Walter E. ‘Sonny’ Ertel, Jr.

Walter E. “Sonny” Ertel, Jr., 94, of Venice, Fla., formerly of Williamsport, passed away Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019.

Born Dec. 19, 1924 in Williamsport, he was a son of the late Walter and Rena Mae Ertel.

Walter proudly served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946 as a mechanic on B-24s. Following his time in the military, he served as president of Williamsport Foundry. He was a 75-year member of F. & A. M. Lodge No. 106 and a member of the Sahib Shrine.

He is survived by his wife, Edna; his children, John V. Ertel (Trudy), of Gloucester, Va., and William E. Ertel (Bonnie), of Brevard, N.C.; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; four stepchildren, Linda Wilkinson (Jim), Connie Brower, Arnold Munro, and Kathy Nearhood (John); nine step-grandchildren; and four stepgreat-grandchildren.

Walter was preceded in death by his former wife, Rosemary Chilson Ertel and two sisters, Emily Ertel Doebler and Anna Mae Ertel Seitzer.

A celebration of life gathering will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at the fellowship hall of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 142 Market St., Williamsport.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Walter’s name to The Wilds Christian Association, Inc., P.O. Box 509, Taylors, SC 29687-0009, Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church, 142 Market St., Williamsport PA 17701, or Shriners Hospitals for Children, c/o Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.

Arrangements entrusted to Sanders Mortuary