John Skrip Jr., 79 years young, died quickly of a heart attack on Aug. 17, 2020. Born May 14, 1941, in Fountain Hill, he was the oldest son of the late John Skrip Sr. and Olga Orban Skrip.

A 1959 graduate of Hellertown Lower Saucon High School, he graduated from Penn State University in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.

Following graduation, he faithfully and honorably served his country in the U.S. Army, with a rank of Specialist Fifth Class and spent a year in Korea proudly working as a construction engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers before the Vietnam War era.

After his service, he married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Ann Reichard. Together, they celebrated 54 years of marriage on June 18.

His professional legacy includes building two successful companies from the ground up: Berkleigh Excavating, 1970-87, and Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery, that just celebrated its 35th anniversary.

He had a true entrepreneurial spirit, a larger than life personality, and he will be remembered as an incredible visionary.

Most recently, he purchased Terry Hill Water Park and was in the process of rehabilitating the property.

Far beyond his business accomplishments, his personal legacy will carry on in the character, integrity and work ethic he demanded and instilled in his children and grandchildren.

He painstakingly impressed upon his children that to achieve greatness, one must be willing to put “blood, sweat and tears into it’.”

He greatly valued family time and “on the patch” as he fondly called his properties, he loved to mow grass because, as he said, he would have his best thoughts there.

He and his wife frequented their Cape Cod home, in Eastham, Mass. and countless pastimes on the Cape included walks on the beach, clamming, shucking oysters, eating lobster and simply putzing around.

He generously shared all of these timeless activities with his beloved mother, cherished wife, children and grandchildren.

He valued foreign cultures and travel, most notably, he flew his family to Spain for a once-in-a-lifetime experience to eat, breathe and live the culture firsthand.

A devout Catholic and parishioner of St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church, Orefield, he attended weekly mass for decades.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son John III and his wife, Stormy; oldest daughter Lori Anewalt and her husband, Eddie; youngest daughter, Kari Gavenus and her husband, Jim; cherished grandchildren John IV, Jacob Michael, Joseph Donald, sons of John III and Stormy Skrip; Lucia Maria and Francisco Samuel, children of Lori and Eddie Anewalt; and Levi James, son of Karolyn and Jim Gavenus; his beloved Rottweiler and faithful friend, Decha; and brother Robert M. Skrip and his wife, Linda.

Expressions of sympathy may be made at heintzelmancares.com.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church and/or to the Salvation Army of the Lehigh Valley both c/o the funeral home, P.O. Box 196, Schnecksville, PA 18078-0196.

Arrangements were made by Heintzelman Funeral Home Inc., Schnecksville.