Robert C. Larko

Robert C. Larko, 79, of 474 Chestnut St. Meadville, died Tuesday December 2, 2003, at home, following a nine-month battle with cancer.

Robert was born in Chicago, IL, April 10, 1924, a son of Charles A. & Anne Birck Larko.  He married Nancy Adsit Bilecki, December 18, 1965, in Meadville, and she survives.

He was a 1942 graduate of Laine High School, Chicago, and was drafted into the U. S. Army.  He attended classes at New Mexico A. & M.A. University (now New Mexico State Univ.), Rutgers Univ. and was a graduate of Virginia Tech Univ., Blacksburg, VA with a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Following World War II he was first employed in a paper mill in New Hampshire, for 7 years, then was employed by Sunbeam Equipment Corp of Chicago, relocating to the Meadville plant in 1958, and retiring from the successor company Seco-Warwick, after 47 years service.

He was a 36-year member of Stone United Methodist Church and former Trustee.  He was a member of Meadville Kiwanis Club.  With his wife Nancy, they owned and operated a Bobbies Western Square Dance Shoppe in Vernon Twp., and enjoyed dancing with the Kon Yacht Kickers for many years.  He was a loving husband, father and grandfather.

Survivors in addition to his wife of 38 years include, 1 son Vincent Bilecki and his wife LuAnn of Meadville, 1 daughter, Anita Woods and her husband Thomas of Linesville, 4 grandchildren, Craig & Eric Bilecki, and Emily & Evan Woods, 1 brother, Richard C. Larko & his wife Suzanne, of Chicago, IL, and a niece Patricia Lehtonen and her husband Gregg of Salt Lake City, UT.

Calling hours will be Thursday from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. at Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, Inc., 581 Chestnut St., Meadville.

Funeral services will be held Friday at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home with Dr. James Durlesser, Senior pastor of Stone United Methodist Church, and the Rev. William L. Brown, Associate pastor, co-officiating.

Burial will be in Geneva Memorial Cemetery, Geneva, PA.

The family suggests memorials may be made to Active Aging Inc., 1034 Park Ave., Hospice of Crawford County, 448 Pine St., or Stone United Methodist Church, 956 S. Main St., all of Meadville, PA 16335.