Andrew Sackela

POLAND - Andrew Sackela, 91, passed away Wednesday, March 11, 2009. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 16, 2009, at 10 a.m..
in Poland at the Holy Family Church, where he was a charter member.

Friends may call at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Chapel in Poland on Sunday, March 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. and Monday morning from 9 to 9:30 a.m.

Andrew Sackela was born on Oct. 12, l917 in Youngstown, a son of Peter and Julia nee Yukon Sackela. Andy grew up on Wirt Street across from Evans
Field where he was known as ³Hank², attended the Rayen School, and graduated. Until his marriage to the former Rose Anna Potkanowicz in l947, Andrew was a member of the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Byzantine Church on Rayen Avenue, where his parents were charter members.
Andy retired from the Youngstown Post Office in 1974 after 28 years as a letter carrier, spending the last 12 years delivering mail and packages to
the stores and businesses on Federal Street in downtown Youngstown, which he greatly enjoyed.

Andrew was a Sergeant in the 319th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division, Third Army. He served three and a half years during World War II, of which 18
months were overseas in the European Theater of Operations. He was blown up in combat in France on Oct. 10, 1944, and hospitalized in England for
several months. After hospitalization and rehabilitation in England, he was
transferred to the United States, where he served as an Infantry Instructor until the end of the War in Europe.

The Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, World War II Medal, American Defense Medal, European Campaign Medal and the Good Conduct Medal were awarded to Andrew Sackela upon his return from the War.

Andrew was a life member of Youngstown Chapter No. 2, Disabled American Veterans. He was active in local DAV affairs as well as State and National.
He also served four terms as local Commander, one term as State Commander l965-66 and four years as a member of the DAV National Hospital and Medical Services Committee. As a Chapter Service Officer for more than 45
years, he assisted over 2, 000 disabled veterans with their claims. Until his 90th birthday, Andrew placed flags on the gravesites of more than 140
veterans in Calvary Cemetery on Armistice Day and Memorial Day, year after year.

Andrew Sackela was a charter member of the Holy Family Church in Poland, a member of Poland Knights of Columbus Council 4471, Holy Family Seniors Club,
and the Struthers Social Club. He was a strong supporter of the Poland Library and a member of the Friends of the Poland Library.
Other organizations that he belonged to are Catholic War Veterans Post 1222, Military Order of the Purple Heart, VFW Post 3538, American Legion Post 888, 80th Division Veterans Assoc., National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 385, National Association Retired Federal Employees No. 14 and the
AARP.

Andrew played many sports until his injury in World War II, after which he enjoyed the outdoors by planting flowers, feeding birds, and landscaping his yard. Until December of his 91st year, Andrew read three or more newspapers a day and could be found in the reading room of the Poland Library several afternoons a week, reading non-fiction.

His wife, Rose, died in 1981. He leaves a daughter, Rose Marie Sackela; a son-in-law, Jerome Geiger; and two granddaughters, Haley Sackela-Geiger and Alexa Sackela-Geiger, all of Alberta, Canada.

He was predeceased by all four brothers, Michael, Stephen, Nicholas, and
Frank.