Obituary of Randall Albright

Randall Grove Albright, 91, formerly of Marengo, PA, died Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at Elmcroft Senior Living in State College, PA. Born August 23, 1921 on the family farm in Marengo to the late Frank and B. Grace Grove Albright. He married Charlotte M. Adams Albright on March 24, 1940 at her family home in Reese Hollow, Port Matilda, PA. They celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary last year with a renewal of their vows arranged by the staff of Elmcroft where they have lived for more than six years. He often commented that he was so blessed to have lived long enough to enjoy his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He graduated in 1939 from Port Matilda High School where he lettered in baseball three years. He recently was presented with his letter for his senior year by Ron and Brian Walk, sons of his former classmate, and the Bald Eagle School District. Randall farmed as a tenant farmer for five years within three miles of his home until he and his wife purchased the family farm from his mother. He continued farming with the help of his late brother Russell until 1967 when he accepted a position with the PA Milk Marketing Board serving as Field Inspector traveling his district to assure fair practices between producers and milk companies. He issued licenses to bulk tank drivers for testing and weighing milk samples as well as testing milk samples at the Penn State Dairy labs. In his second retirement, he continued his enthusiasm for hunting turkeys and deer at their camp on the family homestead. He bagged quite a few deer over the years, but one of his proudest treasures was his "trophy" gobbler with a 13-1/2 inch beard. He never lost his farm roots and enjoyed growing large crops of vegetables to preserve and share with others and even kept the residents supplied with fresh home-grown tomatoes after they moved to the Elmcroft community. As a devoted Christian husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he lived his faith and instilled long lasting values by example. He attended Sunday School as a child to bring weekly lesson papers home to his mother and became a lifelong member of the Ross United Methodist Church, serving as Sunday School Superintendent at age 16, teaching the adult Sunday School class for many years and serving on various Church boards. He served as a Director of the Dairy Herd Improvement Association and the Artificial Breeding Coop, was a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge of Stormstown, Baileyville Sportsmen Club, Halfmoon and Ferguson Township Senior Citizens groups, a 68-year member of Halfmoon Grange, Centre County Pomona #13 Grange, PA State Grange and the National Grange. He served as Superintendent of the Swine Department for 20 of his 24 years on the Centre County Grange Fair Board. In addition to his wife Charlotte, he is survived by four children, their spouses and children. Daughter Judy (Lee) Pressler of Port Matilda, PA, their daughter Melissa (Bill) Gartner and son William; Son Terry (Mary) Albright of Cincinnati, OH, their daughter Debbie (John) Eberhart and their children Kevin, Kenzie and Kaitlyn, son Steven (Sarah) Albright and their children Gideon and Evelyn, and son Brian (Stefania) Albright; Daughter Peggy (Jim) Lynch of Columbia, SC, their daughters Karen (Bobby) Royer and their children Megan, Becky and Grace, and Amy (Ed) Wilson and their children Alex, Blake and Nick; Daughter Kathy (Dan) Pressler of Carmel, NY, and their daughter Julie (Mike) Rice and their children Chloe, Carter and Shelby and son Todd Pressler. He is also survived by one sister, Rachael (Bill) Parsons of Penna Furnace and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Lester and Russell Albright, two sisters, infant Lois Albright and Shirley Moore and son Denny Moore and one cousin Emaline Rudy Speigelmeyer, who was raised as their sister, and daughter Shirley Rudy Harpster. Visitation will be held at Koch Funeral Home in State College, PA on Thursday, January 17 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. A Grange Service will be held at 8:00 p.m. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, January 18 at 10 a.m. at the Ross United Methodist Church, Marengo, PA with Pastors David Herch and Brian Judy officiating. Interment will follow immediately in the Ross United Methodist Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to honor Randall's memory may make a donation to a charity of your choice. 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.