In Memoriam
1940s
George E. Epsy ’44, Logan Township, Pennsylvania—May 13, 2018—veterinarian, U.S. Army WWII veteran.
Richard J. Lauer ’48, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania—November 13, 2017—retired, U.S. Navy WWII veteran.
E. Louise White ’48 passed away on January 12, 2018, in Delaware, Ohio. A longtime supporter of Penn State Altoona, White was born to the late J.E. and Esther Holtzinger, for whom the J. E. Holtzinger Engineering Building at Penn State Altoona is named.
1950s
Brooks David Kaufman ’50, New Hope, Pennsylvania—formerly of Altoona—December 16, 2017.
Romeo George Dente ’52, Altoona—January 16, 2018—retired field auditor, U.S. Army Reserve veteran.
J. Robert Kauffman ’52, Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania—January 26, 2018—retired, U.S. Army veteran.
Galen Roger Dick ’54, formerly of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania—January 2, 2018—retired teacher.
Robert Pauli ’55, Portage, Pennsylvania—May 13, 2018.
Guy A. Luciano ’56, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania—May 28, 2018—retired technician, AT&T, U.S. Air Force veteran.
William F “Bill” Tauber ’56, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania—March 10, 2018—retired regional director of Dresser Industries, U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict.
Joseph F. Croyle ’57, a resident of Presbyterian Village at Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania—May 5, 2018.
Glenn W. Campbell, Sr. ’58, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania—January 4, 2018.
James A. Kelley ’58, Allentown, Pennsylvania—November 20, 2017—retired, Korean War veteran.
James L. McCreary ’58, Lititz, Pennsylvania—January 15, 2018—electrical designer, U.S. Army veteran.
Charles F. Scott ’58, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania—November 5, 2017—pharmaceutical sales representative, U.S. Air Force veteran.
John Edmund Jameson ’59, Duncansville, Pennsylvania—February 18, 2018—retired pastor, U.S. Army veteran.
1960s
Arminta M. McGee ’61, Philadelphia—January 2, 2018—retired special education teacher.
Judith L. Frey ’63, Port Orchard, Washington—May 7, 2018—retired teacher.
Maxine C. Ross’63, Altoona—April 16, 2018—retired teacher.
Donald Henry Brett ’64, of Altoona, passed away at the age of 76 on April 28, 2018, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Brett and wife, Sherry, supported Penn State Altoona through the years, including giving a gift to name the Brett Lobby in the Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence in downtown Altoona. The couple was inducted into the Gold category of Ivyside Society, the college’s donor recognition society.
Brett was born in Altoona, son of the late Leonard and Emily (Luxenberg) Brett. On April 18, 1970, he married the “love of his life,” Sheryl (Sherry) DeMatteis.
Surviving are his wife, Sherry; two daughters: Nicole, and husband, Tat, of Boca Raton, Florida, and Alison, and husband, Brad, of McLean, Virginia; a son, Adam, and wife, Krista, of Camp Hill; eight grandchildren: AJ, Casey, Blake, Sadie, Zach, Ellie, Lex, and Owen; a brother, Stephen Brett, of Boulder, Colorado; and a sister, Jean Brett, of New York City.
A1960 graduate of Altoona High School, Brett graduated from Penn State in 1964 with a degree in business administration. After briefly working in New York City, he returned to Altoona to work with his father, Leonard, for the family business, women’s clothing retailer Meyer Jonasson. The company became a pillar of the downtown Altoona community and eventually expanded to include two additional stories of the building.
Brett’s love for his community showed in the many organizations he participated in and supported. He was past president of Temple Beth Israel, and he served as a trustee of Altoona First Savings Bank and as chairman of its Credit Committee for many years. He was also a member of the Greater Altoona Development Corp., Altoona Parking Authority, Altoona Blair County Development Corp., Rotary Club of Altoona, and was a founding member of PALS club.
Daniel B. Ream ’67, Altoona—March 25, 2018—retired, Bon Secours Holy Family Hospital.
Susan (Gority) Krater ’69, Altoona—April 15, 2018—former bookkeeper for Krater Electric Service and active member of Calvary Baptist Church in Altoona.
1970s
Nancy (Bachran) Frezza ’72, Altoona—January 15, 2018—retired.
Diane Mary Hallinan ’72, Lewistown, Pennsylvania—December 19, 2017—retired teacher and school administrator.
James R. “Jim” Phillips ’73, Windber, Pennsylvania—April 17, 2018—retired supervisor, Peoples Natural Gas, U.S. Air Force veteran.
Joseph W. Reasy Jr. ’73, of Dysart, Pennsylvania, passed away February 1, 2018, at the age of 71. Reasy retired as director of Development at Penn State Altoona in 2003. He was born in Altoona, son of the late Joseph W. Reasy Sr. and the late Janet (Loose) Reasy.
Surviving are a sister, Cathy Neal, of Altoona; a nephew, Nicholas Neal, of Phoenix; and a loving companion, Susan Broadwater, of Tyrone. He was preceded in death by his mother and father.
A 1964 graduate of Hollidaysburg Area High School, Reasy attended Penn State Altoona and went on to earn his bachelor of science degree at Penn State in 1973. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Dennis G. Prough ’75, Altoona—January 25, 2018— retired, F.L. Smithe Machine Co., U.S. Army veteran.
Charles H. Bloom Jr. ’76, Altoona—January 14, 2018.
1980s
Thomas P. Laino ’80, Cresson, Pennsylvania—May 14, 2018—retired, Pennsylvania State Police.
Thomas Williams ’89, Altoona—January 22, 2018— retired as owner-operator of the Altoona Greyhound Station.
1990s
Kevin Michael Gottshall ’99, Altoona—April 13, 2018.
Stephen P. McConnell ’99, Altoona—March 5, 2018—retired medical technologist, U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War.
2010s
Jayme Scott Wilt ’15, Altoona—October 25, 2017—employed at Wyle Corporation in Maryland.
Friends
George Carnegie Ferris, retired CEO of Carnegie Equipment in Altoona, passed away March 31, 2018. He was a longtime benefactor of Penn State Altoona, supporting various programs and scholarships over the years, including a gift to name the Ferris Family Gathering Space in the Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence.
Surviving are his wife, Mona; two sons: George, and wife, Debbie, of Duncansville; Brad, and husband, John, of Baltimore; a daughter, Allison, and husband, John, of State College; and seven grandchildren: Nathan, Mitchell, Megan, Jacob, Collin, Charlie, and Carson.