George R Locher

LORAIN – George R. Locher, 92, passed away on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at his home with his son by his side.
He was born in Aliquippa, PA on April 6, 1924.
George moved to Lorain with his family in 1934 and he attended Clearview High School. He started playing and enjoying the game of baseball. He was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1943 serving overseas in the CBI Theater during WWII and he was honorably discharged in 1945. George returned home and resumed his passion for baseball playing in the minor league for several teams before playing as a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox where he recorded 27 outs on the infield in a single game. In 2008, He was inducted into the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame. Following his professional baseball career he enjoyed playing softball, golfing, bowling while he worked at various jobs including Lakeshore Railroad, Gaylord's and he was a welder at BF Goodrich where he retired in 1988.
He is survived by his daughter, Lauri Staats; sons, Kyle, Tod and Brett (Sylvia) Locher; sister, Marguerite "Peg" Pearson; brother, Dale Sharkey; 5 grandchildren, Ashley Staats and Jason, Christopher, Derek and Marissa Locher; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Melanie; parents, George and Lillian Wilhelmina (nee: Koch) Locher; step-mother, Ruth Sharkey; brothers, Charles Locher and Phil Bellino; and sister, Emma Gregg; step-brother, Clyde Sharkey; step-sister, Geraldine Ferguson.
The family will receive friends at Reidy-Scanlan-Giovannazzo Funeral Home, 2150 Broadway, Lorain, OH, (440) 244-1961 on Sunday, October 23, 2016 from 4:00 PM until time of closing prayers at 8:00 PM. Interment will be held at Ridge Hill Memorial Park in Amherst Twp, OH with military honors by the Disabled American Veterans Lois Proy Chapter # 20 on Monday, October 24, 2016 at 10:30 AM (meet at main entrance of cemetery). Online condolences may be sent using www.rsgfuneralhome.com.