Samuel E Negrea Jr.

Samuel E. Negrea Jr., of Sharon, PA, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, at 6:26 p.m., at his residence, after an extended illness. He was 79.
Samuel was born in Sharon, PA on February 25, 1936, the son of the late Samuel E. Negrea Sr. and Jennie (Serb). He was a member of St. Joseph's Church, Sharon, PA.
Mr. Negrea was a 1955 alumnus of Sharon High School where he was an outstanding athlete lettering for The Sharon Tigers, and was a 1959 alumnus of New Mexico State University, where he excelled in football, lettering for 3 years, earning a degree in Bachelor of Art in Secondary Education. He earned his Master's Degree in 1975 from the American Technology University of Killeen, TX. He also graduated from the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS, in 1975, and the Law Enforcement and Specialty Course, Fort Gordon GA. in 1976, plus the Basic and Advanced Infantry Officer Course, Fort Benning GA, and attended the U.S. Army Jungle Training Course, in the Panama Canal Zone.
He was a Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army in a career that spanned 20 years, from 1960-1980, serving at numerous locations around the world in in the U.S. He served two combat tours of duty in Vietnam from 1976-1977 and 1978-1979. While serving in the military, he was a highly decorated officer earning a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with four oak leaf clusters, a Bronze Star with "V" device for valor, a Purple Heart, Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Combat Infantry Badge, an Army Commendation Medal with an oak leaf cluster, a Vietnamese Galantry Cross, Vietnamese Service Medal, a Vietnamese Cross of Ga1lantry with Palm Unit Citation, a Vietnamese Civil Action Medal 1st Class with oak leaf cluster, an Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Presidential Unit Citation and a Legion of Merat.
Mr. Negrea also was a substitute teacher in the Hickory and Sharpsville School Districts. He taught driver's education and coached football and baseball at Hickory High School. He coached football at Mercer High School and Thiel College in Greenville. Samuel was a life member of the Purple Heart Congressional Organization, and a member of the VFW, Post 1338 of Sharon, the Sharon American Legion, Post 299, the American Carpo-Russ Club, North Sharon VFD ,and the Sons of Italy, all of Sharon.
He was the husband of Jacqueline "Jackie" A. (Pass) Negrea, whom he married on April 22, 1961. She survives at home. He is also survived by his sister, Nicky Lou Negrea, and her companion, Scott, of Fredonia, PA, and his brother, John D. Negrea and his wife, Roberta, of Pulaski, PA Several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews also survive.. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his son. Jeffrey E. Negrea, who died on Dec. 30, 2003.
Donations in his memory may be made to St. Joseph's Church, 79 Case Ave., Sharon, PA 16146
Friends are invited to call on Friday, Aug. 14, 2015, from 4:00 till 7:00 p.m., at Harold W. Stevenson Funeral Home, 264 East State St., Sharon, PA 16146.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m.,at St. Joseph's Church, Sharon, PA, on Saturday, Aug. 15th, 2015 with Rev. Thomas Whitman officiating. Burial with Military Honors at St. Michael's Byzantine Cemetery Hermitage, PA.