Donald Eugene Knepshield

January 16, 2018 Last Updated: January 16, 2018 12:01 AM Death Notice

Donald Eugene Knepshield, 80, of Gilpin Township, Armstrong County, passed away Wednesday at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

A son of the late Ralph Leroy Knepshield and Ola Mildred (Beck) Knepshield, he was born Sept. 11, 1937, in Kittanning.

Donald lived in Gilpin Township all of his life and was a member of the Forks Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gilpin Township.

During his high school years and early 20s, he worked for Peck Lessig building homes around the Gilpin Township and Leechburg area. In 1960, he became employed by Wean United Engineering & Foundry in Vandergrift.

Drafted into the U.S. Army, he served from 1962 until 1964 in Germany at the Berlin Wall as a radar specialist.

Following his military service, Don returned to Wean United Engineering in Vandergrift as a roll grinder and eventually was promoted to inspector. He remained there until the plant closed.

In 1984, he started working at the Allegheny Ludlum plant in Leechburg as a roll grinder. He subsequently transferred to the company's plant in Vandergrift, retiring in 2004.

In his retirement, Don enjoyed restoring and repairing antique tractors and trucks. His fully restored 1946 Chevy truck that was his pride and joy, as well as his collection of eight restored Farmall tractors, some of which were his Dad's.

He was a master woodworker who regularly enjoyed making gifts for family and friends and his grandchildren's classmates. Don took pleasure in gardening and working around the farm. He was always accompanied by his loyal dog, Bob.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Marilyn Jean (Garing) Knepshield of Gilpin Township, whom he married Oct. 8, 1966; his daughters, Beth Ann (Mark) Talarico of Gilpin Township and Susan Dawn (Jerald) Vigna of Gibsonia; eight grandchildren, Kristen Vigna, Estrella Talarico, Sarah Vigna, Jon Talarico, Brian Talarico, Emily Talarico, Benjamin Talarico and Madelyn Vigna; a brother, Richard Leroy (Joan) Knepshield of North Waterboro, Maine; and a sister, Linda Dunlevy of Wasilla, Alaska.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant sister, Dorothy Mae Knepshield; a brother-in-law, Larry Dunlevy; and a nephew, Robert Dunlevy.

KNEPSHIELD — Friends of Donald Eugene Knepshield, who died Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017, will be welcomed by his family from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Clawson Funeral & Cremation Center, 170 Main St., Leechburg.Additional visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at Forks Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 253 Forks Church Road, Gilpin Township, where funeral ceremonies will begin at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Carl A. Johnson officiating and the Rev. Jocelyn Johnston presiding.Interment will follow at Forks Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery, 253 Forks Church Road, Gilpin Township, with military honors conducted by the Vandergrift Veterans Honor Guard.Condolences to the Knepshield family may be offered at www.clawsonfuneralhome.com.