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Donald Erdley

The campus community mourns the passing of Donald Erdley, who died on Wednesday, August 5, 2020. Donald retired from his custodial position in 2005 after 15 years of service to the University.

Included below is the complete text of the obituary, as provided by the family.

You are encouraged to visit our In Memoriam Site at bucknell.edu/InMemoriam and share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others.

On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Donald’s family, as well as to all who knew him at Bucknell.

John C. Bravman
President
__________________________________________________________________________

Donald E. Erdley, 79, of Lewisburg, died Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020, at his home.

He was born Nov. 7,1940, in West Buffalo Township, the son of the late Warren S. and Kathryn (Elliott) Erdley. On July 28, 1973, he married the former Carol Bowersox, who survives. Together, they celebrated 47 years of marriage.

Donald was a 1958 graduate of Mifflinburg High School.

He worked as a mechanic for Valley Sales and Service and Ben Showers Garage, both formerly of Lewisburg. Donald later retired from the Mmintenance department at Bucknell University.

He was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Lewisburg, the New Berlin American Legion Post 957 and the former Mifflinburg Moose.

Donald was an avid bowler, and enjoyed racing, tinkering in the garage and porch sitting.

He also enjoyed spending time on Black Lake, N.Y., where he could throw his line in the water and sit back, relax and enjoy a Yuengling.

His greatest passion in life was his family. Donald was always just a call away, willing to drop whatever he was doing to help them. Of course, there is also the cats he never wanted, except for every stray that came on his porch and found a new permanent home. Donald was Aikey Hill Road’s “crazy cat dad.”

Surviving in addition to his wife are his children, Tammy Chapin and her partner, Len, of Benton, Jeff Erdley and his wife, Sheila, of Cocoa, Fla., Barb Moore and her husband, Gary, of Berwick, Rebecca Sossong and her husband, Tim, of Moses Lake, Wa., and Michelle Marks and her husband, Dan, of Lewisburg; one brother, Ernest Erdley and his wife, Sharon, of New Columbia; 12 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and one great-grandson due this fall.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two sisters, Pat Schreck and Linda Baker; a son-in-law, Chad Chapin and a grandson, Travis Chapin.
Services will be held privately at the convenience of the family.

The family suggests contributions in Donald’s memory be made to either St. John’s United Church of Christ 1050 Buffalo Rd., Lewisburg, PA 17837 or to the Geisinger Health Foundation, online at www.geisinger.org/about-geisinger/geisingerfoundation.

The family is being assisted by Cronrath-Grenoble Funeral Home, South Second and St.Louis Streets, Lewisburg.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cronrathgrenoblefuneralhome. com.

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