Irven McCabe Mohnkern, 103, of State College, died Monday, January 29, 2007 at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Judy & Paul S. Rice of Bellefonte where he had made his home since 2002.
He was born June 15, 1903 in Oil City the son of the late Ruel and Abbie Brockway Mohnkern. On May 31, 1929 he married Rose Foust of Oil City who preceded him in death on February 5, 1959. On Nov. 24, 1960 he married Gladyce Geist Watson who preceded him in death on June 26, 1998. Also preceding him in death were two brothers, Kenneth Mohnkern of MA and Wesley Mohnkern of State College.
He graduated from Penn State University's College of Agriculture in 1927 with a BS degree in Agricultural Chemistry. He was a member of Sigma Phi Sigma Fraternity, now known as Theta Delta Chi, and was the oldest living member of that Fraternity.
Irven joined his father in the Mohnkern Lumber Co. and later they together formed the Mohnkern Oil Co. in State College. They built homes and buildings in the State College area including the building on the corner of Beaver and Pugh that houses the CVS Pharmacy and numerous apartments.
Irven was a business man, banker (past president of Mt. Nittany Savings and Loan), owner of oil wells in Bradford, entrepreneur, pilot, bench rest shooter, and bird dog lover and owner.
After his retirement in 1968 from the business world, he pursued his love of bird dogs. He established the Keystone Bird Dog Trust field trial grounds near Petersburg, the current home of the Indiantown Gap Bird Dog Club. His business expertise and his persistence, as well as many hours of work in finding these new grounds, fixing the club house, and working on the grounds to make them top notch for all who use them, occupied his time for many years.
Irv owned many outstanding field trial dogs including Rocky River Buck, an eight time champion including both National and North American championships, and Banshees Baneful Bill, Sandy Acres Frank, and numerous others. He so enjoyed watching his dogs run in amateur trials and even did some of the training himself.
He was also an avid hunter and fisherman, flying his own plane to the western states, Alaska and Canada to hunt and fish.
He was a current member of the Indiantown Gap Bird Dog Club, Pine Hall Lutheran Church, and past member of the Nittany Valley Bird Dog Club, the State College Elks Club, and Mt. Acres and Centre Hills Country Clubs. He was a past president and life member of the National Bench Rest Shooters Association, as well as a life member of the NRA.
He is survived by a son, Larrie of State College; two daughters, Gertrude and her husband John Hoyt of Lake Anna, VA, and Judy and her husband Paul Rice of Bellefonte. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren; 3 nephews, Don Mohnkern of State College, Ruel Mohnkern of MA, and Kent Mohnkern of ME; and one niece, Marilyn Beaven of MA. Also surviving are two step-daughters, Jane Page of Kent, OH and Sue Daughtry of Santa Maria, CA; a stepson, Edwin Watson of Yardley, and numerous step-grandchildren, step-great grandchildren, and step-great-great grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at the Pine Hall Lutheran Church, 1760 W. College Ave., State College. Burial will be at Centre County Memorial Park at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Keystone Bird Dog Trust, c/o Mr. Art Hower, 621 Harmony Lane, Boalsburg, PA 16827 or to the Pine Hall Lutheran Church, 1760 W. College Ave., State College, PA 16801 or to Brookline Home Care and Hospice, 3901 S. Atherton St., State College, PA 16801 or to the charity of the donor's choice.
A guest book may be signed or condolences sent to the family at www.heintzelmanfuneralhome.com