David W. Warner

David W. Warner, 92, passed away on Friday June 13, 2014 at Riverwoods in Exeter. He was born February 3, 1922 in Franklin Pennsylvania, son of Dudley P. and Margaret Shaffer Warner. Mr. Warner was a 1940 graduate of Sharpsville (Pennsylvania) high school and a 1946 graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a bachelors degree in Forestry.

A veteran of World War II, he served as a sergeant in the 291st Field Artillery Observation Battalion. This unit earned battle stars in the European Theatre for the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns.

On June 12, 1948 he married Helen Zoll whom he met at Penn State. His first job was with the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a forester for the Yakima Indian Agency in Toppenish, Washington. After four years in this profession, he and his wife moved back to Pennsylvania, where he entered his father’s trucking business (Warner & Smith Motor Freight, Inc.) After his father’s death in 1963, he became president of the company. In the ensuing 20 years, the trucking company was built up to over 200 employees with offices in Cleveland, Akron, Erie, Masury, Franklin, and Pittsburgh. The company was dissolved in 1983.

Upon retirement, he and his wife moved to Hershey, Pennsylvania, where Mr. Warner became active in community affairs. He was a 24 year member of the Friends of the Hershey Public Library, serving as president and treasurer. For many years he was co-chair of the annual book sale. He was secretary/treasurer of the Hershey Library Endowment Trust for 14 years. In 2006, he was awarded the Meritorious Service to a Public Library Award from Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries. He is also credited with forming another Community service group in 1990, the Friends of Derry Township Parks & Recreation. This group created the Shank Park Nature Trail (now named for him), and supervised the Derry Township memorial tree program. He was a member of the Sand Hill Lions Club.

Late in 2008 he moved to Riverwoods at Exeter, NH, to be closer to his daughters. He was an active participant in community programs at Riverwoods.

Mr. Warner is survived by two daughters: Dr. Rebecca M. Warner, a professor at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH; and Dr. Amy J. Warner, an information architect with a prestigious medical information company, Up to Date, in Concord, MA. Also surviving is Earla W. Adams, a sister residing in Leesburg, FL, and 8 nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by siblings, Margaret Deacle, Dudley P. Warner Jr., and Edmund Warner.

His wife, Helen Zoll Warner, preceded him in death on February 26, 2008. David’s twin brother Edmund, died on February 11, 2004, and a sister, Margaret Deacle, in December 2005.

A memorial service will be held Tuesday, June 17th at 2:00 PM at Rothermel Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 25 West Pine Street, Palmyra, PA 17078. Private interment will be in the Gravel Hill Cemetery, Palmyra. The family suggests memorial donations instead of flowers, to the Salvation Army.