Ronald John Opatka of Derry died Sunday, May 24, 2020 after a short illness.
He was born July 29, 1935 in a house in the Village of Peanut, a son of John Opatka and Anna Helen (Sobota) Opatka.
Shortly after graduation from Derry Borough High School, he obtained a job in the newly-constructed Westinghouse facility near Blairsville, until he was drafted into the United States Army in 1958. He served as an infantryman at Fort Benning, Georgia and Fort Jackson, South Carolina and then was the company clerk for the Headquarters Company of the 2nd Logistical Command, Fort Ord, California. He completed training at Fort Benjamin, Indiana, with the Army Postal School, and returned to Fort Ord, working with the 758th Army Postal Unit.
Honorably discharged from the Army in 1960, he returned to work at Westinghouse as a quality control inspector, where he met his future wife, Marian Smith, who was employed there also. While working, and as he and his wife raised two daughters, Ron took many evening classes in business at Saint Vincent College. He later earned an associate degree in business from Westmoreland County Community College and a bachelor of arts degree in business management from Northwood University.
He became a supervisor of production and inventory control, and later personnel, at the Westinghouse Tubular Products Division, which later became the Specialty Metals Division. He eventually transferred to the Synthetic Fuels Division at Waltz Mill, where he continued work in personnel, and later as an engineer.
In the 1970s, Ron was a lector and member of the parish council at Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Derry, a member of a citizens advisory panel for the Derry Area School District, which helped in developing a long range plan for the district; member of and later president of the Derry Lions Club; and at one time was involved with the American Heart Association Fund Drive in Derry Township.
He had a lifelong love of jazz, and would follow many local musicians, including the late Walt Harper and Frank Sinatra. Following his retirement, he developed a love of cooking and watching cooking shows, spent many a pleasant hour watching trains with his grandson, loved politics, Pittsburgh sports teams, inventing things and enjoyed golfing in local leagues. He also enjoyed attending Mass at Saint Vincent Basilica Parish and plays at Saint Vincent Summer Theatre.
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