Harold L. Sitler
October 12, 1922 ~ June 6, 2017 (age 94) 94 Years OldShare using:
Harold L. Sitler, 94, of Hershey, passed away Tuesday, June 6, 2017.
Born near Stillwater, PA, October 12, 1922, he was a son of Delroy and Catherine (Neyhard) Sitler.
Harold graduated from the Hershey Industrial School, class of 1941. Immediately following school, he enlisted in the United States Navy, proudly serving as a Chief Petty Officer aboard the carrier USS Ranger, CV-4 until his discharge in 1947.
He was employed by Hershey Estates (later HERCO), working for Hershey Lumber Products until transferring to Hershey Park as an electrician in 1961. He retired in 1987 as assistant maintenance manager at the Park. While working at the park he made a great many friendships in the amusement industry and was involved in helping to establish the amusement ride inspection program in Pennsylvania.
He married Dorothy Hawthorne Gilmore in 1943 and together they had five children.
He and Dolly developed a love of covered bridges, traveling all over the Northeast with the family in tow, photographing and documenting every bridge they could find, becoming charter members of the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Society. Later in life the love shifted to carousels and amusement parks, and once again they traveled all over visiting parks around the country as members of the National Carousel Association. Harold also had a fascination with genealogy, and documented the family heritage back to the 1700's. He also enjoyed golf and fly fishing for much of his life.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy in 2014; a son, Thomas; a daughter, Kathleen “Kate”; brothers, Marvin, Derl and Carl; and sisters, Mary, Carrie, Zora, Esther, Dorothy, Lois and Ruth. He is survived by three sons, David (Donna) of Palmyra, Robert of Maryland, and Richard (Carol) of Williamstown; grandchildren, Michael, Evan, Hannah and Rachel; a great-grandson, Caleb; several nieces and nephews.
Services will be held Wednesday, June 14 at 2:00 p.m. at Buse Funeral Home, 145 North Grant Street, Palmyra, preceded by a viewing beginning from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Interment will be in Hershey Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to HERSHEYPARK HELPS, c/o Park Maintenance Office, 100 W Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA 17033 (Checks payable to: HELPS) or PA Amusement Park Association, ATTN: Barbara Knoebel Memorial Scholarship Fund, PO Box 317, Elysburg, PA 17824 (Checks payable to: PAPA - Barbara Knoebel Memorial Scholarship Fund).
