CW3 Joseph William Podraza Sr. US Army Ret.

CW3 Joseph W. Podraza, Sr. US Army Ret.

June 8, 1934 - June 15, 2023

Joseph William Podraza, Sr., 89, of Mechanicsburg, PA, passed away June 15 at Holy Spirit Hospital. Born June 8, 1934 in Baltimore, Md., he was the son of the late Annette (Wisniewski) and Joseph George Podraza. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann (Wovna), with whom he traveled the world during his military career and throughout their retirement; his daughter Ann Marie and husband Glenn Delevan III, of Boiling Springs, and grandchildren Roy, Blake, and Amanda Delevan; his sister, Joan Wujek of Baltimore, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son, Joseph William Podraza, Jr.

Joseph served 4 years in the U.S. Navy, was a police officer for the Baltimore Police Department, and then served in the U.S. Army for over 20 years, during which time he earned a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from St. Leo's University. He retired from the army as a special agent for the Criminal Investigation Command as a Chief Warrant Officer 3 from Carlisle Barracks. After retiring from the U.S. Army, he worked for the PA Dept. of Forestry as a forest fire investigator, then as a fraud investigator for the Dept. of Defense.

He was a member of the former Cumberland County Law Enforcement Association, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, and was a former member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church both in Mechanicsburg.

There will be a visitation on Thursday, June 22nd from 9:30-11:00 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 310 Hertzler Rd., Mechanicsburg, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00. A burial with military honors will follow the Mass at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Mechanicsburg. To sign the online guest book, please visit www.MalpezziFuneralHome.com