Larry S. Slagle

Larry S. “Nerp” Slagle, 80, of Butler, formerly of Bruin, a well-known, highly respected retired fire chief and emergency services coordinator, went to be with the Lord early Thursday morning, February 1, 2018 at Good Samaritan Hospice in Cabot while surrounded by his loving family.  Mr. Slagle had been a resident at Concordia for the past three and a half years.

Larry was born in Bruin on October 9, 1937.  He was the son of the late Virgil and Charlein Snow Slagle.

He was a 1955 graduate of Fairview Twp. Karns City High School, where he had played basketball and baseball.  He had been a long time active member of Faith Community United Methodist Church in Bruin where he had served on church council, as treasurer and trustee.  He later attended Faith Fellowship Alliance Church in Butler.

Nerp had been employed for more than 30 years at the Pennsylvania Refining Company, later known as  Penreco, having worked in the lab at Karns City and then in the Butler office as the sales manager of specialty products, general sales manager, and superintendent of shipping.

He was a life member of the Bruin Volunteer Fire Department and had served as chief, assistant chief, president, treasurer, and director. Prior to Nerp’s passing, he along with his friend and fellow member, Dick Buckley, had been the last surviving 1958 charter members of the department.  Nerp was a member of the Butler County Fire Chiefs Association and was a founding member of the Rural Firefighters Association and had served as president.  He was an original member of Butler County’s Local Emergency Planning Commission.  He was the coordinator of industrial and hazmat training for Butler County Community College and was a member of the staff at the Public Training Safety Facility at BC3.  Nerp and the late Butler City Fire Chief, George Smith, were instrumental in initiating that facility where they worked together to provide fire, industrial and hazmat training for fourteen counties in Pennsylvania.  He was a founding member of Butler Hazmat Team 100.  In his later years, Nerp moved to East Butler where he had served the East Butler Fire Department as president and training officer.  Nerp was also fire chief, every other officer, and the only board member of” Woodbine Hook and Ladder”, and over a cold beer would often regale fellow firefighters with the heroic tales of that station.

Nerp was an avid NASCAR fan, enjoyed watching Pirate baseball and the NBA.  He always looked forward to spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Nerp was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Jean Johns Slagle, whom he married in Bruin on October 3, 1958.  Mrs. Slagle died on April 29, 2012.

Surviving are two daughters, Kelly L. Wilson and her husband, Thomas P., and Lori J. Roxbury and her husband, James Patrick, all of Butler; three grandchildren, Daniel T. Wilson and his wife, Aimee, of Emmaus, Allyson C. Graef and her husband, Joshua, of Fenelton, and Larry P. Wilson of Butler; two great grandsons, John H. and Tyler I. Graef of Fenelton; a sister, Carol “Suzi” Slagle of Monroeville, as well as a number of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and brother firefighters.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Donald and Ronald Slagle and a sister, Birdie Lou Horneman Edmonds.

Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home of Chicora, 339 Chicora Fenelton Rd., Chicora, from 1 – 3 and 6 – 8 p.m. Saturday and from Noon – 4 p.m. Sunday.  A funeral service with fire department escort and honors will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday from Faith Fellowship Alliance Church, 200 Faith Way, Butler with the Rev. Richard Jenks, church pastor, officiating.  Bruin Fire Dept. Station 29 will conduct a memorial service for their departed brother at 3:45 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Bruin Volunteer Fire Dept., PO Box 1, Bruin, PA 16022 or Condordia Lutheran Ministries, 134 Marwood Rd., Cabot, PA 16023, both of which the family is very appreciative of their support, love, and care.  For additional information or to send a condolence, please visit www.hilefh.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Larry S. Slagle, please visit our floral store.