John F. Halase, Jr

John F. Halase, Jr., 86 YOUNGSTOWN âa�" John F. Halase, Jr., age, 86 of 1216 Fifth Ave., died Friday evening at the Forum Health North Side Medical Center. Mr. Halase was born in Campbell on December 4, 1921, the son of John and Mary Kovach Halase, and was a life long area Resident. He graduated from Campbell Memorial High School with the June class of 1939. Mr. Halase then enlisted in the US Navy on December 7th 1939 serving 6 years and was Honorably Discharged December 19, 1945, and then served 4 years in the Naval Reserves. Mr. Halase obtained the rank of Chief Quartermaster. He left Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 just prior to the Japanese attack, serving aboard the USS Quincey; USS St. Louis; USS Macomb; and the USS Sproston. Mr. Halase took part in the African Invasion, and served with the British Home Fleet. He spent time in the Aleutian Islands, and took part in the Invasion of Palau, New Guinea, Hollandia, Philippine and Okinawa invasion where his ship was bombed and damaged by a Japanese Kamakasi Airplane. Mr. Halase received the following medals, the WWII Victory Medal, the American Defense Medal, the European African Mideast Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with 4 Stars; American Theater Philippine Liberation; Philippine Independence, The Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon. He graduated from Youngstown College, then was employed by the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company as a Metallurgical Engineer, retiring on July 1st, 1986. He was the secretary and treasurer of the USS Sproston reunion group for twenty years, President of the Mahoning Valley Technical Society, Chairman of the American Society of Metals, a member of the Mahoning Valley Industrial Management Association, the American Chemical Society, President of the University Club of Campbell, a Registered professional Metallurgical Engineer in California, a member of the Chatterbox club, Tin Can Sailors, the Western Star Lodge 21 F & A.M., a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, a member of the Aut Mori Grotto, a member of the Heritage Presbyterian Church, where he was an Elder, Deacon and a Trustee. Mr. Halase loved collecting stamps. He was an avid reader, he enjoyed reading the National Geographic magazines, loved reading about WWII, and the Navy, and most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. His wife of 61 years, the former Elizabeth âa�A"Bettyâa�A� Horvath, whom he married August 5, 1954, died January 25, 2006. Mr. Halase is survived by one son, John F. (Linda) Halase, III, of West Chester, one sister, Betty Welch of New Braunfels, TX, and many nieces and nephews. Besides his parents and wife, he is preceded in death by two brothers, Louis Halase, and William Halase, and two sisters, Margaret Wright, and Mary Drahos. Family and friends will be received Wednesday from 5-8 at the Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home, Poland. Funeral Services will be held Thursday at 10:00 am at the Heritage Presbyterain Church, 1951 Mathews Road, Poland, where friends will be received from 9:00 âa�" 9:45 am. Interment will follow at Tod Homestead Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given in Mr. Halaseâa�a��s name to the Heritage Presbyterian Church 1951 Mathews Rd., Poland OH 44514 Condolences may be sent at www.beckerobits.com

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