Yo! (this is my standard "Port" greeting! I'm Barbara Jo Pollack Firda, was born in McKeesport..moved to Duquesne (not bragging.. since I'm the only sibling that was NOT born there I can do that!), then moved back to Summit St (Fawcett Plan) McKeesport until I got married and moved to Banker St.., (Grandview) McKeesport. Let's see, I attended Holy Trinity School through 8th grade.. Francis McClure for 9th, VOC (now North Hall) for 10th and the High School (now South Hall) for 11th and 12th. Already told ya I'm married to Bob Firda (born in Ft Knox Kentucky but that was before he knew that McKeesport was a better place to live!!) grew up on Marietta Dr., White Oak. We have 2 kids that at this point are "professional students" Amyjo has B.A. Communications from PITT and is attending Point Park College persuing her Masters in Communications (PR & Event Planning..I think!) and my son is finishing up his 4th yr at PITT (BIO major). Both kids are managers at Kennywood (Games & Costume Characters) among a zillion other jobs to help mom & dad with THEIR rent and books and food..etc!!! I am one of the originators of the McKeesport Alumni Family & Friends Reunion Picnic (this yrs is Aug 18, 2001 - Renzie Park) for more info, email me at McKeesportAlumni@home.com (you do NOT have to be a graduate of McKeesport to attend!!). Now to this genealogy stuff.. I am VERY new to doing this.. and probably haven't persude it the way I should. Researching the following surnames: COATES (Scottish or English??), FIRDA ( no clue.. my husband THOUGHT he was Slovak but now he's not so sure about that, GIRMAN, LESNIK, LOGAN (English or Scottish??), POLLACK (Slovak) SCHULTE (German), TKACH (Slovak), AND VOELKER (German) any information greatly appreciated! Well, now that you know my life's story.... }GEORGE{ you do a wonderful job with this list!!!!!! Barbara Jo Pollack Firda MSHS Class of 1971 http://www.delphi.com/McKeesportTiger/Start/ http://www.geocities.com/bfirda

Hi All, I grew up as Margie Wilson. Wnet to Grandview School until 4th grade, then to South Park. High School was Shaw Avenue and MHS. We lived on Grandview Avenue, Baldwin Avenue, Hazel Street and Evans Avenue. My Mom was abartender at Evans Avenue Grill for 30 years at least. I left McKeesport when I went into the Army. First to Alabama then to Fort Hood, Texas for a few years. Returned to McKeesport and married "Jeep" Quillen. Lived on Soles St. until we moved to Virginia. I owned and operated a cosmetology school in Johnson City, Tennessee until my husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1984. Now I work as a news paper correspondent for a paper in Tennessee during the day, and at night I'm night manager at a domestic violence shelter in Virginia in the town where I live. I miss everything about McKeesport especially the wide variety of ethnic foods, big snows and the life style. Still have a sister in West Mifflin (D. Hornfeck), another one in E. McKeesport (L. Wilson-Merschat), a brother in Greensburg (B. Wilson) and a nephew in Glassport (J. Pellecchia). The rest of the family is deceased or moved to other states. I visit 2 or 3 times a year for a few days as my work schedule permits. Would love to locate some of the 'old gang' and get together with them on one of my trips this summer. Does anyone know the whereabouts of Bill Spoonhoward, Bobby Foster, Janet Dalota-Flaherty and husband Jim, Jimmy Bradley, Billie Jean Lickert-Harper? There are too many to list here, but I've not seen anything written from them on the McKeesport site. Hope to make it to the alumni picnic at Renzie this year and meet some of you that I don't know.