John Persing

July 30, 1926 - March 1, 2015 John C. Persing, age 88 of Akron, died Sunday, March 1, 2015. He was the son of Emily (Gryzenia) and Peter Persing of Paterson, N.J. John was a U.S. Navy Seabee during World War II and stationed in Okinawa from 1944-1947. He was an apprentice seaman and motor machinist mate third class working on heavy construction equipment. He was the recipient of four medals. After the war, he graduated from Tri-State College (now Trine University), Angola, Indiana, in 1951 with a degree in civil engineering. He was a pitcher on the school's baseball team. He started his career at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and served as resident engineer/construction manager in the construction of tire manufacturing plants in Georgia, Texas, Illinois, Sydney and Melbourne Australia, and Tennessee. In Akron, he worked on the renovation the Goodyear World Headquarters building. In all, he worked at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for twenty-five years. Afterwards, he was a construction manager at Lero Rollence & Moinette in Akron working on renovations at the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company World Headquarters and the Kellogg Company World Headquarters in Battle Creek, MI. He also was part of the team working on the Goodyear Tire blimp hangar renovation. He retired from LRM in 1991 and managed to work on occasional consulting projects until his early eighties. He enjoyed tomato gardening, backyard bird watching, and viewing all sports (especially the NY Giants). He is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Dorothy, and three children, Patricia of Akron, Ohio; Brian (wife Cindy) of Lantana, TX; and Melinda Zylstra (husband Peter) of Fairview Park, Ohio; and his sister, Olga Persing Woolsey of Tinton Falls, NJ. Calling hours will be Thursday 4-7 p.m. at the Hummel Funeral Home, 3475 Copley Rd. Copley, Ohio 44321. Mass of Christian Burial will be 9:30 a.m. Friday at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, 476 Mull Ave. Akron, Ohio 44320. Interment to follow at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Catholic Charities, 812 Biruta St., Akron, Oh 44307. Please visit www.hummelcares.com to share memories or condolences.