John Coulter "Jack" Beers was always an entertainer.

As a member of the PennOak Four barbershop quartet, he often served as the frontman for the group and warmed up the crowd with his charismatic demeanor. And with his family, Mr. Beers was the resident funnyman.

"He told really good jokes, and he also told really corny jokes," said his daughter, Linda Beers, of Tucson, Ariz. "Usually, the cornier, the better."

Mr. Beers died Tuesday at the Willows of Presbyterian Senior nursing home in Oakmont. He was 77.

Music was the primary passion of Mr. Beers' life; along with the barbershop quartet, he also performed in shows at the Oakmont Lion's Club and sang with the Vern Acklin Memorial Corps and the Oakmont United Methodist Church choir.

Karen Jacobs, the church's secretary, sang with Mr. Beers in the choir for several years. He was a tenor -- a valuable commodity in the choir.

"He enjoyed singing and contributing and praising God in that manner," Ms. Jacobs said. "He contributed to the church through the gift of his voice."

Mr. Beers worked at the Edgewater Steel Co. for 35 years, and for that reason, "there was nothing he couldn't fix," his daughter said.

Even after he retired, Mr. Beers continued to be fascinated by all things mechanical -- especially by automobiles and trains. His favorite cars were old American models, Fords and Buicks from the 1950s, and he never passed up an opportunity to ride on a steam locomotive.

Mr. Beers spent his whole life in the Pittsburgh area. He was born and raised in Verona, lived in Penn Hills several years and then settled in Oakmont, where he spent the rest of his life.

He married Mabel Kaufman when he was 19 years old, after meeting her at a Valentine's Day party.

Linda Beers called her parents' marriage "a great love," recalling that both her mother and father would light up when the other entered a room.

"They were always together, and that was true to the very end," Ms. Beers said. "Nobody could make one of them smile like the other."

In addition to his wife and daughter, Mr. Beers is survived by another daughter, Janet of Plum; a brother, James of Chicago; and four grandchildren.

A memorial service for Mr. Beers will be held at 11 a.m. today in Oakmont United Methodist Church.

The family suggests memorial contributions to Oakmont United Methodist Church, 419 Maryland Ave., Oakmont, PA 15139.