Obituary of John Hoke

John H. Hoke, 92, of State College, passed away peacefully at home Monday, September 1, 2014, surrounded by his loving family. John was born on July 24, 1922, first son of J. Leroy and Sara C. (Hoffeditz) Hoke in rural Greencastle. He attended the Peters Township schools and graduated from Lemasters High School in 1939. He attended Mercersburg Academy as a day student for one year before enrolling in The Pennsylvania State College (now University). While at Penn State, he enlisted in the Army Air Force Reserves upon the advent of World War II. His studies were interrupted when his Reserve unit was activated in 1943. John served his country in the central Pacific as a radio and aircraft control tower operator. After his honorable discharge in 1946, he returned to Penn State where he earned his BS and MS degrees. The following years were busy and productive. John conducted industrial and academic research with the Armco Steel Corporation and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he earned his Doctor of Engineering degree. He subsequently worked as a metallurgist for the Babcock and Wilcox Company in Alliance, OH, and the Crucible Steel Company in Pittsburgh. In 1960 John returned to Penn State as a faculty member in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. He survived the next 25 years of academic protocol including teaching (recipient of the College of EMS Outstanding Teaching Award), research, publications, graduate students, and committees. John retired in 1985 with the title of Professor Emeritus. In 1944 he married Cora Barmont and they shared an eventful and fruitful life for the next 45 years. Sorrowfully, she died in 1989. John married Betty Zieme Miltenberger in 1991. Betty passed away in 2005. In addition to his parents and wives, he was predeceased by three sisters: Alice Zimmerman, Pauline Wilson, and infant Mary Elizabeth. He was also predeceased by one brother, Paul Hoke. Aaron Hoke of Wells, ME, is the last surviving sibling. John and Cora had five children: James E. Hoke and his wife, Kathy, of Alexandria, VA, William E. Hoke and his wife, Elsa Tong, of Wayland, MA, Nancy H. Walk and her husband, Joseph, of Williamsburg, Thomas E. Hoke of Spruce Creek, and Jeffrey B. Hoke and his wife, Elaine, of North Brunswick, NJ. John had two step-daughters, Christina Doren and her husband, John, of Augusta, GA, and Celinda Levine and her husband, Monroe, of Westminster, CO. He also had nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and numerous step-great-grandchildren. Thomas Miltenberger, a step-son, is deceased. John was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in State College and was an active member of the Men's Brotherhood Class. In retirement, he enjoyed lively hobby and volunteer activities including hunting, fishing, and gardening. John also enjoyed being a Mount Nittany Medical Center volunteer. He was honored as the Volunteer of the Year in 2008. He was active in RSVP and was a tour guide for the Old Curtain Village Ironworks for many years. John is also remembered as the "Walnut Man" at the annual Haines Fall Festival in Aaronsburg, for his work in monitoring local stream quality for the Clearwater Conservancy, and as the "Pie Man" at church functions, having baked many pies with wild blueberries he picked in Bear Meadows. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Saturday, September 6, 2014 at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton Street, State College. Funeral service will be held at 1:30 pm on Sunday, September 7, 2014, at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in State College with Pastor Eric Shafer officiating. Visitation prior to the service will begin at 1:00 pm. Burial will be in Centre County Memorial Park, State College. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to State College Area Meals on Wheels, 205 S. Garner Street, State College, PA 16801 and to St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 250 East College Avenue, State College, PA 16801. 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.