Laird Lee Shirk, 77, Mifflinburg, died May 4, 2000, at Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg. He was born July 14, 1922, in Millmont to the late Newton S. and Stella M. (Speese) Shirk. He was a 1941 graduate of Mifflinburg High School. In 1942, Mr. Shirk was employed by Glen L. Martin's Aircraft, Baltimore. He and the former Dorothy Royer were married Nov 23, 1945.
A veteran of World War II, he entered the Navy in 1943 where he served as a radar operator on the destroyer USS McGowan. He took part in nine invasions, including the Marianas, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Philippines, the sea-air battle of Leyte Gulf, the first carrier air strike on Tokyo and the first bombardment of Honshu. Later he was on the Aleutian Islands and Northern Japan. Seaman First Class Shirk was honorably discharged in Feb 1946 and is authorized the Asiatic-Pacific theatre ribbon with seven battle stars, American theatre ribbon, Philippine Liberation ribbon with two bronze stars and the victory medal.
Following military service, Mr. Shirk was employed by Kooltex, Mifflinburg; Groves Furniture, Mifflinburg; Wayside Furniture, Mifflinburg; Britts Department Store, Williamsport; and Donehower's Sporting Goods, Lewisburg, before retiring from Mifflinburg High School as a custodian.
Mr. Shirk was well-known for making wooden Christmas ornaments that he donated to his church and for growing orchids. He was a member of the National Orchid Society; Mifflinburg American Legion Post 410; and United Church of Christ, Mifflinburg, where he served on the church council as both an elder and a deacon.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are two sons and one daughter-in-law, Vaughn Lee and Kathryn M. Shirk of State College, and W. Brent Shirk of Montoursville; one daughter, Jill A. Shirk of Norco, CA; sister, Dorothy E. Shirk of Lewisburg; four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Sources include The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Mar 9, 1946 and May 7, 2000.
A veteran of World War II, he entered the Navy in 1943 where he served as a radar operator on the destroyer USS McGowan. He took part in nine invasions, including the Marianas, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Philippines, the sea-air battle of Leyte Gulf, the first carrier air strike on Tokyo and the first bombardment of Honshu. Later he was on the Aleutian Islands and Northern Japan. Seaman First Class Shirk was honorably discharged in Feb 1946 and is authorized the Asiatic-Pacific theatre ribbon with seven battle stars, American theatre ribbon, Philippine Liberation ribbon with two bronze stars and the victory medal.
Following military service, Mr. Shirk was employed by Kooltex, Mifflinburg; Groves Furniture, Mifflinburg; Wayside Furniture, Mifflinburg; Britts Department Store, Williamsport; and Donehower's Sporting Goods, Lewisburg, before retiring from Mifflinburg High School as a custodian.
Mr. Shirk was well-known for making wooden Christmas ornaments that he donated to his church and for growing orchids. He was a member of the National Orchid Society; Mifflinburg American Legion Post 410; and United Church of Christ, Mifflinburg, where he served on the church council as both an elder and a deacon.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are two sons and one daughter-in-law, Vaughn Lee and Kathryn M. Shirk of State College, and W. Brent Shirk of Montoursville; one daughter, Jill A. Shirk of Norco, CA; sister, Dorothy E. Shirk of Lewisburg; four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Sources include The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Mar 9, 1946 and May 7, 2000.
Laird Lee Shirk, 77, Mifflinburg, died May 4, 2000, at Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg. He was born July 14, 1922, in Millmont to the late Newton S. and Stella M. (Speese) Shirk. He was a 1941 graduate of Mifflinburg High School. In 1942, Mr. Shirk was employed by Glen L. Martin's Aircraft, Baltimore. He and the former Dorothy Royer were married Nov 23, 1945.
A veteran of World War II, he entered the Navy in 1943 where he served as a radar operator on the destroyer USS McGowan. He took part in nine invasions, including the Marianas, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Philippines, the sea-air battle of Leyte Gulf, the first carrier air strike on Tokyo and the first bombardment of Honshu. Later he was on the Aleutian Islands and Northern Japan. Seaman First Class Shirk was honorably discharged in Feb 1946 and is authorized the Asiatic-Pacific theatre ribbon with seven battle stars, American theatre ribbon, Philippine Liberation ribbon with two bronze stars and the victory medal.
Following military service, Mr. Shirk was employed by Kooltex, Mifflinburg; Groves Furniture, Mifflinburg; Wayside Furniture, Mifflinburg; Britts Department Store, Williamsport; and Donehower's Sporting Goods, Lewisburg, before retiring from Mifflinburg High School as a custodian.
Mr. Shirk was well-known for making wooden Christmas ornaments that he donated to his church and for growing orchids. He was a member of the National Orchid Society; Mifflinburg American Legion Post 410; and United Church of Christ, Mifflinburg, where he served on the church council as both an elder and a deacon.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are two sons and one daughter-in-law, Vaughn Lee and Kathryn M. Shirk of State College, and W. Brent Shirk of Montoursville; one daughter, Jill A. Shirk of Norco, CA; sister, Dorothy E. Shirk of Lewisburg; four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Sources include The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Mar 9, 1946 and May 7, 2000.
A veteran of World War II, he entered the Navy in 1943 where he served as a radar operator on the destroyer USS McGowan. He took part in nine invasions, including the Marianas, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Philippines, the sea-air battle of Leyte Gulf, the first carrier air strike on Tokyo and the first bombardment of Honshu. Later he was on the Aleutian Islands and Northern Japan. Seaman First Class Shirk was honorably discharged in Feb 1946 and is authorized the Asiatic-Pacific theatre ribbon with seven battle stars, American theatre ribbon, Philippine Liberation ribbon with two bronze stars and the victory medal.
Following military service, Mr. Shirk was employed by Kooltex, Mifflinburg; Groves Furniture, Mifflinburg; Wayside Furniture, Mifflinburg; Britts Department Store, Williamsport; and Donehower's Sporting Goods, Lewisburg, before retiring from Mifflinburg High School as a custodian.
Mr. Shirk was well-known for making wooden Christmas ornaments that he donated to his church and for growing orchids. He was a member of the National Orchid Society; Mifflinburg American Legion Post 410; and United Church of Christ, Mifflinburg, where he served on the church council as both an elder and a deacon.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are two sons and one daughter-in-law, Vaughn Lee and Kathryn M. Shirk of State College, and W. Brent Shirk of Montoursville; one daughter, Jill A. Shirk of Norco, CA; sister, Dorothy E. Shirk of Lewisburg; four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Sources include The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Mar 9, 1946 and May 7, 2000.
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