Strazisar

Louis Strazisar, 92, of Valencia died Monday at UPMC Passavant Hospital.

Born July 22, 1916, in Imperial, he was the son of the late Anton and Johanna (Sluznik) Strazisar.

Lou was the youngest of five children, orphaned at the age of 3 by the death of his mother during the influenza epidemic of 1918; and subsequent death a year later of his father, a miner who fell victim to black lung disease often associated with coal miners working with inadequate safety equipment. These children were held together, loved and nurtured by their paternal grandmother, Mary Strazisar, who emigrated from Austria to become an American citizen.

During their early years and during the Great Depression, it became necessary for neighbors to help each other provide for the basic necessities of life. His grandmother instilled in this family the virtues of honesty, integrity, gratitude, sincerity, humility, hard work and the love of God. She passed away in 1938, having lived to see her five grandchildren mature into responsible adults.

A carpenter by trade, Lou retired as the locksmith from the carpenter shop in the Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh.

He was a life member of the Richland Sportsman's Club and a life member of the SNPJ Fraternal Lodge 106 of Imperial.

He was honorably discharged from the Second Air Force at the end of World War II.

Mr. Strazisar was a former member of the Valencia Borough Council. He enjoyed coaching Little League Baseball and donated many barrels of cider made from his apple orchard to be sold at the Pine-Richland football games during the 1960s, raising funds to purchase the scoreboard.

He was known for his wine making and shared this wonderful beverage with his many friends. He enjoyed gardening and sitting on his swing at the end of a busy day beneath that huge oak tree.

He was the beloved husband for 45 years of the late Betty (Buttenfield) Strazisar, who died March 10, 1984. Also preceding him in death were four siblings, the late Marian Shaw, Jenny Guzel Tauzel, Frank Strazisar and Anthony Strazisar; and an infant sister, Pauline.

He was the beloved and devoted father of Judith (Judie) Geortz and her husband, Lee "Bumpy"of Richland Township and Louis P. Strazisar and his wife, Royene, of Mattawan, Mich.; grandfather of Sue Wolfe and her husband, Chris, of Butler and Bradley Strazisar and his wife, Kim, of Cary, N.C. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews.

<B>STRAZISAR</B> — The family of Louis Strazisar, who died Monday, Dec. 8, 2008, will welcome friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the <B>Schellhaas Funeral Home</B>, 5864 Heckert Road, Bakerstown. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the Valencia United Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Gary Weston officiating. Please meet at the church. Interment will follow in Lakewood Memorial Gardens, Indiana Township.In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the Valencia U.P. Church, 80 Sterrett Street, Valencia, PA 16059.Please add condolences at www.schellhaasfh.com.