On July 5, 2022, after a courageous and long-fought battle, David A Vanatta, Sr. has been called home by his lord and savior.

A Catholic by faith, Dave was born on November 19, 1947, to the late Dean and Alice Smith Vanatta. On July 17, 1971 in St. Marys Catholic Church, St. Marys, he married Patricia Rose Cheatle and began his fifty-one year journey as a devoted husband, father and grandfather.

Dave was a lifelong resident of the Johnsonburg Area, graduating from the Johnsonburg High School Class of 1966. He went on to raise five children alongside his loving wife: Tammy Vanatta , Dawn (Brian) Guido, David (Alicia) Vanatta, Jr., Wendy Vanatta, and Mary (Gregg) Samick.

He lived to fish and hunt. Enjoying seasonal fishing trips to Canada and the East Coast as well as towing his boat to every lake known within 100 miles. His free time was often spent at his own camp as well as those of his friends and family. He longed for every opportunity to spend time in the great outdoors teaching his own children and grandchildren and any others who would go along. Dave's final hunting adventure came to him by way of the Tom Siple Foundation's sponsored hunt in 2019 where he bagged the buck of a lifetime, an enormous 14-point, which we all know he's still talking about. He also loved to bowl in a weekly league and for the yearly benefit of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.

Dave retired in 2010 after 41 years working for Carbon Graphite LLC and its predecessors. Many lifelong friendships were formed there, and he still enjoyed occasional luncheons and regular conversations with his former coworkers.

In the years after retirement, he delighted in the time spent with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Derek Maruncyz, Dakota Mackie; Matthew (Ally), Nicholas (Beth), Michael (Justice) and Timothy Rusciolelli; David III, Alayna, Isaac, Cheyanne, and Aubrey Vanatta; Zabrina and Addison Snyder, Ariyana Vanatta; Joe, Therese and Antonio Guido; Michael and Hunter Samick; Gavin O'Donnell, Oberon and Finn Rusciolelli, Jaymon Rusciolelli.

In addition to his wife, children and grandchildren, Dave is survived and celebrated by siblings: Nancy Galford, Judy (Dave) Rettger, Peg Mertz and Jim Vanatta, sister-in-law Linda Vanatta, as well as numerous other brother and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and friends who were more like family, including his very best friend, Wilfred Hanes.
Awaiting him in the Kingdom of Heaven, in addition to his own parents, are Dave's Mother and Father-in-law Mary and Ed Cheatle, brothers Dean and Michael Vanatta, sisters-in-law Ella Brown, Mary Vanatta, and Ellen Vanatta, brother-in-law Paul Galford, brother by choice David Manno, several nieces and nephews, as well as many friends who have gone before him.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at the Holy Rosary Church, Johnsonburg on Friday, July 8, 2022 at 10 AM with Fr. David Wilson, Pastor as celebrant, followed by a brief luncheon in the Holy Rosary School cafeteria. Friends and family will be received at the Anthony Ferragine Funeral Home and Cremation Services Chapel, 401 Chestnut St Johnsonburg PA, on Thursday, July 7, 2022 from 2-4 and 6-8 PM. Interment will be in Parklawn Memorial Gardens, Boot Jack Rd., Ridgway PA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to any of the following in the name of David A Vanatta Sr: Penn Highland's Hahne Cancer Center, Penn Highland's Community Nurse's Hospice Care, Pennsylvania Association for the Blind, or The Tom Siple Foundation.