L. Samuel Procopio

Lavier Samuel “Sam” Procopio, 84, died October 14, 2016 in his Bern Township residence.

He was the husband of Dolores Regina (Dorman) Procopio, to whom he was married February 1, 1958 in the Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Philadelphia.

Born June 11, 1932 in Mt. Carmel, Northumberland County, he was a son of the late Samuel and Maria Teresa “Mary” (Mirarchi) Procopio.

Sam was a 1950 graduate of Mt. Carmel Catholic High School where he played baseball and was scouted as a pitcher by the Philadelphia Phillies.  He was also a 1954 graduate of Penn State College, where he earned a degree in journalism.

He was a reporter with the Daily Collegian, where he became sports editor and wrote a column, “Sam’s Song.”

Sam started his writing career with the Milton Standard and Wildwood Leader, before ending his career at the Reading Eagle Company, where he reported for almost 30 years, retiring in 1994.  While at the Reading Eagle, he was inducted into two Sports Halls of Fame.  He was inducted into the Kutztown University Football Hall of Fame in 1988.  On March 19, 2005, the anthracite schools awarded Procopio entrance into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Ed Romance Chapter.

He was also honored with The William A. Schnader Memorial Award for outstanding reporting in the field of law and judicial administration presented by the Pennsylvania Bar Association in 1995.

Sam was named as “A Friend of Education” in the media from the Council of Berks County Education Associations in 1980-81 and hosted the Reading Eagle Spelling Bee contestants and their families inWashington D.C. for about 10 years.

He was a former coach for Bern Township Little League baseball and was an avid sports fan.

Sam and his wife, Dolores, enjoyed square dancing, round dancing, and playing cards with friends and family.  For over 25 years, they organized and managed a square dance and round dance club in Berks County called the Rainbow Strollers.  They performed in nursing homes and developed a monthly wheel chair dancing program for residents at Berks Heim.

He was a member of St. Margaret’s Roman Catholic Church, Reading.

Sam served in the U.S. Army during peacetime. 

Surviving, in addition to his wife, are his four children: Ellen M., wife of Larry R. Kramer of Myerstown, Lebanon County; David S., husband of Coleen A. (Knowles) of Spring Township; Brenda A., wife of Sean H. Moretti of Lower Alsace Township and Ronald J., husband of Janie R. (Reinsel) Procopio of Spring Township.

Also surviving are his nine grandchildren: Brandon D., husband of Elizabeth “Liz” (Toigo) Epting; Timothy M. Kramer; Stephanie M. (Procopio), wife of Robert Warner; Brian P. Moretti; Corinne N. (Moretti), wife of Daniel Hauk; Denise B. (Kramer), wife of Matthew Pouss; Matthew D. Procopio; Melody R. Weister and Melanie L. Kramer and his nine great grandchildren: Andrew Kramer, Catharine Kramer, Dominic Warner, Joseph Kramer, Celia Hauk, Everett Epting, Makayla Warner, Escher Epting and Theodore Hauk.

Other survivors include his five siblings: Elizabeth, widow of Joseph Veach of Kulpmont, Northumberland County; Andrew B., widower of Madeleine Procopio of Aldan, Delaware County; Ramona (Procopio), widow of Russel Barella of Mt. Carmel; Sister Mary Rene Procopio (Kathleen Procopio) of Moon Township, Allegheny County and Dennis, husband of Sally Procopio of Coopersburg, Lehigh County.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. in Chapel of St. George at Gethsemane Cemetery, 3139 Kutztown Road, Muhlenberg Township.  A viewing will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in Stitzel Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Inc., 3300 Kutztown Road, Laureldale.  Entombment will be in Gethsemane Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: St. Margaret’s R.C. Church, 925 Centre Avenue, Reading, PA 19601.

For online condolences, visit www.StitzelFamilyFuneralHomes.com.