W&J
class notes
John C. Eckert ’72, Germantown, Md., died June 18, 2010, at the age of 60. Wamon D. Floyd ’76, Tacoma, Wash., died July 2, 2010, at the age of 73. He served in the U.S. Army as a highly decorated chief warrant officer for more than 30 years. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Bronze Service Star. After retiring from the military, Mr. Floyd served as a substitute teacher and a veterans’ affairs counselor. Honorable Mark E. Mascara ’78, Washington, Pa., died June 11, 2010, at the age of 54. He served as a judicial law clerk for former Supreme Court Justice Rolf Larsen and practiced law for more than 20 years, including 15 years as a staff attorney on the Pennsylvania Board of Claims. He was elected a Washington County judge in 2003. He received many honors, including the 2009 Child Advocate of the Year from Washington Hospital Teen Outreach and the 2010 Italian-American Cultural and Heritage Society of Washington County Award. His most recent work involved presiding over juvenile dependency and civil cases and children and youth services adoptions. While at W&J, Mascara was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Albert L. Varacallo Jr. ’79, M.D., DuBois, Pa., died July 7, 2010, at the age of 52. He practiced family medicine at the Reynoldsville Medical Center and was affiliated with the DuBois Regional Medical Center, where he had served as chief of the department of medicine and president of the medical staff. Dr. Varacallo was the medical director at Christ the King Manor Nursing Home and volunteered as a physician for the local free medical clinic. For years, he was involved with the Northwest Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center, where he was honored as preceptor of the year and appointed director in 2008. Dr. Varacallo also taught at the Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine as a clinical assistant professor of family and community medicine. Of his six children, three sons, Christopher Varacallo ’07, Matthew Varacallo ’09, and Albert Varacallo III ’10, and one daughter, Natalie Milliron ’05, graduated from W&J. J. David Caruthers ’80, North Huntingdon, Pa., died Oct. 11, 2010, at the age of 52. He was a third-generation attorney with his family’s firm, Caruthers & Caruthers, P.C., of Greensburg and Irwin. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Caruthers was known for “his quick wit and even temper, and for being a tough advocate for his clients.” He was a member of the Westmoreland Bar Association, the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the solicitor for Irwin Borough Zoning and Hearing Board. While at W&J, he was a
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WINTER 2011 MAGAZINE
member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He attended Homecoming at W&J in 2010 to celebrate his 30th reunion.
Russell D. Goggin, Moon Township, Pa., died May 9, 2010, at the age of 42. He attended W&J and later owned Triplex Properties.
Cheryl Joy Mercedes ’85, Charleston, S.C., died September 17, 2010, at the age of 46. She was the daughter of George R. Clutter and Barbara Day Clutter, a retired employee of W&J. She moved to North Myrtle Beach after graduation and enjoyed being a mother to her two children.
Horace F. Hilb, Louisville, Ky., died Aug. 10, 2009, at the age of 91. He was a librarian at W&J from 1963–68, during the time of the planning and construction of the U. Grant Miller Library. He had a long career as a librarian with positions at several universities and the Library of Congress. Mr. Hilb spent his later years, along with his wife, residing near his son Jeff Hilb ’68, Ph.D. in Louisville, Ky.
Shelby L. Posin Gringle ’94, Wheeling, W.Va., died June 11, 2010, at the age of 38. She taught at the Gateway Community College in Steubenville, Ohio, served as vice president of Howards Diamond Center, and was a realtor. She was the past president of Temple Shalom Sisterhood, where she served on the board of directors, and a former board member of the YWCA.
FRIENDS Joseph F. Berschneider, Rosewood, Pa., died May 14, 2010, at the age of 77. He worked in the maintenance department at W&J. Louis H. Bruno, Brockway, Pa., died May 16, 2010, at the age of 88. He was retired from Brockway Glass Company, where he worked for 41 years. A charter member of the Knights of Columbus, Mr. Bruno served for more than 50 years and achieved fourth-degree rank. He attended W&J on a football scholarship. Girard A. Chirozzi, D.P.M., Howland, Pa., died Aug. 13, 2010, at the age of 68. He attended W&J and received his doctorate of podiatric medicine from the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine in Cleveland. He also served in the U.S. military at Reynolds Army Community Hospital at Fort Sill, Okla. Joseph R. Comberiati, Brookhaven, W.Va., died April 18, 2010, at the age of 87. After completing a printer’s apprenticeship, he served as a communications expert in WWII and earned six Bronze Stars. After the war, he attended W&J and then went on to join the U.S. Department of Energy, where he worked for 36 years as a research chemist. Lee A. Diack, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., died June 11, 2010, at the age of 77. He had an accomplished career in New York City as a salesman and business owner in the textile industry. An avid golfer, Mr. Diack often traveled across the U.S. and the British Isles on golf vacations with his family. Shirley A. Engel, Strabane Township, Pa., died Aug. 26, 2010, at the age of 62. She worked as a cook at W&J.
Herman L. Knepp, Belleville, Pa., died Aug. 3, 2010, at the age of 86. He worked at Marlette Homes, DuPont Farms, and retired in 1989 from Ford-New Holland. Mr. Knepp was a WWII veteran of the U.S. Navy and attended W&J for two years. Joseph A. Jacobs, Houston, Pa., died Oct. 8, 2010, at the age of 91. He attended W&J and then served as a corporal in the U.S. Army during WWII. Mr. Jacobs had been employed as a winder at the former Pennsylvania Transformer Company and Cooper Industries. Robert M. Lacock, Washington, Pa., died Sept. 28, 2010, at the age of 93. He attended W&J and then began work as a metallurgist. He was one of the original incorporators of Warren Corp., where he was secretary and treasurer in charge of engineering, design and fabrication of bacteriological systems used in research and chemical warfare. His work helped to design the laboratory equipment used by Dr. Jonas Salk in his discovery of the polio vaccine. Within the community, Mr. Lacock served North Franklin Twp., Pa., as justice of the peace and as a life member of the Volunteer Fire Department. Leroy Ryan Russell, Washington, Pa., died Oct. 6, 2010, at the age of 81. He was an avid fan of W&J football. Walter J. Sheftic (Szewczyk), Richland Twp., Pa., died Sept. 15, 2010, at the age of 91. He was co-owner and operator of the former Sheftic Amusement Co. He was a WWII veteran of the Army Air Corps and attended W&J on a basketball scholarship.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Walter Stanley Sanderlin, Ph.D., former professor and chairman of history at W&J for nearly 40 years, was inadvertently listed without a Ph.D. degree in the summer 2010 issue of W&J Magazine. He died Feb. 12, 2010, at the age of 89.