Charles J. Popa

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP – A Mass of Christian Burial will be 1:00 p.m. Monday in St. Edward Church, celebrated by Monsignor Robert Siffrin, for Charles J. Popa, Sr. 92, who passed away Thursday morning at Heritage Manor with his family by his side.

Mr. Popa was born October 19, 1925 in Pulaski Township, Pennsylvania and was a son of John and Anna Nyerges Popa and was a lifelong member of the area.

He was the owner and operator as an independent truck driver for more than 36 years in which he traveled throughout the eastern half of the United States and retired in 1982.

Mr. Popa was a Marine Veteran of World War II enlisting in 1943.  He served with the dive bomber squadron in the Asiatic Pacific Theater during Bismarck Archipelago Campaign from Nov. to Dec. 1944 and the Luzon Operation from Jan. to April 1945 and was honorably discharged with the rank of a sergeant in Nov. 1945.

As a devoted veteran, Mr. Popa served in many veteran organizations such as the Marine Corp League Tri State Marine Detachment #494, Polish League of American Veterans Post 87 where he served as commander for 30 years, also was the State Commander and was there 1987 Man of the Year. He was the recipient of the 1997 Veteran of the Year honored by the United Veteran Council, a member of VFW Post 7538, member of the Legion of Romanian American Volunteers, Mr. Popa also received the Polonia Foundation Heritage Award for Distinguished Community Service and a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for 500 hours at the Youngstown VA Outpatient Clinic as a volunteer.  He was also a member of Knights of Columbus Council 5371 in Girard and a parishioner of St. Edward Church.

Mr. Popa leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of over 68 years the former, Jane Stadnik, whom he married April 15, 1950; son, Charles J. Popa, Jr. and daughter, Susan Burns.

Besides his parents, Mr. Popa was preceded in death by a son, David, brothers, John and Daniel; sisters, Elaine Dumitru, Anna Coman, Mary Thompkins and Irene Koluk and a son-in-law, John Burns.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. Monday in St. Edward Church.

The Popa family would like to thank the staff at Heritage Manor for their compassion and care extended to their husband and father.

Thoughts and condolences may be sent to the funeral home website www.mccauleyfuneral.com.

 McCauley Funeral Home serving the valley for over 116 years.

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