John Michael Berish

Born on March 18, 1932 in Aultman, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. He was the second oldest child to John Paul Berish and Mary Elizabeth Setlock.

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Description

John was of average build who stood about 5 foot 6 inch in height. He was clean shaven with dark brown hair and brown eyes.

Early Years

• Childhood -
• Siblings
  • Mary Catherine Berish

Education

He attended high school in Indiana, Indiana County, Pennsylvania but left at age 16 years to join the U.S. Army.

Religion

John was baptized into the Catholic faith at St. Gertrude's Church on June 28, 1932 in Iselin, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

His was a member of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.

Military Service Years

PFC John Michael Berish served in the U.S. Army. He enlisted on January 8, 1949 and was discharged on May 19, 1955. He later enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves on August 16, 1955 and was discharged on December 13, 1958.

Military Service(s) - U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserves

Family Years[edit | edit source]

• How they met - My mother loved to tell us kids how she met my dad by writing letters to him during the end of WWII. As she told it, my dad’s sister Dorothy was good friends with mother because they went to the same high school. Somehow Dorothy must have told my mom about her brother being stationed at Lackland AFB. Now, during the war, people were constantly encourage to support “our boys over seas.”  And one of the ways suggested was to write to the troops, you know, become a penpal. Dorothy must have told my mom about her brother because Jeannette began writing to him. My dad was a bit surprised when he received the first letter but it soon grew into something that they each enjoyed as the frequency and length of the letters grew over time. (I know this to be true because my mother kept all my dad’s letters to her.) Eventually, they arranged to meet when my dad was home on leave, and, well as they say, the rest is history.
• Marriage - Edward married Jeannette Frances Walker on June 21, 1952 at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. The couple had four children: three boys - Edward John Jr., Kenneth Joseph and Donald Judson, and one girl - Jeannette Frances.
  • Edward John Timko Jr. and spouse Mary Cathleen Laughlin
  • Kenneth Joseph Timko and spouse Connie Shae Cox
  • Donald Judson Timko and spouse Lorraine Beverly Eckley
  • Jeannette Francis Timko and spouse Kirk Brian Yauger. (2nd husband - Wayne August Aubel - No children

Residences[edit | edit source]

During the family's years in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio, Edward's family rented or owned a total of six houses on the southwest side of the city. He would later reside or own two more.

• 1xx Parkman Road [Note: The exact address of the family's first rental house is not known. My paternal Aunt Emma (Timko) Burin said that while driving with her mother Anna, Anna pointed to a small collection of houses next to the railroad tracks on Parkman and said that was the house the family lived in when they first arrived in the city. At the time, it never occurred to Emma to ask exactly which of the house had been the family's first home. However, from city records, the address would have to have been either 160, 170 or 178 Parkman Road, hence the 1xx designation.]
• 985 Hunter Street NW
• 1437 Tod Avenue SW
• 487 Fourth Street
• 481 Oriole Place SW
• 770 Fourth Street
• 1454 McMyler Street NW (Lived here with in-laws for about two years)
• 4419 Kincaid East Road, Trumbull County, Ohio

Working Years[edit | edit source]

Worked at Denman Tire Corporation in Leavittsburg, Trumbull County, Ohio for a short time in his youth. He worked the remainder of his life as a strapping-machine operator at Brainard Steel Division, Sharon Steel Corporation on Larchmont Avenue on the outskirts of Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.

Edward also served as Vice President of local Steelworkers Union - Head of Compensation. His son Ed Timko, Jr. remembers taking his first trip to Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio with his father as Edward Sr. represented a fellow worker in a compensation case.

Personal Life[edit | edit source]

Enjoyed reading, fishing, playing poker and gardening. In his youth he loved to ice skate. He was also know to enjoy cold bottles of beer, smoking cigars and the occasional pipe. Edward was also partial to polka music and the style of W.C. Fields, often quoting his sayings during family gatherings.

Death[edit | edit source]

Edward died from pulmonary embolism on January 14, 1978 at Warren General Hospital in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. He was buried on January 17, 1978 at Champion Township Cemetery in Champion, Trumbull County, Ohio.