Bernard F. "Bernie" Gluvna

1931 - 2020

Bernard F. "Bernie" Gluvna, 89, of Stewart Rd., Corry, Pa. died Saturday, December 5, 2020 at Corry Memorial Hospital.

He was born August 17, 1931, in Duquesne, Pa., a son of the late Andrew and Mary Hanyak Gluvna.

Bernie moved to Corry with his family when he was an infant and was raised and educated in Corry. He was an 8th grade graduate of St. Edward's School and a 1949, Honors graduate of Corry High School. As a young man, he operated his family's dairy farm and then worked for a few years at McInnes Steel Corp. Bernie entered the United States Navy and served from 1955 until 1957. Following his Honorable Discharge, he returned to Corry and resumed his employment at McInnes Steel. He retired from there as a Manager of Commercial Engineering on May 22, 1992, with 37 years of service.

Bernie was a member of St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church of Corry until its closing. Following the closing he then attended St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church. He was very active in the church, he was a Choir member, Usher, Lector, Eucharistic Minister and member of the Finance Committee, made Cursillo #80 and attended Marriage Encounter weekend with his wife in 1986.

He also belonged to the Knights of Columbus Council #425 for 73 years and was Past Grand Knight from 1956-1957. He was a member of the Corry VFW Post #264 and of the Road to Recovery-Corry Unit of the American Cancer Society and American Red Cross Donor, donating 23 gallons of blood in his life time.

Bernie enjoyed planting and tending to his gardens and manicuring his lawn, spending time in the woods cutting firewood and observing mother nature in the wild. He also enjoyed playing golf and was an avid life long Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Before his wife passed he loved taking long walks and visiting casinos with her. Bernie enjoyed fixing things and there was nothing he couldn't fix. But the thing he enjoyed the most was spending time with his children and grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, Bernie was preceded in death on June 9, 2016 by his wife Helen Kalamayja Gluvna whom he married on October 10, 1953 in Oil City, Pa.; two sisters, Catherine Gerzina and Margaret Macko and seven brothers, Steven, Cyril "Cy," John, Andrew, Anthony, Edward and Albert Gluvna.

Bernie is survived by his fiancé Eileen Watson of Corry, Pa.; a daughter, Tricia Young and her husband Randy of Union City, Pa.; two sons, Tim Gluvna and his companion Haly Mecham of Salt Lake City, Utah and Thomas Gluvna and his wife Beth of Margate, Fla.; and a brother, Donald Gluvna and his wife Theresa of Albuquerque, N.M.

Also surviving are ten grandchildren, Dustin, Derek, Devin, Laura, Zachary, Austin, Trevor and Tyler Gluvna and Sophia and Jessica Messenger; four great-grandchildren, Jonathan, Jax, Blaise and Jade and many nieces and nephews.

Due to Covid 19, the Funeral Mass will be held privately by his family.

Funeral service will be available for viewing on the Bracken Funeral Home Facebook page after Friday.

Burial will be in St. Elizabeth Cemetery, Corry, Pa.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, Easter States Memorial, P.O. Box 417005, Boston, MA 20852 or St. Elizabeth Parish Center, c/o St. Thomas, 230 W. Washington St., Corry, Pa. or American Cancer Society, Corry Unit, 2115 W. 38th St., Erie, Pa. 16508.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of the Bracken Funeral Home, 315 N. Center St., Corry, Pa.

To sign the guest book or send condolences, please visit www.brackenfh.com.

Sign the Guestbook at www.GoErie.com/obits.