Mary Porreca:
CLASS OF 1964
Sacred Heart SchoolClass of 1964
Jeannette, PA
Greensburg Central Catholic High SchoolClass of 1968
Greensburg, PA
Jeannette High SchoolClass of 1968
Jeannette, PA
Gaskill Elementary SchoolClass of 1961
Jeannette, PA
Myers Primary SchoolClass of 1960
Jeannette, PA
Mary's Story
Life
I have 3 children.
Aaron (born 5/71),is a Master Sergeant (E-7) in the Air Force at Eglin AFB, FL. He has completed 21 years in the Air Force. His wife, Effie (born 5/76), who he met in Turkey, was an Air Force Security Policewoman. Effie spent two tours in Qtar in 2002-2003. Aaron has had two short tours in the United Arab Emirates. While he was in UAE he was notified he was selected as NCO of the Quarter for his unit. Effie trained as a Red Cross Dental Assistant in the clinic on Aviano AB. She now attends college in Pensacola. They have 2 children, Zackary (born 3/98) and Ashley (born 12/99). After three and a half years in Italy The Air Force introduced the Rosenblum Family to Eglin AFB, (Fort Walton Beach)Florida. They have a beautiful house in Mary Esther, FL. Zack is now 13 and worried about the humidity making his curly hair - curly. He is over 6ft tall. Ashley is now 12 and a real beautiful young lady. Pretty soon Aaron is going to have to put up the chain link fence to keep the boys out..
Jennifer (born 7/3/73) is married to John Adams (5/1/10) and is Tyler's (born 12/98) Mom. She's started out as a hair stylist. While working and providing for Tyler she attended South Puget Sound Community College and St. Martins University. Jenn graduated from the University of Washington, Tacoma on June 12, 2009 with a BA in Social Services. Jennifer now works as a para educator at Chanook Middle School part of the North Thurston School district. The best part about her job is she has the same days off as Tyler. Jenn was hired as a permanent Para Educator. She and Tyler "go to the same school". Tyler just turned 13 and is a very handsome young man.
Tracey (born 6/76) is married to Jason Anderson (born 6/78). They have no children but have three pugs named Pearl, Jade and Rudy. Tracey went to visit Aaron in Italy in Sept 09. Jason graduted from Clover Park College with a 4.0 GPA as a computer security techician.He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. He now has a position as a computer specialist with Multicare Medical System.
Both Jenn and Tracey live in Lacey not far but on opposite sides from me..
I was first married was to Mark Rosenblum who was in the Army for 22 years. He retired in 1989. He was my ticket to travel through Europe and a number of U.S. states compliments of the U.S. Army. We divorced in 1992. In July 2008 Mark passed away from cancer. Mark was 59 when he died.Aaron and his family came from Italy to be at his father's side. I got to spend alot of time with my grandchildren.
Nick Zambalis and I met in 1992 and married in 1997. He retired in 1994 from being a Camp Ranger and "jack of all trades" with the Boy Scouts. He had a part time job at Walgreen's Drug Store. Nick was a dear, sweet man who was very "romantical". He knew I loved roses and diamonds AND BOUGHT THEM FOR ME!
Nick passed away on October 7, 2009 from congestive heart failure and lung problems. A week later I had to put our dogs to sleep. They were 14, had arthritis and were generally sick. They were, also, really lonely without Nick. Aaron, Zack and Ashley came from Italy to be with me. This is an awful way for Aaron et al to come for a visit.
At the end of October I went to PA to visit my Mom. She and I drove down to Norfolk to visit my sister, Eileen. Eileen was diagnosed with lung cancer in February 2009. Eileen died December 3, 2009. She leaves behind a son, a daughter and a good man who took care of her to the end.
After Eileen passed away my Mom decided to retire from Jeannette Library after 35 years. It was a good thing she didn't have to drive to work in all the snow that hit the east coast in the winter of 2009-10. On April 18, 2010 the library sponored an "Ann Porreca Day" to commemorate Mom's loyalty and dedication to the Library. Mom was also the Grand Marshal in the "Jeannette Days" parade in July 2010.
Contact me at MaryPorreca at comcast.net. I would love to hear from all of you.
School
I went through 1st-3rd grade at Sacred Heart School. 4th grade, I went to Myers School then Gaskill School for 5th grade. (Do any of you remem...Expand for more
ber the little store that we used to go to to dance and buy candy near Gaskill School? Where are those fun places now?)(Thanks to all the folks who remembered and even put pictures on FaceBook.)
Back to SHS for 6th-8th grades. After much anguish, I was accepted at Central High in Greensburg for my freshman year. I transferred to JHS for my sophmore through senior years where I graduated in 1968. While being a military wife and mom, I took assorted college courses. I participated in and taught Leadership courses with the Boy Scouts. Now I just take lessons from my grandchildren.
Workplace
My first job was at Gillespie's Department Store, Jeannette, PA at the age of 16; I worked at Koebler's Sheet Metal Fabrication right out of high school; Jeannette Hospital in the Pathology Lab in 1970. During the next years I took care of my children. In 1977, I started working in one of three school cafeterias in Copperas Cove, Texas. I was a chef in the officer's club in Wurzburg, Gemany; a child care provider in Wurzburg, Germany; youth activities director for the Youth Activities and a secretary at the Directorate of Contracting at Fort Ord, CA. In 1988, we moved to Fort Lewis (now Joint Base Lewis McChord), WA where I worked as a medical records manager at Dental Clinic #5, then Fulton Dental Clinic on Fort Lewis, WA for 13 years.
I now work for the Department of Clinical Investigation (Medical Research) at Madigan Healthcare System, (JointBase Lewis-McChord) on the department chief's staff.
It's hard to believe I have been in federal service since 1987. But there is no retirement for this girl...There's still more to learn and research.
Military
I "joined" the Army when I met Mark Rosenblum. He was a SGT stationed in North Huntington, PA. I met Mark when he was in the hospital room with Joe Bush (who had tonsillitis, would you believe???). Mark & I had a whirl-wind romance, got married on October 15, 1970 and our honeymoon was a trip to "our" new duty station at Ft Bliss, TX. That honeymoon ended when we had to fly back to Pittsburgh for the death of my Dad on October 22, 1970.
In August, 1971 Mark flew out to Viet Nam. He returned - safely - in April 1972. In May 1972, we moved to Fort Meade, Maryland. Our next assigment was Athens, Greece in 1974, Wuerzburg,Germany(1975 & 1982), Fort Hood, Texas in 1977 and Fort Ord, CA in 1986. We have visited places like Holland, France and touched the borders of other countries. In 1988, Mark's unit was transferred from Ft Ord, CA to Ft Lewis, WA where "we" retired in 1989.
Mark & I had been divorced since 1992. He passed away in July 2008. I am glad I had the chance to share his Army career with Mark and give Aaron, Jenn and Tracey a chance to see some of the world.
My son, Aaron, was born in Jeannette, PA. Jennifer was born at Ft Meade, MD and Tracey was born in Wuerzburg, W. Germany. I have some of the finest friends anyone could have who live all over the states. Some other great friends are still in Europe. Being "in the military" was a very rewarding experience that I could never have had if it weren't for Mark and his "job" with the Army. In fact, because I was able to get spouse preference in getting a job at Fort Lewis, I am still working for the military as a Dept of Defense Civilian.
Note:
If I'm going to work somewhere else, I need to have a window, a handsome boss, and unlimited lunch hours to be able to deal with the day-to-day situations like naps and time to myself.
If I won $100 million, I'd give half of it to my kids and grandkids, then spend the rest on a pink Mustang convertible, a new bungalow on an island with a hunky lover.
I never joined the Greek system...but I lived in Greece. I even married one.
My best friends would tell you I'm funny, but people who don't know me very well would probably describe me as quiet and quirky.
The one person from my past who I'd most like to see again is my first love, because I can..
If I could improve my home, I'd remodel my body and add on a good looking guy.. My dream home would be on the island..
I share my home with 2 cats, which I find entertaining.
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