Bernard A. McCue

Bernard A. “Bernie” McCue, 80, of State College, died Friday, September 1, 2017 at his home.

Bernie was born in Armstrong County on March 6, 1937.  He was the son of the late John D. and Cathern S. McCue.

Bernie lived on the family farm until 1955 when he entered college.  He attended a two-room school in Craigsville through seventh grade and graduated as valedictorian from Worthington West Franklin High School in 1955.  In the fall of that year, he entered Indiana University of Pennsylvania as a freshmen graduating  in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science degree with majors in physics and mathematics.

While attending Indiana University, he participated in the Reserve Officer Training Corp. program and upon graduation entered the U.S. Army Signal Corp. as a second lieutenant.  He attended and graduated from the Signal Corp’s officer microwave radio school at Fort Monmouth, NJ.  Upon completion, he was assigned to the 304th Signal Battalion in Seoul, Korea for a 13-month tour of duty which included vacations in Hawaii and Japan and a hiking trip to the top of Mt. Fuji.

Upon completion of his military obligation, he was admitted to Penn State University as a graduate student in physics.  In the Fall of 1963, he left Penn State and for a year taught physics at Bridgewater Raritan High School in New Jersey but after a less than pleasant experience in high school teaching, he spent several weeks vacationing in Europe and returned to Penn State in the Fall of 1964 and graduated in June 1965 with a Master of Education degree in physics.  After a brief period employed as a design engineer with McCreary Tire and Rubber Company in Indiana, PA, he spent nearly a year helping to build a new home for his parents.

In 1967, he returned to Penn State as a PhD candidate but because of the time-consuming involvement in the Anti-Vietnam War movement and the contradiction of doing research funded by the Department of Defense, he dropped out of the PhD program never to return.  The years that followed were spiced with variety and included a leadership role in Anti-War activities and the Eugene McCarthy presidential campaign, working in restaurants, landscaping, substitute teaching, resident manager of two rooming houses, a hitchhiking vacation to Maine, trips to southern and western U.S. and in 1976 a vacation to Ireland and mainland Europe with his parents.  In 1983, he accepted a position as a Mathematics Instructor at Penn State and in 1987 became Director of Penn State’s Math Center and continued in both capacities until his retirement in June 2002.

Other interests which consumed large amounts of his time included a second trip to Ireland in 1998, tutoring, gardening, reading, music, Penn State and Steeler football, cooking, politics and related debate, letter writing, and phone calls to politicians.

Bernie is survived by six brothers, Donald J. McCue and his wife, Rose, of Dunbar, William R. McCue of Penn Hills, Melvin J. McCue and his wife, Eileen, of Fenelton, Paul D. McCue and his wife, Donna, of Fenelton, Kenneth L. McCue and his wife, Nancy, of Worthington, and David M. McCue and his wife, Linda, of Worthington; close friends Randy and Judy Tice of St. College, as well as a number of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Bernie was preceded in death by four brothers, Wayne C. McCue in 1994, Raymond P. McCue in 2004, Gary L. McCue in 2009, and John L. McCue in 2016, as well as four sisters-in-law.

Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home of Chicora, 339 Chicora Fenelton Rd., Chicora, from 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m.  Saturday.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Butler, Worthington, or Armstrong County Libraries or to the Senior Citizen Center in Worthington.  For additional information or to send a condolence, please visit www.hilefhcom.

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