John A. Pavie Sr., IBM employee, veteran
In October 2015, a few veterans from Rockhill Mennonite Community, a retirement community in Bucks County, took part in a trip to veterans' memorials in Washington.
In October 2015, a few veterans from Rockhill Mennonite Community, a retirement community in Bucks County, took part in a trip to veterans' memorials in Washington.
"It was really emotional," for John A. Pavie Sr., a World War II veteran of the Army Air Corps in England, said his son, John A. Jr.
"It was an honor to be with him," his son said. "He was struck by how many people came out to shake their hand."
On Thursday, Jan. 14, Mr. Pavie, 92, who retired in 1984 after 25 years with IBM in Trenton, died at the Rockhill community in Sellersville, where he had lived since 2004.
Kris Baker, at the time the independent living activities director at Rockhill Mennonite, said she and a half-dozen from there went with about 200 from the Philadelphia region for the Washington visit, organized by the nonprofit Honor Flight Network.
Whether at the war memorials or at Arlington National Cemetery, Baker said, "I was so proud of Mr. Pavie, because he was taking it all in, so happy to be there."
He and the other veterans, she said, "never experienced being honored and respected, as thanks, as they did that day."
Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Pavie graduated from Frankford High School in 1942 and worked at the Pennsylvania Railroad offices near 30th and Market Streets before entering the Army Air Corps.
During World War II, Mr. Pavie worked in an Army Air Corps intelligence unit near Norwich, England, his son said, sometimes flying as a belly gunner on B-24 bombers.
Later, he was a member of the VFW Post on Long Beach Island and later of the American Legion Post in Sellersville.
He returned to his work as a freight claims investigator for the Pennsylvania, his son said, a difficult job because of the possibilities of false claims.
From 1969 to 1985, his son said, Mr. Pavie's work was less stressful, working as a debt reclamation agent for International Business Machines Corp. in Trenton.
"He helped people with time cards," IBM workers who had filed inaccurate reports and needed to get their records, and incomes, straight.
"He was very popular that way," his son said.
After retiring, Mr. Pavie lived in Manahawkin, N.J., from the 1990s into the 2000s.
Besides his son, Mr. Pavie is survived by a brother and two grandchildren. His wife of 67 years, Lettie, died in 2013.
A visitation was set from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, at the Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, 33 N. Main St. Telford, before an 11 a.m. memorial service there.
Donations may be sent to Guardians of the National Cemetery, Box 233 Newtown, Pa. 18940, or to www.guardiansofthenationalcemetery.org.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.sadlersuessfuneralhome.net.
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