Henry John Wikris, 81, of Venango passed away on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at UPMC Hamot, Erie. Henry was born on July 1, 1942, in East Orange, New Jersey, the son of the late Henry William Wikris and Catherine Virginia Maher. He was lovingly known as brother to his sisters Kathleen and Colleen and to most of his family. His family moved to Venango, Pennsylvania in 1946, where Henry worked with his father at his sheet metal business, Penn State Sheet Metal, until joining Sheetmetal Workers Local Union 12 in 1962. Henry married Judith Ann Bishop in 1979, and together raised six children and watched their family grow welcoming sixteen grandchildren. Henry was a loving father and active member of the community including over forty years of service with the Venango Volunteer Fire Department, eight years as Department Chief. He was a founding member of the Cambridge Area Volunteer Ambulance Service. Henry’s community service continued with his recent donation of time in building the copper cupola on the gazebo at Icehouse Park in Conneaut Lake, PA. He was active in local golf leagues and with the annual shuffleboard league and as a social member of VFW Post 169 in Venango. After retiring from Scobell Company in 2003, he continued to weld.  Most of his grandchildren have a piggy bank he made for them. Henry also enjoyed frequent trips to North Carolina to participate in the festivities at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  He could often be seen with his dog, Choco, by his side. Henry will be remembered as a friend to all, willing to give to anyone in need.

     Survivors include wife Judy Wikris of Venango; daughter Annette Powell and her husband Ken of White Cloud, MI; daughter Michelle Iversen and her husband Dan of Margate, NJ and their daughter Isabella Iverson; daughter Julie Fernetti and her companion Jeff Kuzdzal of Erie and her children Aidan, Derek and Marla Sloppy; son Randy Wikris of Nazareth, PA and his children Anna, Nathan, Elizabeth, James, Michael and Gabrielle Wikris; daughter Andrea Festa and her husband Kurt of Cambridge Springs and their children Amber Murosky and Alex Festa; son Tony Fernetti and his wife Kristin of Lincolnton, NC and their children Stephen and Adaline Fernetti and Ava and Max Rhyne; sister Kathleen Moss and her husband Bob of Conneaut Lake; and sister Coleen Thomas and her husband Herb of Cambridge Springs.

     Friends are invited to call at Van Matre Funeral Home, Cambridge Springs on Monday, July 31 from 2-4 and 6-8 pm. A funeral service will be held there on Tuesday, August 1 at 10 am. Interment will follow at Venango Cemetery.