Samuel Reyburn

Samuel Norwood Reyburn,

of Lumber City passed away Wednesday morning at his home. Mr. Reyburn was born February 1, 1927 in Avondale, PA, a son of the late James Harvey and Anna (McCarter) Reyburn. He attended high school there until his seventeenth birthday when he enlisted in the United States Navy. Mr. Reyburn suffered from pneumonia during his first several months as a seaman. During his treatment he was one of the first patients in the United States to receive the newly discovered antibiotic family of medications. Upon recovery, he declined a medical discharge and was returned to his ship, Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) Number 354. Mr. Reyburn saw action in the battles of Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Palau.

After his discharge from the United States Navy in 1947, Mr. Reyburn was employed as an orderly at the United States Veterans Hospital in Coatesville, PA. There he met Eva Grace McCracken and were married on March 3, 1949. The couple returned to the Curwensville area where Mrs. Reyburn was a native.

In 1952 he began a thirty-six year career at the Clearfield Cheese Company. During his employment, Mr. Reyburn was very active in his labor union, the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen, Local 424. Mr. Reyburn was known for his staunch and vocal support of workers rights. He rose within Local 424 to become Plant Union Shop Steward, and frequently traveled to Pittsburgh to attend regional strategy meetings on behalf of the more than 400 workers of the Curwensville Cheese plant. After retirement in 1988, Mr. Reyburn enjoyed gardening, woodworking, and extensive travel with his beloved wife Eva who preceded him in death in 1999. Mr. Reyburn is survived by four children:

Anna and husband Jay Lucas of Lumber City;
Susan Reyburn of Curwensville;
Samuel N. Reyburn, Jr. and his wife Cindy of Cochranville;
and Eric Reyburn of Cambridge, Mass.

In addition, Mr. Reyburn is survived by grandchildren;

Christina Soukup and her husband Brian of Curwensville;
Christopher Davidson and wife Carolyn of Creswell, NC;
Jennifer Johnson of Curwensville;
Evan and Erica Toto of Cochranville
and Sarah Reyburn also of Cochranville.

Great-grandchildren include Brenna and Crista Soukup of Curwensville and Jordyn Davidson of Creswell, NC.

In addition, Mr. Reyburn is survived by a brother,

Donald Reyburn of Cochranville.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Robert and Fred and a sister Joyce.

Mr. Reyburn was a generous and thoughtful soul who will be missed greatly by his family, friends and colleagues. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to:

The Samuel N. and Eva M. Reyburn Memorial Fund for Scholarship in Nursing
RD#2, Box 55
Curwensville, PA 16833

Friends may visit the Kevin A. Beardsley Funeral Home in Curwensville on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. Services will be held at the Grampian Church of God Saturday at 11 AM with interment in the Lumber City Cemetery to follow.