Stephen A. "Steve" Suchta

Suchta, Stephen A., 86, Lilly, on Friday morning, January 18, 2019, our beloved husband, dad and grandpap entered the heavenly kingdom to live eternally with God, the Blessed Mother and all the saints and angels. Steve was born August 3, 1932 in Lilly Coal, the youngest of seven children, to John and Elizabeth (Minick) Suchta. Steve attended grade school at Saint Brigid’s Catholic school in Lilly and graduated from Lilly High School, class of 1951. He proudly served his country in the United States Army from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean Conflict. Steve was employed by Bethlehem Steel Mills in Johnstown as a millwright in the blast furnace for 32 years. On August 13, 1960 Steve married the love of his life, Mary Ann George in Saint Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church in Lilly. Monsignor Philip B. Curran performed the wedding ceremony. Steve and Mary Ann celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 13, 2010 at a Polka mass following by dinner and a reception surrounded by 350 of their closest family, friends and neighbors, enjoying their favorite Polka band, Polka Family. Blessed with 58 years of marriage, living 56 of them in their beloved neighborhood of “Dogtown”, Steve and Mary Ann are the proud and loving parents of “their three boys” John “Johnny” and fiance’ Jeff Bennett, Lilly, Tom and wife Linda (McCabe), Lilly and Mike and wife Linda (Zacur), Cresson. Steve was the beloved grandpap of Amanda Zacur, Colin, Lauren and Emily Suchta and caring pappy of Lilly whom he lovingly referred to as “Puppy”. Along with his parents, Steve is joined in heaven with his brothers, infant John, Andy and wife Ann, George and wife Belle, Joe and wife Tootsie, Paul and wife Vi and sister, Margaret Slebodnick and husband Paul, mother-in-law and father-in-law Kathleen and Dorry George and brother-in-law Fritz George. Steve’s warm and outgoing personality will always be cherished by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Teddy and Doodle George, sister-in-law Mary George and many, many nieces, nephews and wonderful friends and beloved neighbors. Steve was greeted at heavens Rainbow Bridge by all of his hunting dogs and his beloved granddogs, Cody, Nittany and Sweetie Pie. Steve and Mary Ann enjoyed the simple things in life, taking the dogs for their nightly rides while enjoying listening to their Polkas, attending local Polka dances and festivals, canning, making sauerkraut and homemade jelly and pies, picking mushrooms and blueberries, cooking his famous lazy pigs-in-the-blanket and delivering flowers for their son John’s flower shop. Steve and Mary Ann also enjoyed dining out at many of their local favorite restaurants, Cresson Springs, DeLuca’s, Keystone Restaurant, Kings, Craig Mazz’s, Parkway, Rax, Route 53 Diner, and Tookies. Their daily shopping trips to Stager’s store were not only enjoyed by them, but everyone they encountered. You could always count on Steve for a good joke or two, a piece of beef jerky or a piece of hard candy. Steve honorably served as the Mayor of Lilly, Lilly Chief of Police and Constable. He was a life member of the Bear Rock Sportsman’s Association, where he was a hunting and safety instructor for 40 years, and the Lilly American Legion. Steve was an avid outdoors man who enjoyed hunting and fishing, especially fly fishing at Yellow Creek. One of his proudest accomplishments was being awarded the 1966 Pennsylvania Game Commission Triple Trophy which is hunting’s equivalent to winning the Super Bowl, harvesting a buck, a turkey and a bear all in the same year. One of Steve’s greatest pleasures was spending countless hours on the Lilly mountain with his brothers and sons Tom and Mike. There aren’t many trees on the Lilly mountain that don’t have Steve’s name engraved in them. Known as the “Voice of Lilly baseball”, Steve’s love of the game started at an early age and followed him throughout his life. Steve was a member of the Cambria County Industrial League playing for the Bencreek team for many years and he was also a member of the Cambria County Old Timers Baseball Organization. He served as an umpire, coach and announcer for many local teams including little league, pony league, high school, and American Legion. Along with coaching and umpiring Steve also found enjoyment in announcing these games for over 50 years where his distinct voice and several jokes could be heard at every game. Steve always looked forward to announcing the AAABA games every August in Lilly where he became friends with many of the players and coaches that visited his town from throughout the country. One of Steve’s proudest moments was when he was asked to announce a Lilly City League game at Blair County Ballpark. Steve and Mary Ann thoroughly enjoyed following the Lilly City League ball team. Steve was honored when the Lilly War Memorial Association renamed the press box at the Lilly ball field as the “Steve Suchta broadcasting booth”, a fitting tribute to Steve and his wife Mary Ann who considered the Lilly ball field their second home. Steve lived his life as a devout Catholic, a lifelong member of our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church where he was Baptized, Confirmed, served as an altar boy and usher. Steve and Mary Ann are currently members of Our Lady of the Alleghenies Roman Catholic Church in Lilly where Steve served as an usher. The Suchta family warmly welcomes all family, neighbors and friends to Steve’s viewing at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Polish National Catholic Church, 136 Hilltop Road, Lilly on Monday, January 21st from 4-8, p.m. and Tuesday, January 22nd from 1-8 p.m. Funeral mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 23rd at 12 noon at Our Lady of the Alleghenies Roman Catholic Church, 608 Main Street, Lilly. Father Kevin Queally, TOR, Father Ronald Osinski, and Monsignor Bernard Przybocki, Con-celebrants. Steve will be laid to rest in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery, Lilly. Military rites by Lilly Veterans Organizations. Steve and Mary Ann are and always will be “town proud” of their little town of Lilly. Volunteering their time and talents and supporting the youth of the community was always very important to them. It would be their wish to take a moment of your time to do a good deed for a child in your community. Anyone wishing to continue Steve’s legacy of giving back to the children and athletes of the Lilly community for generations to come, the Suchta family welcomes you to donate to the Steve Suchta Broadcasting Booth Renovation Project in care of the Lilly Washington War Memorial Association c/o Joseph Gides, 514 Willow Street, Lilly, PA 15938. The Suchta family wished to extend their thanks and gratitude to the Hollidaysburg Veterans Home staff and Conemaugh Hospice for the quality care and compassion. The Serenko-Claar Funeral Home, PC, Portage is serving the Suchta family. Online condolences may be made at serenkoclaarfuneralhome.com.

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