First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh

Meet Some People from our Congregation

Photo of Young Adult Group participants who attended dinner at the home of Joe & Marilyn Cosetti

	Katherine "Kittie" Verdolini Abbott grew up on a farm in Flemington, N.J., daughter of Ed and Rose Tuller (Ed was the General Secretary of the American Baptist Churches from 1959-1970 and worked extensively in the civil rights movement). An avid vocal performer since her youth, Kittie initially majored in vocal performance at Indiana University until a vocal injury caused her to switch majors. Her bachelor's degree ended up being in Italian and German with junior and senior years in IU's foreign study program in Bologna, Italy. She stayed in Italy, performing and recording, for several more years and picked up the equivalent of a master's degree in Music History at the University of Ferrara along the way. She then returned to the U.S. where she completed an M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology (Indiana University) and a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science (Washington University). Since then she has held faculty positions at the University of Iowa, Harvard Medical School, and since 2001, the University of Pittsburgh where she works in the department of Communication Science and Disorders. The bulk of her current work is research and mentoring of doctoral students. She also sees patients clinically and travels quite extensively offering workshops to clinicians. She is married to Tom Abbott, and has two stepdaughters, Kacey and Kelsey Abbott. The Abbott family has a real "zoo" of pets including a Border Collie/Shepherd dog Cubby, and 7 cats, Bitsy, Kibbles, Jody, Cubbycat, Tazzie, Nellie, and Molly. "No outfit is complete without cat or dog hairs" is the going motto. Both Kittie and Tom are competitive runners and spend considerable time training. Kittie also enjoys eating out. She has been attending Pittsburgh First Baptist Church since 2001, when she first came to Pittsburgh. She is slowly working her way through a Master of Divinity program at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, part time. She will be joining the Young Adult Group for the first time this Fall 2011, to assist with Bible Study.
	Eleanor P Anderson grew up in Falconer, New York, and graduated from Falconer High School. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Houghton College in New York and took graduate courses at the College of Graduate Studies in Charleston, West Virginia to prepare her for a career as an elementary school teacher. She met Andrew "Andy" Anderson at his sister's house and they married June 14, 1947 and they had three children. Laurie lives in Pittsburgh and her daughters Shirley and Linda are deceased. She was a pastor's wife for almost 50 years and when she relocated to Pittsburgh from Erie, she joined First Baptist Church in 2009. Eleanor has organized several activities for the women and is one of the leaders of the Women's Group. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, music, plants and flowers, email and has eleven great-grandchildren.
	Betty Batie
	Eugene "Gene" Boss grew up in Monroeville. He attended school in the Allegheny County Special system in Churchill and Monreoville and graduated from Sunrise in the 1980's. He works at the Monroeville Giant Eagle as a bagger and volunteers at Mercy Hospital two days a week. He is an usher at First Baptist Church and in his spare time he enjoys photography, traveling, watching TV, spending time with the family and playing with the family dogs.
	Lester Boss was born in Pittsburgh but grew up on Cape Cod until he was twelve when he lived in Cleveland then Pittsburgh. He graduated from Shadyside High School and went to the University of Pittsburgh where he received his degree in Physics and Engineering in 1952. He met Gussie Marshall through the Roger Williams Fellowship at First Baptist Church. They married in June 1953 and have children, Peggy, Janet, Marshall and Gene. Lester worked at Westinghouse as a manufacturing enginner before retiring in the mid-1980's. Lester enjoys traveling and working on the computer where he definitely prefers a MAC. At First Baptist, he serves as a Trustee and the church's "web apprectice". He has also served as a deacon, attended Wednesday Bible Studies and together, he and Gussie produce the monthly church newsletter. Gussie Marshall Boss was born near Ellwood City and grew up in Western Pennsylvania including Westmoreland and Indiana Counties. She graduated from Blairsville High School in 1949 and later from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Physical Education. She met Lester Boss at a get together in Homestead at the home of a mutual friend, although they both attended a Roger Williams Fellowship at First Baptist Church. When Lester loaded up the mini car, a Crosley, to drive people home, he made sure that Gussie sat next to him and the rest is history. They married in June 1953 and had children, Peggy, Janet, Marshall and Gene. Gussie spent most of her teaching career in Wilkinsburg teaching Physical Education and general seventh grade science. At First Baptist Church, she coordinates the coffee hour hosts, acts as church clerk and deacon and has also attended Wednesday Bible Studies and helped with the nursery renovation. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, spending time with family, dog shows, and agility training and showing of border and Norfolk terriers.
	Floyd and Sister Lula Mae Butler
	Kay Chute
	Donald "Donnie" Cooper grew up in the Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh where he attended Gladstone schools. He later served in the US Marine Corps in Hawaii. He has five sisters and four brothers and currently lives with his mother, Marie Taylor, in Greenfield. He has been attending First Baptist Church since about 2005 and is also a part of the Saturday Praise and Prayer worship service. He likes hearing the choir sing, especially when there used to be more church members singing. In his spare time, he enjoys amusements parks, watching TV, listening to music and visiting with friends and family.
	The Honorable Joseph and Marilyn Cosetti
	David Crosbie
	Alan Davidson
	Rev. Gary W. Denning grew up on a farm in Madison, Indiana, and paid his way through college at the University of Louisville raising pigs and doing cement work. He later attended seminary at the International Baptist Seminary at Rüschlikon in Switzerland. He is currently the senior pastor at First Baptist Church and has joined the Young Adult Group for several activities including the Global Links service projects, digital scavenger hunt in Allegheny Cemetery, window painting at Children’s Hospital, and Tea and Trivia evening. He is a vital part of Vacation Bible School and was instrumental in constructing a boat that was used last year and will be the central theme of future Vacation Bible School activities. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting the family farm to pick mushrooms in the springtime and European museums. He has two daughters and a grandson, Will, who often spends time with him in the summer.
	Lillian Dent
	Ogle Burks Duff grew up in Charleston, West Virginia, where she graduated from Garnet High School. She later received a Bachelor of Science in Eduction from West Virginia State College, a Master's degree at Marshall University and a PhD in English Education from the University of Pittsburgh where she taught for many years before retiring. She has two daughter, Andrea Renee and Yvonne Marie. Ogle came to First Baptist in the 1980's, often hosts coffee hour and is the driving force behind the African American Read-In held each February during Black History Month. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, theater, football and other sports.
	Aundrea Duff
	Paul Edwards Delease Edwards
	Najiv Edwards
	Destiny Fisher
	Thomas and Eleanor Fisher
	Joe Filloy and Carmen Jones-Filloy
	Ed and Mary Floyd Mary Floyd grew up in Orange County, Virginia and Dallas, Texas, where she graduated from Highland Park High School. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from William and Mary, a Master of Arts from Oxford University and a Master of Arts from the University if Michigan before settling in Pittsburgh. She met her husband, Edwin Floyd, at a Phi Beta Kappa meeting and they married in 1967. They have four children, Ted, John, Cathy and Richard and Mary enjoys being "grandmary" to nine young grandchildren. She and Ed came to First Baptist Church in 1967 and has served in almost every area at one time of another. She often hosts coffee hour and served the dessert course at the Young Adult Progressive Dinner in the fall of 2009. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and being a docent at Phipps Conservatory as her interests include plants, environmental issues, folk music and hymns. She likes silly musical instruments like slie whistles, ocarinos, harmonicas and she has a wonderful kazoo collection.
	Casey Gnage has participated in Bible Studies and in several activities with the Young Adult Group including the Cook’s Forest hike, window painting at Children’s Hospital, and Tea and Trivia evening. Casey was raised as a Catholic by his family in Warren, Pennsylvania, and credits his faith in Christ to his grandmother, Rose, who lived with his family for about a year when he was just five, while his mother was hospitalized. She was the only person who ever talked to him about Jesus. While he was in school at Point Park University, a Christian friend offered to buy him a Bible if he would read it. A few years later, Casey took him up on the offer and began by reading the Book of John, then the New Testament, and finally the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Having a renewed interest in faith, he began watching and listening to various television and radio ministries and eventually began looking for a church. When he looked in the yellow pages, he was shocked to find that there was a Baptist church only a few blocks away that he never noticed; he has been at First Baptist Church ever since. Today, Casey works in Pittsburgh’s vibrant Cultural District as the Facilities Finance Manager for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. He serves as a Deacon, Trustee, Controller, and part-time gardener at First Baptist Church; in addition, he serves as a board member for both the American Baptist Foundation and the Pittsburgh Baptist Association.
	Van Beck Hall grew up in small towns in West Virginia and Ohio and graduated from Oberlin College and later the University of Wisconsin at Madison where he earned his doctorate in History. He was in the US Air Force in the late 1950's where he met his wife, Paula, and they have two children, William and Elizabeth. Van Beck currently teaches at the University of Pittsburgh and particularly enjoys teaching classes on the Civil War. He came to First Baptist Church in the 1980's and joined because he was asked to be a member of the Board of Trustees. He currently serves as the president of the Board of Trustees and chairs the planning committee. He has participated in the Global Links service project twice with the young adults, hosted the young adults for a Progressive Dinner and serves as a regular coffee hour host. In his spare time, he enjoys reading military history but has yet to read about a war he would like to be in. Paula Rapp Hall grew up in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where she attended Catholic church and schools. One of the things that shaped her life was her father's death the day after her seventh birthday. This made her more responsible when her mother went to work and very focused on spiritual things. She graduated from Kent State University with a degree in History and English and later a Master's degree in English. She joined the Air Force where she met her husband, Van Beck Hall; they have two children, William and Elizabeth. She also earned a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh and worked as a reference librarian for the Carnegie Library system in Oakland and Squirrel Hill. She has participated in the Global Links service project with the young adults, hosted the young adults for a Progressive Dinner and serves as a regular coffee hour hostess. In her spare time, she enjoys reading religious materials and non-fiction, and backyard flower gardening which is especially beautiful in the spring.
	Jack Hedenburg grew up in Oakland and attended the Frick, Schenley and Peabody schools. He also attended the University of Pittsburgh where he received his BS, MS and PhD in Chemistry. His college career was interrupted by WWII where he served in the Army Infantry in France and Germany and was wounded in action in France when a mortar shell fragment landed near his eye. He married Jean Morrow in December 1946 during a long break from school and they had three children, Suzanne, Jacqueline and Don. Jean was the sister of one of his high school friends and he was surprised that she had outgrown her pigtails when he returned from the Army. He worked for 12 years at Mellon Institute while getting his graduate degrees and later retired from Gulf Oil Research. He joined First Baptist Church at age 13 after his mother died and he has served as the Chairman of the Church Council, as aTrustees and a deacon, worked with young adults, led adult Bible study, hosted coffee hours and served as comptroller and wrote the financial program that the church used until recently. In his spare time, he enjoys going out to eat and Bible study online and in books, particularly studying the origins of Christianity.
	Anthony Hita delivered his first sermon on May 24, 2009, at First Baptist Church, his second on September 13, 2009 and his third on April 18, 2010. Anthony is graduating with honors in the spring of 2010 from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Political Science with a minor in Religious Studies. He graduated from Hickory High School in 2006 in his hometown of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, and is currently a candidate for ordination to ministry in the Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. He plans to attend Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in the fall and is the third-generation of his family to attend Pitt and the fourth-generation of his family to answer the call to ministry. His father and stepmother are both doctors, and he is the son of a first-generation immigrant from Mexico and still has many relatives living there. His mother and stepfather, with whom he was raised, are both teachers and his stepfather is now head coach of Hickory High School, in Hermitage, PA, after being a college football coach for Thiel College in Greenville, PA for 13 years.
	Nancy Swanson Holman grew up in Wilkinsburg, graduated from Wilkinsburg High School and attended the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) in 1949 - 1950 where she majored in Business. She met Bob Holman on a blind date and they were married in 1952. He passed away in 1996. Their sons, Mark and Bob, both attended IUP as well. Mark studied Political Science and is a trustee at IUP and was the Chief of Staff in Governor Ridge's office. Bob majored in Safety Science and works for Merck. Nancy worked at Westinghouse when her children were in college and currently works at LC Hillman as a secretary. She grew up at First Baptist Church and was married by Dr. Mosely. She was a deacon for a short time and is a regular coffee hour hostess. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys reading mysteries and historical novels and has wide-ranging tastes in movies. Recently she attended Tom Ridge's book signing.
	Sean King
	Curtis W "Curt" Kovach grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Edwin Danby High School. He received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Wayne State University and a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and is a retired metallurgical engineer. He married "the girl next door" Fran Czak and he has two children, Jenifer E. Sproule and Kathleen L. Weyand. He came to First Baptist Church in 1960 and has served in many roles over the years but his most memorable are his membership in the choir and leading the Junior High School group. His interests include music, piano, literature, history, politics, ice skating and building things. At the present, he is trying to preserve himself so that he can play with his four grandchildren.
	CT Matthews
	Sam, Kate and Miles Musselman
	Ellen Price
	Rev. Dr. D.J. Quirin is a retired United Methodist minister who continues his personal neighborhood "street" ministry in Arnold, PA. He gives a Bible to any child or adult who "promises to read it and stay away from drugs". He also gives counseling when requested. He is a member of the Biblical Archaeology Society of Pittsburgh. He and his wife, Margot, joined First Baptist Church in 2009 and assist with hosting coffee hour. Margot Quirin (pronounced "Margo") retired in July 2009 from the Commercial Banking Department of PNC. She keeps busy with her three grandchildren and sewing projects. She and her husband, D.J., joined First Baptist Church in 2009 and assist with hosting coffee hour. She and her grandchildren joined the Young Adults in Christmas caroling at Pressley Senior Hi-Rise.
	Thomas Raglin grew up in Pittsburgh, where he has attended First Baptist Church since he was four years old and was baptized when he was thirteen. He has participated in the Global Links service project with the young adults and is a regular volunteer with Vacation Bible School and a coffee hour host. Thomas graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in June where he particiapted in "Summer in the City" at Point Park University. In high school, he started a comedy club called the Chocolate Parade, was on the advisory board for student affairs, and participated in the Pittsburgh Partnership program. He enjoys hanging out with his friends, playing video games, and making digital shorts. In the Fall of 2009, he began classes at California University of Pennsylvania to pursue
	Evalyn Marie Toulouse Redman grew up in McDonald, Pennsylvania, in Washington County and attended schools there. Her father was from France and her mother was Lithuanian. She had two brothers and three sisters including a sister, Dorothy, who was the reason that she eventually relocated to Pittsburgh where she met her husband, Robert Redman.
	Pinkie Hill Reed grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, and married her childhood sweetheart, McDonald Reed, in 1959. They were married for 35 years. They came to Pittsburgh in 1960 and Pinkie attended the University of Pittsburgh where she received a BS in Vocational Distributive Education with a minor in Psychology in 1973 and late a Master of Education degree. Pinkie was appointed by Mayor Richard S. Caliguiri to the Pittsburgh Commission of Human Relations and served as commissioner for eight years. She was the director of the Pittsburgh School District Head Start program for 25 years and opened the Head Start/Early Childhood Center at First Baptist. She also serves as a coffee hour hostess. Pinkie is the mother of three children, Derrick, Kimberly and Lashond and the grandmother of Dominique, Thomas and Destiny.
	Betty Labas Ruck grew up all over the city of Pittsburgh and attended Frick School for eight years and graduated from Schenley High School. She attended Community College of Allegheny County and received a degree in Child Care and has worked at Volkwein's and as an xray technician at West Penn where she developed film. She married Burt Hamel and had four children, Karen, Jimmy, Thomas and Mary Ellen and seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She began to take flute lessons when she was in eighth grade after starting out playing the recorder. Betty spent her formative years at First Baptist Church where she attended the Baptist Youth Fellowship and Camp Corbly. She attended a Catholic church for many years but returned to First Baptist in 2005 where she regularly attends services and Bible Study and Sunday School before her health worsened. In her spare time, she collects Barbie dolls and enjoys crocheting outfits for them. Last Christmas she accompanied the Young Adults on the flute as they sang at her apartment when they visited her hi-rise for Christmas caroling.
	George Scharpf grew up on the Northside of Pittsburgh and attended Oliver High School where he met Gwen Heuer in Triginometry class. He graduated from Carnegie Tech with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1952 and married Gwen that same year. They have four children, George, Robert, Marjorie and Amy. George worked at Westinghouse for most of his career and retired from there in 1992. The Scharpf's live in the Regent Square area but also have a home in Florida that they visit during the winter months. They attended Wilkinsburg Baptist Church until coming to First Baptist in the mid-2000's where they help with the church newsletter mailings and are regular hosts at coffee hour. George also serves on the Church Council. In his spare time, fixing things, yard work, working on their new Florida residence and visiting with their eleven grandchildren. Gwen Heuer Scharpf grew up on the Northside of Pittsburgh and attended Oliver High School where she met her husband, George Scharpf, in Triginometry class. She attended Grove City University before marrying George in 1952 and having four children, George, Robert, Marjorie and Amy.She attended LaRoche College for five years and then finished her degree in Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh in 1975. The Scharpf's live in the Regent Square area but also have a home in Florida that they visit during the winter months. They attended Wilkinsburg Baptist Church until coming to First Baptist in the mid-2000's where they help with the church newsletter mailings and are regular hosts at coffee hour. In her spare time, Gwen enjoys quilting, knitting, gardening and visiting with their eleven grandchildren.
	Leslie Smedley grew up in Pittsburgh where she attended Peabody High School. She received her Bachelor of Arts at Penn State and her bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts at the University of Pittsburgh where she is currently a study abroad advisor. Leslie came to First Baptist Church about 20 years ago and has served on a variety of committes including the Music and Concert committees and now the Vibracy committee. She has helped with vacation Bible School as well as "BYOB" events. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, exercise and travel and have circumvented the glove twice on a ship. In her travels, she has also climed the world's highest church spire.
	Edith "Marie" Taylor grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Gladstone and Taylor Allderice schools. She is a homemaker and has ten children that include five boys and five girls: James, William, Ronald, Donald, Victoria, Lydia, Richard, Lina, Georgetta and Laura. She came to First Baptist Church in 1994 and has assisted with making puppets and crafts for Vacation Bible School. In her spare time, she enjoys sewing, reading the Bible and visiting her children and grandchildren.

A House of Prayer for All People . . . Come, Grow in Faith!