Lt. Eric A. Eslary, 40, of Ligonier, died in the line of duty on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. He was born Feb. 11, 1975, a son of Robert T. and Pearl Menzie Eslary, of Ligonier (Wilpen).
Eric had been employed by Ligonier Township Police Department since 1998, where he had obtained the rank of lieutenant. He established the K-9 unit in 2000. He was a member of Ligonier Lodge 331 F and AM, vice-president of the Fraternal Order of the Police, Wilpen VFD Station 45, life member of Ligonier American Legion Post 267, Latrobe VFW, FOE of Latrobe, Old Colony Sportsmen's Club, Trout Unlimited and the NRA. Eric was an avid outdoorsman and loved to bow hunt, hunt and fish.
He was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents and his first K-9 officer, Ando. In addition to his parents, Eric is survived by his wife, Mary Beth Taylor Eslary; six children, Morgan, Lauren and Colin Eslary and Kaylee, Lukas and Dylan DeWitt; a sister, Donna (David) Moffat, of Latrobe; a brother, Robert T. Eslary, of Ligonier; his in-laws, Denise Biagini, and William and Amy Taylor, and brother-in-law, Richard Taylor, all of Belle Vernon; two nephews, Christopher (Kathryn) Moffat, of Crosswicks, N.J., and Andrew (Jamie) Moffat, of Sunbury; and his K-9 partner, Blek.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the J. PAUL McCRACKEN FUNERAL CHAPEL INC., 144 E. Main St., Ligonier. A service to celebrate Eric's life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 342 W. Main St., Ligonier, with the Revs. John Foriska and Robert Cummings co-officiating. Interment with honors will follow in Ligonier Valley Cemetery. Ligonier Lodge 331 F and AM will hold a service at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home.
Memorial contributions to assist Eric's wife and children may be made to WPPBF, c/o 144 E. Main St., Ligonier, PA 15658 with Mary Beth Eslary in the memo line. To sign the online guest book or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.jpaulmccrackenfuneralchapel.com.
NOTE: Lt. Eric Eslary, 40, a Ligonier Township police officer was killed early Tuesday, May 5, 2015 when a van headed the wrong way on Route 30 West struck his sport utility vehicle head-on in front of Idlewild Park. The crash occurred shortly after 1:40 AM.
He was pronounced dead at 2:46 AM at Excela Health Latrobe hospital where he was taken by ambulance after the crash.
Eric was a veteran officer in charge of the department's K-9, Blek. Blek was in surgery at a Monroeville animal hospital.
Eric had been employed by Ligonier Township Police Department since 1998, where he had obtained the rank of lieutenant. He established the K-9 unit in 2000. He was a member of Ligonier Lodge 331 F and AM, vice-president of the Fraternal Order of the Police, Wilpen VFD Station 45, life member of Ligonier American Legion Post 267, Latrobe VFW, FOE of Latrobe, Old Colony Sportsmen's Club, Trout Unlimited and the NRA. Eric was an avid outdoorsman and loved to bow hunt, hunt and fish.
He was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents and his first K-9 officer, Ando. In addition to his parents, Eric is survived by his wife, Mary Beth Taylor Eslary; six children, Morgan, Lauren and Colin Eslary and Kaylee, Lukas and Dylan DeWitt; a sister, Donna (David) Moffat, of Latrobe; a brother, Robert T. Eslary, of Ligonier; his in-laws, Denise Biagini, and William and Amy Taylor, and brother-in-law, Richard Taylor, all of Belle Vernon; two nephews, Christopher (Kathryn) Moffat, of Crosswicks, N.J., and Andrew (Jamie) Moffat, of Sunbury; and his K-9 partner, Blek.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the J. PAUL McCRACKEN FUNERAL CHAPEL INC., 144 E. Main St., Ligonier. A service to celebrate Eric's life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 342 W. Main St., Ligonier, with the Revs. John Foriska and Robert Cummings co-officiating. Interment with honors will follow in Ligonier Valley Cemetery. Ligonier Lodge 331 F and AM will hold a service at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home.
Memorial contributions to assist Eric's wife and children may be made to WPPBF, c/o 144 E. Main St., Ligonier, PA 15658 with Mary Beth Eslary in the memo line. To sign the online guest book or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.jpaulmccrackenfuneralchapel.com.
NOTE: Lt. Eric Eslary, 40, a Ligonier Township police officer was killed early Tuesday, May 5, 2015 when a van headed the wrong way on Route 30 West struck his sport utility vehicle head-on in front of Idlewild Park. The crash occurred shortly after 1:40 AM.
He was pronounced dead at 2:46 AM at Excela Health Latrobe hospital where he was taken by ambulance after the crash.
Eric was a veteran officer in charge of the department's K-9, Blek. Blek was in surgery at a Monroeville animal hospital.
Lt. Eric A. Eslary, 40, of Ligonier, died in the line of duty on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. He was born Feb. 11, 1975, a son of Robert T. and Pearl Menzie Eslary, of Ligonier (Wilpen).
Eric had been employed by Ligonier Township Police Department since 1998, where he had obtained the rank of lieutenant. He established the K-9 unit in 2000. He was a member of Ligonier Lodge 331 F and AM, vice-president of the Fraternal Order of the Police, Wilpen VFD Station 45, life member of Ligonier American Legion Post 267, Latrobe VFW, FOE of Latrobe, Old Colony Sportsmen's Club, Trout Unlimited and the NRA. Eric was an avid outdoorsman and loved to bow hunt, hunt and fish.
He was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents and his first K-9 officer, Ando. In addition to his parents, Eric is survived by his wife, Mary Beth Taylor Eslary; six children, Morgan, Lauren and Colin Eslary and Kaylee, Lukas and Dylan DeWitt; a sister, Donna (David) Moffat, of Latrobe; a brother, Robert T. Eslary, of Ligonier; his in-laws, Denise Biagini, and William and Amy Taylor, and brother-in-law, Richard Taylor, all of Belle Vernon; two nephews, Christopher (Kathryn) Moffat, of Crosswicks, N.J., and Andrew (Jamie) Moffat, of Sunbury; and his K-9 partner, Blek.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the J. PAUL McCRACKEN FUNERAL CHAPEL INC., 144 E. Main St., Ligonier. A service to celebrate Eric's life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 342 W. Main St., Ligonier, with the Revs. John Foriska and Robert Cummings co-officiating. Interment with honors will follow in Ligonier Valley Cemetery. Ligonier Lodge 331 F and AM will hold a service at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home.
Memorial contributions to assist Eric's wife and children may be made to WPPBF, c/o 144 E. Main St., Ligonier, PA 15658 with Mary Beth Eslary in the memo line. To sign the online guest book or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.jpaulmccrackenfuneralchapel.com.
NOTE: Lt. Eric Eslary, 40, a Ligonier Township police officer was killed early Tuesday, May 5, 2015 when a van headed the wrong way on Route 30 West struck his sport utility vehicle head-on in front of Idlewild Park. The crash occurred shortly after 1:40 AM.
He was pronounced dead at 2:46 AM at Excela Health Latrobe hospital where he was taken by ambulance after the crash.
Eric was a veteran officer in charge of the department's K-9, Blek. Blek was in surgery at a Monroeville animal hospital.
Eric had been employed by Ligonier Township Police Department since 1998, where he had obtained the rank of lieutenant. He established the K-9 unit in 2000. He was a member of Ligonier Lodge 331 F and AM, vice-president of the Fraternal Order of the Police, Wilpen VFD Station 45, life member of Ligonier American Legion Post 267, Latrobe VFW, FOE of Latrobe, Old Colony Sportsmen's Club, Trout Unlimited and the NRA. Eric was an avid outdoorsman and loved to bow hunt, hunt and fish.
He was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents and his first K-9 officer, Ando. In addition to his parents, Eric is survived by his wife, Mary Beth Taylor Eslary; six children, Morgan, Lauren and Colin Eslary and Kaylee, Lukas and Dylan DeWitt; a sister, Donna (David) Moffat, of Latrobe; a brother, Robert T. Eslary, of Ligonier; his in-laws, Denise Biagini, and William and Amy Taylor, and brother-in-law, Richard Taylor, all of Belle Vernon; two nephews, Christopher (Kathryn) Moffat, of Crosswicks, N.J., and Andrew (Jamie) Moffat, of Sunbury; and his K-9 partner, Blek.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the J. PAUL McCRACKEN FUNERAL CHAPEL INC., 144 E. Main St., Ligonier. A service to celebrate Eric's life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 342 W. Main St., Ligonier, with the Revs. John Foriska and Robert Cummings co-officiating. Interment with honors will follow in Ligonier Valley Cemetery. Ligonier Lodge 331 F and AM will hold a service at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home.
Memorial contributions to assist Eric's wife and children may be made to WPPBF, c/o 144 E. Main St., Ligonier, PA 15658 with Mary Beth Eslary in the memo line. To sign the online guest book or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.jpaulmccrackenfuneralchapel.com.
NOTE: Lt. Eric Eslary, 40, a Ligonier Township police officer was killed early Tuesday, May 5, 2015 when a van headed the wrong way on Route 30 West struck his sport utility vehicle head-on in front of Idlewild Park. The crash occurred shortly after 1:40 AM.
He was pronounced dead at 2:46 AM at Excela Health Latrobe hospital where he was taken by ambulance after the crash.
Eric was a veteran officer in charge of the department's K-9, Blek. Blek was in surgery at a Monroeville animal hospital.
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