William M. Progar

William M. Progar (99) of Houston, passed away peacefully Sunday morning June 12, 2022, his beloved wife’s birthday, at the home of his daughter in Strabane. He was born November 8, 1922 in the house where he passed away, a son of the late Joseph and Rozalia Bobnar Progar. Raised in Strabane, Bill lived most of his life in Houston and was a member of St. Oscar Romero Parish Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church in Meadowlands.

In 1941, Bill was enlisted in the military. He proudly served as a corporal in the army during World War II, departing the US for Europe on the Queen Elizabeth, zig-zagging across the Atlantic to avoid the German U Boats. He traveled throughout Europe including France, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. Bill was part of the heavy artillery division, in which he marched next to the field artillery and tanks. While in Paris, on one occasion when Bill and his group managed to climb halfway up the Eifel Tower when suddenly the air raid sirens let out a wailing warning, and they had to rush back down to the ground.

In his youth, Bill had been employed at the former Standard Chemical-Vitro plant in Strabane when Madame Curie toured the facility, which produced uranium for the Manhattan Project and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission nuclear weapons program. Prior to his retirement, Bill had been employed as a welder at the former McGraw Edison Power Systems and later the Pennsylvania Transformer plant.

He was an avid bowler and played softball in his younger years. Bill was a member of the SNPJ Lodge 138 and the KSKJ St Jerome Lodge 153 both of Strabane. He also enjoyed gardening, listening to polkas, and tinkering in his garage.

On July 12, 1947, he married Veronica Barbish who passed away February 24, 2022, after 74 years of marriage. Left behind to cherish his memory are his devoted daughter, Chris Hervol, and her husband Rick of Strabane, his beloved grandchildren, Jennifer Wolfe and her husband Jeff, and Bill Hervol (Fiancé Nina Aquino), his dear great-grandson Oliver Wolfe, his sister Rose Marie Lawrence and her husband Robert of Strabane and several nieces and nephews. Deceased in addition to his wife and parents are his son William, daughter Nancy, granddaughter Lisa Hervol, and three brothers, Edward, Anthony and Joseph Progar.

Friends and family are welcome from 2-4 and 6-8 pm Thursday, June 16, 2022, in Salandra Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc. 304 West Pike Street Canonsburg 724-745-8120 where Catholic blessing services will be held at 10 am Friday June 17, 2022. Interment will be in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Twp. with full military rites by the VFW Post 191 Honor guard and the United States Army. To view or extend condolences please visit www.salandrafunerals.com.

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