Alex Z. Proger, age 86, of Stewartsville, Ohio, died Sunday, July 9, 2006 at East Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry. He was born June 18, 1920 in Adena, Ohio, son of the late Alexander Proger and Virginia Duna Timko Proger.

Alex was a retired employee from Ormet Corporation and a retired coal miner. He was a U. S. Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of the American Legion Post # 632 in Glencoe; a member of the Bellaire Eagles Aerie # 371; a member of the VFW Post # 626 in Bellaire and a member of the Polish American Club in Wolfhurst.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Alick, Walter and Tony Proger; and sisters, Elizabeth Burdess, Ann Martin and an infant sister.

Alex is survived by his wife, Mary Elizabeth Powell Proger; two daughters, Phyllis (Jim) Frasher of Wellington, Ohio and Betty (Bill) Passmore of Stewartsville; two sons, Alex "Butch" (Edie) Proger of Wheeling and Anthony "Tony" (Jodi) Proger of Glencoe; fifteen grandchildren; and twenty-two great grandchildren.

Family and friends will be received on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Toothman Funeral Home in St. Clairsville, where services will be held on Tuesday at 12 Noon with Pastor Gerald Blon officiating. Burial will follow at Holly Memorial Gardens in Pleasant Grove, Ohio. Full military graveside honors will be conducted by the Belmont County Council of American Legions.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church Building Fund, 554 Old Fairmont Pike, Wheeling, WV 26003 or Clarksburg United Methodist Church, 51630 Glencoe-Stewartsville Rd., Stewartsville, OH 43933 or Glencoe Vol. Fire Dept., P.O. Box 232, Glencoe, OH 43928.