From staff reports
Approximately 100 Clarion County military service veterans passed away between April 22, 2022 and April 19 of this year, according to Clarion County Director of Veteran Affairs Rodney L. Sherman. The Veterans Affairs office tracks the passing of county veterans and releases the tally each year before Memorial Day.
According to the informal data, of those more than 100 veterans, six served during World War II; 11 served during the Korea War; seven served during the Korean War Era; 18 served in Vietnam; 12 served during the Vietnam War Era; three served in the Gulf War and one served during the Gulf War Era; 33 served during peacetime; four served in the National Guard or Reserves; and three county veterans’ military service was during an unspecified period.
Some veterans served during more than one designated period.
Clarion County cemeteries
Cedarview Memorial Park: Oren L. Solida, peacetime; Gerald E. Byers, Vietnam; David L. Best, Vietnam Era; Leland R. Dunkle, National Guard; David C. Elliott, Vietnam Era; Lloyd G. Bachman, peacetime, Ralph H. Minich, peacetime; and William M. Motosicke, Korea Era
Clarion: Edward L. Elliott, World War II; Gilbert E. Slaugenhaupt, Vietnam; and Todd A. Bashline, Gulf War Era
Concord: Russel B. Wetzel, Korea Era
Fern Trinity: Kenneth Kaber, Vietnam and Claude E. Gray, peacetime
Fisher Presbyterian: Edward G. Clowney, World War II
Hawthorn: Thomas B. Smith, Sr., Korea Era and Arnold M. Radaker, World War II
Immaculate Conception: Theodore T. Mitrosky, Korean and Victor J. Troese, Vietnam
Knox Union: George W. Freeman, Korean and Harold “Bud” Price, peacetime
Leatherwood: Ronald H. Foringer, peacetime and David Alan Delp, Vietnam
Miola: James D. McCleary, Korean Era; Ronald B. Cummings, Korean; and Edward T. McClain, Vietnam Era
Paradise: John L. Minich, peacetime
Perry Chapel: Francis T. Baran, peacetime and Robert Groner, Vietnam
Presby. Brick Church: Michael L. Elder, peacetime and Benjamin P. Sherman, peacetime
Rimersburg: Clayton E. Rhodes, Korean; Walter J. Henry, peacetime; Robert A. Burt, Jr., Vietnam; Dr. O.D. Crawford, unspecified; Roy E. Summerville, Vietnam; Jonette L. Roland, Vietnam Era and Donald A. Stemmerich, Korea Era
Salem: Joseph A. Ritts, World War II
Salem (Frogtown): Norman F. LaBarre, Jr., peacetime
Sligo: Roy T. Hile, Korean; Wesley (Pat) Sherman, peacetime and Carl P. Redick, peacetime
Starr: Lawrence Shoup, peacetime; John A. Baughman, peacetime; and W. Dean Weaver, peacetime
St. Charles Catholic: James J. Stepulla, peacetime
St. Eusebius: Richard L. Greenawalt, Vietnam Era; Thomas R. Criner, peacetime; and Roy J. Guntrum, Korea Era
St. Paul Union: William L. Shaner, Korean Era; and Cecil R. Ashbaugh, peacetime
St. Petersburg: Robert L. Montgomery, World War II
St. Joseph: Raymond L. Seitz, Vietnam; William J. Wolbert, Vietnam Era; W. Roger Wilson, Vietnam Era; Lawrence B. Gatesman, Jr., Vietnam Era and John A. Gatesman, Reserves
St. Michael: Russell J. Smerkar, Vietnam and Norbert S. Ochs, World War II
Venus: Ryan S. Steer, Persian Gulf
West Freedom: Alvine Leroy Best, Vietnam Era
Private cemetery or cremation
Daniel S. Boehme, Sr., Vietnam; Frederic T. Todd, Vietnam Era; William B. Hiles, Sr., peacetime; Charles Costan, Vietnam; Gary P. Perry, peacetime; Patrick O. Baker, peacetime; David Betchel, peacetime; Dan D. Davis, Reserves and peacetime; Ronald L. Wilhelm, Jr., peacetime; Kenneth W. Orsino, Vietnam; George R. Larimer, Korea and Vietnam; Jonathan L. Sheehan, Vietnam; Robert C. Wingard, Persian Gulf Era; David G. Richardson, peacetime (Reserves)
Robert L. Jackson, peacetime; Clyde M. Shumaker, Vietnam; Leonard “Sonny” L. Hoffman, peacetime; Paul B. Flockerzi, Vietnam; Richard L. Reese, Vietnam; Richard G. Boddof, Korea; William W. Kapp, Korea; Charles E. Jeannerat, peacetime; Larry Charles Smith, Sr., Korea; Julius Turteltaub, Korea and Vietnam; Stanley B. Kline, peacetime; Gerald (Jerry) McFarland, Vietnam Era; William D. Beveridge, Sr., peacetime and Robert J. Schiffhouer, Vietnam
Buried outside of Clarion County
Armstrong County: Robert B. McElravy, Vietnam
Crawford County: John D. Cole, Vietnam
Forest County: John S. Ziegler, Korea and Vietnam
Jefferson County: Mervin L. Kahle, peacetime
Venango County: Paul L. Jones, Persian Gulf; and Donald D. Nicewonger, Korea
For additions and corrections, contact Rodney L. Sherman, director of Veterans Affairs; County Administration Building; 330 Main St. Clarion, Pa., 16214 or by calling (814) 226-4000, ext. 2601 or email rsherman@co.clarion.pa.us.