James E. Agnew, Jr., age 72, of State College, died peacefully on December 12, 2023, at Mount Nittany Medical Center with his wife and children by his side. He was the husband of Colleen J. (Antonition) Agnew, with whom he shared 45 years of marriage.
Born in Kingston on October 20, 1951, he was the son of the late James E. and Ellen (Tretheway) Agnew. Growing up in Forty Fort, he graduated from Wyoming Valley West High School in 1969. He then obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University in 1973. He moved to the Lehigh Valley and worked for many years in the nuclear power industry at PPL Corporation. While working, he completed a Master of Business Administration at Lehigh University and a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering from Penn State Great Valley. Since 2007, he has resided in State College. Prior to his retirement, he was employed at FirstEnergy in Perry, OH.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by three daughters, Heather D. Agnew and her husband Bert T. Lai of Culver City, CA, Jennifer L. Agnew of New York, NY, and Kristin M. Agnew of State College; sister, Judy E. Verespy of Lancaster.
Private services will be held at the Haky/Georgiana Centre County Funeral Home and Centre County Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Heart Association or Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. An online guestbook may be signed and condolences left for the family at www.hakygeorgianafh.com.