Laverne Louey

1928 - 2016

Laverne P. Louey
Hanover
Laverne Paul Louey entered into eternal rest on April 4, 2016. He was the son of Paul Emanuel Louey and Bertha Joanna Runk Louey. He was known to his family and friends as Louey or Whitey.
Louey was born on August 15, 1928 in Hanover. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Jean Susan Stair, to whom he was married for over 58 years.
He was a member of Eichelberger High School class of 1946 and graduated with Littlestown High School's class of 1950. Louey enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June 1945 and served until 1946. He also served in the U.S. Army in 1947 to 1948 as a Signal Corps photographer, assigned to the Central Pacific headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii.
He lived in Littlestown for most of his adult life. He and Jean raised their four children and lived 57 years in the home that they physically built together and remodeled many times over the years. He loved his fruit trees and bushes, the pond where we swam and boated, and the summer house, scene of many picnics.
He was a voracious reader of non-fiction and largely self-taught. He had a hunger for learning, a profound faith in God, and belief in the U.S. as a land of opportunity. He loved to study the American Civil War and was an extra in the movie "Gettysburg." He taught himself to play piano and spent many evenings working out the notes to songs, playing in the styles of Floyd Cramer and his own brand of boogie-woogie. His love of photography began when an uncle showed the 14-year-old boy how to develop film.
Louey retired from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as an inspector for the Bureau of Mines and Reclamation after 20 years of service. Earlier in his career, he was the founder and general manager of Mauna Mining and the plant manager for Micalith Mining Corp. Louey worked as a National Field Service engineer for Crane Co., the manufacturer of boilers and burners, and as the plant engineer for Hanover Industries, Inc. After retirement, he started Laverne Louey Enterprises, designing, printing, and distributing postcards to the National Park Service bookstores and other retail outlets.
He was a member of Redeemer's United Church of Christ since 1950 and served on the consistory, the finance committee, and chaired the buildings and grounds committee. He was a member of both the Adams County and Carroll County Historical Societies, and the Civil War Round Table of Gettysburg. He served on the board of Historic Gettysburg, Adams County and chaired the restoration committee for the G.A.R. building. He was a member of Ocker-Snyder post of the American Legion in Littlestown and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans.
He is survived by his children, Christine Benecke of McSherrystown, Gary Louey and wife, Deborah of Littlestown, James Louey and wife, Kimberly Dilts of Beacon Falls, Conn. and Sandra Johnston and husband, Clayton Johnston, III of Crisfield, Md. He leaves seven grandchildren, Elisabeth Benecke, Benjamin (Nicole) Louey, Andrea (Ryan) Long, Valerie (Ryan) Zimmerman, Beth (Timothy) Flood, Alexander Johnston, and Arielle Johnston; and nine great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Carly, and Elijah Louey, Max, Grace, and Drew Long, Landon and Brylee Zimmerman, and Austin Flood. Three siblings survive him, Mary Hall of Lititz, Ruth Ditzler of Gettysburg, and Richard Louey of Spring Grove. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Irvin and Kenneth Louey; and sisters, Merline Louey, Mildred Kopp, Catherine Welsh, and Naomi DeGroft.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday April 9, 2016 at Christ United Church of Christ, 131 Christ Church Road, Littlestown, with the Rev. Craig Arentz and the Rev. Joel Hummel officiating. Burial will be in Christ Church Cemetery, Littlestown. A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, April 8, 2016 at the Kenworthy Funeral Home, Inc., 269 Frederick St., Hanover, and from 10 to 11 a.m., Saturday at the church. Serving as pallbearers will be Ben Louey, Ryan Long, Ryan Zimmerman, Clayton Johnston and Tim Flood. Full military honors will be provided by the Hanover Allied Honor Guard.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Laverne to Homewood at Plum Creek Benevolent Fund, 425 Westminster Avenue, Hanover, PA 17331.
kenworthyfh.com