Art Cocolin

Art Cocolin, 91, of Meadville died Friday, July 22, 2016 at the Marquette Hospice House.

He was born December 6, 1924 in Osceola Mills, PA a son of George and Mary Janokos Cocolin.  He married Jean Kitchen June 18, 1947 and she survives.

He was a veteran of World War II serving as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne in Europe, parachuting in over the Rhine River, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and receiving the Bronze Star.  Following his military service he began his career working in a restaurant in Indiana, PA.  Then, in 1948, he and his brother John purchased Van Riper’s Candy Store in Meadville and renamed it the Campus Cove Restaurant.  Then in November 1959 he opened Art’s Restaurant on Park Avenue and then became a KFC franchise in 1964 which was also located on Park Avenue.  The Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant relocated to the Park Avenue Plaza where it still is today in 1982.

Art was very proud of the Meadville area and was always very civic minded.  He was a member and former Trustee of the First Baptist Church.  He was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Meadville, a charter member of the Golden K Kiwanis Club and a charter member of the former Sunrise Kiwanis Club of Meadville.  He was a board member of the Quality Living Center since 1990, the YMCA since the 1970’s and the ARC of Crawford County for over 15 years.  He was a charter board member of Active Aging Inc. and served for 20 years.  He was a member of the N/W PA Chapter of SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), a former member of the Meadville Country Club and a former board member of Crawford County Mental Health, Mental Retardation.

He was an ardent sports fan supporting all of the local sports teams in various ways.  He also was an avid golfer and enjoyed bowling.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, Jean, of 69 years, include: two sons, David Cocolin and his wife Sarah of Tulsa, OK and Gary Cocolin and his wife Lynn of Conneautville; a daughter, Cyndie Rowles and her husband Tom of Meadville; six grandchildren, Jennifer Zonneveld of Phoenix, AZ, Kevin Rowles of Cleveland, OH, Cezanne Breanis of Philadelphia, PA, Nick Cocolin of Erie, Nate Cocolin of Erie and Ryan Cocolin of Washington, D.C.; seven great grandchildren; a sister, Mary Ann Cogley and her husband Bob of Clarion, PA; a brother, George Cocolin of Lakeland, FL and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by five brothers, Constantine (Gus), John, Thomas, Theodore and Stephen Cocolin.

Calling hours will be Friday, July 29th from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, Inc., 581 Chestnut Street, Meadville.

The funeral service will be Saturday, July 30th at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church, 353 Chestnut Street, Meadville with Rev. Gerald Walton, Pastor, officiating with military honors provided by Huidekoper VFW Post #2006.

Interment will be in Greendale Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Project Support Our Troops, P.O. Box 771, Meadville, PA 16335.

Memories and condolences may be shared at www.waidfuneralhome.net