William R. “Bill” “Chipco” McNallen, 92, a well-known life long Chicora resident, passed away peacefully at Butler Hospital on Saturday afternoon, September 21, 2019
William was born in Troutman on November 13, 1926 and was the son of the late John M. and Margaret Diskin McNallen.
Bill was a lifetime member of Mater Dolorosa Roman Catholic Church in Chicora and was often seen in church lighting candles and saying prayers. He was a 1944 graduate of Chicora High School. Immediately upon graduating, Chipco enlisted in the U. S. Army, serving our country during WWII in the western Pacific. He eventually served in the Headquarters of General Douglas MacArthur as part of the U.S. Occupational Forces in Japan immediately after the cessation of hostilities. After being discharged from the Army in 1946, he came home to Chicora and shortly thereafter was employed as a Postal clerk at the Chicora Post Office, serving in that capacity for over 40 years. He was a member of the Chicora Moose Lodge and the former VFW post. During his life, he was an active participant in local golf and bowling leagues. Chipco was an icon around Chicora. All of his life walking the Chicora Main Street hill several times a day, making his daily stops around town up until his mid 80’s. He was well known to provide funding assistance to many a friend in need in the Chicora area as well as many a piece of candy to the children. He looked forward to marching in the annual Chicora Memorial Day Parade in his WWII Army uniform and was able to do so until very recently.
He is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Patricia Ashbaugh and her husband, William, of Butler and Mrs. Anne McCarren of Butler; a sister-in-law, Mabel C. McNallen of Chicora, as well as many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews.
He was preceded in death by brothers, John E. McNallen and Paul Rabbit and his wife, Jean; his sisters, Mary (McNallen) Foley and her husband, James, and Margaret McNallen, as well as his brother-in-law, Joseph McCarren.
Friends will be received at Hile Funeral Home of Chicora, 339 Chicora Fenelton Rd., Chicora, from 6-9 p.m. today (Monday). A Funeral Mass will be concelebrated at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday from Mater Dolorosa Roman Catholic Church in Chicora with Bill’s nephew and Godson, the Rev. William Ashbaugh, pastor of St. Thomas The Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, MI, and the Rev. Lou Pascazi, Senior Parochial Vicar at Mater Dolorosa, officiating. Interment will follow at Hemphill Cemetery, Chicora. Military honors will be accorded by the Chicora, Brady’s Bend, and East Brady American Legion Posts at Mater Dolorosa following the Mass. The Loyal Order of the Moose will hold a memorial service for their departed brother at 5:45 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Mooseheart at www.mooseheart.org or the Chicora Volunteer Fire Dept., PO Box F, Chicora, PA 16025.