William Emerson Scheafnocker, 92, died peacefully on October 3, 2017, at ForestView Nursing Home in Erie.
He and his younger twin brother were born August 17, 1925, in Brookville, PA, to Mildred Marie Radaker Scheafnocker and Frederic Franklin Scheafnocker, and he graduated from Brookville High School in 1944.
He served in the U.S. Army, 100th Infantry, with which he was stationed in Germany in 1945, and then at the Pentagon through 1946; there he decoded secret messages for the chiefs of staff.
He earned a B.S. from Clarion State Teachers’ College in 1950 and a master’s of social work from Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1953. After working as a social worker at Torrance State Hospital and a caseworker in family services, he became a psychiatric social worker with the Veterans Administration in Brecksville, OH. He retired as chief of social work from Erie VA Medical Center in 1985.
He married Eleanor Louise Rock on June 16, 1951. They lived in Erie from 1975 to 1986, retired to Latrobe in 1986, and returned to Erie in 2006. In both Erie and Latrobe, he was an active volunteer in church and community organizations, and he enjoyed traveling, especially with Elderhostel groups, and auditing college courses.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Eleanor; his twin brother, Ulysses Grant Scheafnocker, and five other siblings; and his son-in-law Paul Emery Brown.
He leaves his daughters, Susan Marie Scheafnocker Brown, of Belmont, MA, and Pamela Jean Scheafnocker Johns, and her husband, David, of Fairview, PA; his grandchildren, Ethan David Johns, of Dayton, OH, and Devin Susann Barbara Johns, of Philadelphia; and his sister Peg Newton, of Albany, NY.
Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on Friday, November 10, at 7 PM at SpringHill Retirement Community, 2323 Edinboro Road, Erie, in the community room in the main building.
Family and friends will be received from 12 to 1 PM on Monday, November 13, 2017, at Unity Chapel, where military services will be conducted at 12:30 PM by the Latrobe Derry Veterans Honor Guard, followed by a memorial service at 1 PM officiated by the Rev. Les Hutchins. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Bethany United Methodist Church, 2415 Laveen St., Latrobe, PA 15650.
Arrangements are being handled by the John J. Lopatich Funeral Home, Inc., 601 Weldon Street, Latrobe.
Online condolences may be made at www.lopatich.com.
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