Ernest Neil "Ernie" Retzer, 84, of 666 South Ave. Bradford, passed away Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at Bradford Regional Medical Center.
Born October 9, 1930, in Kane he was a son of the late Ernest Michael and Hilma (Larson) Retzer.
On April 4, 1953 at the Presbyterian Church in Wilcox with Rev. T. Lambert officiating, he married Beverly Joan (Mines) Retzer who survives.
Mr. Retzer was a 1948 graduate of Wilcox High School. On August 17, 1948 he enlisted in the United States Navy and was honorably discharged on August 14, 1952 as an AEZ Petty Officer.
In 1955 Ernie graduated from the Erie County Technical Institute of Buffalo with an Associate Degree in Building and Construction. He won an award for his design of his commercial building project.
After his discharge from the Navy he worked at the Wilcox Tannery for a short time. He worked for Bell Aircraft, Bethlehem Steel, Electro-Metllurgical, Nusbaumer, and Clark & Velze Surveying. He then worked at Corning Glass in Bradford for 27 years as a drafting technician and later for Dale Electronics for 6 years as a customer engineering technician retiring in 1993.
He was a member of Evans Memorial United Methodist Church, where he had been head usher for many years and a trustee. He was a former co-leader of the Boy Scouts in Bradford, past president and member of the Board of Directors for the Bradford Area Federal Credit Union for many years, a blood donor for the American Red Cross and a member of the Red Cross Century Club and volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society cancer patients.
Ernie enjoyed his family, home maintenance, gardening, hunting in the past, and was known to always have time to help people. His motto was "an honest day's pay for honest day's work.".
In addition to his wife of 61 years are 4 daughters, Laurel E. (Gary) Phillips, of Ellicottville, NY, Beth A. (Cecil Patin) Retzer of Pensacola Fl, Kathleen J. (Robert) Walsh, of Jamestown, NY, and Louise M. Retzer, of Huron, OH, one son, Ernest M. Retzer, of Bradford, 7 grandchildren Santino (Nancy) Lombardo, Jeremiah Andrews, Rachel (Jamal Kirk) Andrews, Lawrence Walsh, Ernest John Retzer, Fiona Retzer and Beata Langston, two great grandchildren, Jordan Sky Kirk and Johanna Simone Kirk. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Richard and a sister Lois Adkins.
Family will be receiving friends on Friday November 21, 2014 from 2 to 4pm & 6 to 8pm in the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes, Inc., 372 East Main Street, and again on Saturday, November 22, 2014 from 10:00 am to 11:00am in the Evans Memorial United Methodist Church at which time funeral and committal services will be held with Rev. Larry Corner, Pastor officiating.
Memorials, if desired, may be made to Evans Memorial United Methodist Church 1447 South Avenue Bradford, PA 16701 or American Cancer Society, McKean Co. Unit 95 Main Street Bradford, PA 16701
Online condolences may be made at www.hollenbeckcahill.com