Michael George Pleva

"> Michael George Pleva
Michael George Pleva passed away September 20, 2007. Mike, or Papa as he was known to his grandchildren, was born on October 24, 1923, in Allentown. In his early years, Mike was an altar boy and sang in the choir at his local church. He was a member of the Slovak Catholic Sokol fraternity. Like many kids, he dreamed of playing big time baseball, but World War II prevented that. Mike was drafted into the Army in 1943. He served in the Quartermaster Corps and saw action in the Philippines and New Guinea. After his Army discharge in 1946, he married his prewar sweetheart, Mary. Mike worked in the steel industry near his hometown until 1959, at which time he moved with his family to San Bruno, Calif. There he worked at the Bethlehem Steel Corp. shipyards in San Francisco, Calif. In 1962, he and his family moved to Sunnyvale, Calif., with a job change to Pittsburgh-DeMoine Steel Co. in Santa Clara, Calif. In search for a better job and better working conditions, Mike went to work for the Santa Clara Post Office where he was employed from 1967 until retiring in 1984. Not being able to sit still, Mike worked a number of years for the Avis rental car company as a driver. Throughout his life, Mike loved baseball and was an avid bowler. In his retirement, he joined and actively participated in the Sons In Retirement (S.I.R.) Branch 153 and was a regular in the summer, winter mixed and mens-only bowling teams for many years. Survivors: Wife; sons, Gregory, Anthony; grandchildren, Derek, Jason, Julie, Matthew, Joshua; great-grandchildren, Jessica, Cameron, Benjamin. Preceding him in death were his parents, Michael and Mary, his beloved sister, Anna Berosh, and an infant daughter and a son. Services: Memorial service, 10 a.m. Friday, October 19, St. Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church, Campbell, Calif., with a reception afterward in the parish banquet room. Contributions: In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Thomas of Canterbury Church or the American Cancer Society.