10/1/2024
On Tuesday October 1, 2024 John Mervin “Merv” Spangler, 81 of Strasburg, was reunited with his parents and sister. He died at home in the loving arms of his wife after a lengthy illness. He and Patti celebrated 47 years of marriage in February. Merv was born at home to the late Howard and Erma Newswanger Spangler. He attended a one room school through 6th grade. He went on to attend the public school system at Upper Leacock High School in Leola. There he met his future wife Patsy as they sat next to each other in the library. They were instant friends.
All through his years of schooling Merv worked various jobs in order to buy a bicycle, then a car, and then go on to college, often working night shifts and barely making it home to get to school on time. He worked on a farm, in an egg plant and at a gas station. On weekends he enjoyed “drag racing” at York Dragway where he raced his prized 1960 Pontiac and a 1955 Chevy.
After graduating Conestoga Valley High School in 1961, he sold his trophies in order to attend Penn State Wyomissing branch where he obtained an associate’s degree in Drafting and Design technology.
He worked at Sharp Corporation in Norristown designing sample packaging for drugs until June 1964 when he enlisted in the US Army.
He was stationed at Fort Monmouth New Jersey from 1964-1967 where he was a teacher and a member of Company B21. His daughter Andrea was born there in 1965. He was discharged honorably from the military in 1970 with a rank of Specialist E5.
Upon return to Lancaster County, he established Merv’s TV and Appliance Service in the home he bought in Paradise. It was a large 1901 farmhouse which needed total remodeling. His son Todd was born in 1969. In addition, he developed a campground on the property of his in-laws, an eleven-acre tract of land hence the name Leven Acres.
In 1977 he married the girl from the library Patsy Wolf. Together they enjoyed many canoe trips with their children. They took family vacations on a lake near Honesdale, Pa. Later they enjoyed their family time spent at the cottage they purchased on the Conestoga River near Brownstown.
Merv and Patti supported the local America Cancer Society through Relay for Life for a period of 20 years. Their team “The Peanut Gallery” became family to them and they formed many close and long-lasting friendships. He will be well remembered for his antique hot dog machine which he proudly manned at the various team fundraisers.
When Penn National Race Course opened in 1972, he became a horse racing fan. The love of that sport took him to many horse racing tracks. Many vacations were planned around visiting race tracks. Attending a Kentucky Derby race at Churchill Downs was a thrill even in the rain. Merv and Patti attended the Preakness race in Baltimore for many years until his health began to fail.
Merv retired from BJ Baldwin company in 2008 as a data department manager. He and Patti enjoyed St. Croix trips. When traveling a distance became difficult due to his health issues, they gave up those trips and began spending all the time they could at a beach house on the Chesapeake Bay, making new friends there and enjoying the Chesapeake’s bounty of crabs and oysters.
In recent years they enjoyed many scenic train rides. He enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and always had at least one puzzle in progress. He also was a great scrabble player.
He was an ardent bird watcher and spent every day in his sun room identifying those at the feeders. He was proud of his rose garden and patch of Horseradish.
He is survived by his wife, two children, four grandchildren and a great grandson and a multitude of friends who will miss his laughter and his stories. His brother Donald and sisters Evelyn and Sharon also survive.
Services will be private and at the convenience of the family.
