Berk

Frank William "Bill" Berk Jr., 76, of Hindman Road, Butler Township, formerly of Slippery Rock Township, died at 3:20 p.m. Monday at the Sunnyview Home.

Born in West Newton, Westmoreland County, Aug. 26, 1931, he was the son of Frank William Berk and Laura Belle Marker.

He was a 1949 graduate of Harrisville High School and started his career at Cooper Bessemer, later Cooper Energy, of Grove City. He then worked at Slippery Rock State College, now Slippery Rock University, in dormitory administration and maintenance and later worked at G.L. McKnight as a weigh master. He then worked at and retired from Guardian Photo of Slippery Rock.

Mr. Berk was a member of the Harrisville United Methodist Church. He also belonged to the F&AM Lodge 603, the Erie Zem Zem Shriners, the Mercer County Shriners, Ducks Unlimited of Mercer and the Mercer Moose. He was a former member of the Elks Lodge 1579.

He was an avid model train enthusiast.

Surviving are his wife, Letitia "Tish" Butler Berk, whom he married Aug. 18, 1964; a daughter, Lou Ann Mitchell and her husband, Nick, of Gibsonia; two sons, Frank William "Skip" Berk III and his wife, Patty, of Zelienople and Douglas Floyd Berk and his companion, Kathy, of Russellton; a stepdaughter, Daryle Harvey and her husband, Richard, of Bellevue, Wash.; a sister, Mary Lou Schmelzer and her husband, John, of Grove City; eight grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Deborah Mae Pulachette, and a sister, Ruth Bober.

<B>BERK</B> — Friends of Frank William "Bill" Berk Jr., who died Monday, Dec. 3, 2007, will be received from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the <B>Smith Funeral Home</B>, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. William Hastings, his church pastor, officiating. Burial will be at Crestview Memorial Park, Grove City.Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.