Obituary of Richard R. Baney

Richard Baney of Bellefonte, died on June 18, 2016 at Mount Nittany Medical Center after a long illness. He was born in Bellefonte on February 9, 1937 the son of the Late Orvis and Ethel Weaver Baney. On July 11, 1958, he married the former Shirley Bartley, who survives at home. He is survived by a daughter, Carol Baney, of Lemont, and son Allen Baney, his wife Katie, and grandsons Ross and Ian, of Bellefonte, along with seven nieces. He was preceded in death by his brother John Knarr and his sister, Betty Werner. Mr. Baney was a graduate of Bellefonte Area High School, and while in high school, played in the Bellefonte American Legion band. He subsequently serviced in the 442 Quartermaster Corps of the U.S. Army. He was employed at Cerro Copper and Brass for thirty-three years, prior to his retirement in 2005. After retirement, he delivered flowers for Avant Garden. It proved to be the perfect job for a kind man with a ready smile who knew the quickest way to drive from point A to point B. Nothing could make grown women beam like the sight of Dick Baney ringing their doorbell with a beautiful flower arrangement in hand. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed teaching his children and grandsons to fish, even after they learned to bait hooks, not to get lures caught in trees, and learned that sometimes the fish just don't bite. He particularly enjoyed camping with his family at Little Pine State Park and at the Grange Fair. Mr. Baney was a life member of the Undine Fire Department, the Central District Firemen's Association, and St. John's United Church of Christ, Bellefonte. In July 2015, along with his wife Shirley, he received the Brian Ebright Memorial Award from the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. The Festival's only volunteer award was given to him in recognition of approximately twenty years of service to the Arts Festival and First Night State College. Friends and family will be received from 6:00p.m. until 8:00p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 South Atherton Street, State College. The funeral service will be held at 11:00a.m. on Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at St. John's United Church of Christ, 145 West Linn Street, Bellefonte, with the Rev. Brenda Clark officiating. Interment will be at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions may be directed to St. John's United Church of Christ, 145 West Linn Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823 or First Night State College, P.O. Box 1023, State College, PA 16804. 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 or vist us on facebook.