Henry A. Yoli of Dingmans Ferry, Pa., passed away on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, at Belle Reve Senior Living Center, Milford, Pa. He was 85.
Son of the late Alfred P. and Ida M. (Colombi) Yoli, he was born July 9, 1934, in New York, N.Y.
He was a retired Master Sergeant in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, having served for 37 years; and a beloved brother, uncle, and step-grandfather.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen M. Yoli.
Known also to his family and friends as Hank, or Uncle Moose, he was a truly fun and inventive personality. Born with a mischievous twinkle in his eye that persisted for all of his 85 years, he never tired of pursuing his next enthusiasm, joke, or Rube Goldberg gimmick. No matter how late a visitor might arrive, they were always greeted with a hug and “How about a cocktail?”
Throughout his life he enjoyed many hobbies. He hunted and was an accomplished marksman who competed at the state and national levels. He refurbished and repaired old vehicles, collected firearms, coins and historical military items. He was a model railroader whose four-train HO diorama was nothing short of spectacular. In his later years, he enjoyed building model ships. He was equally talented at fixing just about anything, or Huck Finning someone into doing it for him.
An amateur but accomplished pyrotechnician, fireworks and things that went “boom” were a lifelong passion, whether it be a 12-gauge miniature cannon or attempting to ignite the cosmos with his latest efforts. The Fourth of July was an annual high point and the subject of much preparation. Hank also was an inveterate and unabashed patriot who valued his long association with New York’s 71st Regiment, and regarded the Regiment with the same dedication as he regarded his country. The Stars and Stripes always flew in front of his house.
Although lack of mobility in his later years constrained his gardening efforts, his family and friends fondly remember how he and Helen transformed their backyard into “Yoli Park,” a three-season marvel of flowers, shrubs, and -- in the spring -- a 20-foot-high wall of rhododendron blossoms that were magnificent year after year. And no man liked a homegrown beefsteak tomato more than Hank.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 139 in Milford, the Garand Collectors Association, and the Veterans Association of the 71st Regiment National Guard of the State of New York.
Henry leaves behind his brother, Alfred Yoli; nieces and nephews; and many friends whose lives he enriched over the years.
A graveside service with military honors rendered will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Delaware Cemetery, Dingmans Ferry. All who knew him are invited to attend.
Arrangements were made by Stroyan Funeral Home, Milford.