Obituary of George T. Shagla

George T. Shagla, 90, of 1041 North Main Street, died Tuesday June 1, 2010 in Hospice Palliative Care, Cheektowaga, NY. A lifelong Jamestown resident, he was born January 25, 1920, a son of Thomas and Dominica Shaka Shagla. He was a WWII veteran of the US Army serving from 1942-45. Prior to his retirement in 1987, he was employed by the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier for 34 years. He earlier had worked as a bartender for several area establishments including The Maple Leaf, Friendly's Grill and Jalonek's Restaurant. He was a communicant of Holy Apostles Parish, SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church. He was a lifelong member of Sugar Grove American Veterans Association, Herman Kent Post #777 American Legion, War Vets Recreation, Jamestown Eagles Club, Jamestown and Frewsburg Moose Lodges, Allen Park Men's Club, Chautauqua Lake Fishing Association and John W. Tiffany Post #53 VFW. He was a very social person who was loved not only by his family, but by all who came in contact with him. Surviving are five children Lori (Joseph) Strzelec of Holland, NY, Debbie (Otis) Webster of Raleigh, NC, Rick Shagla of Ft. Myers, FL, Jerry (Cindy) Shagla of Rapid City, SD and Robin (Gary) Squire, of Black Hawk, SD, a step daughter Charen (Ronald) Epstein of Clarence, NY, eighteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife the former Nicolina Lupica, whom he married June 30, 1957, and who died September 23, 1994, a daughter Georgia Rohde, a great grandson Nicholas Hanson, two brothers Chris and Vance Shagla and three sisters Olga Connelly, Mary Maxim and Florence Manusho. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday in Holy Apostles Parish, SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Rev. Dennis W. Mende will be celebrant. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends will be received from 7-9 p.m. Thursday in the Lind Funeral Home, where a Christian Wake Service will be led at 6:45 p.m. Memorials may be made to any of the clubs to which George belonged and are listed above.