whsbiospix2.htm

Evelyn Hickox Gilbreath - I have wonderful memories of High School. They include "chapel", football games, laughing with my friends and some wonderful teachers - Minnie Bell McQuisten, Charlie Beck, Sr-Deemer, Irma Hamilton & Miss Wischmeyer. They were all memorable and good teachers. Rod and I have been living in Holiday Park for 43 years. For most of these years we continued to go to Wilkinsburg Baptist Church - so we were very much aware of the changes in the community. We recently joined a church here in Holiday Park and a couple people recognized me as a WHS person. (They were both class of 52 ). I retired in 1990 from my part time job at a friend's day care center. Rod retired in "94. Our time has been occupied with parent - care & grandchildren. My mother died in 2000 at the age of 92. Rod's mom is 97 and lives in a retirement home in St. Louis. We have one granddaughter in Pgh, & two grandsons & granddaughter in NY. We had some nice trips since I last saw you all ten years ago.

Bill Henry: I only went to W,H,S. for one year, but always wished I had been able to go to school there for my high school years. In July of 1953 I went to work at Westinghouse as a apprentice. I transferred to Baltimore in 1956 and worked the balance of my career there retiring in 1994 with forty one (41) years. At Baltimore W I met my future wife Kathleen (Bonnie) Derflinger. We married in 1959 and had two daughters Tracie & Debbie. Both daughters are married and we have one grandson Donnie. In 1996 after a new heart valve in 1994 we retired to Surfside Beach in S.C. which is south of Myrtle Beach S.C. I hope to see you all at our next reunion. If the good Lord is willing and the creek don't rise.

Andrew Peshenka: I am now living in Prescott Valley, AZ and have been since 11/96. I'm semi - retired, but still not old enough to GOLF or own a Mercedes, but, I do drive a Z3, BMW - Roadster Red convertible always with the top down. My health is relatively good, still trying always to be "Young at Heart". My 1st wife, Barbara, died in 2000, but I have recently remarried, happily to a widow, a retired nurse, an "Easterner" actually a NEW YORKER ( And she thinks I talk funny). She is still puzzled by my accent, and local expressions ( e.g.- I'm redding up - Turtle Crick - Rubber Gum Bands - etc. etc. This is my 1st trip back home. Looking forward to seeing relatives and old friends - and reminiscing about the "Good Old Days"

Leona Rade Bowman: Fifty years in a hundred words or less.. HUMM...Flew by. Been married 43 yrs to the same person (Frank) who will be 80 this year. Sold the company about 7 yrs ago. Living in Arizona most of the time. Winter in Grand Cayman - Dec thru March. Still have a residence in St. Louis. One daughter, Rebecca, who is 30..no grandchildren yet..(too young). Usual old folk problems, but still golf, walk 3 mi/day and do water exercises. Think fondly of years at W.H.S.

Gordon Jones: Work: After high school, worked for Frank Wastek Wholesale Jewelry for 3 years, Gulf Oil for 29 years, moved to Houston, Texas and worked for Computer Directories for 5 years, Telesystems for 3 years and presently working in National Accounts at Telecheck for the last 10 years. All work was in sales. Personal Life: Married twice and have 6 children ( 3 step ) and 6 grandchildren (2 step). Lived in Pennsylvania, Florida, California and Texas. Travel: England, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Nashville, Memphis, Atlanta, St. Louis, Phoenix, Cancun, Puerto Vallerto, Washington State, Canada, New Orleans and cruises to Caribbean and Alaska.

John T. Gray: It's easy to wind back 50 years to other times when brother Jim and I went to school together. We enjoyed WHS..Time and place were irrelevant as long as we shared them. We were helped, guided and served by devotion of our school, teachers and classmates though blind memory of the helping hands they gave us. For those who went beyond...We may catch a glimpse of them, hear their voices or see their smiles. We've known so much happiness..we had our cup of joy and memory is one gift of God that death cannot destroy. That's what I remember most. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

August Cutrara: I was not voted most likely to succeed but I should have been. Been married 47 years - five children, ten grandchildren & one great-granddaughter. If that isn't succeeding, I don't know what is. I am retired and live in FL.

Jim Baker: Wow! It's been fifty years already. My whole career has been centered on Sales & Marketing. After a few getting started jobs, I went to work for Paccar, Inc. managing Peterbuilt truck dealers. Transferred every two years to someplace in the country. Finally retired to Scottsdale AZ. After six months of golf, I began a new career in Real Estate selling and listing luxury homes. After twenty years, I'm still at it and will probably never completely retire. Life is good..great wife..three kids..six grand kids..lots of golf..and great health..it doesn't get any better.

Ken Milliken: I will be unable to attend the reunion. I am on disability and am afflicted with heart disease (3 surgeries the past 2 years). Please call me sometime to chat. Thanks and say hello to everybody. 412-323-7995.

Ronald Ketterer: To my friends. After graduation from high school, I joined the marine corps for 3 years. A few months later, I got employed by Bell of PA, got married to my beautiful wife, Patricia, and had one handsome and healthy son. Spent 20 years with Bell of PA, then decided to move to San Antonio, TX and transferred to Southwestern Bell. I worked for 23 more years and retired with 43 years of service in May, 1999. Since then, we have traveled a lot to the Caribbean Islands and we love Las Vegas. Good luck and good health.

Judy Tinker Menges: Graduated Columbia Hosp School of Nursing 1956 - married Bill Menges 3 days later. 3 children - Carrie, Becky, & Jeff - 2 grandchildren - Connor 10, Sydney 8. Worked as RN both part-time and full time - Emergency - Drs. office - nursing home supervisor and retired - Director of Nursing. Lived one year in CA, the remaining years in VA..Love VA. Now on 20 acres in Shenandoah Valley. Bill retired from C.I.A. in 1997.

Janet Brumbaugh Crawford: Single, 2 sons& 1 daughter, 6 grandsons & newly arrived granddaughter. Active in church, hospital auxiliary work, state chair elect of Hospital Volunteer Services of Oh. Hosp. Assoc. Also volunteer @ Cinti Art Museum. Play piano for various functions, love to travel, hike, sing in choruses, dance. Life is a blast!!

Ed Luckock: Left WHS in 1952 moved to Conneaut Lake in 1953 went to work for Kroger Co. store in Conneaut Lake and Meadville, got married in 1954. Went to work for the Retail Clerks Union out of Akron, Ohio covering stores out of Crawford and Venango Co. Pa. as a business agent and organizer in 1956. Then went to work as a route supervisor for Nickels Bakery home delivery out of Orwell Ohio covering both Ohio and Pa. In 1972 bought a Golden Dawn Grocery Store in Harmonsburg Pa. With my wife Barbara, learned to cut meat changed the store to a Red & White store. Joined with five other stores and went with Olean Wholesale Grocery Co-op as a Shurfine Store. Sold the store in 2000 and retired after 28 years. I have three sons, one daughter in law and two grand daughters and been married 49 years. Was able to travel with the union and the store and see the United States. At Conneaut Lake 50 years. Got married in 1954 to Barbara A. Walther, have three sons Raymond (& Dorothy) 1954, Ronald 1958 and David 1969 - two granddaughters, Melissa 1990 and Emily 1993 to Ray & Dot.

PITTSBURGH SUNDAY SUN TELEGRAPH AUG. 28, 1949
WILKINSBURG STARS - The youngsters pictured were selected as the best in the Wilkinsburg Lions' Baseball League and competed in the recent Greater Pittsburgh Amateur Baseball Federation's Midget tournament as the Wilkinsburg Lions All-Stars. Left to right: Back row: Joe McKee, Harry McKee, Bill Swope, Barry Fullerton, Billy Smith and Tom Rossome. Front row: Blair McMillin, Bob Foley, Jimmy Baker, Bob Rader, Del Enix and Ron DePastino.

Such a nice article about Judy Kondey Harvey in the Pgh Post Gazette Sunday, July 13,2003, Section H--front page! We'll have it on our Memories table Friday and Saturday night at the reunion. Judy Kondey Harvey: Taught 4th grade at Turner for 2 yrs. after college graduation. Married a Presbyterian minister from Xenia Seminary and lived in Western Pa. area for a few years. In 1976, my husband wrote the program for Pastoral Care and administered for South Hills Health System. We lived in the South Hills until his death in 1996. I retired from teaching in 1996. (Whitehall H.S. Librarian)and currently live in an 1860 Gothic Revival Cottage which I have restored. (Fineview, North Side) I am a Pittsburgh Preservationist living quietly and contentedly here in Pgh.

Anne Potts Vogeding: I have so many high school memories it is hard to choose which to share, but here is one. I was not very good in chemistry. Once our experimental assignment in chemistry class was to determine the chemical make-up of a little bit of white powder. Mine was baking powder. Knowing how poorly my experiments usually turned out, my solution to this dilemma was a quick trip to the grocery store at lunch time where I read on the baking powder can what it's chemical ingredients were. A simple solution!

Carole Seifert Ames: Graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a Bachelor's degree. Married Michael L. Ames in 1959. We have two children and four grand children. We have lived in Salt Lake City, Utah for thirty years. I have been involved in volunteering for many years and am active in many civic and cultural organizations.

Phil Wilson: Graduate of U. of Pgh. 1957 B.A Education. Graduate of Drew U Theological School 1964 Master of Divinity 38 year pastor of United Methodist Churchs in western Pa. Missionary in Malaysia and Indonesia, also inner city work in East St. Louis, Il. and western Pa. Traveled to 25 nations. Retired officially Dec 31,2000. Father of 3 daughters, grandfather of 2. Reside in Foster Square, North Shore.

Joan McNeirney Moorhead: On February 6, 2003, I lost my wonderful husband, Bob, after 45 years of marriage, suddenly from a heart attack. Needless to say, it has changed my life drastically. I thank God that I have our wonderful family of five children and their spouses and 13 beautiful grandchildren to keep me busy. I'm still working as a sales rep for Southeast Dental Care.

Earl R. Hartman (Oinker) Married to Jane MacKay (Class of 52) for 47 years. 5 children - 4 boys, 1 girl, 4 married, 1 deceased, 3 grandchildren. After high school, I started learning the plumbing trade and in 1961 started my own small plumbing company. I have been busy for 50 years - playing sandlot baseball for 7 years and working with my children in various sport activities. Enjoyed golf, fishing, hunting, bowling for years and now play bocce 2 nights a week. I am so grateful for my years at WHS, thanks to Miss Mothersbaugh, my English teacher, all my friends and classmates, Chapel, pep rallys, the Lighthouse after football games, Kennywood picnic, Rowland Theater, Eastwood swimming pool in summer and buzzing the Burg with my friends.

Sally Collins O'Mara: I was married to Leo O'Mara for 40 years. He passed away 5 years ago. I have four daughters and four grandchildren. I lived in Knoxville, TN for 15 years and moved back to Pittsburgh 4 years ago to be closer to my family.