George Shoskin

George Shoskin, age 85, a resident of Erie, died on February 9, 2016, at Suncoast Hospice in Palm Harbor, Fla., following a two-year battle with cancer and heart disease. Born on December 26, 1930, in Harwick, Pa., he was a son of the late George and Anna Shoskin.

After graduating from Springdale High School, George played minor league baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Injury curtailed his desire to continue playing ball and he then entered the U.S. Navy, serving on a food supply ship during the Korean War. Following his 1955 honorable discharge, he attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania, from where he graduated.

George was a Prudential Insurance Agent in Erie for his entire career. He was a member of the Life Underwriters and was president for two terms and later taught insurance classes to many people in Erie, Pittsburgh, and other locations. He coached hundreds of boys in MYAA sports and was the adult morning physical fitness instructor at J.S. Wilson for many years. George was a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on W. 17th St. and served as an assistant cook for the Tuesday Pasta Kitchen for a period of time. He served on the board of directors of the Glenwood YMCA and was a longtime volunteer as an escort at the VA Medical Center.

He was very proud to be a major league scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates for over 35 years and held baseball training camps every spring, many of them at Behrend.

George was an avid golfer and a 49-year member of Lakeview Country Club and a 23-year member of Highland Lakes in Florida. He learned how to play golf at Oakmont Country Club, where, as a young caddy, he was permitted to play the course once a week. He enjoyed six holes-in-one. He had the privilege of playing Valhalla, Innisbrook and Inverness a number of times. George played golf for over a decade in the annual Danny Bukowski Summer Solsticee, in Corry and Spring Creek, Pa.

In addition to his parents, George was preceded in death by his first wife, Dolores Shoskin; his brother, John Shoskin; and his sisters Fran Wasik and Helen Shoskin.

George is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Peggy Johnson Shoskin. They were married at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on April 22, 1995. He is also survived by two sons, Jeff Shoskin and his wife Susie, of Cincinnati, Ohio and Stuart Shoskin, of Durham, N.C.; and a daughter, Kellee Shoskin, of Hermitage, Pa.; two step-grandsons, Patrick and Joe Kendall and their families; two nieces, Jackie Wise and Sandi Murray; and a nephew Wesley Wasik. He is further survived by Peggy's family, Joan and Don Pennock, Mark and Marcia Pennock and Greg and Gail Pennock, and their children, the John Berry Family; and many wonderful friends, neighbors and golf buddies.

Friends are invited to call at Brugger Funeral Homes & Crematory, 1595 W. 38th St., at Greengarden Blvd., Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and to attend a funeral service at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 643 W. 17th St., Thursday at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Laurel Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Second Harvest Food Bank (designated for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church), 1507 Grimm Dr., Erie, PA 16501, or to Suncoast Hospice House-Brookside, 164 West Lake Rd., Palm Harbor, FL 34684.

Condolences may be expressed at: www.bruggerfuneralhomes.com.

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