A large funeral procession bookended by Pennsylvania State Police vehicles made its way from The Bridge Church outside Hamburg to Zion UCC Cemetery in Schuylkill County’s Lewiston Valley on Monday afternoon.
En route to the cemetery, the casket of Trooper Peter Conforti, an officer who served out of the Troop L barracks in Hamburg and Frackville in his 8-year State Police career, passed under three massive American flags hoisted into the air with aerial firetrucks stationed along Industrial Rd., near the Hamburg barracks.
Conforti died suddenly at age 30 on July 31.
First responders from Berks and Schuylkill counties lined the road that leads from the barracks to Hamburg. Each saluted as the hearse carrying Conforti’s casket passed by.
In front of the Hamburg State Police barracks, several State Police Troopers also gave salute as their colleague passed by one last time.
Conforti, who made his home in Walker Township and was a 2012 graduate of Tamaqua Area High School, is said to have been very proud to have served as a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper.
Conforti remembered at his alma mater
When he was a teacher for Tamaqua Area School District, current High School Principal Tom McCabe taught and coached Conforti.
“He was one of the hardest workers we’ve ever had in the weight room and on the practice field,” McCabe said. “Peter was a model student, a leader in school and on the playing field.”
Conforti was a four-year starter with the Blue Raiders. He was also crowned Homecoming King and served as a class officer for the Class of 2012.
Tamaqua’s football practice was delayed on Monday so that Head Coach Sam Bonner could attend services for Conforti.
McCabe said that Conforti played positions on both offense and defense for the varsity team as a freshman.
Conforti continued his connection with that Tamaqua Area School District after graduation, helping coach as time allowed, and also serving on selection committees for scholarship awards.
“He was one of the best guys to be around,” McCabe said. “He had a way of lifting up everyone around him.”
Watch the funeral procession as we captured it on Monday in the video below:
** Writer Lisa Price contributed to this article.
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