Jan 12, 2017 3 min read

Harry, of Boulder, WY and Farmington, PA, grew up in Uniontown, Pennsylvania He was the son of Tom Whyel and Nina Stone Whyel.

He graduated from Uniontown High School in 1943. In high school, he was a talented musician and while older musicians were off at war, he was 15-16 and played the saxophone and clarinet in local bars and clubs and with big bands. When he was 16, he spent the summer at Culver Academy and was in the band there. He was recruited to attend the Julliard School, but declined their offer and instead, enlisted in the Marine Corps upon graduation.

He was in the 3rd Amphibious Corps in the South Pacific, in the B Company 9th Amphibious and was an Expert Rifleman. He was stationed in Okinawa and experienced many kamikaze and banzai attacks. He arrived during the final stages of the Battle of Guadalcanal His 9th Amphibious Tractor Battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy. He also received a medal as an Expert Rifleman.

When he returned to the United States, he joined the family coal and coke business. During World War II, the company had 600 employees and provided coke for steel production that helped the war effort. Both Harry and his brother, Bill, who was a B-17 pilot, could have been exempt from military service, but, instead, chose to enlist.

In 1947 he was married to the late Mary Long Whyel and they had three children. Harry leaves behind a loving family: his children, Marjorie, Allen (Pam Smith) and Scott (Carol MacLaughlin), and his grandchildren Mary Beth Whyel of Washington, D.C., Emily Whyel Linney of Washington state, Mariel Gallet, LaJolla, California, Louis Gallet of Pittsburgh, Pa., Thomas Whyel and Jay Whyel both of Denver, Colorado, David Whyel of Rochester, Michigan.

He will be missed by his family and friends.

Harry was generous and kind hearted and liked to help people. His favorite way of helping was to put students in need through college. He has paid to help 63 students complete their college educations.

He loved hunting and fishing with his sons and grandsons and took family and many friends on hunting and fishing expeditions. At his ranch in Wyoming, he hosted many well-known people, including President George Bush and several of his sons.

A private Memorial Service will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to the Uniontown Public Library or to the Uniontown YMCA.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the ANDREW D FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIES, INC., 80 Morgantown Street, Uniontown, PA 15401.

Memories may be shared with the family on the funeral home’s Facebook page or at adferguson.com

Semper Fi!