CANFIELD, OH - John Earl “Jack” Statler Jr., 79, died Wednesday morning, May 20, 2015, after an extended illness.
Jack was born on April 18, 1936, to Earl and Elsie Hartman Statler in Wilkinsburg, Pa.

However, he always regarded his hometown as Pleasantville, PA., in Bedford County.
He lived there until he was in eighth grade, attending a one-room school house.

When the family moved to Youngstown, Ohio (Mahoning County) he attended Woodrow Wilson High School, graduating in 1954.
After graduation, he joined the U.S. Army, serving in the 25th Division’s Golden Dragon Regiment. Upon completion of his Army service, he returned home and anticipated collecting unemployment for a while. However, his father had different ideas and secured a job for him at a local steel mill. Being less than overjoyed with steel mill life, he applied for and attended the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy and later served as patrolman and assistant chief in Austintown. Following his police service, he again went to Youngstown Sheet and Tube, where he enrolled in the apprentice program to become an electrician and secured his journeyman status.

Jack started with General Motors in June of 1971, and became a union officer 94 days later.
He held either elected or appointed union positions for the remainder of the 36 years he worked for GM. Elected offices included alternate committee person, district committee person, shop committee person and zone committee person. He was elected to represent the Maintenance Trades at both regional and national conferences and was an elected delegate to the National Bargaining Convention. He also served as administrative assistant to five shop chairmen. Appointments included joint activities rep, communications rep, QWL rep and adapt rep.

Jack would like to thank the union officers and especially the union membership, past and present, for making his job both rewarding and enjoyable for 36 years. Working within the union in diverse positions was a great life experience, where he met and worked with outstanding people.
Jack would like to leave to his union brothers and sisters, his only mistress, General Motors UAW Local 1714, with the hope that they will keep this union strong!

Jack also enjoyed genealogy research, bow hunting, fishing, golfing and auto racing, and had missed doing these things since he had become sick.

His son-in-law, Matthew Royal, and his brother, George Statler, took him fishing and to the hunting camp that he loved so much in the Allegheny National Forest.
One of the greatest thrills of his life was playing 18 holes at St. Andrews Old Course in Scotland. Jack leaves the following people to cherish his memory: his wife of 33 years, the former Christine Spiker; his much-loved only brother, George and wife Denise Statler; and his son-in-law, Matthew Royal and wife Kelly. These four people have “been there, no matter what,” and brought much joy into his life in his last years.
He leaves a son, John (Kim) McHenry; a daughter, Dina Statler Tinney Royal; grandsons John (Ali) McHenry, Joshua and Jared McHenry, Matthew and John Tinney, Nicholas Royal and Jordan Powell; his only cousin, who has been more like a sister, Diane (Joe) Felix; and his friend of 60 plus years, Bill Forney.
Preceding him in death, his parents, Earl and Elsie Statler; his mother-in-law, Elsie Spiker.
“The family would like to thank the staff at ValleyCare Northside Medical Center.”
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Davidson-Becker Funeral Home, 11 Spring St., Struthers, OH.

Family and friends will be received on Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the funeral home, prior to the service.

Please send any material tributes to either the Christ Lutheran Church, 250 Sexton St., Struthers, OH 44471; or New Lease on Life Animal Shelter, 2773 Midlothian Blvd., Struthers, OH 44471. or UAW Local 1714 Scholarship Fund, 2121 Salt Springs Road, Lordstown, Ohio 44481

Visit www.beckerobits.com to send condolences.