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700 Broad Avenue Belle Vernon, PA 15012 Phone (724) - 929 - 5300 Fax (724) - 929 - 2775 Ferguson Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. Please publish the following paid obituary in the Valley Independent on Wednesday and Thursday. Call to confirm. John W. 'Jack' Stockton, 85, of Belle Vernon died Saturday, February 14, 2009 in his home. A son of the late Frank W. and Alice Phillips Stockton, he was born in Long Branch on February 10, 1924. Jack attended the First Presbyterian Church of Fayette City, graduated from the former Rostraver High School in 1941, was a member of the Fayette City American Legion, Post 484, where he had been the treasurer for 50 years, the Valley Chordsman, the Gummert Lodge, F. & A.M. # 252 and the Shrine. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War # 2 where he served aboard LST 986 and participated in five invasions in the South Pacific, sang in the Navy choir during his basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, was active for many years in the Fayette City Beagle Club and had raised and trained beagles throughout his life. Formerly of Long Branch and Fayette City, he had resided in Belle Vernon for the past 25 years and was the owner and operator of the former Stockton's Market in Fayette City, a business that had been in the family for 100 years. Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Shane and Laurie Stockton of Westerville, OH, one sister and brother-in-law, Jean and Alex Balla of Monroeville, one granddaughter, Kaitlyn Stockton and two nephews and their wives, Bryan and Robin Balla of Nottingham and Kevin and Krissy Balla of Cranberry. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by Anita Cope Stockton in 1985 and Doris Breckenridge in 2006. Friends will be received 6 to 9 P.M. Friday and 1 to 2 P.M. Saturday in the Ferguson Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., (724-929-5300), 700 Broad Avenue, Belle Vernon, www.FergusonFuneralHomeAndCrematory.com. Funeral services will be in the funeral home on Saturday at 2 P.M. with Rev. Michael Shepard officiating. Interment will be in Howe Cemetery. The Fayette City American Legion members will hold services Friday at 7:30 P.M. and on Saturday, the F.&A.M. Lodge 252 will hold services at 1:30 P.M., both in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Fayette City Presbyterian Church or the Valley Chordsman.

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John W. Stockton

February 10, 1924 - February 14, 2009