Donald Leroy Gutshall

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NORTHUMBERLAND - Donald Leroy Gutshall, 86, of Nottingham Village, passed away Wednesday Oct. 28, 2009, in Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg.

Mr. Gutshall was born Feb. 18, 1923, in Lewistown a son of the late Roy Phillip and Stella (Powell) Gutshall. Sixty-one years ago on May 3 he married the former Mildred L. Long who survives.

He was a 1942 graduate of Lewistown High School. He then began his long career with the Pennsylvania Railroad on Nov. 18, 1942.

On Feb. 25, 1943, Mr. Gutshall, was furloughed from the railroad to join the U.S. Army Aircorp 7th Airforce, 494 Bombardment Group, 866 Squadron and was active duty during WWII while stationed in the Pacific Theater.

He was then reinstated with the railroad on Feb. 23, 1946, and was employed with them until his retirement in February of 1990.

While employed by the railroad he resided in various towns including Lewistown, New Brighton, Altoona, Fanwood, N.J., Williamsport, and Pittsburgh.

Following retirement he eventually moved to Northumberland and resided at Nottingham Village.

He was a member of the 1st Presbyterian Church, Queen St., Northumberland.

Mr. Gutshall is survived by his son and daughter-in-law John and Nancy Gutshall, of Benton; his two daughters and sons-in-law Carol and Albert Polizzi, of Hillsboro, N.J., and Nancy and Michael McKeever, of Sacramento, Calif.; his grandsons Gregory Gutshall, of Corvallis, Ore., Michael Polizzi, of Berkley Heights, N.J., and Thomas Hanson of Sacramento, Calif.; granddaughters Janet Silva of Kendell Park, N.J., Laura Drake of Benton, and Elizabeth Hanson of Sacramento, Calif.; his great- grandchildren Sarah, Amanda, and Kyra Polizzi and Aiden and Ashley Silva.

He was preceded in death by a son, Donald E. Gutshall and a sister, Betty Lepley.

Friends and family may visit from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Joseph W. Epler Funeral Home, 210 King Street, Northumberland, where the funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. with his pastor Richard Kellett officiating.

Interment will follow in Juniata Memorial Park, Lewistown.

Family will provide flowers, however, donations in Mr. Gutshall's memory may be made to the Salvation Army, 144 N 8th Street, Allentown, PA 18101 or the American Red Cross, 30 N 5th Street, Sunbury, PA 17801.