Ronald J. Pavlechko 1949-2020
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Ronald James Pavlechko, 71, passed away Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, surrounded by his family and the support of his friends, teammates, colleagues and former players.
He was born Jan. 15, 1949, in Youngstown, to Nicholas Pavlechko Jr. and Marie Helen Grcic Pavlechko.
Ron grew up in the Youngstown suburb of Austintown. He graduated from Austintown Fitch High School in 1967. After high school, he attended college at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, from which he received a degree in Secondary English Education in 1971 and earned three varsity football letters. He later earned a master’s degree in secondary education in 1973, also at Penn State.
In 1968, he married Barbara Gayle Buckner, also of Austintown.
He began work for the State College Area School District as an English teacher and assistant football coach in 1971. In 1977, he became head football coach, while continuing to teach. In 1996, he assumed the position of the school district’s full-time Director of Athletics, retiring in 2011.
“Pav” was a member of the Austintown Fitch High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Sigma Pi Fraternity, The Penn State Football Letterman’s Club, the Board of Directors of the Central Pa. Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame and the Board of Directors of the Centre County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. In addition, he was a member in good standing of the Penn State Catholic Campus Ministry Community.
Ron enjoyed genealogy.
He is survived by his spouse, Barb of Boalsburg; his sons, Timothy Pavlechko of Lewisburg and Aaron (Leslie) Pavlechko of State College; his brother, Gary (Kiki) Pavlechko of Muncie, Ind.; his grandchildren, Ella, Lauren and Nicholas; and his nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents.
The family will be greeting friends and relatives 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College, PA., and 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 820 Westerly Parkway, State College, Pa.
A memorial service will be held 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the State College Area School District’s “Ron Pavlechko-Gwen Washington Heart of a Lion Fund” in care of the Centre Foundation, 1377 Ridge Master Drive, State College, PA 16803, or https://centre-foundation.org/funds/ron-pavlechko-gwen-washington-heart-of-a-lion-fund/. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.
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