Harold C. Erskine

ERSKINE, Harold C. "Hal", age 95, of Dayton, OH, passed away peacefully Thursday, February 21, 2013. Hal was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on February 28, 1917 to Claude and Olive (Cushing) Erskine, the only son of six children. He attended East and South High Schools in Salt Lake City, graduating in 1934, and graduated from the University of Utah in 1939 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. He entered the military in January 1942 and after completing basic training and Officer Candidate School at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, he was assigned as second lieutenant to the Signal Corps Aircraft Radio Laboratory at Wright Field in January 1943. He served as contracting officer and later became chief contracting officer. Off-duty, Hal became active in the Dayton YMCA Outdoor Club where he made many lifelong friends. After the Army Signal Corps was assigned to the Air Force, Hal achieved the rank of captain in the Air Force and was discharged June 1946 after WWII but remained in the Air Force Reserve. Hal joined the Dayton CPA firm of Trout & Barstow and in 1950 attained his Ohio CPA certification just prior to being recalled as an Air Force Reserve Officer during the Korean War. He served as Administrative Contracting Officer of Aero Products. When released from service, he accepted a civil service position in the comptroller's office of the Air Force Logistics Command at WPAFB from which he retired in 1980. Following his retirement, he became a self-employed CPA specializing in income tax preparation. Hal was preceded in death by his parents, five sisters, and a granddaughter. He is survived by his first wife Frances (Wilcke), their four children Dale (Barbara), Mark (Beth), Dean, and Nancy Blazar (Jim), seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews. Hal is also survived by his devoted wife of twenty years, Jean (Schwartz). He was always cheerful, optimistic, and quietly competitive. He was a lifelong, faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and served in many capacities. Throughout his life he had many interests and shared them all with family and friends, particularly his love of the outdoors including skiing, fishing, hunting, golf, and tennis. He had a unique ability to adapt, repair, and fix anything. He also had a great interest in ballroom dancing and was an active member of many clubs during his lifetime. The family would like to thank the staff at MVH and Hospice of Dayton for their care and support. Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. at Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 E. Stroop Rd., Kettering, OH, on February 25, 2013. The funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by an informal gathering at the same location. A private burial will be held later that day at David's Cemetery in Kettering. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made online at www.ldsphilanthropies.org or to any charity of your choice.

Funeral Home:
Kettering Routsong Funeral Home
2100 E. Stroop Rd.
Kettering, OH
US 45429