In Memorial
Sheriff Harry A. Roadarmel, Jr.
1934 - 2003
Columbia County Sheriff Harry A. Roadarmel, Jr. passed away December 24, 2003 after a long battle with cancer He is survived by his wife Patricia and son Mark Daniel Roadarmel, and his wife, Katharine; his three grandchildren, Drew Elizabeth, Douglas Jordan, and Nicklas Harry; two brothers, Richard L. Roadarmel and Thomas M. Roadarmel; a sister, Sharon Roadarmel Page; his mother, Helen Frances Summers Roadarmel; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held December 29, 2003 at the Wesley United Methodist Church, Market and West Third streets, Bloomsburg, with his pastor, the Rev. Thomas A. Young, officiating. Interment with State Police honors will, Espy. Funeral services were provided by Dean W. Kriner, Inc., Funeral Home.
Funeral services were provided by Dean W. Kriner, Inc., Funeral Home. Harry A. Roadarmel Jr. scholarship fund at Bloomsburg High School, 1200 Railroad St., Bloomsburg, PA 17815.
Sheriff Roadarmel and his wife, Patricia Berger Roadarmel, were married for more than 43 years.
He graduated from Bloomsburg High School in 1951 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served his country for three years during the Korean War, seeing action for 18 months in Korea. He believed strongly in God, family, and country. He was recently appointed an Honorary Sergeant Major of Marines.
After his service in the Marine Corps, he received his college education at Bloomsburg University and at Indiana University. He then entered the Pennsylvania State Police. He served at several substations, headquarters, and finally retired from the Bloomsburg substation. He was a crime and arson investigator for most of his tenure with the state police. He attended FBI seminars, and specialized training courses at Penn State, Juniata College, and Rutgers University. He was in his fourth term as the Columbia County sheriff, where he initiated new programs for the children in area schools as well as for adults. He served on the Education Committee and the Legislative Committee of the State Sheriffs' Association for many years.
Sheriff Roadarmel was very committed to community service. He was on the Board of Directors of the Bloomsburg Little League, a baseball coach, on the Advisory Board of Columbia County Children and Youth, and on the Board of the United Way of Columbia County for 15 years, and was on other charitable boards.
He was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, where he was a head usher for many years. He was a member of Washington Lodge 265 and Caldwell Consistory in Bloomsburg.
He had a deep commitment to his office as Superintendent of Police and Parking on the Bloomsburg Fair Board and was proud of his accomplishments on behalf of the shareholders, especially his work on a tactical evacuation plan of the Bloomsburg fairgrounds, which was also a basis for planning Homeland Security.
Sheriff Roadarmel enjoyed communicating with people. He loved horse racing and attending local fairs. He was a strong family man and enjoyed being with his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren.