North Huntingdon man was a blacksmith, constable, fireman and a true fraternalist

April 07--For almost 50 years, a Godor has served on the board of directors at NSS Life, the Slovak fraternal organization and life insurance provider.

Paul Godor Sr. was first elected to the board in 1970, eventually rising to secretary-treasurer -- the second-highest position in the organization after president. He retired in 1994. Two of his sons followed, though both died in office.

"He was a real straight shooter, all black-and-white," said Dave Blazek, president of Peters-based NSS Life since 1993. "He was a good mentor to me, coming in cold after my predecessor died. ... He loved the NSS. He was very dedicated to it. He was a true fraternalist."

Paul J. Godor Sr. of North Huntingdon, a World War II veteran, former constable, deputy coroner, firefighter and longtime NSS Life officer, died Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at Allegheny General Hospital following a stroke. He was 91.

Mr. Godor was born Jan. 27, 1926, in Westmoreland City to the late Andrew and Julia Godor, Slovak immigrants who came to the United States on the same boat but didn't meet until Julia started tutoring Andrew in English. Mr. Godor graduated from Norwin High School and went into the Army Air Corps -- predecessor to the Air Force -- and was trained as a pilot, said his wife, Carol.

He never deployed abroad and took an apprenticeship as a blacksmith with the Union Railroad upon his discharge. After moving from the railroad to U.S. Steel and Rankin Forge, he was laid off but won election to a post as a Westmoreland County constable in the 1960s, his wife said. The two met through mutual friends and were married in 1951.

Between serving warrants, transporting suspects to jail and answering calls as a member of the Westmoreland City Volunteer Fire Department, Mr. Godor and the family knew he occasionally headed into dangerous situations.

"It was his job, you know; I knew there were risks," Carol said. "He knew, too, and worried for his family."

In the 1970s he took a job as a deputy coroner, assisting detectives and the coroner in death investigations and body transport, said his daughter-in-law, Lisa Godor.

"He was a big man, tall, muscular, with a big booming voice commanding respect. If he told you to do something, you did it," said Lisa, who married the late Paul Godor Jr. and bought her father-in-law's former home in Westmoreland City to become the third generation of the family to live there.

Mr. Godor's involvement with NSS started with his father buying him a life insurance policy as a child, which led him to attend local meetings, then the national convention where board members were nominated and elected, Mr. Blazek said. As secretary-treasurer, he shepherded the organization through an expansion from having $10 million in assets to more than $50 million.

In retirement, Mr. Godor would meet for daily breakfasts with old friends at the McDonald's at Norwin Towne Square to talk politics and share stories of his days as a constable or deputy coroner, Lisa Godor said.

"They'd solve all the world's problems," she said. "They'd say what was wrong and what they'd do to fix it, but it never left the McDonald's."

Mr. Godor was preceded in death by two of his four sons, Paul Jr. and Keith.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Godor is survived by sons Mark Godor of Newman, Ga., and Kenneth Godor of Fleming, Ga.; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Friends will be received 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ott Funeral Home, 805 Pennsylvania Ave., Irwin, at which time a funeral service will be held in the chapel.

Memorials can be made to the NSS Life PVR Scholarship Fund, 351 Valley Brook Road, McMurray, PA 15317-3337.

Matthew Santoni is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6660 or [email protected].

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