John J. Felker's Obituary
John J. Felker, 84, passed away December 13, 2013. Former LTV Executive and Retired Navy Captain. Born on April 8, 1929 in New York City and growing up in the South Bronz, John participated in all the neighborhood sports including baseball, softball, stickball, handball, roller hockey and touch football, and was adept at all of them. He was also academically gifted, earning scholarships to De La Salle Institute and Manhattan College and an assistantship to Cornell University, he served as a naval officer during the Korean War. While in the Navy, he met and married his first wife, Jeanne Baleck from Carlisle, Pennsylvania and had two daughters with her, Cynthia and Bonnie. Upon his release from active duty with the Navy, he accepted a position as a Labor Relations Trainee with J&L Steel (which later became LTV Steel). He spent the next 42 years at J&L/LTV Steel in various capacities including Supervisor of Labor Relations at the Pittsburg Works, Manager of Human Relations, Manager of Industrial Relations for the Company’s coal mining operations and Director of Arbitration where he spent the last 16 years of his career with the Company and which he described as the best job he ever had. While mose of his work involved the United Steelworkers Union, he also worked with other unions including the United Autoworkers, the United Mineworkers and the International Association of Machinists until his retirement in 1998.
Following his release from active duty, John remained affiliated with the Naval Reserve where he held various positions of increasing importance resulting in his ultimate promotion to Captain from which position he retired after 30 years of service. He was a life member of the Reserve Officer’s Association and the Association of the U.S. Navy.
In his early years while working at J&L Steel, he also worked as an instructor in the evening division of the Business School at Duquesne University teaching labor relations subjects over a four-year-period.
John was also active in the Knights of Columbus and was a Charter Member of two councils, one in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and one in Strongsville, Ohio where he served in various capacities. He was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus.
John was very active in the Catholic Church. Following the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council he was part of a group that developed the By-Laws of a Parish Council for St. Elizabeth Church in the Pittsburg Diocese and was elected and served several terms on the Parish Council as Chairman of its Education Committee before becoming Vice President of the Council. He was a Eucharistic Minister for over 30 years in the Pittsburg and Strongsville Catholic Churches.
Following the death of his first wife, Jeanne in 1991, John married a widow, Mary Rose Straka, a certified Pastoral Minister at St. Stephens Church, in 1994. He continued to be active, serving on the Finance Committee of the Olympia Homeowners Association, a retirement community until his death.
In addition to his wife, Mary Rose, John is survived by his daughters, Cynthia Leszunov (Nick) and Bonnie Shields (John), grandchildren Jeanne Matucheski, Tiffany Newell, Anthony and Michelle Leszunov, great grandchildren Julian, Jaydon and Jayce Matucheski. And a sister, Gertrude Megna of Yonkers, New York.
VISITATION 2-5 PM MONDAY AT JARDINE FUNERAL HOME 15822 PEARL ROAD, STRONGSVILLE. Funeral Mass 10 am St. John Neumann Church, Strongsville.
Memorial Service and Interment will be 3 PM Tuesday at the Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Sts. Joseph and John Elementary School 12580 Pearl Road, Strongsville, OH 44136.
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