Larry Pantages' father dies

Frank William Pantages, almost 87, father of BJ's Larry Pantages, died.

Larry wrote a magnificent paean to his Pop in the obituary published in the Beacon Journal.

Frank was born in Fayette County in western Pennsylvania, where Uniontown is the best-known city, with Greek Orthodox Church records to prove it.

He is survived by Evelyn Ruth Gretta, his Slovak bride of 57-plus years. Frank was a 1942 East High graduate, a World War II veteran of the Normandy invasion and the Battle of the Bulge, the effusive bartender at Leo's Cafe in East Akron and 50-year St. John Lutheran Church usher.

Larry ends his tribute to Pop this way:

"So everybody, mark Billy Pantages' life and death today by lifting a glass, lighting a candle, planting a tree, dancing a polka. Or kee"

A niece, Penny Dirrig Cummings of Kent, in signing the funeral home guest book, gave another glorious glimpse:

"Another significant role in Bill Pantages' life was that of our uncle. He didn't touch our lives through his letters as our Uncle Gus did after his death as a hero in WWII before most of us were born.

"He didn't throw us in the air and catch us as did our Uncle Jim or make us laugh with his antics.

"But Uncle Bill was there for every important event in our lives, he treated us with respect and remembered our accomplishments, he was always available to talk, and he gave us an example of marital love in his devotion to Aunt Evelyn these 57 years, especially since her stroke, that transcends the bounds of human understanding.

"We treasure our memories of Uncle Bill as a human being who confronted the realities of life with dignity, grace, and a resilience that will help as we face our years ahead without him."

Click on the headline to read Larry's paean to Pop.