Obituaries 
Burkley, George Rodger
George Rodger Burkley, age 86, resident of 25297 State Hwy 6 & 19, died at his home on Monday, February 18, 2013 from natural causes. Born in LeBoeuf Township, Erie County, PA on April 12, 1926, George was a son of the late Ivan Edward Burkley and Elizabeth Marie Takacs Burkley. On December 31, 1951 he married the former Margaret Pruett and she preceded him in death on September 22, 2003.
Following graduation from Cambridge Springs High School, George entered the US Army Air Force serving his country during the Second World War and being discharged in 1946. In 1949, he became employed by Moody Engineering Corporation and traveled to various parts of the country as an inspector in quality control. From 1960 until 1970, George continued to work for Moody in Japan. Returning to Cambridge Springs, George remained with Moody for several years and was sent to other nations for short periods of time. Retiring from the Company in 1977, George became employed by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and was a heavy equipment operator until his final retirement in 1991.
Surviving George is a son - Rodger Burkley and his wife, Bonnie of Stow, MA and a daughter - Kimberly Kopystecki of North East; three grandchildren - Gregory Sadler, Ryan Edward Burkley, and Lauren Burkley; and a sister- Emma Cox of Goodlettsville, TN.
Friends may call at the Van Matre Family Funeral Home in Cambridge Springs on Sunday evening from 6:00 to 8:00. Funeral services will be held there 8:00 p.m. Interment will be in Cambridge Cemetery.
Memorial gifts may be given to Cambridge Springs Volunteer Fire Dept., 302 Venango Ave., Camb.Spgs or Cambridge Area Volunteer Ambulance Service, 202 Venango Ave., Cambridge Springs, PA 16403.
Rodger and Family,
My best regards to you and your family.
Thinking of you at this time.
Jeff Zilhaver, Meadville, PA
Rodger & family,
We will miss George. he always kept a close eye on the cabin for us and got the field mowed. I enjoyed his visits to the camp fire when we got up there. I was hoping to see him again when we have a memorial service for my dad this summer in Cambridge. We will miss him.
Our best regards.
Mike & Linda Fuerst
George was a wonderful man - last year he helped me with buying a grave stone for Rodger Francis Haughey who helped many of our family get jobs with Moody Eng. Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa. i was named after Mr. Haughey as well as George Rodger, George’s son, Rodger, and Rodger Berkley - son of William Berkley of McKeesport, Pa. He will be missed.
George was a wonderful man - last year he helped me with buying a grave stone for Rodger Francis Haughey who helped many of our family get jobs with Moody Eng. Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa. i was named after Mr. Haughey as well as George Rodger, George’s son, Rodger, and Rodger Berkley - son of William Berkley of McKeesport, Pa. He will be missed.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Rodger & Kim. George will be very missed by Tami and I. Sorry we couldn’t make it to PA for the funeral. At least I talked to him on the phone the Saturday before his passing. He was a wonderful brother, and I will miss our phone conversations. We can all get comfort in knowing that he is now free of pain and resting in peace.
Loving sister, Emma, and niece, Tami
White House, TN
Dear Rodger and Kim and family,
Our thoughts are with all your family. We met George, his wife and his sister 16
years ago when we moved next door to them. He has been a great neighbor and a
very nice man. Very independent I must also add. He will be missed.
Neighbors,
Mark, Barb and Ashley Brzezinski
Cambridge Springs, Pa
Dear Rodger, Kim and family,
We were sorry to hear about George’s passing. We always enjoyed seeing him when we were in Cambridge Springs staying at the “swamp”. He was quite a character and could spin some good stories. It won’t be the same there without him. We have always appreciated his help in keeping an eye on our cabin and the property. He lived his life the way he wanted and was fortunate to be able to stay where he loved to live right to the end. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Rhonda and James Voos
Our thoughts and prayers for the family. My wife Anita and I worked with George at Penn Dot. He was a very good and loyal friend. I helped him out the last couple of years doing some yard for him. Always a fun guy, always had a joke and enjoyed listening to one. He will be sadly missed. Bob and Anita Hill, Meadville, Pa.
On the many vacations that was spent in Cambridge Springs, Uncle George always had many stories of the days when he, Marge, and Emma were growing up out in the country fishing, trapping and skating on the pond at the Fuerst family cabin. He was full of life and loved pulling pranks on his sisters. He will be missed by many. Our thoughts and prayers are with Rodger and Kim and family.
Love to you all,
Kathy Rogers-Houston, Tx
Kim and Rodger,
I was deeply saddened to learn or your fathers passing. He was a kind, caring, compassionate man that put his family and friends first. I appreciated his service to our country, and his service to his fellow man. Through all of his trials and tribulations he always kept a smile on his face and kept his sense of humor. If anyone was having a bad day all you had to do was talk to Uncle George and before the conversaton was over you would have a smile on your face. I am extremely proud to have had George as my uncle, and will miss him dearly. I’m sorry I couldn’t get up for his service, but I was there in spirit, and am keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers. Love, Doug
I will miss knowing he isn’t in PA anymore. I remember visiting in May over memorial day, when something was in bloom. He would say “You are just allergic to us in Cambridge Springs” . I”m glad Ryan and Lauren got to visit him last summer. He is with Margaret.
Susan