23 attend Retirees lunch in memory of Pell, Levenson

Attendance at the July luncheon of Beacon Journal Retirees, held this month in memory of Sanford Levenson and Robert Pell was more than double the usual number..

Levenson worked for more than 35 years at the Akron Beacon Journal where he began as a reporter in 1966 and later served in a variety of roles including Beacon Magazine Editor and features writer. He retired as Copy Desk Editor. He then worked as News Editor of the Medina Gazette.

Pell began as a typesetter at the Barberton Herald, but within a few years moved to the Akron Beacon Journal, where he was a loyal employee for 37 years until his retirement in 1991.

Members of Pell’s family who were at the luncheon included his daughter Catherine Sandstead and her husband Lance, granddaughter Krystin Sandstead, son Bob Pell Jr. and daughter-in-law Phyllis Pell and great-grandaughter Juli.

The Pells were introduced by retired printer Calvin DeShong who also introduced retirees. There were 26 seated in the dining room at Papa Joe’s Restaurant on Akron-Peninsula Road in the valley. Because fewer than a dozen or so have been attending in recent months, retirees have been seated at a table in the main restaurant. Wednesday, however, they were moved back into the old dining room where they had met for years with much larger crowds.

Production room retirees and wives attending were Joe and Anne Catalano, Cal Deshong, Pat Dougherty, Ed and Norma Hanzel, Al Hunsicker, Armand Lear and Carl Nelson. All were printers except Dougherty who is an engraving room retiree.

Retired newsroom employees attending were David Boerner, Tim Hayes, Bill Hunter, Harry Liggett, Tom Moore, John Olesky and Don Roese.. Also there was Karen Lefton, former general legal counsel for the Beacon Journal who is now employed by the law firm of Brouse McDowell.

Retiree luncheons are at 1 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at Papa Joe’s in the valley, 1561 Akron-Peninsula Road at the intersection of Portage Trail. You need not be a retiree to attend. Former Beacon Journal employees and those still on the job are always welcome to come and learn what old friends are doing.

Please click on the headline to see photos from the luncheon provided by Tom Moore.