Hobert W. McCracken

Hobert W. McCracken, formerly of Jersey Shore, passed away at the Highlands Care Center in Laporte, Saturday night April 28, 2018, near 10:00PM. He was born in Lumber City, Pa. on July 27, 1917. He was the son of Enloe L. and Imo R. McCracken. At age 2, the family moved to Avis, Pa. where he graduated from the Avis High School in 1935. Hobert would have been 101 on July 27th.

He leaves behind two sons, Jon H. McCracken and wife Bobby Jo ( Morris) of Laporte, Pa., and Michael S. McCracken and friend Ellen of Kissimmee, FL, three grandchildren, Jon David and wife Lori (Weaver) of Mill Hall; Susan (McCracken) McQuillen and husband Brian of Cogan Station; and Robert McCracken of Connecticut; seven great-grandchildren, and two great-great- grandchildren.

Hobert's wife of almost 78 years had just passed away on April 13, 2018. They had a wonderful life together and had dated three years before marrying in 1940.

Hobert grew up during the Great Depression and as a young boy, one of his jobs was to help his mother bake all the families bread needs. From then on he had an almost insatiable appetite for all bread and roll products the rest of his life.

As he grew older, Pine Creek became his favorite place to be all through the year as swimming, fishing and ice skating were three of his favorite past times, with skating being the sport that ended up with him meeting his future wife, Marian Thurston. He played football in high school and became a good baseball player in that he was good enough for a tryout with the Williamsport Grays, unfortunately a trip in a divot in left field and fall on his right shoulder left him with an injury that bothered him the rest of his life. He was also a good bowler and an excellent fly fisherman, with trout fishing being his favorite. He was a member of La Belle Vallee Lodge of Masons.

He started his career on the N.Y.C. railroad in the Avis car shops where his father worked as an overhead crane operator and began honing his skills at repairing and maintaining things electrical. When WW II began, he and his older brother Kenneth both went to sign up but were deferred when they were told that men working on our countries railroads were too important to draft. He began repairing and maintaining trains for the New York Central R.R. in Newberry, Pa. and as the railroads began phasing out steam engines for the new diesel electric engines, he was sent to Cleveland, Ohio to learn the new trade.

He retired from railroading after the repair service was moved to Altoona, Pa. He was, at that time, a diesel electrician foreman. He fully retired after working electrical maintenance at Liberty Mutual Ins. in Williamsport, Pa.

Hobert was predeceased by his wife, Marian, his parents, sisters Betty Sheriff, Margie Strayer, and brothers Kenneth and Clifford McCracken.

Services will be Friday, May 4, 2018 at the Rearick-Carpenter Funeral Home in Jersey Shore, Pa. Viewing at 10:00 a.m.; services at 11:00 a.m. with burial at Rest Haven Memorial Park. To share your memories of Hobert or condolences for the family, please visit www.rearickcarpenter.com

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