Obituaries Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Pittsburgh Quarterly

2013 Summer Last Chapter

Dardanell, Seigle, Perloff, Pietragallo, Dixon, Lancaster, Bartley, Hunter, Rosen

Edward Dardanell, 89: A decorated Army combat officer in World War II and Korea, Dardanell became a national leader in the suburban newspaper business, publishing 16 local papers, which later became Gateway Publishing. As a two-term state representative, he championed environmental legislation. Dardanell led efforts to raise $5 million and create Forbes Regional Hospital, to …

Dardanell, Seigle, Perloff, Pietragallo, Dixon, Lancaster, Bartley, Hunter, Rosen Read More »

Richardson, Allen, Bork, Musial, Potter, Horne, Krugman, Millar, Hughes, Cardinali, Ferriero, Jones, Novak

Jim Richardson, 75 Jim Richardson was the creator of the Post-Gazette’s “Seen” column. While running the salon at Kaufmann’s, he suggested a society column to Post-Gazette editor John Craig, and the idea took off. The slight and stylish Texas native had a big sense of fun. A keen observer who spoke with a drawl and …

Richardson, Allen, Bork, Musial, Potter, Horne, Krugman, Millar, Hughes, Cardinali, Ferriero, Jones, Novak Read More »

Snavely, Smyth, Specter, Cloud, Marous, Klett, Pastorius, Cook

Chris Snavely, 88 In 1958, Chris Snavely purchased the Germain Lumber Corp. and ultimately turned the company, founded in 1902, into Snavely Forest Products, a major national lumber wholesaler. In World War II, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge, where he was captured and remained a POW until 1945. Snavely’s philanthropic efforts included …

Snavely, Smyth, Specter, Cloud, Marous, Klett, Pastorius, Cook Read More »

Last Chapter: Fall ’12

Paul R. Jenkins, 80 As the former leader of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, Jenkins was a key regional leader who spurred numerous improvements in Greater Pittsburgh and West Virginia for more than 40 years. A Pittsburgh native who received an undergraduate degree from Princeton and a law degree from the University of Michigan, he …

Last Chapter: Fall ’12 Read More »

Shaver, Haller, Root, Nordan, Krieger, McDowell, Chalfant, Psihoulis, Fawcett, McNall

Dr. James Shaver, 77 A master with the stethoscope who could both diagnose and mimic the sounds of the human heart, Dr. Shaver was a 45-year cardiologist at UPMC who taught generations of cardiologists at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. He was chief of cardiology for 25 years and a recipient of the Pulse …

Shaver, Haller, Root, Nordan, Krieger, McDowell, Chalfant, Psihoulis, Fawcett, McNall Read More »

Brody, Puskar, Dietrich, Michaels, Bell, Fielder, Toeplitz

Thomas P. Brody, 91 Brody was a multi-talented man who qualified for the Olympics as a swimmer and later had more than 60 patents to his name. His most famous invention—the active matrix—is used in a variety of technological devices, including cell phones and televisions. A native of Hungary, his times in the 100-meter freestyle …

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Mascara, Gilliam, Feeney, Epperson, Gruber, Armstrong

Frank Mascara, 81 The son of Italian immigrants, Mascara was orphaned at the age of 16. He overcame a hardscrabble childhood to become Washington County controller, 14-year Chairman of the Washington County Commission, and four-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives. A native of Belle Vernon, the moderate Democrat lived most of his life …

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Posner, Buchanan, Mullaney, Berliner, Archie, Kane, Friday

Henry Posner Jr., 92 Posner was a very successful businessman and generous philanthropist. Valedictorian at Shady Side Academy and honors graduate of Princeton, he was a research scientist during World War II. He taught chemistry at Pitt before joining Pittsburgh Outdoor Advertising, a billboard business he took over from his father. Posner became a brilliant …

Posner, Buchanan, Mullaney, Berliner, Archie, Kane, Friday Read More »

Gilechrist, Warhola, Tanner, Thunhurst, Pellegrini, Chosky, Keidan, Hoerth

Carlton “Cookie” Gilchrist, 75 Gilchrist was a 250-pound running back, considered by many to be the greatest ever to play pro football. The Brackenridge native dominated defenses in the Canadian Football League and later in the American Football League, where he was a four-time Pro Bowl selection.He also was an early civil rights crusader, leading …

Gilechrist, Warhola, Tanner, Thunhurst, Pellegrini, Chosky, Keidan, Hoerth Read More »

Tillotson, Scully, Winner, Soergel, Detre, Brown, Lucas

Willard J. Tillotson Jr., 82 Industry pioneer Bill Tillotson founded and led one of Pennsylvania’s oldest and largest wealth-management firms, Hefren-Tillotson. Born with a competitive and friendly nature in the village of Tillotson, near Erie, he served in the U.S. Army for two years before entering Allegheny College, where he was a successful athlete and …

Tillotson, Scully, Winner, Soergel, Detre, Brown, Lucas Read More »

Lavelle, Chaplin, Hembree, Craig, Schott, Byrd, Ludwig

Robert R. Lavelle, 94 Lavelle founded the Hill District’s Dwelling House Savings & Loan, which helped thousands of people get loans and own their own homes. A devout Christian, the dignified rock of the Hill District viewed his financial work as his mission, advising and helping customers when they were late on payments. In 1957, …

Lavelle, Chaplin, Hembree, Craig, Schott, Byrd, Ludwig Read More »

Sarris, Stever, Height, Poupko, Bold, Stewart, Rust

Frank Sarris, 78 Sarris was a self-made man whose generosity helped a spectrum of his fellow citizens—from community organizations in his hometown of Canonsburg to the University of Pittsburgh, where he donated $5 million to the liver transplant program. He and his wife Athena were a team, and in the 1950s they began experimenting with …

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Zanos, Hagan, Fazio, Shogan, Musick, Cianca, Honsberger

Yvonne Zanos, 60 A former Miss Pennsylvania runner-up, she was a tall, striking woman who became beloved in Pittsburgh as KDKA-TV’s reliable and savvy consumer reporter. Known for her warm and winning personality, she was also a tough advocate for consumers. Zanos believed in and was dedicated to television’s public service role, which included her …

Zanos, Hagan, Fazio, Shogan, Musick, Cianca, Honsberger Read More »

Connolly, Maazel, Gordon, Marnatti, Zona, Staley, Hare

J. Wray Connolly, 75 Connolly played a pivotal role in the transition that brought Chancellor Mark Nordenberg to the helm of the University of Pittsburgh. Connolly spent his career at the H.J. Heinz Co., where, among other things, he was credited for the pioneering transition of putting Heinz Ketchup in a plastic bottle. It was …

Connolly, Maazel, Gordon, Marnatti, Zona, Staley, Hare Read More »

Mays, Kelly, Scalo, Bennington, Connelly, Byron

Billy Mays, 50 Billy Mays was the consummate pitchman, famous to television watchers across the continent for his booming voice, black beard and persuasive infomercials. He believed in his products, such as OxyClean and Mighty Putty, and it showed. The McKees Rocks native got started on the career path that would make him famous …

Mays, Kelly, Scalo, Bennington, Connelly, Byron Read More »

Gumberg, Cappy, Thomas, Lascheid, Cantini, Handler

Stanley Gumberg, 81 Gumberg joined his father’s real estate brokerage and turned it into one of the region’s most successful real estate development companies, building the Waterworks and Cranberry malls and North Hills Village. Until his death, he remained chairman of the J.J. Gumberg Co., which controls some 15 million square feet of retail property. …

Gumberg, Cappy, Thomas, Lascheid, Cantini, Handler Read More »

Semple, Burns, Ellis, Simon, Phillips

Dock Ellis, 63 One of baseball’s most colorful, controversial and bizarre figures, Ellis was a Pittsburgh Pirates star, who once pitched a no-hitter on LSD. In an era of social upheaval, Ellis was branded a militant by the media because of his vocal advocacy for racial equality. His 1970 no-hitter came about after he had …

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Melodia, Cai, Jaffurs, Sittsamer, Lee, Edmunds, Healy, Packer

Mario Melodia, 78 He returned to Pittsburgh from Broadway, building a career as a dancer, choreographer and teacher. He danced and choreographed for national audiences but left his biggest mark as a teacher of dancers of all stripes, launching the careers of many.He had a dance studio Downtown, taught for more than three decades at …

Melodia, Cai, Jaffurs, Sittsamer, Lee, Edmunds, Healy, Packer Read More »

Donovan, Morris, Hattler, Schloss, Pausch, Pidgeon, Diven, Witter, Handy, Harmeier, Jones, White

Bishop Edward V. Donovan, 76 After working as a metallurgist with U.S. Steel for 20 years, Edward Donovan turned to religion, forming a prayer group that ultimately broke away from the Catholic Church and became the Community of the Crucified One.Under Bishop Donovan’s leadership, the Community grew to include its own priests and nuns and …

Donovan, Morris, Hattler, Schloss, Pausch, Pidgeon, Diven, Witter, Handy, Harmeier, Jones, White Read More »

Purkey, Martin, Forrester, Beckwith, Lacey, Jones, Horan

Lee H. Lacey, 89: For nearly 30 years, Lacey was the president and CEO of Harmarville Rehabilitation Center. During his tenure, the facility, now part of HealthSouth, nearly tripled in capacity and changed from a home for poor mothers into a state-of-the-art center for people recovering from debilitating sicknesses and injuries. Robert T. Purkey, 78 …

Purkey, Martin, Forrester, Beckwith, Lacey, Jones, Horan Read More »

Stanish, Vargo, DePasquale, Cope, Holmes, Cain

Rudolph B. Stanish, 94: Stanish was known as the “Omelet King” for cooking for such personages as JFK, Paul Mellon, Goldman Sachs and Marilyn Monroe. The Yukon, Westmoreland County native was sent as a teenager to Newport, R.I., where he began his career as a domestic worker. After working in the kitchen, he soon became …

Stanish, Vargo, DePasquale, Cope, Holmes, Cain Read More »

Miller, Rogal, Tannehill, Schmidt, Woodruff, Levinson

Eliza Miller, 92: She was an artist who was best known for her sculptures in steel but whose large, ceramic works can be found in local schools and playgrounds. She was born into a prominent family, and her grandfather designed a famous steel mill in Homestead, which he named after her — the Eliza Furnace. …

Miller, Rogal, Tannehill, Schmidt, Woodruff, Levinson Read More »

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