OBITUARY NOTICE
DONALD E. GETZ

McALISTERVILLE, Donald E. Getz, 81, of McAlisterville died at 10:40 p.m., on Tuesday, November 25, 2014, at the Geisinger Lewistown Hospital.
Born on May 14, 1933 in Beaver Springs, Snyder County, he was a son of the late Roy L. and Mae (DeLong) Getz. On September 3, 1975, he married his surviving wife, Gail M. (Mercey) Getz, with whom he spent more than 39 years of marriage.
In addition to his wife he is survived by his children, Susan Costello and her husband James, of Jacksonville, FL, Karen Burger and her husband Timothy, of Centerville, OH, John Getz, of Lewisburg and his grandchildren, Andrea, Alyssa, Ashley, Amelia, Lindsay and Brennan.
He is the last of his generation having been preceded in death by two brothers, Fred “LeRoy” Getz, Carl R. Getz and one sister, Madeline Eisenhauer.
Mr. Getz was a 1951 graduate of Beaver Vocational School, and a proud veteran of the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He was also a member of Tennis Lodge 371, F&AM, Thompsontown, the Masonic Beaver Lodge, the Juniata County Historical Society, the Kentucky Rifle Association, the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, a life member of the NRA, a charter member of the Contemporary Long Rifle Association. He was a member and former treasurer of the Richfield Sportsman’s Association and the Thompsontown Lions Club and was also a founding member of the Shade Mountain Bowmen, the County Line Hunting Camp and McClure’s West End Sportsman’s Club.
In earlier life, he was employed by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health and later owned and operated the Getz Barrel Company, Beavertown. Mr. Getz made rifles that were featured in movies such as “The Patriot”, “The Last of the Mohicans”, Disney’s “The Black Robe”, “Pirates of the Caribbean”, “The Mountain Men”, and “Master and Commander”. Also several firearms from the Getz Barrel Company were featured on the History Channel’s “History of the Gun”.
In addition to his love for making muzzle loading rifles, he also enjoyed bow hunting and loved to hunt turkey. He was also a founder of the 18th Century Artisans Show held in Lewisburg.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 6, 2014 from the Brown Funeral Homes, Inc., 111 Westfall St., McAlisterville, with Pastor Jim Matthews officiating where the Juniata County Veterans Council will accord full military burial honors.
There will be no viewing; however, a visitation will be held at the funeral home, on Saturday from 1 p.m. until 1:45 a.m. when public masonic services will be accorded by Tennis Lodge 371, F&AM, Thompsontown.
The family will provide all funeral flowers and kindly ask that memorial donations in Mr. Getz’s memory may be made to Autism Speaks, 8035 McKnight Road; Suite 302, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 or to a charity of one’s choice.
For online condolences and tributes, please visit www.brownfuneralhomesinc.com.