John M. Taper

John M. Taper, 77, of Washington, formerly of Canonsburg, died at 9:10 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, 2017, in Washington County Health Center, Chartiers Township, with his wife by his side, following a three-month illness.
He was born November 20, 1939, in the East End of Canonsburg, a son of the late Ignatious and Anna Vinisky Taper.
Mr. Taper was a graduate of Canonsburg High School.
He was employed for more than 20 years as a machinist for Universal Cyclops, until his retirement.
Mr. Taper served in the U.S. Navy for four years as a gunners mate third class. He served on the cruiser USS Toledo, based out of Long Beach, Calif., and completed a Western Pacific cruise on board the ship. He was later stationed in Florida near Winter Haven in the Mothball Fleet that watched over decommissioned ships in storage. He went with his son, Larry, for a Tiger cruise from Hawaii to San Diego for seven days in 1988 on his son's ship.
He was a member of Elks Lodge 846, Canonsburg, and a past member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 191, Canonsburg, American Legion Post 902, Houston, and PORCC Club, which focused on the preservation of oldies music from the '50s and '60s. He was a great dancer, and he and his wife, Janice, were quite a couple on the dance floor. He also enjoyed woodworking and working outside at his home. He was a longtime league bowler, until a shoulder injury forced him to stop. He was a loving husband, father and grandpap.
On November 29, 1996, he married Janice M. DeStefano Tomey, who survives.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are a son, Larry (Carrie) Taper; a daughter, Lorrie Taper (Steve) Sherman; two stepsons, Jason A. Tomey and Aaron A. (Heather) Tomey; three brothers, James (Rose) Taper, Joe (Julie) Taper and Anthony Taper; four sisters, Thresa Horvath, Margaret Urbas, Nancy (Carl) Andree and Janet (Richard) Andree; six grandchildren, Ryan and Travis Sherman, Christopher John and Caraline Ann Taper, Brynn Marie Tomey and London Leigh Tomey; and several nieces and nephews.
Deceased, in addition to his parents, are his first wife, Dorothy Marie Mahramus Taper, whom he married September 16, 1961, and who died February 13, 1993; a sister, Irene Taper; and two brothers, Edward Taper and Theodore Taper.
Friends will be received from 1 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in Warco-Falvo Funeral Home Inc., corner of Wilson and East Katherine avenues, Washington, S. Timothy Warco, supervisor/director, Susan Falvo Warco, director, S. Timothy Warco II, director, where a prayer service will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 17. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10 a.m. in Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Washington. Burial will follow in Woodruff Memorial Park, North Strabane Township, with full military rites accorded by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 191 Honor Guard, Canonsburg, and the U.S. Navy.
Memorial contributions may be made to John F. Kennedy Catholic School, 111 West Spruce Street, Washington, PA 15301.
Condolences may be expressed at www.WarcoFalvoFuneralHome.com.