Rockar

Paul A. Rockar Sr., 83, of Cabot died Saturday at the Alle-Kiski Medical Center after a lingering illness.

Born June 8, 1924, in Gibsonia, he was the son of Andy and Helen Burin Rockar.

He was a 1941 graduate of Tarentum High School. Mr. Rockar's first job was as a farm hand at the age of 13 for $1 per day. He later worked at Suncrest Golf Course and at Allegheny Steel before serving in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946.

On March 8, 1948, he went to work for PPG Industries in Creighton as an hourly laborer. He remained with PPG for 45 years, where he also held the positions of foreman, production superintendent and plant manager. He received many awards for service and excellence while at PPG and treasured the many friendships he developed there.

He was a member of St. Joseph's Parish, Cabot, since 1949, where he served as an usher for years and was known for the kind way he greeted parishioners at weekly Masses. He was president of the Parish Council in the 1970s, during which time he was involved in the construction of the new St. Joseph's church. He was also a member of the Holy Name Society.

He volunteered as a youth coach with the Saxonburg Little League for more than 20 years and also was for a number of years the secretary for the organization. In the 1970s, he was instrumental in the founding of the youth basketball program in the South Butler School District and remained in the program as a volunteer coach for several years after his youngest child was out of the program.

Mr. Rockar also served on the board the Allegheny Valley YMCA.

In his spare time, he enjoyed spending time with family, farming, gardening, bowling, hunting, fishing and woodworking.

Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Dorothy Anna Weleski Rockar; one brother, Robert (Betty) Rockar of Saxonburg; children, James Rockar (Raveena) of Doylestown, Paul Rockar Jr. (Judith) of Murrysville, Katherine Winters (William) of Cincinnati, and Richard Rockar (Jennifer) of Richboro, Pa.; grandchildren, Amara and Matthew Rockar and their mother Honora Rockar, Patricia Rockar, Jennifer Rockar, Michael and Zachary Winters, and Ross and Rachel Moran; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by one brother, John Rockar.

<B>ROCKAR</B> — Friends of Paul A. Rockar Sr., who died Saturday, March 22, 2008, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the <B>Fox Funeral Home</B>, 410 W. Main St. Saxonburg.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church. Burial will be in the St. Mary's Cemetery in Herman.Memorial contributions can be made to St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Stoney Hollow Road, Cabot, PA 16023.Information also is available at www.foxfuneralhomeinc.com.