John T. Mccann

John T. "Roof Tar" McCann , 85, of Carmichaels, Pa., died at 4:25 P.M. on Friday, August 5, 2011 in his home. He was born on June 25, 1926, "50 years to the exact day of Custer's last stand in a log cabin on a hill in Valley Hollow", Monongahela Township, Greene County, Pa. Mr. McCann was a son of the late Clarence and Gladys Mildred (Barnhart) McCann. At the age of 16, he left Mapletown High School to begin working in local coal mines to support his family. Mr. McCann joined the U. S. Navy on May 1, 1944 and graduated from underwater demolition training at Fort Pierce, Florida. During the battles in the Philippine Islands, his unit went ashore under the cover of darkness to inspect the beaches prior to the attack landing. In the Mediterranean, he served aboard the light cruiser, Savannah, where he was in the presence of Roosevelt and Churchill and McArthur. While stationed in Hawaii, Mr. McCann took part in an entertainment show where he out swam Johnny Weissmuller (Tarzan). After the World War II, Mr. McCann returned home to Greene County and began working at the Clyde Mine in Fredericktown, Pa. When the mine went on strike, he worked for 10 years as a mechanic at the former Baily's Garage in Carmichaels. In 1968, he was hired at the Nemacolin Mine where he retired in 1985. Mr. McCann served as a deacon at the Sugar Grove Baptist Church, Greensboro and was a member of U. M. W. A. Local 6290. Over the years, he coached baseball teams, took up square dancing, built sheds and barns. Mr. McCann enjoyed attending auctions and collecting farm and coal mining memorabilia. He displayed his collections at many local festivals. On July 26, 1954, he married Clarice Leanna Fuller, who survives. Also surviving are five sons, Dennis R. McCann and his wife, Elaine, of Carmichaels, Thomas C. McCann at home, Terry L. McCann and his wife, Carol, of Independence, Ky., Timothy W. McCann and his wife, Susan, of Claysville, Pa. and Gregory A. McCann and his wife, Mary, of Waynesburg, Pa.; two daughters, Sioux A. Harbarger and her husband, Lane and Dawn L. Wise and her husband, Larry, all of Carmichaels; 18 grandchildren, Dennis R. McCann (Roianne), Courtney Schwartz, April Valencheck, Jade McCann, Morgen Miller, Charity McCann, Krisann McCann, John Lee McCann, Grace Vander Laan (Chris), Christina McCann, Justin McCann, Travis McCann, Leanna Chess, Nathan Chess, Kolby Harbarger, Erin Harbarger, Vincent Wise and Tabatha Wise; nine great grandchildren; a brother, William Melvin McCann and his wife, Pauline, of Diamond Springs, Col.; two sisters, Rose Townsend and her husband, Jim, of Rices Landing, Pa. and Myra Maslanka of Chapman, Kan. and several nieces and nephews. Deceased are three brothers, Clarence Barry McCann, who died in infancy, James Lee McCann and Raymond McCann and two sisters, Roberta Jones and Johanna Kelly. ________________________________________________________________________________ Under a special Pennsylvania program called Operation Recognition, Mr. McCann was honored on May 27, 2011 at Mapletown High School to receive his high school diploma. You may read the entire article, Ahead of the Class , that appeared in a recent edition of the Washington Observer-Reporter newspaper. ________________________________________________________________________________ Family and friends are welcome from 2 to 8 P.M. on Monday in the Yoskovich Funeral Home, Carmichaels, Pa. where the funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, August 9, 2011. Pastor Frank Vucic will officiate. Interment will follow at Laurel Point Cemetery, Carmichaels with military honors accorded by Cumberland American Legion Post 400, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3491 and the U. S. Navy. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Sugar Grove Baptist Church, c/o William Humbert, 1884 South Eighty Eight Rd., Greensboro, PA 15338.