BMJA Lost a Member, a father, and a friend

Blue Mountain Jeep Alliance member Shawn Laity was killed in a freak accident Friday night when a tree fell onto his pickup truck as he drove along Route 724 in Cumru Township, township police said.

Shawn M. Laity was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash at 8:56 by Deputy Ronald C. Peters of the Berks County coroner's office. He died from a head injury and the death was ruled accidental. The tree was rotted through but there is some belief that the previous days storm could have helped the tree loosen from its roots from the strong wind and saturating rain.

Services are Thursday night and many BMJA members will be attending. However, there will still be a monthly meeting for the club at Outten County Chrysler on Route 61 in Hamburg. Stay tuned as plans are being made for a memorial club ride to raise funds for the Laity family in this time of need.

Below, is a copy of Shawn's obituary from the Reading Eagle:

Shawn Laity

Shawn M. Laity, 37, Kenhorst, died June 25, 2010, at 8:56 p.m. on Route 724 in Cumru Township.

He was the husband of Corinne E. (Smith) Laity. They were married Nov. 6, 1999.

Born in West Reading, he was a son of Harold J. Laity of Temple and the late Patricia M. (Reber) Laity, who died Aug. 26, 2003.

He was a Marine Corps veteran. He was a mechanical designer for Valco, New Holland, for two months, last working Friday. He had worked for Reading Body, Herr Industrial and Spanco.

He was a 1991 graduate of Muhlenberg High School and Lincoln Tech.

Shawn attended Alsace Lutheran Church. He was a member of the Blue Mt. Jeep Alliance. He worked sound for the Alpha Omega Players, Birdsboro. He was a former firefighter/first responder for Temple Fire Company.

His interests include computers, fishing, grilling, R/C cars, skiing and grilling. He enjoyed his "Thirsty Thursdays" with his friends. He enjoyed taking his daughter to dance class and taking her on bike rides. He shared his grilling masterpieces with his friends and loved being at home with his family. His real loves of his life were his wife and daughter; they were his world.

Surviving, in addition to his father and wife, is a daughter, Scarlet Alayna Laity, at home; one brother, Douglass M. Schaeffer, Reading; four sisters: Kathy J. (Laity), wife of Dwayne Pakula, Mt. Penn, Cheryl A. (Laity), wife of Justin Munro, Reading, Penny M. (Laity), wife of Donald Keen, Birdsboro, and Tammy L. (Schaeffer) Anders, Mohnton. There are eight nephews and nine nieces.

Funeral services from Klee Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 1 E. Lancaster Ave., Shillington, on Friday at 11 a.m. The Rev. Mark E. Brophy will officiate. Interment with military honors in Forest Hills Memorial Park. Friends may call Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in Shawn's memory to the Alpha Omega Players, 301 E. First St., Birdsboro, PA 19508-2369.