CANFIELD, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Albert Hathaway Pharis, Jr., 73, of Saint Augustine, Florida, died peacefully Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at his Canfield home.

Bert was born January 11, 1950, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the first child of June Idella Swartz and Albert H. Pharis, Sr.

He was raised in Poland, Ohio, graduating from Poland Seminary High School in 1968. During high school, Bert was an honor student, a key member of the Poland Seminary basketball team placing as first team center in the Tri-County League, a representative to Buckeye Boys State, earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and made life-long friends.

Bert had a successful business career. His management style was thoughtful, preferring to guide rather than issue orders, and he was a mentor to promising employees. He worked as
Sales Manager, Borden Dairy, Youngstown, Ohio; National Radio Sales Manager, WKBN Broadcasting, Youngstown, Ohio; President & CEO, Wilcom Cellular/Sygnet Wireless, Youngstown, Ohio; President & CEO, Logix Communications, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Director, Dobson Communications, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Chairman & CEO, Ortheon Medical, Winter Park, Florida.

Also, he served his community as the WKBN representative for the United Way and as Chairman of the Mahoning County Sports Charities Foundation.

Bert was a good man; a loving, strong and generous man. He loved fast German sports cars and was an often-requested instructor at racetrack driving schools. During most of his life, he rode motorcycles, played a competitive game of pool and enjoyed old red wines and smooth bourbons.

In 1971, a mutual friend introduced Bert to Mary Margaret Chizmar and although they were together from that first meeting, it took them another five years before they married.

Besides his wife, he leaves his son, Robert Poetsch; daughter-in-law, Nicole Mazzone; granddaughter, Maia Poetsch and grandson, Trevor Poetsch, all of Weatherford, Texas; his sister, Cathy Pharis of Rocky River, Ohio; two brothers, David Pharis (Emly) of Goshen, Ohio and Robert Pharis (Ellen) of Seven Falls, Pennsylvania and two Goddaughters, Angela Binder Rininger of Canfield, Ohio and Jillian R. Lemmo of Asheville, North Carolina. He also leaves a large family of in-laws, including his mother-in-law, Margaret Meenachan Chizmar of Canfield, Ohio, many nieces and nephews; his long-time friend, Ralph Binder of Salem, Ohio and many friends in Ohio, Florida and Texas.

A party in his memory will be held at a later date, and interment at Calvary Cemetery will be private.

If I should live forever
And all my dreams come true
My memories of love will be of you. John Denver

Arrangements handled by Lane Family Funeral Homes.

A television tribute will air Sunday, August 27 at the following approximate times: 8:58 a.m. on FOX and 9:58 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.