Surkalo

Michael I. "Mike" Surkalo, 90, formerly of Butler, died Thursday at the Westmoreland Hospital. He had been living in Greensburg to be close to his daughter.

He was born Oct. 12, 1920, in DuBois, a son of the late John and Mary Zawada Surkalo.

Mike was a 1938 graduate of DuBois High School followed by him earning a bachelor's degree in journalism from Penn State University in 1942.

After college, he served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He attained the rank of sergeant and served in the Pacific theater of war in Guam.

Mr. Surkalo was well known in Butler for his sports column in the Butler Eagle, where he was the sports editor. He worked briefly at the Kittanning Leader Times and at the Franklin News-Herald before coming to work for the Butler Eagle in October 1946. He retired after 39 years in 1985. He also worked on special assignments for the Eagle for an additional seven years until 1992.

For many years, Mike wrote a daily column in the Eagle called Sports Spotlight. He usually wrote a baseball column around each opening week, where he predicted the pennant winners. In 1960, he said he would walk to Pittsburgh if the Pirates were to win the pennant. The Pirates won, and he walked from Butler to Forbes Field for the World Series, which brought national attention.

Mike was elected to the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame in 1985, the Pennsylvania American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Butler County Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 1995. He also served as president of the Butler Sports Hall of Fame and the Butler Basketball Boosters.

Mike was named as the first president of the Butler Bowling Association more than 45 years ago and served as an official in numerous leagues. He also served as the president of the Butler County Baseball League and the Butler County Junior League. In addition, Mike served as the commissioner of the Butler Eagle County Baseball League and the Butler County American Legion Baseball League. He also served as president of the Butler City Fast Pitch Softball League.

He was a member of the St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Lyndora.

He was an avid golfer and bowler and loved watching sports. He also greatly enjoyed his grandchildren.

His wife, Jean Ostavitz Surkalo, who he married June 30, 1956, preceded him in death on April 12, 1992. One sister, Natalie Nesnick of Hudson, N.Y., also preceded him in death.

Surviving are his daughter, Jeanie Michelle Grupp and her husband, Joe Grupp, of Jeannette; a sister, Irene Fendya of Buffalo, N.Y.; a brother, Harry Surkalo of Boulder, Colo.; and two grandchildren, Michelle Courtney Grupp and Matthew Joseph Grupp.

<B>SURKALO</B> — Friends of Michael I. "Mike" Surkalo, who died Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010, will be received at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. in Butler from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Lyndora with Father Robert Oravetz, pastor, officiating. Entombment will follow at the Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum.Parastas services will be at 7 p.m. Sunday from the funeral home.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.