Anthony F. Ferragine

1926 - 2020

Anthony F. Ferragine, 94, of 401 Chestnut Street, Johnsonburg, died Wednesday afternoon, November 11, 2020 at Penn Highlands-Elk in St. Marys following an illness of the past three months. He was born on September 10, 1926 in Johnsonburg a son of the late Frank and Antoinette Procopio Ferragine. On August 23, 1959 in Holy Rosary Church, Johnsonburg he married Veronica Vavala and she survives.
Anthony was a lifelong resident of Johnsonburg and was a 1944 graduate of Johnsonburg High School and a graduate of the Eckles College of Mortuary Science in Philadelphia which he attended after his discharge from the US Navy after WWII.
He was a member of Holy Rosary Church where he had been a member of the parish council, cemetery committee, festival committee and has been in charge of decorating the church for holidays and special occasions for over 50 years. He was a 4th degree Knights of Columbus, Life Member of the Johnsonburg Elks and he was a member of the Elk County Planning Commission and Elk County Children and Youth. He was especially proud of his time in the Yellow Jackets and Diplomats Drum and Bugle Corps. He loved his children and grandchildren and welcomed his first two great-grandchildren earlier this summer. He loved flower and vegetable gardening and going to the casino. He loved going to fairs and festivals, especially on fireworks night! Anthony was always proud of Johnsonburg, he always made it a point to support any business, club or organization in town whenever he could. He always said that to support a local business was an investment in the town and its people.
He was always proud to have been the first orderly at the St. Marys Hospital. He was urged to do so by the Sisters who worked there and this led to his interest in the medical field. After the Navy, he decided to go to mortuary school instead and after school, he did an apprenticeship at the King Funeral Home in Ridgway and then worked for Ubel's in Johnsonburg for many years as a funeral director, carpet layer, furniture store worker and delivery man and also for the Fashion Shop. In 1962 he opened the Anthony F. Ferragine Funeral Home and was active until this summer, attending a continuing education course in June. He was one of the oldest active licensed funeral directors in the state of Pennsylvania.
He is a WWII Navy Vet serving in the Pacific as a Signalman 3rd Class aboard the USS Cascade, USS Beaver and the USS Nantahala.
He is survived by his wife Veronica at home, three children; Gemma Ferragine and her husband Gary Palm of Raleigh, North Carolina, Frank Ferragine and his wife Sherrie of Johnsonburg and Veronica Pierce of Ringwood, New Jersey. He is also survived by eight grandchildren; Amanda, Mrs. Josh Williams, Mary Palm, Samantha "Sami", Mrs. Kyle Yurkewicz, Anthony "Joey" Ferragine, William "Luke" Ferragine, Rebecca Pierce, Matthew Pierce and Stephen Pierce and two great-grandchildren; Josephine Williams and Grayson Yurkewicz.
Anthony is predeceased by his parents, brothers John and Robert Ferragine and sisters Santina "Sandy" DeAngelo, Angeline "Angie" Scacchitti and Margherite in infancy.
Friends and family are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial for Anthony F. Ferragine to be conducted at Holy Rosary Church on Saturday November 14, 2020 at 12 p.m. to be concelebrated by Father David Wilson Pastor of Holy Rosary Church and Father Justin Pino, Pastor of St. Leo Parish, Ridgway.
Anyone attending Mass is asked to please wear a mask and please abide by the church rules for social distancing.
Interment will be in Holy Rosary Cemetery. Due to COVID-19 restrictions on gathering size, visitation will be private family only.
Arrangements are under direction of the Anthony F Ferragine Funeral Home 401 Chestnut Street Johnsonburg, Pa.
If desired, memorial contributions should be made to the Johnsonburg Community Center, 600 Market Street, Johnsonburg 15845, Holy Rosary Church, 606 Penn Street, Johnsonburg, PA 15845, the Johnsonburg Public Library, 520 Market St., Johnsonburg, PA 15845 or to the Johnsonburg Fire Dept., 99 Clarion Rd., Johnsonburg, PA 15845 or to the Wilcox Fire Dept., 84 Lawrence St., Wilcox, PA 15870.
Military honors will be accorded by the Johnsonburg and Ridgway Servicemen's Detail. Detail members are asked to assemble at the funeral home on Saturday morning at 11:15 a.m.
Share your condolences at www.ferraginefuneralhome.com.