Travel with a Beveridge: Going to miss you Babe

Monday, February 21, 2011

Going to miss you Babe

Click here to read the Observer-Reporter feature obituary of Thomas Gregg Sypula, 60, of Canton Township, Pa., who died yesterday en route to cover a story.

Click here to view a touching WTAE-TV video about Tommy.

The funeral home obituary:

Thomas Gregg Sypula, 60, of Washington, died unexpectedly Sunday, February 20, 2011, in Canonsburg General Hospital, of an apparent heart attack.

He was born November 16, 1950, in Tarentum, a son of June L. McAllister Sypula of Natrona Heights and the late Albert Thomas Sypula.

Mr. Sypula was a member of Immaculate Conception Church.

He graduated from Tarentum High School in 1968. While at Tarentum High School, he was a standout football and baseball player and also played basketball. He then attended Kansas State University prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy. During his service in the Navy, Mr. Sypula received the National Defense Service Medal. He served on the USS Hornet in 1969, which was the ship that participated in the retrieval of the Apollo 12 Space Capsule.

Mr. Sypula loved photography and videography. He loved being the first man on the scene to cover a news story. Mr. Sypula was a self-employed photographer and videographer providing coverage for several Pittsburgh news stations.

He was an avid sports fan. From 1989 until 2009, he produced football films for Washington High School and then for Canon-McMillan High School.

Mr. Sypula enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews. He loved his children, Tommy and Sara, and his wife, Charlotte. Mr. Sypula was a devoted family man and a friend to many.

On June 23, 1979, he married his high school sweetheart, Charlotte Demma ,who survives.
Also surviving are a daughter, Sara (Rico Dillard) Sypula of Beechview; three brothers, Lynn (Janice) Sypula of Creighton, Kim (Michelle) Sypula of Peters Township and Chuck Sypula of Natrona Heights; a sister-in-law, Rosemary (Gene) Trenski of Freeport; a brother-in-law, Michael (Joan) Demma of Fort Collins, Colo.; and eight nieces and nephews, Gina, Joe, Eric and Kaila Sypula, Jonathan (Ashley) Trenski, Michael Demma, Michelle (Mike) Jones and Kristine (Ray) Medrano.

In addition to his father, deceased is his son, Tommy M. Sypula.

Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Warco-Falvo Funeral Home Inc., Wilson at East Katherine avenues, Washington, S. Timothy Warco, supervisor/director, Susan Falvo Warco, director, S. Timothy Warco II, director. A prayer service will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, February 25, in the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in Immaculate Conception Church, West Chestnut Street, Washington, with the Rev. William P. Feeney, pastor as celebrant. Burial will follow in Washington Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make memorial contributions may do so to the Washington High School Scholarship Fund in Memory of Tommy M. Sypula, in care of Charlotte Sypula, 132 Laddie Drive, Washington, PA 15301. Online condolences may be expressed at www.WarcoFalvoFuneralHome.com.

No comments:

Post a Comment

WELCOME TO NOWHERE

Scott Beveridge grew up in Webster, Pa., a village along the Monongahela River that experienced one of worst environmental nightmares in the United States. His family moved there in 1960 about the same time the nearby zinc and steel mills ceased production. Those mill furnaces were to blame for the damages that awoke America to the dangers of air pollution. After their demise, the grass and trees began to return to the barren landscape that appeared as if it belonged on the moon. His short stories about that adventure appear under these links: Introduction: The warning signs were there

Part 1: Where the houses turned black - The murders killed our reputation - Steel wives were desperate - A cantankerous boom town - Dying for fresh air - A railroad to disaster

Part 2: Bad boys of Webster - The seedy side of town - Swept out the door - A storm was brewing - The search for plant life - Little hope for Donora - Another mill folds

Scott sends dirty clothes home when on the road

If you are like him when you travel, your clothes seem to take up more space in your suitcase after you have worn them. Take a tip from Scotty and mail yourself a package home filled with those dirty socks, underwear and T-shirts after you have been on the road for five or six days. You can buy a box and enough postage at the post office for less than $15. Postal workers seem to get a kick out of the idea, and they will even help you fold your box and tape it closed, too. Seek out a post office in a small town, where the workers have more time to gossip, while driving to a tourist destination. Now, you have room in your carryon to cart home your souvenirs, without having to worry about them getting broken or flown to St. Louis when your switchover is aiming for Pittsburgh.

He also hates road warriors; prefers to chill on down time

The successful traveler packs a personality blessed with patience and some understanding of the road.

Scott says do everyone a favor and STAY HOME if you are an anal retentive, control freak who spends far too much time complaining about life. When traveling, folks always take the risk of flight delays and cultural misunderstandings, or having companions who don’t wear watches or luggage and could land in Macon, Ga., when they are flying to Istanbul.

So keep a book or two in your carryon in case you are stuck in the airport in Haiti while rebels are burning tires in the streets and preventing the pilot from reaching the cockpit of your plane. That bag should also carry any prescription drugs you need, deodorant and toothpaste, along with a toothbrush, clean pair of underwear and T-shirt.

When you arrive, please don't linger in your hotel room. Go outside to meet interesting people. You can sleep when you get home.

Always take a moment to sit down and remove your shoes, like the old man in Hanoi, who is shown in the above photograph at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi.

And before you fly overseas, please check with the U.S. Department of State to find out which countries hate Americans the most.