I. Joseph Palkovitz

I. Joseph Palkovitz, 93, of Hagerstown, died August 20, 2019 at Meritus Medical Center, in Hagerstown.
Born May 9, 1926 in Northhampton, Pa., he was the son of the late Stefan and Mary Baur Palkovitz of Security, Maryland.
He was a graduate of Hagerstown High School, class of 1944 where he was class president for three years, an honor student and lettered in baseball, basketball, and football. He attended Hagerstown Business College and took advanced studies at Fordham and Harvard Universities.
He was a veteran of the World War II, serving in the United States Naval Reserve from July 1944 to July 1946, in the South Pacific.
He played professional baseball for the Hagerstown Owls while a senior in high school in 1944. In 1946 through 1948 he played baseball in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system at Schenectady, N.Y., Wilmington, DE and Utica, N.Y.
He was a member of St. Marys Catholic Church where he was a past member of the Parish Council.
He was employed for over 20 years in various positions within the Materials Department with Fairchild Aircraft, Fairchild-Hiller in Hagerstown, Fairchild Electronics, Bay Shore, NY, Fairchild Republic, Farmingdale, NY and Kollsman Instrument Corp. in Elmhurst, NY.
In 1972 he joined Grove Manufacturing Co., Shady Grove, PA. He retired in 1994 from Grove Worldwide as Director of Production/Inventory Control after more than 22 years of service. He was a member of the Grove Retirement Club, having held several offices.
He followed sports, enjoyed golf, hiking, hunting, reading, and working in the yard. He was mainly a person devoted to his family.
He was a volunteer of Hospice of Washington County from October 2008 to October 2016, providing respite visitations for caregivers.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Caroline Russell Palkovitz in September 2008 after 60 years of marriage; one sister, Mary Ann Cordell of Hagerstown; two brothers, John J. Palkovitz of Mechanicsburg, PA and Steve F. Palkovitz of Hagerstown; and by a great-granddaughter, Avelin Cara Palkovitz of Landenberg, PA.
He is survived by a daughter, Dr. JoEtta Palkovitz-Brown and husband Thomas W. Brown, of Waynesboro, PA; step granddaughters, Sarah Borysenko, Laura Falcon and Amanda Brown; a son, Dr. Robin Joseph Palkovitz and wife, Judy, of Kemblesville, PA.; four grandsons, Nathan Palkovitz and wife Shannon Lynch, Collin Palkovitz and wife Lindsay, Ian Palkovitz and wife Laura and Shane Palkovitz and Teresa Mejia; six great-granddaughters, Isla, Tessa, Senya, Juniper, Winden and Summer Palkovitz; two great-grandsons, Finnian and Everett Palkovitz; two sisters in-law, Donna Palkovitz of Hagerstown and Nellie Palkovitz of Mechanicsburg, PA; plus many nieces, nephews, and many good friends and neighbors.
A mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00am on Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at St. Marys Catholic Church, Hagerstown, with Father Ernest Cibelli officiating. Interment will follow in Rest Haven Cemetery. The family will receive friends following the burial at Rest Haven Funeral Home for fellowship and refreshments.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Marys Catholic Church, 224 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, MD 21740 or Hospice of Washington County, 747 Northern Ave., Hagerstown, MD 21740.
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