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Major A. Greene age 93, of Pittsburgh, PA passed away peacefully on Monday, January 20, 2020.  Loving husband of Ruth Greene, loving father to daughter Jeanine Moorer and son Keith Greene.  Survived by Nephews Dr. James Greene (Jennifer), Ross Mitchell, nieces Dawn Mitchell Highsmith, Courtney Greene Hearns (Stan) and a host of great nieces and nephews.  Major A. Greene was preceded in death by his mother Mary Hayes Greene, father Major A. Greene, sister Zenova Greene Mitchell, his brother Dr. James H. Greene, and son Mark Greene and niece Aminati Fulani.  Major served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  Major retired from U.S. Steel.  Major A. Greene was a 60 year member of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, hailing from St. Cyprian Alpha Lodge No. 13.  He also achieved the classification of the 33rd and last degree of Free Masonry and member of both, St. Cyprian Consistory No. 4 and the United Supreme Council of the Sovereign Grand Inspectors General of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Prince Hall Affiliation Northern Jurisdiction, USA Incorporated.  Major served as Superintendent of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church School for many years

 

John W. Rose (age 95, born November 6, 1924) passed away peacefully in his home on January 18, 2020, surrounded by his family.  He is survived by his three daughters (Andrea Cahoon, Natalie Cowley, and Sylvia Odhner), two sons-in-law  (Ian Keal and Tony Cowley), 14 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah (Sally) Pendleton Rose and their oldest daughter, Wellesley Keal. Known by many as Mr. Rose, Uncle Jack, Pop-Pop, or “The Stamp Man,” John Rose thought of himself primarily as a teacher.  Hired in 1955 by PPG Industries (Pittsburgh), he started his 28-year career at the company as an internal auditor, and was quickly snapped up to join a team of seven tasked with installing a Univac I computer and determining how computers could best be used at PPG.  He served PPG as its lead systems analyst, and then as a manager of technical training.  He and his staff regularly presented as many as 30 different technical courses for PPG’s 36,000 employees.  In 1963, he wrote what may have been the world’s first text book on computer literacy.  He taught computer literacy, and fundamentals of finance and accounting for 25 years.  His expertise in designing such things as the PPG Savings Plan (still in use today) is just one example of how his intelligence and skills were utilized. Prior to his work at PPG, Jack served in WWII in the Army Air Corps, becoming a Second Lieutenant, and served as a B-29 Bombardier and Navigator in the Pacific. He was recalled to the newly formed U.S. Air Force stateside and in Africa, for a total of 10 years of service.  After WWII, compliments of the G.I. Bill, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania (Mathematics, 1950), was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, later becoming a Certified Public Accountant. Just before being recalled, he married Sally.  They both grew up in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, members of the Swedenborgian Church, also known as The New Church. Jack was born in Bryn Athyn, PA, one of twelve musically talented siblings.  His father, Donald L. Rose, was a newspaper columnist and the children were raised to be publicity-minded. Don wrote a comedic book about his family, called Full House, and soon the “Dozen Roses” publicly appeared at the New York World’s Fair in 1939.  Jack’s father thought the family should form a barbershop quartet, and with his fine tenor voice and keen sense of harmony, Jack became the manager.  They won several contests, and performed on live radio and TV.  Later in Pittsburgh, Jack started a barbershop quartet called The Allegheny River Rats.  He formed and for many years directed a group of PPG Christmas carolers. During many a winter cold snap, he built a skating rink in his back yard, first tromping down the snow in his WWII boots, flying jacket and cap, and then flooding it with the hose.  To help his daughters learn to skate, he arranged for them to take ice skating lessons at Courter’s Ice Skating Pond in Wilkinsburg. He then went on to sponsor ice skating lessons for their classmates at the Pittsburgh New Church School. During his decades of service at the Pittsburgh New Church, he was the treasurer and edited the church newsletter.  He and his wife were the church gardeners for many years. He was ahead of his time in environmental concerns, and was an avid composter. All of his daughters helped their dad with composting when they were growing up using an antique ash sifter.  He continued composting with his grandchildren, in fact, John and his oldest grandchild, Solomon Keal, were featured in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette when Solomon was about four years old with a great photo of them using the same ash sifter.  Due to decades of composting, he and Sally had beautiful gardens! After retirement, Jack decided to revive his childhood stamp collecting hobby and volunteered to teach stamp collecting at the Pittsburgh New Church School in 1985. He expanded his teaching to Temple Christian Academy, Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy, and Wilkins School.  He created his own stamp albums for these classes. In the late 60’s, Jack, along with his two brothers, Frank and Don, started a church camp at Laurel Hill State Park.  For 30 years he served as executive director, registrar and treasurer, arranging the logistics of opening and closing camp.  Many will remember him calling square dances and teaching stamp collecting at camp.  The camp is still running and will soon celebrate its 50^th anniversary.  The same grandson who composted with him and will give John’s memorial address, is the pastor of Laurel Camp! John worked on several projects for Pittsburgh’s Mayor Caliguiri. He had a keen interest in public transit (since he used it for many decades and happened to live across the street from a bus stop), and in 1984 he won an award from Pat Transit for his idea to print merged schedules identifying different bus routes that pass the same intersection along with their running times to and from downtown Pittsburgh.  The PAT staff began implementing the idea right away, and those of you who take public transportation in Pittsburgh now know the history of those helpful schedule signs. John was active in the Allegheny County Transit Council. From about 1960 to 1972, for 3 days a week, Mr. Rose pitched Whiffle Ball games on Cowboy Hill in Frick Park.  The games drew kids from a two-mile radius and they played all summer long.  He was pitcher and umpire.  He had a unique rule that young children received 6 pitches, older children received 3, and you had to swing at every pitch!  Each season ended with a world series.  Which team were you on, the Whiffle Ball Wonders or the Ben Hur Bombers? He and Sally were avid Steelers fans and encouraged an interest in football in all of their daughters. He read the Pittsburgh newspapers regularly, and wrote many letters to the editor that were published. He and Sally supported the local PBS station (WQED) for many years.  Watching the news and reading Pittsburgh’s newspaper was a daily event.  The Post Gazette published many of his letters to the editor. He supported and promoted The Center for Human Development in East Liberty in the 70’s, where he met Dr. Vernell Lillie (Emeritus Professor at Pitt University) and learned about group dynamics.  He brought the idea of groups to Laurel Camp, and they are part of the program to this day. He participated in numerous long term studies on health and aging (including Age Related Eye Disease Study). Upon retirement he took classes at what is now called OSHER, then Pitt’s “College for Over Sixty,” and attended 52 college courses, one every semester for about 20 years.  He himself gave more than one hundred lectures in these courses and in other venues on computers; the Club of Rome; the Swedenborgian religion; and Swedenborg’s connection to William Blake, Johnny Appleseed and Helen Keller. Every May, Pittsburgh’s Marathon ran by his house, and drivers could not drive through the East End.  He mapped out a detour through this complex area to help drivers navigate around the marathon.  He wrote a letter to the editor of the Post Gazette recommending that they publish the route of the marathon several days ahead, and post his detour.  His letter was printed and his ideas were implemented.  In addition to this, for many years, he and his daughter, Sylvia, handed drivers maps of his detours. Mr. Rose was gave generously to his community, his church and his family.  Many people came to live with Sally and Jack over the years, and he hired local people to help with yard and house work. When friends and family were informed of his passing, they started posting a range of responses about his positive influence in their lives.  Many remember him teaching them geography or U.S. History through Stamp Collecting.  He was a wonderful, joyful, encouraging, generous person and will be missed by all who knew him. Andrea Cahoon and Tony Cowley

Louis Joseph “Pop-Pop” Frobuccino, 76, passed away Friday, January 17, 2020. Lou had been residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania since June 2017 after spending over 15 years in Arizona and the southwest. His love of all things western gave him joy in the deserts south of Phoenix. As an up-and-coming minor league baseball player and a life-long New York Giants fan, Lou was born on July 12, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York, and is the son of Anthony Paul Frobuccino and Evelyn Marie Van Wyck, both of Brooklyn, New York. He and his wife, Sheila R. Taylor of Wichita, Kansas, recently celebrated 47 years of marriage in November of 2019. Lou grew up in Brooklyn, NY before joining the US Army in 1963. After completing two years of service in the Army, Lou enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. While stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, Louis met Sheila and they were married on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 1972. Lou continued to serve honorably until 1974. Notable accomplishments include direct support to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) APOLLO 11 Space Program, multiple world-wide deployments supporting Air Force communications missions, and numerous leadership positions. Upon his Honorable Discharge from the US Air Force, Lou held multiple positions in Industrial Hygiene and Environmental Safety until his retirement from Philadelphia Electric Company in 1994. Lou was honored by the H.J. Heinz Veterans Administration Hospital & Hospice, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a veteran recognition ceremony after his passing, as well as a full military honors at his memorial service on 20 January 2020; followed by cremation on 21 January 2020. Surviving, in addition to his wife, are six children, Angela, Kimberly, Thomas, Stefanie, Anthony, and Christopher, 11 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to St. Jude’s Hospital.

Passed Away January 9, 2020