George Leyda

Taps sounded on Sunday, May 4, 2014 for George Leyda, 83, of Monongahela, who died in the Monongahela Valley Hospital. He was born April 26, 1931 in Van Voorhis, the son of George "Shutz" and Mary Botsko Leyda Fear. George attended Charleroi schools until 1949 and graduated from Monongahela High School, class of 1950. He retired from Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel in Monessen where he worked as a crane man, and in the blast furnace and electric shop. He entered the US Marine Corps in 1951 and was discharged in 1954, earning the rank of Sgt. from the Engineer School Battalion. He was a troop handler for the diesel section and also served at Mainside and Montford Point, NC, as well as part time at Staff NCO as a waiter at Camp Lejeune, NC. George served as a cub master for the Boy Scouts in Belle Vernon and Monongahela and had earned the Scouters Key. He was the assistant district commissioner of the Allegheny Trails Council. In 1986, George met with S/Sgt. Allegood along with three others, to form the Mon Valley Leathernecks. He was a member of the Carroll Legion James C. Ford Post 949 in Dunkirk, the Marine Corps Association in Quantico, VA, a life member of the USMC Motor Transport Association Montford Point, Jacksonville, NC and charter member of both the USMC Heritage Museum in Quantico, VA and the American Indian National Museum in Washington, DC. He was a former member of the Mid-Mon Valley Shipmates. He is survived by his wife, Irene Helmken Leyda with whom he celebrated fifty eight years of marriage on August 25, 2013; three sons, Lance Leyda and wife Barb of Vanderbilt, Layne Leyda and friend Darlene of Havelock, North Carolina, Elliott "E.B." Leyda and wife Kit of Belle Vernon; daughter, April Leyda of Monongahela; six grandchildren, Tracy Hadjipetrou and husband Andrew, Scott, Brian, Jesse, Jacob and Heather Leyda; sister, Betty Andrick of Monongahela, sister, Rosemary Strenske and husband Harold of Belle Vernon, brother, Joseph Leyda and wife June of Honey Brook, brother, Ronald Leyda and wife Vivian of Toms River, NJ, sisters, Patty Strychalski and Debi Sanner, both of Charleroi, brother, Reuben Fear and wife Linda of Belle Vernon, brother, Chuckie Fear and wife Sheila of Beachwood, NJ.In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Floyd Golden Leyda, Bob Leyda and four sisters, Eva Leyda, Joan Soderholm, Beverly Szabo and Dorothy Williams.Friends will be received on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM in the Frye Funeral Home, Inc., 427 West Main Street, Monongahela, where services will be held on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at noon with the Rev. Dr. Gerald Demarest officiating. Interment will follow in the Monongahela Cemetery.