Neil Stertzbach

AUSTINTOWN - Services will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Home, Austintown Chapel for Neil E. "Red" Stertzbach, 77, who died Saturday afternoon at his home.
Neil was born June 3, 1936, in Canton, the son of Robert G. and S. Jane (Shiltz) Stertzbach. He moved to the Youngstown area in 1951.
He was a 1954 graduate of Youngstown Chaney High School and would then serve in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Boston in the Mediterranean Sea. He worked at Wean United for over 31 years, retiring in 1987. After retiring from Wean, he began a career as a manufacturing engineer at Northeast Manufacturing, where he was still currently employed.
He was a member of the American Welding Society, and an active member of the Youngstown Saxon Club. In 1987, he was honored as its man of the year for his dedicated service since becoming a member in 1972. He had served as the club's head trustee, second vice president, and for years was involved with the club's youth organizations, including reorganizing and managing the club's baseball team and running basketball tournaments. He also served on other committees, including serving as branch 30s bocce commissioner. He was appointed to the Alliance of Transylvanian Saxons Youth National Committee in 1980, and in 1985 elected as a trustee. In 1990, he served as U.S. Youth Group Leader at the Alliance's Youth Rally in Austria, and in 1991, was awarded the ATS Honor Pin, the highest award recognized by the organization.
He will be missed always and forever by his wife, Annie Stertzbach, whom he married Aug. 1, 1987; two sons, Mark D. Lynn and Duane A. Lynn, both of Berlin Center; a daughter, Michele R. (Thomas) Mann; and two grandchildren, Ashley and Zac Mann of Simpsonville, S.C.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and S. Jane and a stepmother, Violet Stertzbach.
Red will be sadly missed by his many friends who may call from 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday evening and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday morning at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Austintown Chapel.
The family has requested that material tributes take the form of donations to the Saxon Club Memorial Fund or Second Harvest Food Bank in Red's memory.
Visit www.higgins-reardon.com to view this tribute and to send condolences.