Foster McCarl Jr., 83, of Chippewa Township, died Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007.
Born September 15, 1923, a son of the late Foster B. and Zada Queen McCarl, he served in the U.S. Air Force from 1944 to 1946 and founded McCarl's Plumbing and Heating Company in 1946, which became McCarl's Inc. in
1976. He was a member of the Chippewa United Methodist Church, where he formerly served as a Sunday school teacher, Chairman of the Trustees, Chairman of the Finance Committee and a member of the Conference Corporation Committee.
He was a former member and past president of the Beaver Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Area Industrial Development Authority. He served the United Way of Beaver County as board member, past president and campaign chairman. He was a past board member of the Salvation Army and was a member of the Blackhawk School Board of Directors for over 20 years. He was chairman of the board of Century National Bank from 1987 to 1996 and served McGuire Memorial Home as a member of the Board of Directors, chairman of the Building & Grounds and chairman of the Foundation Board. He was Past Governor of the District of the Optimist Club and a member of Parian Lodge 662, New Castle Consistory, and Syria Shrine. He had served on the Medical Center Foundation Board of Directors since 1988, the Heritage Valley Board from 1998 to 2000, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Society Board of Directors from 1992 to 1997, and the Board of Advisors from 1997 to 2001.
He was chairman of the trustees of Local Union 47 Welfare and Pension Funds from 1961 to 2006, and chairman of the negotiations committee from 1961 to 2002. As a board member of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Northwest Pennsylvania, he served as President from 1999 to 2003 and was a former vice president. He served as president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America in 1993 and was formerly vice president, treasurer, on the Board of Directors from 1986 to 1994, chairman of the Government Affairs Committee from 1986 to 1989, chairman of the Education Foundation Committee from 1988 to 1989, chairman of the Mechanical Contracting Foundation in 1995, and served on the President's Advisory Council from 1995 to 2006.
Mr. McCarl received many awards through the years including Young Man of the Year 1958, Man of the Year 1961, Contracting Business Hall of Fame 1994, MCAA Lifetime Achievement Award 1995, Ronald McDonald House Charities Big MAC Award 1997, Pa. Society Sons of American Revolution Lifetime Achievement Award 1999, NSFRE Western Pa. Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser 1999, Scottish Rite Freemasonry 33rd Degree in 2000, and the Beaver County Foundation Pioneer Award in 2006.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a great-grandson, Carter James Brown.
Surviving are his wife of 62 years, Muriel Phillips McCarl; four sons and two daughters-in-law, F. James and Carol McCarl, Hilton Head, S.C.; Brian B. McCarl, Darlington; Kevin A. McCarl, Gibsonia, Pa., and Shawn P. and Kimberly McCarl, Hollidaysburg, Pa.; 12 grandchildren, Erin Morgan, Foster Jeffrey McCarl, Megan Brown, Maura McCarl, Melissa McCarl, Jaclyn Mack, Michael McCarl, Jessica McCarl, Stephanie McCarl, Christopher McCarl, Janelle McCarl and Bethany McCarl, and five great-grandchildren, Alyssa Morgan, Hunter Morgan, Emma McCarl, Andrew Brown and Madyson Mack.
Friends will be received today from 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the HILL & KUNSELMAN FUNERAL HOME, www.hilland kunselman.com, 3801 Fourth Ave., College Hill, Beaver Falls. The funeral service will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Chippewa United Methodist Church, 2545 Darlington Road, Chippewa Township.
Private interment will be in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park.
The Beaver County Special Unit will meet Sunday at 2:45 p.m. in the church to conduct full military rites.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to McGuire Memorial Home, 2119 Mercer Road, New Brighton, Pa. 15066, or the Music Department at Chippewa United Methodist Church, 2545 Darlington Road, Beaver Falls, Pa. 15010.
