Richard “Dick” Ference, 93, formerly of Apollo, PA, passed away on Sunday, April 6, 2025 in Raleigh, NC. Born in Trafford, PA, the son of the late Stephen Ference & Mary (Szlekar) Ference, Dick graduated from Irwin High School and worked in his father’s Chrysler dealership in Irwin, PA from the age of 14 before becoming a Korean War combat veteran with the US Army. Dick was a gifted mechanic and skilled driver. He became corporal of the motor pool and in addition to keeping the motor pool functioning, he drove senior officers as well as meals to the front line daily, often in the line of fire and his vehicle hit by ordinance. Dick was a gifted mechanic and electrical technician. He retired as electronics supervisor after 20 plus years with Alcoa Technical Center in Allegheny Township with his name on 3 patents. He loved to build and fix anything mechanical or electrical and taught himself how to write/code software when the original Apple computer debuted. He was a creative problem-solver, very innovative in his thinking and had the focus and perseverance of an entrepreneur. He set up a manual assembly line in our basement as a start-up contract manufacturer for printed circuit boards. After retiring from Alcoa, Dick remained active renovating homes and building a new church for First United Methodist in Apollo. He finished the basement for his in-laws at the age of 85, contracting out only the drywall finishing. Shortly thereafter, he began to show signs of dementia onset. By the age of 90, he was a victim of advanced dementia and slowly began to lose his physical strength as alzheimers began to take its toll.
Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Annie Laurie (Smith) Ference from Apollo, and his sisters, Eleanor Trozzo, Dolores Dubich, Joanne Falco, and Ruth Lawrence. Dick is survived by sons, Michael Ference, Patrick (Tracy) Ference, and Keith (Lisa) Ference; grandchildren, Emily, Josh, Bobby, James, Adam, Rachael, 2 great grandchildren; his sister, Carol Hegwood of Warrenton, VA, brother John (Judy) Ference of Trafford; and numerous nieces and nephews.