Rest in Peace, Fred

I was very sad to learn today that Fred Gentile of Saxonburg, PA passed away this week. Fred was my grandfather's best friend and when my grandfather died, Fred created the H.L. Shearer Sporting and Literary Society in his honor. When I read the obituary, I was touched that the society is still in existence. Fred was a good man and a fine host at his hotel. I hope Fred and my grandfather Hugh Shearer have been reunited in heaven and are up there hunting ducks, drinking JD and reading good books together.

Alfred "Fred" Gentile, 63, of Saxonburg died Wednesday at his home.
Born Sept. 15, 1942, in Tarentum, he was the son of Domenic Gentile and the late Jean Carlaccini Gentile.
He was a 1960 graduate of Tarentum High School and a 1964 graduate of Washington & Jefferson College. In 1966, he received his master's degree in business administration from Penn State University.
Mr. Gentile was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army in 1966 and served 13 months in Vietnam with the 109th Infantry Brigade. He was awarded the Silver Star; four Bronze Stars, three with "V" Device and one with an Oak Leaf Cluster; the Purple Heart, the Army Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal and the National Defense Medal.
In August 2000, his football jersey was retired from Washington & Jefferson College, and he was honored with the naming of the Eaton-Gentile Hall Champions building at W & J.
He was owner of the Hotel Saxonburg since 1975. He was founder of the Saxonburg Festival of the Arts and founder and member of the H.L. Shearer Sporting and Literary Society. He also was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and enjoyed hunting, fishing and sporting clays.
Surviving are his wife, Carolyn Athey Gentile, whom he married July 2, 1966; two daughters, Cara Lynn Gentile of Philadelphia and Amy Gentile Crowdis and her husband, Paul Crowdis of Fort Worth, Texas; and a grandson, Braden Stemley. He also is survived by his father of Natrona Heights, and a brother, Gary Gentile of Pittsburgh.
GENTILE - Friends of Alfred "Fred" Gentile, who died Wednesday, May 3, 2006, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Fox Funeral Home, 410 W. Main St., Saxonburg. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. John Rebel officiating. Burial will follow at Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the H.L. Shearer Sporting and Literary Society, c/o SK Operating Inc., 309 S. Pike Road, Sarver, PA 16055; or to the Saxonburg Area Library, P.O. Box 454, Saxonburg, PA 16056.