He was a graduate of South Fayette High School. He was a Navy veteran, was stationed aboard the USS Tallahatchie and took part in the Bay of Pigs invasion.
A longtime businessman, he had owned and operated Walt's Gulf Service Station on Bower Hill Road, Pittsburgh, for years. He also owned and operated the Vilish Mini-Mart at the same location.
In 1985, he and his wife moved to Emlenton when they purchased the Gaslight Campground in Scrubgrass Township, which they owned and operated for 12 years. He also built, owned and operated the Pennzoil 10-Minute Oil Change on Route 322 in Cranberry Township, Venango County, for seven years.
At the time of his death, he was the sole proprietor of Vilish Excavating, Landscape Materials and Storage Units in Emlenton.
Mr. Vilish was a classic car owner and enthusiast. He owned several classic cars and enjoyed traveling to car shows. He also had a vast die cast collection of classic cars and trucks. He was an avid NASCAR fan.
He enjoyed the company of his grandchildren and the time spent in Daytona Beach, Fla.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife, Anna Marie Fisher Vilish, whom he married Jan. 21, 1967, in Carnegie; four daughters and their husbands, Lisa and Vaughn Ververs of Alexandria, Va., Pam and Mark Marterella of Seneca, Marcy and Jason Holt of Kane and Heather and Cliff Lumley of Emlenton; and 10 grandchildren, Victoria, Camryn and Vaughn Henry Ververs, all of Alexandria, Nathan and Conor Marterella, both of Seneca, Benjamin, Isaiah and Caleb Holt, all of Kane, and Hope Mayes and Austin Lumley, both of Emlenton.
He also is survived by a sister, Linda Gehring of Cecil.
<B>VILISH </B>— Friends of Walter J. Vilish Jr., who died Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today and Friday in the <B>Hile Funeral Home</B>, 1204 Kerr Ave., Emlenton. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday in at St. Michael Roman Catholic Church, Emlenton, with the Rev. Conrad Kraus officiating. Burial will be at the St. Michael Cemetery, Emlenton.The Altar-Rosary Society will recite the rosary at 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.Memorial contributions may be made to St. Michael Roman Catholic Church, P.O. Box 177, Emlenton, PA 16373; or to the National Transplant Assistance Fund, 150 N. Radnor-Chester Road, Suite F120, Radnor, PA 19087.
