Rudolph E. “Snoop” Havrilla
Rudolph E. “Snoop” Havrilla, 75, of Lemont Furnace, Pa., and formerly of Jumonville Road, died Monday, November 18, 2002 at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. He was born January 1, 1927 in Phillips, Pa.
He was preceded in death by his father Rudolph V. Havrilla, his mother Veronica Kroftcheck Havrilla, his sister Dorothy Havrilla Petrle and brother-in-law John Petrle and a brother-in-law Ed Myles.
He attended North Union High School and enlisted in the United States Army during World War II in 1944 and was an active member of the 82nd Airborne Division.
He was a member of the VFW Post 47, Amvets Post 103, B.P.O.E. Elks Lodge, Catholic War Veterans and the Independent Slovak Club.
Rudy had a love of music that began at the age of 12 when he made his debut playing at the Ivory Ballroom in Uniontown for the Junior Reporter Club, a performance that was broadcast on WMBS radio. Throughout his life, he played trumpet for many local bands, most recently the Joe Silvo Band and the Silvotones.
As part of the Honor Guard for local veterans’ organizations, Rudy played taps for over 2,500 funerals for local veterans from 1970 until just two weeks ago.
He will be greatly missed by his family.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years Geraldine Strawser Havrilla; three children, Debra Adams and her husband Fred of Lemont Furnace, Diane Dayton of Uniontown and Jim Hayden, and Tim Havrilla and his wife Lisa of Gainesville, Va. and his sister Dolores Myles of Cleveland, Ohio; seven grandchildren (in order of birth) Jason Adams and his wife Darla, Joel Adams, Melanie Adams Landman and husband, Jerry, Jesse and Brennen Dayton, and Kristen and Emily Havrilla, who will deeply miss their Pap Pap; five great grandchildren, Cody, Tyler, Kaitlyn and Madison Adams and Elizabeth Landman; nieces Georgianna Kovach and Marylou Mellinger; nephews Jonathan and Gregory Myles; several great-nieces and great-nephews; one great great-nephew and one great great-niece. Rudy dearly loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren and loved spending time with them.
Friends will be received at the CRAWFORD FUNERAL HOME in Hopwood, today from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday until 11 a.m., the hour of service.
Interment will follow at Parnell Cemetery in Cuzzart, West Virginia, where military honors will be accorded by Amvets Post 103 of Hopwood.