John W. Gumpper

John W. Gumpper, 95, of Butler went to be with the Lord on Saturday at Butler Memorial Hospital.
He was born on Sept. 15, 1919, in Butler to the late Alfred J. Gumpper and Annie L. Wilson Gumpper.
Mr. Gumpper was a member of the First United Methodist Church, where he had been a trustee and Sunday school superintendent/teacher.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps and a World War II P-51 Mustang fighter pilot from 1943 to 1945.
Mr. Gumpper was a designer and project manager for Walter L. Wimer and Associates, architectural engineer, from 1947 to 1974. He worked on projects such as St. Paul's School and Convent and many other churches in the Butler area. Mr. Gumpper also designed the United Telephone Main Office and Equipment Building as well as other businesses in Butler, Callery, Allison Park and Murraysville. He designed many homes in Pennsylvania, Florida and West Virginia.
He was on the Butler County Symphony Orchestra Board and designed the program covers. Mr. Gumpper played his curved soprano saxophone for musical groups since the mid-1930s. He played with the Bill Sellers' Orchestra through the 1950s, the Ed Brinker's Orchestra through the 1960s and 1970s and his own orchestra and jazz combos until the late 1970s. He continued playing his silver sax for the residents of Newhaven Court At Clearview. He made the drawings for marble-plaques (Butler City) for the hospital auxiliary as well as programs and posters. He also drew black and white portraits and homes on order.
Mr. Gumpper was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates fan.
Mr. Gumpper is survived by his two sons, John W. Gumpper Jr. and his wife, Sharon, and Robert A. Gumpper, both of Butler; his daughter, Nancy L. Fretwell of Bradford Woods; his daughter-in-law, Donna Gumpper of Cranberry Township; his five grandchildren, Brian Prentice, Tracie Fretwell McCusker, Bradley Fretwell, Christopher Gumpper and Abigail Gumpper; his five great-grandchildren; his sister, Evelynita "Evie" Welsh of Santa Rosa, Calif.; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Marian S. Gumpper; his second wife, Joan Smith Gumpper; his son, the Rev. William A. "Bill" Gumpper; his two brothers, Alfred H. and Richard V. Gumpper; and his three sisters, Betty Hocker, Kay L. Myers and Ada L. McDonnell.
Gumpper- The friends of John W. Gumpper, who passed away Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, will be received from noon to 3 p.m. Thursday at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, 124 E. North St., Butler.
Funeral services will immediately follow at 3:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 200 E. North St., Butler, with Tom M. Holman of the First United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will take place in the North Side Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 200 E. North St., Butler, PA 16001, or to the Salvation Army, 313 W. Cunningham St., Butler, PA 16001.
Online condolences can be given at www.thompson-miller.com.