Premo J. Pappafava

Premo J. Pappafava, 75, of Greensburg, died at home Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002, after courageously battling lung cancer for the past year. He was born Oct. 26, 1926, in Shirkleville, Ind., the son of the late Joseph and Ida Pappafava. Premo moved to Lowber in 1936. He attended Sewickley Township High School, where he starred in football and basketball and was an honor student, graduating in 1944. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force Aviation Cadet Program while attending Gettysburg College and served in the U.S. Air Force (discharged November 1945). His education was completed at Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University), graduating with a B.S. in chemical engineering. He was an honor student and starred in football. In 1948, after graduation, he accepted a job with Allied Chemical (now Allied Signal) as a chemical engineer. He worked for U.S. Steel in McKeesport for a brief period and went on to Firth Sterling Steel & Carbide Corp. in 1950, where he worked for 19 years as a research assistant, assistant manager of cermet research, manager of special products, general superintendent, manager of foreign operations and manager of long-range planning & engineering. In 1968, he founded General Carbide Corp. with headquarters in Greensburg, where he remained active in his role as CEO of the company until his death. His memberships and community activities included: the American Society for Metals, the Powder Metal Industries Federation, Cemented Carbide Producers Association, American Society of Carbide & Tool Engineers, the United States Cutting Tool Institute, the board of trustees of Seton Hill College, board member for Westmoreland County Community College Foundation, the Redevelopment Board of Westmoreland County, member of the Greensburg Country Club and a former board member, and a former board member of the Central Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce. He was also a member of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, where he served as a choir member and a member of the church committee. He received the highest award of the American Society for Metals in 1986 - the Industry Award. He received the ``William Hunt Eiseman Award' from the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society for Metals in 1981. He was noted for his knowledge of the carbide industry and was called upon to address technical groups of various technical societies as well as groups of scientists and engineers from industrial plants on the subject of cemented carbides. In November of 2000, Premo was recognized by the carbide industry for achieving 50 years of outstanding service. He was also the recipient of the Communities of Salt & Light Award for philanthropy, presented by the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Greensburg. Survivors include his wife of 44 years, formerly Lorraine Beddick of Herminie; two daughters, Mona Lynn of Irwin and Marcy Lynn of Aurora, Ohio; two sisters, Ada Heckman of McKeesport and Louise Zaverl of Lehigh Acres, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews. He will be deeply missed by his family and all of the employees at General Carbide. Friends will be received at the KEPPLE-GRAFT FUNERAL HOME INC., 524 N. Main St., Greensburg, Saturday and Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday at 10 a.m. in Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, Greensburg. Entombment in Greensburg Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Premo J. Pappafava Foundation, P.O. Box C, Greensburg, PA 15601. Terence L. Graft, funeral director, in charge.