Ike died peacefully at home on June 17, 2026 surrounded by his family and wonderful Caregivers.

Ike was one of a kind. His sense of humor was at times unfiltered, but his mastery of telling stories was priceless. He had an amazing memory and would often regale his kids and grandkids with stories as if it were yesterday, of growing up in a small rural village, population 100 in upstate PA during the Depression and helping his Grandfather in the early mornings before school deliver milk. He reminisced on his Navy adventures and War stories of Korea while aboard his ship, the USS Owen, which once took fire for 2 solid weeks and his watch duty in Korea, wearing 4 layers of clothing and one warm shared pair of boots with his mates in subzero temperatures. His stories involved his neighbors, friends and unusual acquaintances whom he never forgot. His kids and grandkids used to joke that Ike could remember everything that ever happened to him during his entire life – dates, times, who he was with, what was said to him, what he had replied, what he had to eat at that meal and the one after that, even up until his last days he was still able to have this incredible ability to recall and tell his stories. Watching him tell a joke was something of an unforgettable experience. Ike could never seem to be able to get to the punch line because he’d end up laughing so hard at his joke no one could understand him.

Ike’s career path after his discharge from the Navy was into the Banking field. He started his career with the Federal Reserve as a Federal Bank Examiner in Philadelphia. Ike was with the Fed for 9 years and left to oversee the Audit Department for Girard Bank in Philadelphia and then served as Vice President of Girard’s Corporate Trust Dept for 21 years. When Mellon Bank acquired Girard, Ike and his wife Pat pulled up stakes in Media and moved to Pittsburgh to finish his career with Mellon. Ike retired in 1989.

He took up wood carving after his retirement, thankfully, because he was a terrible golfer, but so were most of his buddies. To his family’s amazement, he actually had artistic ability. He carved beautiful shore birds and decoys along with wonderful detailed Santa Claus carvings which he gave as gifts to his family and friends. Ike was a voracious reader of historical non-fiction and historical novels along with spy novels, and consumed multiple books per week from the local library, sometimes a book a day. He loved Crossword puzzles which became a daily ritual for him throughout his adult life and enjoyed competing against his grandkids to see who could finish theirs the fastest.

Ike lived for his family and was so proud of his three sons, Steve (Cindy), Tom (Susan) and Rob (Joanne), (7) grandchildren (Andy, Kent, Will, Katie, Matthew, Alexa & Devon) and (6) great grandchildren. He lived vicariously through their endeavors, successes and accomplishments.

Ike’s true love was his high school sweetheart Pat. He often claimed that they first met while their mothers were changing their diapers in church. They were married just after he graduated from Penn and just before he shipped out aboard the USS Owen for Korea. Ike and Pat were married for 74 years. Along the way, through high school, college, Ike’s service to his Country, his banking days and raising a family they accumulated and entertained many wonderful friends as evidenced by the stacks of Christmas cards written and received each year. If anyone were to ask him what kept him going through his health problems, it was always answered that he was sticking around to make sure Pat was ok.

Ike will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery at a time to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Penn Medicine Hospice Friends Fund. giving.apps.upenn.edu

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Arrangements: Rigby Harting & Hagan Funeral Home
15 E. Fourth St. Media, PA 19063
www.haganfuneralhome.com