Some 2,000 people turned out for a memorial service and visitation held Monday for a Washington County Boy Scout leader killed last week by a lightning strike. John Magyar, 56, of Eighty Four, died Friday of injuries sustained when he was struck by lightning at Camp Twin Echo in Fairfield Township. Magyar was struck in the head and never regained consciousness. The Boy Scouts of America held a memorial service from 7:30 to 8 p.m. yesterday at the Greenlee Funeral Home in Bentleyville. A funeral home director estimated between 1,500 and 2,000 people turned out for the service and visitation. Those attending included some 600 Boy Scouts. 'It's just such an awesome legacy for Magyar and to see how many lives he touched,' said Debbie Burkhart of Donora, who attended the memorial service with her husband, Bob, scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 1434 in Donora. Also attending were their sons, Lance and Chris. The family was friends with Magyar through the Boy Scouts, and attended various day camps and other events with him over the past several years. 'He was someone who, after you met him, would stand out in your mind,' added Burkhart. 'He's going to be sorely missed.' Magyar was the founder of Boy Scout Troop 1184 in Eighty Four, where he was scoutmaster. He was course director of the Junior Leader Training Conference for the Greater Pittsburgh Council Boy Scouts of America at Camp Twin Echo and a staff member for the Mon Valley District Cub Scout Day Camp. He was a teacher by profession, and a 1966 graduate of California High School. The family requested that no media attend his memorial service. Another scoutmaster injured in the lightning strike, Brian Peck of Troop 1310 in Peters Township, was recently released from Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, Cambria County. Peck's son, Colin, and two other Boy Scouts also were injured. Two were released following treatment at Memorial Medical Center; the third was treated and released from Latrobe Area Hospital. All five were at Camp Twin Echo as part of a junior leader-training course. Lightning struck a pine tree, exited the tree and struck Magyar. It was not raining at the time. - For The Valley Independent Staff writer Stacy Wolford contributed to this story.

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