Alumni Association Names Six to MHS Hall of Fame

By Submitted Report
The Tube City Almanac
September 03, 2019
Posted in: Announcements

Six new inductees have been named to the McKeesport High School Hall of Fame and will be inducted during the Oct. 5 homecoming game.

Tickets may be purchased now via Eventbrite.

Scheduled for induction into the hall of fame are the late Glenn Rojohn (Class of 1941), Helen Donato Tozzi (1948), Dr. Rawlin A. "Pete" Fairbaugh (1950), Robert I. Fisher (1959), Joseph M. Ivcevich (1960) and H. Thomas Temple (1976), said Vicki Corwin of the Consortium for Public Education, on behalf of the MHS Alumni & Friends Association.

A tailgate party and reception will be held beginning at 10:30 a.m. inside the high school before the Tigers host Indiana High School at Weigle-Schaeffer Memorial Stadium.

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. The hall of fame induction will take place at half-time.

Biographies of the inductees follow:

Glenn Rojohn, Class of 1941

During World War II, Glenn Rojohn served as a B-17 bomber pilot in the Eighth Air Force 100th Bomb Group.  Due to significant casualties on his Dec. 31, 1944 mission, Rojohn was forced into a different formation. 

Then another B-17 drifted below him, eventually hooking underneath his plane, joining them as one.

Rojohn tried unsuccessfully to separate the planes, but couldn't, so he and his co-pilot flew the two conjoined planes to a safe landing. The legendary flight is known as the "piggyback flight."

All surviving crew members were captured and became prisoners of war. 

Lt. Glenn Rojohn received the Distinguished Flying Cross with five clusters, the highest honor of the Air Force, awarded for heroism under extraordinary circumstances.  He was also awarded an Air Medal, POW Medal and Purple Heart. 

Glenn, his father, and brother were very active in the Kiwanis and Mon Yough Chamber of Commerce while owning their heating and cooling business in Christy Park. He was married with two children.

A book about his experiences, "The Piggyback Flight Pilot’s Journey," is available at the McKeesport History & Heritage Center.

Helen Donato Tozzi, Class of 1948

At McKeesport Technical High School, Helen Tozzi was a part of the a cappella choir and wrote for “The Red and Blue” student newspaper. Before her graduation, Tozzi founded and organized what would eventually be known as The McKeesport Drill Team/Drum and Bugle Corps, which she led from 1947 to 1987.

Over those 40 years, she coached and taught hundreds of girls and boys to become a part of this precision unit, performing in more than 1,600 competitions and parades and holiday events, winning many awards.

The ensemble travelled far and wide, affording youngsters the unique opportunity to see and enjoy places and people they may not have otherwise encountered. Past participants --- many of them now parents and grandparents --- still praise Tozzi for enriching their lives, giving them an appreciation for work and effort and challenging them to bring any and all talents to the fore.

Dr. Rawlin A. “Pete” Fairbaugh, Class of 1950

Rawlin Fairbaugh earned a B.A. in economics and accounting from Washington & Jefferson College, an MBA from New York University, and an Ed.D. from the University of Bridgeport.

During a 30-year career with Pitney-Bowes, Inc. he rose from a financial trainee through management and product development to become corporate treasurer and vice-president of product service.

Fairbaugh also has 30-plus years of experience as a professor of business and director of the MBA Graduate Business Program at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn.

He founded the MBA program in Luxembourg for the John F. Welch College of Business at Sacred Heart University, as well as the Center for Strategic Planning for Not-for-Profit Organizations. Additionally, he taught graduate management classes at the College for Modern Business Studies in Hungary and at the University of Wolfsburg in Germany.

Fairbaugh has served on many corporate boards and was a U.S. Army officer in Germany for two years. Currently, he serves as an Executive Advisor to the Caribe Organization/Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders in Bridgeport, Conn. He resides with his wife, Norma Jeanne, in Connecticut. They have five children and have four grandchildren.

Dr. Robert I. Fisher, Class of 1959

Robert Fisher’s lifetime commitment to education began as a student attending Baldwin Wallace University, where he played football and baseball. When a knee injury ended his playing days, he became a student assistant coach while earning his bachelor’s degree. He then received his master’s degree from Kent State and a Ph.D. from the Ohio State University.

Professionally, Fisher spent 45 years teaching and coaching at Baldwin Wallace. As a professor, he mentored and inspired hundreds of future health teachers and public health professionals. As a defensive coordinator, Fisher helped the Yellow Jackets win ten Ohio Athletic Conference Football Championships and a 1978 NCAA Division III National Championship.

He led the baseball team for 42 seasons, winning more games than any coach in school history with a record of 700-641-14 including three regular season Ohio conference championships and a post-season tournament championship. He was the OAC Coach of the Year four times and the conference MVP award was named in his honor.

Fisher was inducted into the Baldwin Wallace University Athletic Hall of Fame and the baseball facility was renamed Fisher Field. He lives in Strongsville, Ohio with his wife. They have four children and five grandchildren.

Joseph Ivcevich, Class of 1960

After graduating from MHS, Joseph Ivcevich earned his B.A. from Baldwin Wallace College and his MBA from Penn State. Soon after he began a career with Equitable Life Assurance (now AXA Equitable).

After only eight months in sales, Ivcevich was promoted to district manager and within five years he and his team were recognized for their success earning five National Citation Awards, two Agency Leader Corps Awards and a Career Corps Award.

Ivcevich was also recognized for his leadership skills and sales acumen and he was promoted to agency manager in Indianapolis to lead the State of Indiana for AXA Equitable. Within five years, the office improved its ranking from 132nd to 14th in the nation.

Ivcevich’s efforts were recognized and he was awarded the prestigious President’s Trophy for growth. Over his 50-year career with AXA Equitable, Ivcevich earned various personal sales awards and was inducted into the AXA Equitable Hall of Fame in 1999. He resides in Indiana with his wife. They have three children and four grandchildren.

H. Thomas Temple, M.D., Class of 1976

Dr. H. Thomas Temple was an outstanding football player at MHS and was selected as an All-State, First-Team End in the fall of 1975. He played football for one season at the University of North Carolina then, after an injury, went to Harvard University. After graduating from Harvard, Temple enrolled and graduated from Jefferson Medical College.

He is a board-certified orthopedic/oncology surgeon who practices at multiple hospitals. Dr. Temple is highly regarded as a world-renowned surgeon who works within the area of cancer that invades the bones, and one of only 50 orthopedic/oncology specialists recognized in the United States.

In addition, Dr. Temple has helped to write two medical textbooks, written more than 200 journal articles, served on grant committees, assisted with the development of new biomedical products and procedures, including 20 patents. Recently, he was honored by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce as a regional “health care hero” at its 20th annual awards ceremony.

Originally published September 03, 2019.

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