Once again, there was a super response, and many more of our friends and neighbors have sent in responses and let us know where they are and in some cases, their memories of Duquesne. As promised, I will continue to post completed forms on the 1st and the 15th of each month. We LOVE hearing from you.

Just click the red link below and you’ll be able to fill out an info form about yourself. I will post your response in the next “Voices From Duquesne” posting.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE A FORM AND BE PART OF THE NEXT “VOICES FROM DUQUESNE” POST!

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Melissa “Mimi” Larkin

What is your married name? = Calhoun

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1976-1992

Where are you now? = Albuquerque, NM

Your Email Address = MelissaElizabeth13@hotmail.com

Questions, Comments and Feedback = I “grew up” in Duquesne, every weekend/summer at my grandma’s house on the corner of Kennedy Ave & Peter Street. I loved being able to be out in the neighborhood all day only to come home for lunch and dinner, eating it as fast I could. Getting a real ice cream cone from the ice cream man. Walking down all those steps on the way down to polish hill to go to the “big playground.” Hearing my name being called and running home, no cell phones needed. I went to The Hungarian Reformed Church. Kennywood is still, to this day my favorite place on earth.

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Cammy Airhart

What is your married name? = Vaughn

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1942-1970

Where are you now? = Trinity, Florida

Your Email Address = kemcammy@hotmail.com

Questions, Comments and Feedback = I have many wonderful memories growing up in Duquesne. We lived on Peter Street. Thanks to you, it is like going back. You have brought up so many special places, people and times that we can relate to past experiences. One that I can remember is walking from Peter Street out to the slag dump. I carried my father’s shot gun to take rifle practice. That would have been in the 50’s. Don’t think you would get past your front gate now carrying a shot gun. How times have changed.

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Jacquelyn Liposky

What is your married name? = Jacquelyn Ando

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1959-1978

Where are you now? = Munhall Pa.

Your Email Address = jackieando55@yahoo.com

Questions, Comments and Feedback = Just correcting my last posting.

What is your first and last name? = George DeVirgilio

Where are you now? = Mesa, AZ

Your Email Address = cwhepkat@cox.net

Questions, Comments and Feedback = Although I did not live in Duquesne, my dad (George Divirgilio)and step mom (Margaret Ondechek) are buried in Duquesne in the Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery at the top of the hill. A lot of the Ondecheks are interred there too. I lived across the river in McKeesport on Bowman Ave., just above the Duquesne bridge.

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Denise “Dee Dee” Ponist

What is your married name? = Tovlin

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1951-2005

Where are you now? = White Oak–moving to Elizabeth next month

Your Email Address = dtovlin@comcast.net

Questions, Comments and Feedback = Enjoying this trip down memory lane. So jealous at how clear your memories are! Thanks for “refreshing” mine.

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Sara (Sally) Cusick

What is your married name? = Brown, Sara

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1941 – 1967

Where are you now? = Santee, CA

Your Email Address = sarabrown2008@gmail.com

Questions, Comments and Feedback = I have always considered myself very blessed to have grown up in Duquesne…of course, I didn’t know it at the time.

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Deanne Harris

What is your married name? = Seese

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1945-1978 and 1992-2008

Where are you now? = White Oak, PA

Your Email Address = dseese1150@comcast.net

Questions, Comments and Feedback = St. Joseph School, grad 1 thru 8 I was Edwina Harris. Grade 9 at Duquesne Jr. High I was still Edwina Harris. Grade 10 thru 12 I used Deanne Harris

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Betty Pucci

What is your married name? = Rubinsak

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1950 thru 1964 then again in 1970 to 1977

Where are you now? = West Mifflin, Pa

Questions, Comments and Feedback = I love reminiscing about the “Good Old Days” in Duquesne. What a great place to grow up. I grew up in the 3rd Ward on Oak Street. Everyone knew everyone and you could go “downstreet”(That’s what we called going shopping down on 1st street) We walked everywhere and we were not afraid. Does anyone remember the dress shop that was located on the corner of 2nd St and Grant Ave?

It was not always Adler’s. The State Store was next to “Elsie’s” on Grant Ave in the 60’s. Lemon phosphates and cherry cokes at all the “drug stores” that had soda fountains. Schultz’s Restaurant had the best stew. My Gramma cooked there and I got to eat there as a small child. What a treat.

Your name? = Barry Long

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1935-1953

Where are you now? = Honolulu (7months), Kirkland, WA(5months)

Your Email Address = barrylong35@yahoo.com

Your name? = Anthony Chepanoske

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1945-Present

Where are you now? = Duquesne, PA

Your Email_\ Address = tony.chep@comcast.net

Questions, Comments and Feedback = Still belong to Christ The Light Of The World Parish (formerly Holy Name Church). I now do the flower display in front of the big sign since Mr. Valentovish retired.

Your name? = Jack (John) Berta

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1944-1963 and 1967-1968

Where are you now? = Trafford, Pa

Your Email Address = jbert2504@comcast.net

Questions, Comments and Feedback = Thank you Jim for doing this blog and thanks to all those who have responded to it. I grew up on Hill Street across from the Crawford School. Went to Holy Trinity Catholic School and graduated from DHS in 1962. Hung out at the Crawford School until it was torn down and then at the Duke upholstery shop at the top of Center Street on the corner of Crawford and Hill street. I always thought Duquesne was a great place to grow up. Never realized so many others felt the same or had similar memories. Some of you must remember the great fish sandwiches from Union Grill at the corner of Crawford and Fifth street. Each neighborhood had it’s special place for great food. On each corner there were bars or mom and pop markets or churches.

I enjoy reading about the memories all of you have shared.

The truly amazing thing is that this blog allows us to bring memories to it to share.

Duquesne, thanks for the memories!

Jim, thanks for the memories!

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Gloria Adams

What is your married name? = now Garbart, before Yunn

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1945-1973

Where are you now? = South Fayette, PA

Questions, Comments and Feedback = Remembering passing Betty’s Bakery on Grant Ave. to go dancing on Friday nights at the American Legion. Also, remembering dancing at the Vets.

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Dana Burda

What is your married name? = Hanna

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1972

Where are you now? = South Park, PA

Your Email Address = piccoladb@gmail.com

Questions, Comments and Feedback = my mom is Rosemarie Burda and my dad – the late Gary Burda. Best parents ever. Brother Joshua – best lil’ brother! My grandmother and great-grandparents lived in Duquesne. Mr grandother – Rose Fagan – 94 years old still lives in Duquesne. My grandfather – Salvatore “Sam”; Renda lived on Catherine Street. House is no longer there. Many family members that lived and still live in “The Duke”. I have many wonderful memories. Picking dad up from work – The Duquesne Mill – watching the train go by waiting for him from the night shift. Revco! Isaly’s! I can go on and on.

Your name? = Mel Monkelis

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1956-1968

Where are you now? = Bellingham, WA

Your Email Address = mmonkelis@yahoo.com

Questions, Comments and Feedback = I very much enjoyed growing up in Duquesne. It was still the time to know all of your neighbors, and I mean all of them. Veland’s was a favorite little corner store on Ferndale Ave., as well as a small candy store called “M & M’s.” Does anybody remember that candy store, on the corner of Aurilles Ave. and Wylie. If we collected a few “pop” bottles from the alleys in town, we could have candy for the rest of the day. Mr. Veland wound up buying our house on Cochran Ave. in 1968, the year I left. In those days, the city would block off streets to allow kids to sled ride.

Living on Cochran Ave., a winter pastime would be watching the cars try to make it up the hill, after the city spread coal on the streets to help on the ice. It was so funny watching these cars get about 3/4 up the hill, then start to slide back, sparks coming out from their tires that were spinning on ice, coal, and then broken tire chains!

I’d really like to connect with classmates from Holy Trinity Elementary School, which was on Whitfield St. between 3rd and 4th. If anybody has an idea of how to get a roster of classmates, that’d be neat.

Your name? = Rick Burton

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1945 to 1970

Where are you now? = Meridian, MS

Your Email Address = rick.mtmusa@gmail.com

Questions, Comments and Feedback = We lived at 208 Wilmont Street until 1956 then we moved to 443 Catherine Street. Both houses were torn down the last time I was there in 2004. Graduated DHS 1964. So many good memories of playing with friends in the neighborhoods, at Polish Hill, Nickly Hollow and many other parts of town – until the street lights came on that is.

So sad to see what remains of the city when I visited in 2004.

Your Name? = Bob Cusick

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1946 to 1968

Where are you now? = Enfield, NH

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Denise Rusnak

What is your married name? = Pommer

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1960-1985 2010-current

Where are you now? = Duquesne

Questions, Comments and Feedback = I grew up on Peter St. I have so many good memories from those days. Duquesne was a good place to grow up. I remember going to “Johnny’s”, Kennedy Meat Market, Kroger’s. Does anyone remember the playground on Goldstrohm Lane? There used to be concerts in the park, Halloween parades, just a lot of fun things to do. Your pictures remind me of things my father used to tell us about Duquesne. Keep them coming, the blog is great!!

Your name? = BOB MOMEYER

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1960-1985 AND 1988-1990

Where are you now? = PETERS TWP PA

Questions, Comments and Feedback = just learned of this site. i miss duquesne and all the friendly people. best childhood anyone could have.i wish my kids was so fortunate. all i see now is empty ball fields and playgrounds here. i was outside from morning till night. most of the kids had to be home when the st. lights came on. we had a game i loved we called tic tak,knock on people’s doors and run like hell. That’s about as bad as we got. from my window at night while going to sleep i could hear the trains hitching down in nickly hollow and kennywood’s knighty knight song. i hope the old gang from ross st tommy, marie, mike, ricky, joe, patsy and even my fav bully jimmy are all well and happy.

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Audrey Rosenbusch

What is your married name? = Audrey John

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1935-1958

Where are you now? = Latrobe PA

Your Email Address = clancysix@yahoo.com

Questions, Comments and Feedback = More Remembering;

1. Roller skating on the sidewalks around St. Joseph’s Church.

2. Air Raid Drills during WW II. When the siren sounded, we had to turn all the lights off and go to the cellar with a flashlight (curtains were on the cellar windows) and wait until the “All Clear” siren sounded. Once at St. Joseph’s school we had an air raid drill during the day and we went into the tunnel between the school and the church.

3. Collecting tin cans for the war effort. The schools had boxes to collect them in. Aluminum and brass were especially wanted.

4. Ration stamps and the little red cardboard “point” used as fractions of a stamp. Also, the window sticker on cars, designating their priority to obtain gasoline. Our car had a “B” classification. Even tires were rationed. My aunt kept a hand written journal for me on the progress of the war. One of the things she listed was things that money could not buy, such as American made watches, alarm clocks, rubber boots, faucets made of brass or copper, no chrome or nickel plated items, sleds with steel runners, Christmas tree lights and wiring, nylon stockings, electric refrigerators, electric irons, canvas gloves and garbage cans. Candy bars and chewing gum, when available, were “one to a customer”. I also helped my aunt sell savings bonds in front of Murphy’s 5 and 10 during the war.

5. In 1950, The 30 inches of snow over thanksgiving week end, sledding from 6th Street down Kennedy Avenue, it was fun. Pulling the sled back up wasn’t.

What was your first and last name when you lived in Duquesne = Doris Kennedy

What is your married name? = Larsh

When did you live in Duquesne? = 1948-1986

Where are you now? = Edenton, NC

Your Email Address = dlarsh64@gmail.com

Questions, Comments and Feedback = Some of my fondest memories are going to Kennywood with my next door neighbor Claudia and my friends Phyllis and Virginia