John “Bud” Richard VanDervoort, 95, peacefully passed away on April 2, 2016, surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren. He was the son of Carl VanDervoort and Ryta McCracken VanDervoort, born on May 21, 1920, in Creekside, PA. John was the eldest of four boys. His family later moved to Kane, PA where he lived until his high school graduation. After meeting at the water fountain while working in a shirt factory in Ridgway, PA, John married Elizabeth Kisko in Wilcox, PA on July 18, 1942. Together they moved to Buffalo, NY where he went to work at the Curtis Wright plant building the P-40 fighter plane that was used in World War II, a craft proven to be one of the best fighters at the time. He entered the U.S. Army in 1943, assigned to the Army Air Corps, serving in North Africa and India with the Air Service Command that provided supplies to U.S. fighter bases in China. He served for 2 years and 10 months. In 1945, upon returning from the military, John and Elizabeth moved to Erie where he worked at Erie Art Metal, and then onto General Electric in 1947. He was hired at GTE in 1948 where he was employed until his retirement in 1982. After having started in the switch room and going to school for circuit design, he worked as a circuit design engineer on the forefront of telecommunications technology, drafting and installing direct dialing lines which were just coming into effect. A kindred and firm spirit, he was well-liked by everyone who knew him. One could easily tell by his smile they were in amiable company. John enjoyed spending time with his family and playing golf and was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.
He is preceded in death by his daughter Diane, two grandsons David and Gary Hampy, as well as his brothers, Robert and Herbert. He is survived by his wife of 73 years Elizabeth (Betty) and 4 daughters, Claudia Popovic, Laureen Steele Sandberg (David), Marybeth Trombetta (Rick) and Roslyn Truitt (Danny), 16 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren and one brother Bill (Lois) VanDervoort. The family wishes to thank all of the wonderful caregivers and nursing staff at Forest View Health Care Center and Great Lakes Hospice.
Friends may call at the Russell C. Schmidt & Son Funeral Home Inc, 5000 Wattsburg Road, Erie, PA, on Tuesday April 5, 2016 from 3:00-7:00 PM and are invited to a prayer service there on Wednesday morning at 10:15 AM, followed by a Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel at 11:00 AM. Interment with full military honors will follow in Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital P.O Box 1000 Dept. 142 Memphis, TN 38148.
Please visit www.SchmidtFuneralHomeErie.com to sign the Book of Memories.

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