Dorothy E. York (Dottie), long-time Penn Hills resident, died Tuesday, October 4 at the age of 100. Born August 22, 1916, she was preceded in death by her husband Earl, son John (Jack) and nephew Edward Bryson. Dottie joined Hebron Church at age 12, was a charter and 61-year member of the Synerga Sunday School Class, taught children’s Sunday School classes for 25 years and was on the Alter Flower Committee for over 25 years. Dottie loved flowers and was a member of the Penn Hebron Garden Club for 69 years and a Master Flower Show Judge for 40 years. In 2015 she won the Member Award of Honor from the National Garden Clubs, Inc. In the 1980s she was co-chair of the Junior Garden Club and involved the children in a project to raise over one mile of pennies the help renovate the Statue of Liberty. Dottie worked for many years at Turner’s Dairy in Penn Hills where she was a tour guide for children and school groups. She also was a long-time hostess at Dick’s Diner in Murrysville working with her son Jack who was a manager. She retired from this job in her late 80s. With Jack, she was a member of the local chapter of the American Coaster Enthusiasts and last rode a coaster in her mid-80s. For the past 10 years she enjoyed living at Seneca Hills Village. In the past several years one of the great joys of Dottie’s life was her participation in the Grand Buddies program through the Fox Chapel School District where she interacted with third graders and helped them learn from seniors and appreciate the past. Memorial contributions may be sent to Hebron Church, 10460 Frankstown Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 or to a charity of your choice. Service and Interment will be private.
Anthony J. Pietropola, 94, formerly of Penn Hills, died Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. He was the beloved husband of Virginia (Guido) and the late Mary (Siciliano); father of Anthony (Anne), Vincent (Patty), Gary (Virginia) and Thomas (Nancy) Pietropola; stepfather of Sylvia (Thomas) Gruber and David Cairelli; grandfather of Anthony (Kim), Lance (Lindsay) Daniel (Lisa), Mark (Meredith) Brad, Tara (Thomas) Rurak, Maria, Rocco, Mia and Krista Pietropola; and step-grandfather of Jody (Joseph) Davis, Gina Kovalick, Julie and Brian Jennings. He is also survived by 18 great-grandchildren; and brother, George Pietropola. Mr. Pietropola was the proud owner of Laketon TV. Friends will be received 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday in the WILLIAM F. GROSS FUNERAL HOME LTD., 11735 Frankstown Road (at Rodi Road), Penn Hills. Funeral prayers will be 9:30 a.m. Monday. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10 a.m. in St. Bartholomew Church.
Age 41, of Monroeville, formerly of Forest Hills, on Thursday, September 15, 2016. Beloved son of Thomas Krohe, and Linda (Charles) Cole; brother of Janel (Orin) Keyser, Scott (Jennifer) Cole and Tracy Woehler; uncle of Matthew, Jason and Alex Keyser, Reilley and Mackenzie Woehler, Jordyn and Gabrielle Cole. Friends received in the WILLIAM F. GROSS FUNERAL HOME, LTD., 11735 Frankstown Road (at Rodi Road), Penn Hills where a Blessing Service will be held Wednesday 10 a.m. Visitation Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Gateway Rehab, Attention: Development Office, 311 Rouser Drive, Moon Twp., PA 15108.
Age 94, of Forest Hill, MD, Formerly of Penn Hills, on Friday, September 16, 2016. Wife of the late Harry “Sputz” Walter; mother of David (Sharman) Walter; grandmother of Bryan and Gregory (Kimberly) Walter; sister of Anna Dezi and the late Dominick Tassillo.
Friends will be received in William F. Gross Funeral Home Ltd. 11735 Frankstown Road (at Rodi Road), Pittsburgh, PA 15235 Thursday 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Funeral prayers Friday at 9:30am. Mass of Christian Burial at St Susanna Church 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers contributions acknowledged to In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1100 Liberty Ave. Ste. E-201, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.
Walter Kaminski
Mr. Kaminski, of Penn Hills, died Sunday, September 4, 2016, from complications of Parkinson's disease. He was an electrical engineer whose passions included sports, polka dancing, and card and dice games. Born May 7, 1924, in "Ducktown" West Natrona, PA, Mr. Kaminski's father and grandparents were immigrants from Poland. Every summer he and his brothers got all their hair cut off to a "baldy" and never wore shoes. That was so that they wouldn't wear out their shoes or have to spend money on a haircut. When his shoes did wear out his father cut pieces out of a car tire and nailed that onto the old shoes. He grew up poor, but through hard work and a good education he achieved the American dream of prosperity and success for him and his children. Walter was a graduate of Har-Brack High School in Natrona Heights, PA and studied at Alliance College in Cambridge Springs, PA and Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin. After serving in Le Havre, France in World War II in the Signal Corps, Walter earned a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering in 1951 from the University of Pittsburgh. His career included employment at Pittsburgh Plate Glass, West Penn Power, United States Steel, Union Specialty Steel, and Westinghouse Transportation Division. He was especially proud of his work designing rapid transit railcars and airport people movers while at Westinghouse. Walter was an avid sports fan and he closely followed the Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins. He recalled seeing Pirates Hall of Famers like Ralph Kiner, Pie Traynor, and Lloyd and Paul Waner playing at Forbes Field. He was a founding member of St. Susanna Parish in Penn Hills. A deeply religious man, he believed that God granted him two miracles in his life when he recovered from lymphoma, and later from complications from gallbladder surgery. Walter came a long way from being a little bald headed kid from Ducktown whose shoes used to be pieces of tire. In addition to his wife of 69 years, Jane (Dalka) Kaminski, Mr. Kaminski is survived by his brother, Frank (Martha) of Cheswick; sister-in-law, Mary Lou Kaminski of Natrona Heights; daughters, Sandra (John, deceased) McClintock of Murrysville, Annette (John) Morris of Penn Township; and son, Robert (Cecilia) of Penn Hills; grandchildren, David McClintock (Jodi), Lori Bickner (Tim), Rebecca Morris (Brian Wilson), Jim Morris (Jennifer);and seven great- grandchildren. Walter was preceded in death by his father, Zygmunt Kaminski; and mother, Helen (Sadulski) Kaminski; brothers, Leonard and Edward "Buddy" (Mary); and sister, Helen (Edward) Kushkowski.
Family and friends will be received in the WILLIAM F. GROSS FUNERAL HOME, LTD., 11735 Frankstown Road (at Rodi Road), Penn Hills on Wednesday 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Funeral prayers Thursday 9:30 a.m., Mass of Christian Burial at St. Susanna Church, Penn Hills 10 a.m. Interment will follow in Mt. Airy Cemetery in Natrona Heights, PA. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018.