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"Work, church and family filled his life," Joe Spratt said Friday outside his brother's home in Beaver County.

The 46-year-old Aliquippa man died at 4:15 a.m. at UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Oakland after contracting hepatitis A after eating at the Chi-Chi's Mexican Restaurant at the Beaver Valley Mall. Spratt is the third person to die in the outbreak.

"It just hit him," his brother said. "The bottom line is he had no health problems prior to this. He didn't drink, he didn't smoke. He was a guy who walked the walk and talked the talk as far as his faith was concerned."

Spratt had experienced flu-like symptoms at times since eating at Chi-Chi's Oct. 5 with his oldest daughter, Jacqueline, Joe Spratt said.

"That was one of their favorite spots. He split a chicken fajita dinner with Jacqueline. He ate some of the condiments, she did not."

Jacqueline, 17, developed flu-like symptoms, but has otherwise remained healthy, Joe Spratt said.

He didn't know whether his brother had been taking any medication that might have hurt his liver, already weakened from the hepatitis. Joe Spratt said his brother was healthy enough to attend the Pitt-Syracuse football game Oct. 25 at Heinz Field.

"We were at the game together. There was no evidence of him being sick," Joe Spratt said.

But a week and a half ago, John Spratt, a data processing manager at Automatic Data Processing Inc., in Robinson, entered the hospital.

John Spratt and Robin, his wife of 19 years, were deeply involved with their church, Wildwood Chapel of Aliquippa. He was a lay minister at the church, a Pentecostal congregation. Jacqueline and another daughter, Kristen, 12, attended Christian schools.

"They are very quiet, very nice, God-fearing people," said neighbor Joseph Ceyrolles, 30.

Mike McNutt, 50, of New Brighton, said he grew up with the Spratt family and liked John.

"He was a great guy. I was sad when I heard he was in the hospital," said McNutt, a florist whose business, McNutt's Abbey Flower Shoppe, often provides flowers for the J&J Spratt Funeral Home, started by John Spratt's father, Jack.

"I was really shocked -- that young. It's too early," McNutt said.

Joe Spratt said his brother's family is held together by faith. "It's pretty solemn, but the core is a pretty strong religious commitment. It sees you through at times like this."

Visitation is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at J&J Spratt Funeral Home, 1612 Third Ave., New Brighton. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Wildwood Chapel of Aliquippa, 2850 Jack St. Private interment will follow in Grove Cemetery, New Brighton.

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