Joseph J. Silay Jr.

Joseph J. Silay Jr.

Joseph J. Silay Jr., age 89, of Rudolph Ave., died Thursday, October 25, 2007 at Select Specialty Hospital following an extended illness.

He was born April 13, 1918 in Erie, a son of the late Joseph J. and Elizabeth B. Hornyak Silay. He served in the United States Army during World War II in the South Pacific. He worked at the American Sterilizer for 36 years, retiring in 1980. He also worked as a Civil Defense Police Office. He was an usher at Saint Stephens Church for over 60 years. He was an avid motorcyclist and enjoyed fishing and metal working. He also enjoyed working on motorcycles and cars with his son.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen M. Aldrich Silay and a sister, Mary Kalley. He is survived by two sons, George A. Silay Sr. of Erie and Francis P. Silay of Union City, PA; one brother, Stephen Silay and his wife Helen of Erie and a sister, Helen Malena of Erie. He is also survived by five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Friends are invited to call at the John R. Orlando Funeral Home, Inc., 2122 Raspberry Street, on Saturday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. and may attend a service there on Monday at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at Saint Stephen RC Church, 1237 West 21st Street, at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2115 West 38th St.., Erie, PA 16508.