John Armbruster

John (Jay) Michael Armbruster, age 85, a resident of Erie passed to his final reward on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at St. Vincent Health Center from complications of vascular dementia. He was born January 27, 1932 in Wheeling, West Virginia, as son of the late Vincent John and Rosemary Shields Armbruster.
A 1949 graduate of Wheeling Central Catholic High School, Jay began his career as an usher in a local Wheeling movie theater and advanced thru local and regional management of movie theaters and drive-ins throughout Western New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.  Jay was hired by Mayor Louis J. Tullio to manage the Warner Theater as it transitioned from a motion picture to live show venue, and became principal Director to oversee the construction and initial management of the Erie Civic Center complex. Years later, Jay became Director of Maintenance Operations for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern PA, and retired after twenty years of service.  An active member of St. Julia's Roman Catholic Church, Jay was ordained as a Eucharistic Minister in 1977 and was proud to be a longtime Associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph.  
A loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Jay was preceded in death by Esther Marie, his devoted wife of 52 years, and his only sibling Agnes Ann Schroeder of West Virginia.  Jay is survived by son Michael Jay (Michelle) Armbruster of Buffalo, NY, son Mark Edward (Gail) Armbruster of Erie, and daughter Michele Armbruster and partner Kay Piper of St. Louis, MO.  Jay is the grandfather of Matthew John, Maeghen Marie, Eric George and Abby Rose and great-grandfather of Delaney Marie.
Friends are invited to call at the John J. Quinn Funeral Home, West 9th and Liberty St. on  Friday from 4:00 to 7:00  p.m. and are invited to attend a Funeral Mass  Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in St. Julia Catholic Church, 638 Roslyn Ave.  Private burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates checks made payable to Robin Weunski and mailed to The Pittsburgh Inn 3725 West Lake Road, Erie, PA 16505 as contributions to their "Support Our Troops" program which continually sends supplies to our soldiers.  As an alternative, memorials may be made to a charity of your choosing