Obituary of Joseph A. Hitchings, 76

Joseph A. Hitchings, 76, of State College and formerly of Hollidaysburg, died Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010, at Hearthside in State College.

Born June 13, 1934, in Hollidaysburg, he was a son of the late William and Nygelle (McGivney) Hitchings. On Feb. 11, 1956, in Lakemont, he married Joan Guirin, who survives. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Rebecca Hitchings Sloff, of State College; two sons, Christopher, of Philipsburg and Andrew, of State College; three granddaughters, Alexis, Kelly and Alisa; two grandsons, Jason and Nicholas; and a sister, Julia "Judy" Sutch, of Hollidaysburg. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Elizabeth Marie, who died in 1957.

He was a 1952 graduate of Hollidaysburg High School and a 1958 graduate of Penn State. He served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956 in Japan. He retired as assistant manager at the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation in DuBois after 36 years of service. He volunteered at Spider Lake for the DuBois Soccer Association, at the DRMC and at the Mount Nittany Medical Center.

Friends will be received from 4-6 p.m. today, Nov. 1, 2010, at the Sorge Funeral Home, 422 N. Juniata St., in Hollidaysburg. The funeral will be held at 6 p.m. today, Nov. 1, 2010, at the funeral home, with the Rev. Clement G. Gardner officiating. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Attention: Tribute Gifts, Church Street Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, NY 10008-0780.