Michael H Chan

Michael (Mike) Chan 80 of Monessen on Wednesday December 14 in Bridgeville Rehabilitation and Care Center. Born in Monessen on Nov. 16 1936 he was the son of the late Michael and Anna Tweardy Chan. Mike admitted he was a true steel mill hunky (and proud of it). Both of his grandparents came from Eastern Europe in the early 1900's and went to work for Pittsburgh Steel Co. in Monessen. His father also worked for Pittsburgh Steel and in 1955 Mike started working in the mill as a laborer in the Open Hearth department. Mike worked in numerous departments in Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Co such as the Fabric Dept, MET Lab, and Blast Furnace. in 1960 he volunteered for the US Army and was sent to Germany where he met and married his wife of 65 years, Leonie Marquarot of Kaiserslautern Germany. Mike was stationed in Germany when the Soviet Union built the Berlin Wall. While in Germany he was attached to a Nike-Hercules Missile Group. In 1962 he was Honorably Discharged and returned to Monessen only a week before President John F Kennedy made his historical visit to Monessen. Mike returned to work at Pittsburgh Steel Co and continued his steel worker career working in the Engineering Department. He went on to become President of the Monessen and Allenport White Collar Union. In 1971 when the Engineering Department was phased out. Mike took a job as Maintenance Foreman in the Coke Plant and from there to the Utility Department. When the Monessen Plant closed he transferred to the Steubenville Ohio Plant where he worked as a Utility Dept Supervisor until his retirement in 1999. Mike was a devout member of St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church. he enjoyed singing and sang with the church choir and Barber Shop Quartettes. He was a member of the Monessen Elks and the Croatian Home. He was proceeded in death by his two brothers Leonard and Bob Chan. Besides his wife he is survived a son and daughter in law Michael and Mary Chan of Clarksville TN and two daughters and a son in law Patricia and Ken Masztac of Bridgeville and Gloria Chan of Coraopolis. A granddaughter Elizabeth of Bridgeville. Friends will be received on Sunday December 18 from 4 until 8 pm in the Robert A. Billick Funeral Home Inc. Grand Blvd. and Marion Ave. Monessen www.billicksfuneralhome.com Panachida will be held on Monday at 9:00 am in the Funeral Home followed by a 9:30 am Divine Liturgy in St. Mary's Church with Fr. Stephen Wahal Officiating. Interment will take place Monday at 2pm in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies 1158 Morgan Rd. Bridgeville Pa 15017