Lewis R. Casper Jr.

Lewis R. Casper, Jr., 85, of Erie, died Tuesday evening, March 15, 2011, at St. Vincent Health Center following a lengthy illness. A resident of Erie most of his life he was born in Renovo, Pa. on November 12, 1925, a son of the late Lewis R. Sr. and Madaline Conway Casper. Lewis graduated from Renovo High School and was a veteran of World War II having served in General Patton's 3rd Army and took part in the Battle of the Bulge and the fall of the Remagan Bridge. Following his discharge he moved to Erie. He worked for I.D. Jackson and Son's Food Distributors for 30 years and went on to work for G.E. until his retirement. Following retirement he worked for his son in law at Schwindt Bros. Landscaping and at High Pressure Equipement Co.. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and Past Commander of American Legion Post 771. He was an avid hunter and loved sports, especially the Philadelphia Eagles. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his beloved son, Lewis Casper III; two sisters, Joyce Eschenbach and Frances Storeman; and four brothers, Jerome Casper in infancy, and Charles, Gerald, and Stanley Casper. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Lois Watcherson Casper; one daughter, Judy Schwindt and her husband, Patrick, of Phoenix, Ariz.; one son, Hank Casper of Erie; four sisters, Rosealine Hritzko of Renovo, Pa., Doris Shank of Renovo, Pa., Janet Knauff and her husband Calvin of Farwell, Pa., and Elsie Peters and her husband Bill of Lock Haven, Pa.; three grandchildren, Heidi Kipp and her husband, Heath, Gretchen Schwindt, and Patrick Schwindt, Jr. and his wife, Julie; and five great-grandchildren, Jordan and Riley Kipp, and Lukas, Gabriel, and Grace Schwindt. Many nieces and nephews also survive. Friends may call at the Russell C. Schmidt & Son Funeral Home Inc., 5000 Wattsburg Road, on Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. and are invited to services there on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to the Arthritis Foundation of Western PA, 100 West Station Square, Suite 1950, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219 or the Regional Cancer Center, 2500 West 12th St., Erie, 16505.