Burnell Forney, 91, passed away at Pleasant View Communities, Manheim, on May 27, 2020, after a brief illness. He was born in Warwick Township to the late Norman and Anna (Hertzog) Forney. He was the husband of the late Pauline (Daub) Forney with whom she shared 65 years of marriage.
He is survived by three sons, Ernie, husband of Glenda Forney of Carmel, IN, Ronald, husband of Marie Forney of Clermont, FL, and Alan, husband of Peg Forney of Alton, NY. He is also survived by three brothers, Lowell of Lititz, PA, Melvin, of Seaford, DE, and Clyde, of Sequim, WA and three sisters, Verna Rose, of Palmyra, Carolyn Crouse, of Ephrata, and Laura Balmer, of Lititz.
Surviving also are four grandchildren, Kelly, wife of Ben Stevens, of Waltham, MA, Mathew, husband of Katie Forney, Cortland, NY, LeeAnn and Chayse Forney, both of Lititz, PA and four step-grandchildren, Haley Kinsey, Mark Pomeroy, Andy Pomeroy, and Aaron Glass.
Burnell was blessed with two great-grandchildren, Henry Forney and Persephone Stevens.
Burnell graduated from Rothsville High School with the class of 1946 but his quest for learning continued throughout his entire life. He took home-study classes in mathematics, language arts, and electronics repair. His working career began at the New Holland Machine Co. but the majority of his work life was spent at Lancaster Malleable Castings Co. where he retired as a supervisor in 1994. Not one to sit around, he had numerous post-retirement jobs including working as an ice cream maker, a printing company courier, and lastly a truck driver for Clarke Food Service. He remained close to his dairy farm upbringing by working the soil as a gentleman farmer for the greater part of his life.
He was a long-time member of the Warwick Township Lions Club, serving one term as President and also served for at time on the Lions Club District 14-D board.
Burnell had many interests through the years. He became a private pilot at age 24, and rode motorcycle his entire life. After his high school graduation, he joined of a group of volunteers responsible for the care and feeding of livestock being transported by ship to Eastern Europe, donated to the people of war-torn Poland.
The family would like to thank the staff a Pleasant View and Hospice for their compassionate care during Burnell’s final days.
Services will be private at the convenience of the family. Interment will take place in the Millport Mennonite Cemetery, Lititz.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Burnell's memory may be made to the National Federation of the Blind, their web address is NFB.org.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata. Online condolences can be given at stradlingfuneralhome.com.