Folks in the Town of Pavilion were shaken Friday by the death of Highway Superintendent John Strathearn, who succumbed to a heart attack suffered while salting the roadway on Route 19 near the fire hall.
CPR was performed on Strathearn after he collapsed Friday morning, but he died about 3 p.m. that afternoon, said Town Clerk Cindy Starr.
"He was a great guy," Starr said. "That's just how he was. I would ask him to do something, and he would do it."
Strathearn worked for the town for nearly 30 years (picture of a pin he was awarded last spring).
He was born Jan. 3, 1953 in Batavia, the son of the late Leigh and Eleanor Buckout Strathearn.
He was a graduate of Wyoming Central School.
He was a member of the Silver Lake Sportsmen’s Club, the Wyoming County Veterans Club in Warsaw and the Loyal Order of the Moose #1132 in Le Roy.
More than 200 people, possibly 300, turned out for a celebration of Strathearn's life on Saturday at B.W.'s restaurant, Starr said.
"Everybody thought very highly of John and that was a great tribute to him, I thought," Starr said.
Town of Pavilion employee Jamie Cleveland said Strathearn was always ready with a helping hand for whomever needed it.
"No matter what, no matter the cost, either on the job or just personal," Cleveland said. "I worked with him for 14 years and never heard one complaint about him. He had an impeccable record."
The loss is being felt throughout the town and the town's staff, Starr said.
"He was part of the family," Starr said. "Each one of us felt he was part of our families. He's a great loss for every member of our staff."
Calling hours are 3 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, at Robinson & Hackemer Funeral Home, 246 N. Main St., Warsaw, where John’s funeral service will be held immediately following visitation at 7 p.m. Burial will be in Dale Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Pavilion Fire Department, Pavilion, NY 14525 or the Wyoming Hook & Ladder Co., Wyoming, NY 14591.
