The Class of 1948 celebrates their 30th reunion.
The second person on the left in the second
row is Phyllis (Turano) Koch; Shirley (Gaghan)
Kotchey is in the second row on the far right;
Frank Montemurro is in the third row on the far
right; and Ann (Ierovante) D’Angelo is the fourth
person from the right in the third row.
BIRTHDAY
SURPRISE FOR
CAFETERIA
MONITOR
T
he day Phyllis McCune turned 90
she went to work in the high school
cafeteria, just like any other day. But
when she arrived, she was greeted with
“SURPRISE!” shouted by several of her coworkers,
along with a special birthday cake.
Responding to her look of genuine appreciation,
someone exclaimed, “This is how special you are!” To
which Phyllis replied, “Ha! I must be!”
A retired Fox Chapel Area nutrition center worker,
Phyllis continues to work as a cafeteria monitor
because, “It gets me up in the morning and gives me
a purpose in life.” She said she enjoys working in the
cafeteria and that, “these kids are my life.”
Many of the students greeted Phyllis with birthday
wishes and signed a card. “All the kids love Phyllis,”
said Emma Dieffenbach, the high school dean of
students.
Phyllis said that, since her family is gone, the surprise
meant even more to her. “They’re looking down and
smiling,” she said.
Fox Chapel Area | Summer 2016 | icmags.com 23
FOX C HAP E L ARE A SC HOOL N E WS
Frank pointed out that Ann and her
husband, Vincent (also a Sharpsburg
High School graduate and now deceased),
were involved in the planning of the
Grand Reunion that was held at the
downtown convention center in 1988
to celebrate all of the graduates of
Sharpsburg High School
from 1920 through 1970.
Sharpsburg closed after
1970 due to the merger
with the Fox Chapel
Area School District.
More than 1,100 people
attended the Saturday
dinner dance, the
get‑acquainted evening
the night before, and a
family picnic on Sunday
The Class of 1948 at their 1959 reunion. Back row, far right, is
of the grand reunion
Vincent D’Angelo, one of the original members of the group. To
weekend. Ann was largely
his left is Frank Montemurro. The sixth person from the left in the
responsible for the
back row is Ann (Ierovante) D’Angelo.
research that went into
organizes a memorial tribute to all of the
finding and contacting the
grads from the years 1947-1950 at a local
Sharpsburg alumni for the reunion.
church. A member of each of the four
Members of the group all agreed that
classes stands up and reads off the names
the merger with the Fox Chapel Area
of all of the deceased from his or her
School District brought wonderful
class. After the gathering, they all have
opportunities for Sharpsburg young
breakfast in the church basement.
people, but said that perhaps there may
As they continued to reminisce, Loretta
not be the same sense of closeness
said, “We’re the oldest people here.” The
in a larger school district. They talked
others piped in, “We’re the oldest people
about how each September, one of the
anywhere!”
Sharpsburg alums from the class of 1949
Fox Chapel Area
of years but moved back to Sharpsburg
and has lived in the old Sharpsburg High
School, now renovated into apartments,
for about 16 years.