Times News .........Saturday ........November 8, 2003

Joseph Shanosky

Joseph Shanosky, 83, of R. D. 2, Box 68, Portersville, Butler County, died Friday in the Autumn Grove Nursing Center, Harrisville. He was married to Louise (Dishman) Shanosky. They were married 47 years in June.

Born in Coaldale, he was a son of the late Thomas and Catherine (Soboleski) Shanosky.

He was a member of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, Slippery Rock.

Shanosky graduated from Coaldale High School in 1939. He received a football scholarship at Muhlenberg College, Allentown, where he graduated in 1943 with a degree in history and social studies. Shanosky was under contract with the New York Giants professional football team upon graduation, when his grid aspirations were interrupted to fulfill his duties to the U.S. Navy.

While he attended Midshipman's School at Notre Dame, he enrolled in the Navy V-12 Program. He served three years as a gunners mate in the submarine service. He was honorably discharged in April 1946.

Returning home at the end of World War II, Shanosky went to work in the coal industry and played semi-pro football for the Panther Valley Big Greens.

He later became a consultant for the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association, retiring in 1980.

He was past president of the Coaldale Lions Club.

He was former commander for the local VFW in Coaldale for two terms.

In 1995, he was inducted into the Carbon County Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

Surviving in addition to his wife are two daughters, Carol Lewicke of Portersville, and Susan, wife of Mark Fortunato of Pittsburgh; two sisters, Victoria Naechev of New Jersey and Josephine Golden of Connecticut; a brother, William, and his wife Joanne, Shanosky of Lehighton, five grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Marcia Lewicke; two brothers, Stanley and Leo, and a sister, Stephanie.

The Smith Funeral Home, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock, is in charge of funeral arrangements.