Charles Erb, Sr.

November 11, 1917 - September 09, 2007


Charles Nicholas Erb Sr., died Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007. Born Nov. 11, 1917, in Pittsburgh, he was raised in Carrick, graduated from Carrick High School (1936) and received a bachelor’s in civil engineering from Carnegie Tech (1940). He started working at American Bridge Division, U.S. Steel Corporation, Ambridge, in 1940. In 1941, he was called to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and spent 1 1/2 years as an instructor at the Engineering School, Ft. Belvoir, Va. As company commander (captain), he took the 538th Light Pontoon Company, a floating bridge unit overseas. He maintained three bridges over the Rhine River near Remegen, Germany, and was assigned one year to the Military Government in Germany. He returned to the United Stated in 1946 and worked 40 years with American Bridge-Ambridge (1971-1980) as plant engineer and in Birmingham, Ala., (1967-1971) as AB engineer. He spent 25 years in scouting from Eagle Scout to receiving the Silver Beaver Award and St. George’s Church Award for volunteer work. He was the oldest and first president of Technical Advisor Committee for Penn State at Monaca; one of the organizers and twice president of Swiss-American Society of Pittsburgh; past member of American Society of Civil Engineers and Lions Club; twice president of Engineers Club-ABD-Pittsburgh; member of Over 50 Club, St. Alexis Church; joined AARP Perrymont Chapter in 1984, serving as legislative chairman for six years and president from 1987-1989; and was a member of American Legion Post 161, Wexford. His hobbies included traveling, numismatic, Civil War history, hunting, music/opera and collecting eagle figurines. He is survived by his wife, Frances; children, Charles Jr. (Carol), Thomas (Olivia), Jane (Terry) and Susan (Thomas); nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He lost his wife, Bernice Jouver, to cancer, in 1981. Also survived by sisters, Elizabeth Kiefer, Margaret Vissat and Louise Sutton. Visitation 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at T.B. DEVLIN FUNERAL HOME, 806 Perry Hwy., North Hills. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. Alexis Church. In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Boy Scouts of America.

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  • Shirley Derbis

    I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Erb. I learned of his passing too late to share condolences in person. The world has lost a very special person yet heaven is now blessed with his presence.

    I met Mr. Erb at an Eagle Ceremony (of course!) while I was Scoutmaster for Troop 207. He went out of his way to make every Scout understand the meaning of the award and to challenge all younger Scouts to strive for this award – not for the award but to make the world a better place. Over the next few years, he always reminded my sons to invite him when they earned the award. He made a special trip to honor my oldest son (now a captain in the Air Force) who wanted to skip the attention.

    I extend my sympathies and prayers to the family and my gratitude that they shared this special man with us in his Scouting family. I look forward to seeing him a the last campfire, seated with BP himself, as he has truly “gone home”

 

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