John Cononie

Cononie, John, 82, Windber died May 10, 2015 at Windber Hospice.  Born Feb. 8, 1933 in Johnstown son of the late Charles and Rose (Gigliotti) Cononie.  Also preceded in death by sister Josephine Grivensky,  brother Carmen, & brothers-in-law Eugene Grivensky, Wilford Schein, & Kit Tkacik, & Stephen Yanik.
Survived by wife of 58 years former Ann Yanik and these children: Stephen, and special friend Brenda Horner, both of Hagerstown, Donna Slatcoff, and special friend Terry Eason, both of Panama City Bch, FL, Connie, wife of Todd Shaffer, South Park, PA, & Annette, wife of Brian Herman, Marietta, PA.
Grandfather to Charlie and Matthew Cononie, Mary, Samantha, Lauren, & Bethany Slatcoff, Jonathan and Erin Shaffer, & Isabella Herman.  Also numerous beloved nieces & nephews.
Brother of Mary Grace Schein, OH, Marlene Tkacik, Johnstown, Loretta, wife of Charles Shane, Pittsburgh, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Catherine and Paul Paulochik, & Mary Louise, wife of Kenneth Jones, all of Windber, and sister-in-law Mary Louise Yanik, CO. Also survived by former daughter-in-law and special family friend Elaine Cononie, Germantown, MD, and former son-in-law and special family friend Tom Slatcoff, Orlando.
John was an army veteran of Korean War serving in Japan for one year where he played baseball for the Kyoto Blues.  He played for the AAABA Lincoln Street Garage, Somerset County League for Hollsopple that were county champions. He coached Windber Little League, Highland Boosters, and Windber Legion. He played for the Johnstown Junior League for Hornerstown A.C. and coached for the Ramada Inn in the AAABA.
He was employed at Bethlehem Steel Corp in the truck axle division, then for the PA Dept. of Unemployment, and retired from United Metal Fabricators.
Member of HealthStyles, Somerset County Old-Timers League, and SS. Cyril and Methodius’ Catholic Church, Windber where funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday.  Fr. George Gulash, pastor.  Committal All Faiths Chapel and Mausoleum, Windber.  The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 & 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Meek & Dalla Valle Funeral Home, Inc., where vigil for the deceased will be held.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Windber Hospice or Church of the Brethren Home in John’s memory.

John began his baseball career as a child in thebackyard, pitching, and batting  with his dad and brother.  His first organized baseball game was at the age of 13 with the Junior League with a team named "Good Hope" but was later renamed "The Steel Workers".  He also played baseball in high school at Richland.  Out of high school he played for Lincoln Street Garage and he made it to the first AAABA tournament as a pitcher and outfielder.  He batted .422 in the Junior League.  Then he was drafted into the U.S. Army and played baseball with the Kyoto Blues and also played softball with his company team--the 327th Recon Outfit and they were the far east champs.  After he was discharged from the service he played for Holsopple in the Somerset County League and they were the runner-up champs.  He was one of the top hitters in the league.  The he managed the Windber VFW in the Junior League and also mananged the Hornerstown A.C.  Then he was general manager for the Ramada Team earned a spot in the 1983 AAABA.
 

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