John A. Bodnar, Jr.

John Anthony Bodnar, Jr., 97, of Centennial, CO formerly of Oak Hill, WV and Florida died on Friday, November 17, 2006 at his home. Born November 01, 1909 at Ruskov, Czechoslovakia, he was the son of the late John Anthony Bodnar, Sr. and Mary Grandetti Bodnar. Mr. Bodnar was a retired coal miner. He also retired from Kropp Forge, Cicero, Illinois. he started to work shoveling coal at age thirteen. Employed by New River most of his life, he worked at different mines near Oak Hill. Mr. Bodnar's mechanical genius enabled him to become adept at "every" job in the mines. He had black lung and spent his last ten working years as a millwright where he retired from Kropp Forge in 1971. He was a member of the United Mine Workers of America. His wife, Isabelle Ruth (Gecis) Savage Bodnar; sons, Francis Anthony Bodnar and infants John R. Bodnar and John William Bodnar; brothers, Andy Bodnar and Steve Bodnar; two sisters, Helen Marzek and Margaret Honaker, preceded him in death. Survivors include two sons, Michael Bodner of Nashville, TN and Ronald Bodnar of Sharpesburg, GA; one daughter, Dr. Judith Bodnar of Centennial, CO; one brother, George Bodnar of Cleveland, OH; two sisters, Mary Honaker and Liz Postal, both of Dunbar, WV; eleven grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren. Mass of Christian Burial will be 9:30 AM Tuesday, November 21, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Oak Hill with Father Paul Yuenger officiating. Burial will follow at High Lawn Memorial Park, Oak Hill. Friends may call on Monday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 PM at Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill with a Prayer Service at 6:00 PM.