Terry C. Kretz, Sr.

DALLASTOWN - Terry C. Kretz, Sr., passed away on October 25, 2013, at his home. He was the husband of Alice I. Kretz, with whom he celebrated 58 years of marriage on March 9, 2013. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Monday, November 4, 2013, at Life Tributes by Olewiler & Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., 35 Gotham Place, Red Lion, PA. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Burial will be at Susquehanna Memorial Gardens with full military honors provided by York County Veterans Honor Guard. Mr. Kretz was born in Jacksonville, Florida on March 6, 1934, the son of the late Carlos and Elizabeth (McCoy) Kretz. Elizabeth died when Terry was six months old and his care was entrusted to his father's four sisters. His Aunt Alberta Evans assumed the role of being his mother and cared lovingly for him. Mr. Kretz was proud of his upbringing in Southern Illinois and returned often throughout his life. He was a proud American and served in the United States Navy for 26 years. After his Navy retirement he had a second career as a senior staff member at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. In his retirement he volunteered as a Master Gardener from Penn State in the York County Extension Office. Mr. Kretz was a member of the Golden Glow of Christmas Past and the Kringles of Pennsylvania. He always got a chuckle out of reading lengthy obituaries and would roll over in his grave if we told too much about him. He had a keen sense of humor, was a generous man and overall good guy. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends. In addition to his wife, Mr. Kretz leaves two children. A daughter, Kathleen Pike and her husband, Gregory, Sr., of Dallastown, PA, and a son, Terry C. Kretz, Jr. and his wife, Katherine Martin Kretz of Suffolk, Virginia; five grandchildren, Gregory Pike, Jr., Garrett Pike, Austin Kretz Pike, Beverly Ann Pike and Terry Carlos Kretz III. The family would like to thank the nurses of Manor Care Dallastown, Alzheimer’s Unit, and the caregivers from Country Meadows at Home for their exceptional care in the past five months. Heartfelt thanks to Antonette Fort, AseraCare Hospice for her help in Terry's final days. Memorial contributions in Terry's name may be made to Yoe Fire Co. Ambulance Service, Inc., PO Box 485, Yoe, PA 17313 or AseraCare Hospice, 44 Bowman Road, York, PA 17408.