Souls who enriched our lives, our region

Jimmy Stewart

For 50 years, Jimmy Stewart entertained and touched audiences in more than 80 comedies, westerns and dramas on the big screen.

When giving him a life achievement award in 1980, the American Film Institute declared that he "captured the essence of American hopes, doubts and aspirations. His idealism, his determination, his vulnerability and, above all, his basic decency shine through every role he plays."

Stewart was born in his parents' home in Indiana, Pa., and acted while attending Princeton University. Among his best-known films were "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "It's a Wonderful Life," "Harvey," "Rear Window," "Anatomy of a Murder" and "The Philadelphia Story," for which he won the best actor Oscar.

In 1941, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He led a number of strikes against Germany, rose to the rank of colonel and won the Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross.

Stewart died July 2, 1997, at age 89.

Willie Stargell

How many more home runs Hall of Famer Willie Stargell would have hit had he played his first eight seasons in Three Rivers Stadium instead of cavernous Forbes Field is sheer conjecture.

The fact is that in 21 seasons in left field and at first base for the Pirates, he hit 475 — many of them prodigious, jaw-dropping blasts — tying him with Donora native Stan Musial for 19th place on the all-time list.

Those homers and more than 1,500 runs batted in propelled "Pops," as he was called later in his career, to seven all-star teams and two world championships.

One championship was in his banner year of 1979 in which he was named most valuable player of the National League Championship Series and the World Series, and also shared the league's most valuable player award with Keith Hernandez of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sports Illustrated's sportsman of the year award with the Steelers' Terry Bradshaw.

Stargell died April 9, 2001, at age 61.

Bill Burns

For 36 years, "Goodbye, good luck and good news tomorrow" ended newscasts for countless Pittsburgh viewers. That sign-off line served Bill Burns well as he became, and remained, the city's best-known television newsman.

Famed for his tenacious reporting, insistence on accuracy and injecting his opinions into news stories, the Philadelphia native's first job here was on KQV radio in 1946. He then became one of the first personalities on WDTV, which in 1955 became KDKA-TV.

For about three decades, his delivery of the noon newscast was the highest-rated local newscast in the country. For almost 25 years, he anchored both it and the 11 p.m. newscast. In 1963, he stayed on the air live for almost three hours after the first word of the shooting of President John F. Kennedy.

Burns, who lived Downtown in his later years, also was an avid football fan and dedicated volunteer who in 1953 helped start the first Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Telethon, which he hosted through 1988. He died Sept. 16, 1997, at age 84.

Patti Burns

On Oct. 18, 1976, father and daughter Bill and Patti Burns made national television history when they teamed on the 11 p.m. news on KDKA-TV and became the first such pairing ever.

Critics flayed the "Patti and Daddy Show" as a ratings ploy, but viewers loved it. Eight years later, when she co-hosted the noon newscast with him, it was among the highest-rated in the country.

Patti Burns grew up in Mt. Lebanon and one year was "Miss Smiling Irish Eyes" in Pittsburgh's St. Patrick's Day parade. She was a TV reporter in Dallas for two years before moving to KDKA in 1974.

After a contract dispute that would have reduced her on-air presence and salary drastically, she left the station in January 1997, ran her own media training and production company and was a contributing editor for "On Q," WQED-TV's evening magazine show.

She died in her Shadyside home Oct. 27, 2001, at age 49.

Marie Torre

Fittingly, it was Patti Burns who delivered the final eulogy at Marie Torre's memorial service in St. Bernard Catholic Church, Mt. Lebanon, on Jan. 7, 1997. Torre had died four days before at age 72.

"I was inspired by Marie and through her help and example, I chose broadcast journalism as my profession," she said, adding that Torre did much of her work while widowed and raising two teenagers in a time when most women did not "have it all."

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Torre was one of America's first female news anchors during her 15 years with KDKA. She also hosted her own talk show, "Contact," and co-hosted "The Better Half" interview program with Bill Currie.

While a columnist for the New York Herald Tribune, she was jailed for 10 days for refusing to name her sources for a column about a proposed TV spectacular starring Judy Garland.

Rege Cordic

"Oh, my gosh, it's Frothingslosh!"

On the market, the "pale stale ale … guaranteed to fit any size glass" was merely Tech, Pittsburgh Brewing Co.'s second-line beer behind Iron City. But the slogan for Olde Frothingslosh and the man who created it became Pittsburgh legends.

Rege Cordic concocted the bogus brew as yet another offbeat jest for "Cordic and Company," his program on WWSW and KDKA that ruled the morning drive-time radio roost for almost 20 years.

The deep-voiced Central Catholic High School graduate's wacky cast of characters included prolific punster Carmen Monoxide, space alien Omicron, Louie the Garbage Man and 455-pound Brunhilda, who entered and exited the studio through a garage door.

Cordic left Pittsburgh for Los Angeles in 1965 but had no radio success there and finished his career with hundreds of character roles on television shows and a few movies and many voice-overs for cartoons and commercials. He died April 17, 1999, at age 72.

Gene Kelly

Gene Kelly, the movies' only serious rival to Fred Astaire, graduated from Peabody High School and the University of Pittsburgh.

His career break was the starring role in "The Time of Your Life" on Broadway, for which he won a Drama Critic's Award. He then starred in "Pal Joey" before beginning his film career with "For Me and My Gal."

Kelly's biggest successes were "On the Town," "Singin' in the Rain" and "An American in Paris," which won six Oscars and netted him an honorary one for "his versatility as an actor, singer, dancer, director and choreographer and specifically for his brilliant achievements in choreography on film."

Like Jimmy Stewart, he received an American Film Institute lifetime achievement award. He died Feb. 2, 1996, at age 83.

Billy Eckstine

Until his late teens, Peabody High School graduate Billy Eckstine debated between a career in football or singing. To music-lovers' delight, a broken collarbone made the decision for him.

With a pudding-smooth baritone ideal for the ballads in which he specialized, "Mr. B" had hits including "Skylark," "I Apologize," "Prisoner of Love," "No One But You," "Caravan," "Everything I Have Is Yours" and "Cottage for Sale."

Just as importantly, Eckstine formed his own bebop band in 1943. In its four years, it featured the work of such instrumentalists as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Art Blakey and Fats Navarro and singer Sarah Vaughan.

A year and a half after he died on March 8, 1993, at age 78, a state historical marker was erected outside the house on Bryant Street, Highland Park, in which he grew up.

Perry Como

In 1999, Canonsburg erected a statue to its best-known son, Perry Como, who found singing such a difficult way to make a living he almost returned to full-time barbering.

Grooming's loss was music-lovers' gain. "Mr. C" had 50 Top-10 records, three popular weekly television programs and several television specials — popularizing cardigan sweaters long before Fred Rogers became a television icon.

His hits included "Till The End of Time," "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "Hot Diggity," "Round and Round," "Catch a Falling Star," "Papa Loves Mambo," "Home for the Holidays" and "It's Impossible."

He died May 12, 2001, six days before his 89th birthday.

Henry Mancini

Composer Henry Mancini, known for such songs as "Moon River" and "The Days of Wine and Roses," grew up in Aliquippa, Beaver County.

He was an accomplished flutist and pianist who became a staff composer at Universal Studios, scoring everything from feature films to newsreels to Abbott and Costello comedies.

Mancini won two best score Oscars and was nominated for four more, won 20 Grammys and recorded more than 80 albums. He died June 14, 1994, at age 70.

Mike Webster

When fifth-round draft choice Mike Webster arrived here in 1974, he weighed a puny (for an offensive lineman) 225 pounds.

Through grueling, all-year conditioning, the Hall of Fame center bulked up to 260 compact pounds and was considered the strongest Steeler.

"Iron Mike" played the most seasons (15) and games (220) in club history and was one of an astounding 21 Steelers on all four Super Bowl winners.

The Moon resident played in nine Pro Bowls, was named all-conference five times and all-pro six consecutive years and, from 1975 to 1985, started 150 consecutive games. He died Sept. 24, 2002, at age 50.

Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas, who died Sept. 11, 2002, at age 69, was a Hall of Famer who got away.

He grew up on Mt. Washington and played at old St. Justin High School there, and the Steelers drafted him ninth in 1955 but in training camp told him they had too many quarterbacks and cut him.

Unitas then did construction work and played for the semipro Bloomfield Rams, who had to sprinkle oil on their grassless field to keep the dust down. In 1956, the Baltimore Colts gambled and signed him to a $7,000 contract.

Two years later, "Johnny U" led the team to the league championship. In 17 seasons, he won two more championships and a Super Bowl and left league passing records for attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, 300-yard games and consecutive games throwing for a touchdown.

Unitas played in 10 Pro Bowls, was chosen for five all-league teams, was player of the year three times and was named player of the decade for the 1960s and the greatest player in pro football's first 50 years.

Delvin Miller

Delvin Miller's name doesn't automatically come to mind when reminiscing about western Pennsylvania sports greats, but there have been few more successful than the small-boned, 5-foot-6 harness racing driver.

He won 2,442 races and more than $11 million in purse money. More significantly, he is believed to be the only athlete to compete professionally in eight decades, having driven his first races in 1929 — after playing hooky from school — at the Burgettstown Fair and racing a mere three months before his death on Aug. 19, 1996, at age 83.

Miller introduced parimutuel harness racing to this area when The Meadows opened July 28, 1963, in Washington County. Four years later, he founded the Adios race named for the super-sire bay stallion he bought for $21,000 and sold for $500,000. In 1997, the race was renamed the Coors Delvin Miller Adios.

On a non-sporting note, Miller and his brother, Albert, who died in 1999, opened the Meadowcroft Museum of Rural Life in Avella, Washington County, to the public in 1969.

Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway

After retiring from the Army in 1955, Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway moved to Fox Chapel, where he died July 26, 1993, at age 98.

During 38 years in the service, the Virginia native planned and executed the Army's first major airborne assault (in Sicily during World War II), succeeded Gen. Douglas MacArthur as commander of United Nations forces in Korea and of allied occupation forces in Japan and replaced Dwight D. Eisenhower as supreme commander of allied forces in Europe.

In 1953, Eisenhower, then president, appointed Ridgway Army chief of staff. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Herbert Simon

On the morning of Oct. 16, 1978, Herbert Simon politely excused himself from a horde of reporters outside his Carnegie Mellon University office.

"I have to teach my class at 11," he said, to which one reporter responded, "But you've just won the Nobel Prize."

Despite that prize for economics and renown in the fields of cognitive psychology and computer science, teaching came first for Simon, who was born in Milwaukee and joined the faculty of then-Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1949.

During his career, the Oakland resident received 10 fellowships, published almost 30 books, won the 1986 National Medal of Science, was one of 14 foreigners ever inducted into the Chinese Academy of Sciences and helped to start CMU's computer science department, now nationally ranked.

Simon died Feb. 9, 2001, at age 84.

Wesley Posvar

Chancellor Wesley Posvar was credited with helping pull the University of Pittsburgh from fiscal ruin into solvency during its transition to state-related status, retiring an inherited debt of more than $27 million within 10 years.

During the Squirrel Hill resident's tenure of almost a quarter-century, Pitt also added more than 2 million square feet of usable space, including construction or renovation of the Benedum Hall of Engineering, the law building, Mervis Hall, the Biomedical Science Tower, the William Pitt Union and Forbes Quadrangle, which was renamed in his honor.

Posvar graduated first in his class at the U.S. Military Academy, rose to the rank of brigadier general in the Air Force and became a command pilot licensed to fly 27 types of aircraft. He died July 27, 2001, at age 75.

Tom Foerster

During Tom Foerster's record 28 years as an Allegheny County commissioner, the last 15 as chairman, the county established four hospitals for the elderly and built a new airport and jail, and Community College of Allegheny County added its three suburban campuses.

Always proud of his Troy Hill roots, he graduated from North Catholic High School there and was elected a state representative in 1958. In that office, he cosponsored legislation to create community colleges and supported measures to clean polluted streams and abandoned strip mines.

Also while commissioner, the burly ex-sandlot football coach championed the growth of the Port Authority transit system, which developed a Downtown subway, the East and South busways and the Airport Busway/Wabash High Occupancy Vehicle project.

In November 1999, Foerster was elected to the first Allegheny County Council but was too ill to be inaugurated. He died Jan. 11, 2000, at age 71, a few days after he was to have taken that seat.

Eugene Coon

Once dubbed "America's Toughest Cop" by a men's magazine, Eugene Coon joined the Pittsburgh police in 1952 and rose to assistant superintendent before resigning in 1969 to run for sheriff.

He won that election and eventually served a record seven consecutive terms.

When Coon headed the city force's homicide squad, he and his officers once solved 57 slayings in a row. He was a history buff who scored a perfect 100 on all of his civil service exams, a member of the Pennsylvania Police Hall of Fame and a brigade-leading bagpiper in many a St. Patrick's Day parade.

He became county Democratic chairman in the early '70s and lost subsequent bids for county commissioner and mayor of Pittsburgh. In later years, several much-publicized legal troubles tarnished his reputation.

Coon died in his South Side home Oct. 21, 1998, at age 68.

James Knox

James Knox served four terms as county controller and also was executive director of both the county Housing Authority and Planning Department.

The Emsworth resident further helped establish the Irish Nationality Room at the University of Pittsburgh, chaired the Nationality Council and was president of the Gaelic Arts Society of Pittsburgh, vice president of the board of the Pennsylvania Bible Society and National Lutheran of the Year for 1975.

Knox died Dec. 30, 2001, at age 82.

Michael Coyne

Michael Coyne was elected three times to county prothonotary, the chief clerk of the civil division of Common Pleas Court, and died during his last term on Oct. 29, 2000, at age 46.

After the Squirrel Hill resident and former city councilman was elected to his first term in 1991, he revolutionized the way court documents are filed by creating a system that allows attorneys to do so online.

Coyne had been treasurer of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, an instructor with the Pennsylvania Association of Retarded Citizens and a professor at Community College of Allegheny County. He also was an avid Notre Dame football fan.

Bernard Regan

Bernard Regan once was a city councilman but was far better known for serving 19 years as district justice on his beloved North Side and by his nickname, "Baldy."

Lovingly called "a Pittsburgh character" by Mayor Tom Murphy, Regan was a lifelong friend of Dan Rooney and Art Rooney Jr. of the Steelers. He worked for the team as a training camp ballboy in his youth and later was press box manager for their games at Three Rivers Stadium.

He died Sept. 14, 1995, at age 61.

Duane Darkins and Jake Milliones

Duane Darkins

Duane Darkins and Jake Milliones both were elected to city council in 1989, and both died in office.

Darkins, also a Pentecostal minister, was best known for his dramatic flair, malapropisms, flashy clothes and unswerving representation of the city's black community.

He founded Greater Faith Tabernacle Church of God in Christ in the mid-1960s, incorporated the Homewood church in 1986 and preached there every Sunday until about two weeks before his death on April 19, 1994, at age 59.

The Homewood resident and youngest of 15 children, was county deputy clerk of courts from 1986 until being elected to council. Shortly before his death, he ran an unsuccessful independent campaign for mayor.

Milliones died Jan. 2, 1993, at age 52, a mere three years into the term during which he also directed the city's finance committee.

Like Darkins, he was known for his efforts to improve black neighborhoods, as a champion of civil rights and for his strong stances on improving public education and the positive empowerment of youth.

Professionally, Milliones was a practicing psychologist at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Oakland, and taught psychology at the University of Pittsburgh.

The Hill District resident further had been appointed to the Pittsburgh school board in 1978 to fill the term of his wife, Margaret, who had died in office. In 1983, he became board president, a position he held through 1988.

Ray Mansfield

After spending his rookie season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Ray Mansfield came to the Steelers and during 13 years as Mike Webster's predecessor at center set a team record of 182 consecutive games played.

One of his proudest accomplishments was kicking an extra point after Roy Gerela pulled a groin muscle during a 1976 playoff game and subsequently impishly introducing himself as the Steelers' placekicker.

After retiring in 1976, "The Old Ranger," who got that nickname for his resemblance to the host of the television show "Death Valley Days," became a successful insurance broker.

The Upper St. Clair resident was a member of the Steelers' first two Super Bowl teams and died Nov. 2, 1996, at age 55.

Steve Furness

Although a backup behind the fabled "Steel Curtain" for most of his nine years with the Steelers, Steve Furness shone after replacing Ernie Holmes as a starting defensive tackle.

The fifth-round draft choice led the team in sacks in 1977 and shared the lead with L.C. Greenwood in 1979. His 32 career sacks place him 10th on the club's all-time list.

After being cut by the Steelers, Furness coached for the Indianapolis Colts and at Michigan State University before returning to the Steelers to coach the defensive line in 1992 and 1993.

The Bethel Park resident played on all four Super Bowl champions and died Feb. 9, 2000, at age 49.

Willie Thrower

Talk about a fitting surname — Willie Thrower was the National Football League's first black quarterback.

After leading old New Kensington High School to WPIAL Class AA championships in 1946 and 1947, he attended Michigan State and became the Big Ten's first black quarterback.

Thrower was not drafted and signed an $8,500 contract with the Chicago Bears, for whom he played two games before being released.

He then played three seasons in Canada, retired, worked at children's homes in Pittsburgh and New York City and returned to New Kensington, where he worked in construction and owned two taverns.

Thrower died Feb. 20, 2002, at age 71.

Harvey Haddix and Wilmer Mizell

Harvey Haddix

Harvey "The Kitten" Haddix and Wilmer "Vinegar Bend" Mizell were the starting-rotation southpaws for the Pirates' 1960 World Series champions and both were 68 when they died.

In five seasons here, Haddix won 45 games, including two (one start, one in relief) against the New York Yankees in the series.

On May 26, 1959, he made baseball history by pitching 12 perfect innings against the Milwaukee Braves. Unfortunately for him, the Bucs got 12 hits but no runs off of Lew Burdette, and the Braves scored in the bottom of the 13th to win, 1-0.

Haddix died Jan 8, 1994.

The Bucs acquired Mizell from the St. Louis Cardinals after the 1960 season began, and he won 13 games during the club's pennant run. He lost one game of the series, which the Pirates won on Bill Mazeroski's famous homer.

Mizell, who died Feb. 21, 1999, finished his career with the original New York Mets in 1962, moved to North Carolina and served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Dick DeVenzio

Many deem the 1967 Ambridge High School basketball team, on which Dick DeVenzio was a sharpshooting guard, the best boys' team in state history.

The team finished the regular season 27-0, won six playoff games by an average margin of 20 points and set four state championship game records while clobbering also-undefeated Chester 93-61.

DeVenzio, whose 31-point average led the WPIAL in scoring that season, and teammate Dennis Wuycik were named first team all-state. DeVenzio then played at Duke University, where he set a school record for career assists and was an academic All-American.

He died May 18, 2001, at age 51.

Judy Oliver

Sewickley resident Judy Oliver was a world-class golfer who played on three Curtis Cup teams, captained the 1992 team and was honorary captain of the 2002 team when the matches between top amateurs from the United States and Great Britain-Ireland were played at Fox Chapel Golf Club.

She also won the Women's Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania championship five times and qualified for the U.S. Women's Open more than 20 times, finishing second in 1978.

Oliver died Sept. 10, 2002, at age 54.

Paul Long

With a bald pate and prominent scar on his left cheek, Paul Long lacked Bill Burns' handsomeness, but his commanding voice made and kept him a successful television news anchor on KDKA and WTAE for 38 years.

The Texas native came to Pittsburgh in 1946 to join KDKA-AM and was known for his intelligence, his on-air scowls, a keen sense of humor and his love of both the English language and large, green cigars.

Two of those attributes merged every Ash Wednesday when Long arrived at the station with ashes on his forehead — not from church but from his stogie. He died July 12, 2002, at age 86.

Al McDowell

Clairton native Al McDowell was a television news anchor for both KDKA and WTAE and was one of three anchors on KDKA's first half-hour newscast in 1963. He began broadcasting on WEDO-AM in McKeesport and moved to KDKA-AM in 1955.

Praised by Bill Burns as "a decent man who did a fine job," the low-key Upper St. Clair resident made the full-time switch to television in 1963, left Pittsburgh in 1969 for WPVI-TV in Philadelphia and returned in 1971 to host WTAE's "AM Pittsburgh," a top-rated morning program.

After retiring in 1988, McDowell returned to KDKA radio as a talk show host and taught creative television production at Penn State. He died Nov. 21, 1994, at age 66.

Robert Dauer

Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Dauer's surname was pronounced "dour." He was anything but.

Although a workhorse who enjoyed being called "The General" and serious and stern when he had to be, he loved to dress up on holidays — and hear cases that way.

During the Christmas season, Dauer donned a topper festooned with holly and lit with battery-powered lights. One Halloween, he was Harry Potter, complete with a pointy hat and tape on his glasses.

The Shadyside resident was appointed to the bench in 1972, reappointed in 1974 and elected in 1976, serving until his death April 2, 2002, at age 73. Dauer also was the court's president judge for four years.

Paul Zavarella

Paul Zavarella was elected to Common Pleas Court in 1973, succeeded Robert Dauer as president judge and served as president of the Trial Judges Association of Pittsburgh.

State Superior Court Senior Judge John G. Brosky said Zavarella, who lived in Plum and had been its solicitor, "was known throughout the state as being patient, considerate and would listen to all remarks without interruption."

Zavarella died March 30, 2002, at age 69.

Carol Los Mansmann

U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Carol Los Mansmann was the first woman to prosecute a murder case in Allegheny County, the youngest woman to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court and the first woman appointed to the federal ben