Anthony Pete "Tony" Vohar

Vohar Anthony "Tony" Pete Vohar, 83, went to be with His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ where his mind is again clear and body strong. Tony was born in Midland, PA to the late Mary and George Vohar. After the untimely death of his mother during childbirth when Tony was two years old, he was raised by his maternal aunt and uncle, the late Theresa and Michael Hornick. He was preceded in death by brothers Michael, George, Andrew, and Robert, and sisters Betty Verzella, Theresa Polizotto, and Marie Vohar. Tony grew up on a farm and learned trade skills early. Upon graduating from Midland High School, he served in the Army's 101st Airborne and after being honorably discharged he continued working in his family's shoe business which he later purchased. He met the first love of his life Janet Lee Daily on a blind date arranged by special friends Tom and Joyce Seevers and they married on July 11, 1970. They began attending Boyce United Methodist Church where Tony met the second love of his life Jesus Christ and was discipled by the late Rev. Paul George. Tony and Jan were blessed with three daughters. In 1977, he moved his young family to Columbus, OH, and opened a Red Wing Shoe Store where he sold and repaired shoes and offered orthopedic adaption services. Because of the personalized foot service, he had a loyal following of customers and was often able to share his faith. Tony went on to get his local preachers license and became bi-vocational- first as the associate pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church and then took on the full responsibility of Brownsville UMC. Feeling an increasing call to ministry, he began taking night seminary classes at Mt. Vernon Nazarene College and was ordained in 1992. He then accepted calls as the senior pastor of Dublin Nazarene Church and associate pastor focusing on senior-adult ministries and assisted-living outreach of Pataskala Nazarene Church and most recently Pickerington Nazarene Church (PNC). He was very active in his church and community- volunteering for the Rescue Mission and Christian schools, organizing the Storehouse for Jesus Food Pantry, leading church services and Bible studies at the Abbington Assisted Living in Pickerington, assisting neighbors, and visiting the sick. He organized ten trips to Israel and took great joy in helping others experience "walking where Jesus walked." Tony lived his convictions and regularly found ways to wash feet. Tony was a loving and caring husband, father, and friend. He regularly donated his time, talent, treasure and advice. He sought out the unnoticed, was a man of his word and lived his favorite verse Psalm 118:8 "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." When selling shoes, he reminded his customers that shoddy foundations were meant only for "chicken coops, not cathedrals" and that this applied to life as well. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Jan; their daughters, Heather (George) Sisler of Grove City, OH, Joann (Mark) Kochenderfer of Roanoke, VA, and Sara (Chad) Hamilton of Circleville, OH; grandchildren, Colton, Aidan, Noah, MaKenna, Lucy, Mae and Sam; a sister, Evelyn (Ernest) Dosalik of Industry, PA; a brother, Michael (Norma) Hornick of Industry, PA; brother-in-law, Raymond (Rachel) Daily of Frazeysburg, OH; and many other nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Thank you to Brookdale Pinnacle Memory Care Unit and the palliative care team at Mt. Carmel West Hospital for the compassionate care they provided to Tony and his family. Visitation will be on Sunday, August 28 from 2-5 p.m. at PNC, 11775 Pickerington Rd., Pickerington, OH. A celebration of Tony's life will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, August 29, 2016 at PNC with Pastors Phil Manson and George Sisler officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow in the Lithopolis Cemetery at 4365 Cedar Hill Rd. NW, Lithopolis, OH. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.spencefuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, consider memorial contributions to Storehouse for Jesus Food Pantry made out to Pataskala Nazarene Church with notation Storehouse for Jesus/Tony Vohar and sent to 8100 Hazelton Etna Rd. SW, Pataskala, OH 43062. DWAYNE R. SPENCE FUNERAL HOME is serving the family.