Joseph M. “Red” Roman II
Joseph M. “Red” Roman II, 98, of Zelienople passed away Thursday after having some heart issues.
He was born at home in Homestead on May 29, 1917. He was the first son of the late Joseph M. and Mary S. Roman of Harmony.
He was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools for the first few years of education. He only spoke Slovak when he started school and would teach his parents English at home. He later attended Whitaker and Homestead Public School.
When he was about 6 years old, he was at his Uncle Joe's farm in Industry for the annual family Fourth of July picnic. By a tree, his cousin Joey and his faithful horse were struck by lightning.
In 1935, his parents bought a 100-acre farm in Harmony. In his early 20s, Joe went looking for his younger brother, Andy, who he found in Mingo Junction, Ohio, where he had been struck by a train. Jimmy, his youngest son, was involved in a drowning accident, and his great-granddaughter, Chelsey, was killed in a car accident.
In 1940, he got married at St. Gregory Roman Catholic Church in Zelienople to Pauline E. Urban Roman from Homeville after she completed her course in nursing.
He attended Schwab Vocational in Homestead for mechanical engineering, working at various machine shops and a foreman for over 300 men. In his spare time, he built his first home in West Mifflin. In the 1950s, he started his own shop and, at times, had 16 employees. Also working at Westinghouse, he had the highest security clearance at that time on the nuclear Nautilus Submarine Project under Admiral Rickover. Joe was also the captain of the fire department at Westinghouse Atomic Power at the Bettis Plant.
Joe went on vacation and took six weeks to drive across the United States with a trailer, taking his recently widowed mother.
In the early 60s, he moved his family and his shop to Zelienople and retired from Westinghouse. He continued to do machine work and even patented a tool. Joe was involved in many patented ideas, including making prototypes and all aspects of developing, repairing and producing machine parts.
Joe taught himself computer skills in the 1980s and worked with Zivic-Miller Laboratories in developing all the matrix, slicers and cannulas for inspection, which are used in the medical field. About 30 versions of his product are still being made today.
He loved a challenge and enjoyed taking things apart. Joe also enjoyed amateur radio, hearing when Roberto Clemente's plane called out for distress. Among other things he loved gardening and animals. He enjoyed spending time at home and having his shot and a beer everyday.
He leaves behind to cherish his memory one daughter, Carol Jakub of Pittsburgh; three sons, Thomas (Irene) Roman of Rochester, Raymond Roman of Portersville and Joseph Roman III of Zelienople; one brother, George Roman of Harmony; one sister, Joan Phillips; nine grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to his parents, Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline E. Urban Roman, who died on Feb. 29, 2004; his son, James F. Roman, who died in 1979; his brother, Andrew Roman, who died in 1937; his sister and brother-in-law, Margaret and Clifford Baker; his grandson, Bernie Jakub; and his great-granddaughter, Chelsey Roman.
ROMAN — The family of Joseph M. “Red” Roman II, who died Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, will welcome friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Boylan Funeral Home, 324 E. Grandview Ave., Zelienople.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the St. Gregory Catholic Church, 2 W. Beaver St., Zelienople, with the Rev. Michael Roche officiating.Joe will be laid rest in the St. Gregory Cemetery in Zelienople.Memorial donations may be made in his honor to the Harmony E.M.S., 102 Mennonite Lane, Harmony, PA 16037 or the St. Gregory Catholic School, 115 Pine St., Zelienople, PA 16063.Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.boylanfuneralservices.com.
