Hugh Pompeani

Hugh A. Pompeani, beloved son, husband, father, educator and World War II veteran passed away at his home after a brief illness on March 3,2021 at the age of 95.

Hugh was born October 23, 1925 to Domenick and Elvira Trionfi Pompeani in Ripa Fagnano Alto in the Province of L’Aquila in Abruzzo, Italy.  He and his mother emigrated to the United States October 1,1926 to join Hugh’s father who was working at Jones & Laughlin Steel Mill near Pittsburgh.  His family settled in Aliquippa where Hugh graduated from Aliquippa High School.  Hugh fulfilled all of the dreams his immigrant parents had for him including being the first in his family to graduate from college.

Hugh served in the armed forces during WW II. He trained in anti-aircraft artillery and later transferred to serve with the 9th Infantry Division in the European Theatre.  On March 7, 1945, he was among the first 2,000 troops to cross the Rhine River on the damaged railroad bridge at Remagen, Germany, which was the final campaign to end the war in Europe.  He was wounded two weeks later in a skirmish for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.
 
One of the remarkable stories he loved to tell was after he had crossed the bridge, late at night he was stranded and fatigued with nowhere to sleep.  He settled into a cottage where other soldiers were on the floor apparently already sleeping.  With dawn’s light he became aware that he had been sleeping alongside the bodies of dead Germans.

Following his discharge, Hugh gratefully took advantage of his GI-Bill and enrolled at then Edinboro State Teacher’s College where he earned a degree in secondary education and continued on to earn a certification in elementary education in 1951.  After graduation, he taught 6th grade at Hopewell Township’s Five Points Elementary School near Aliquippa. Hugh earned his Masters Degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1956.

Hugh met his wife-to-be, Virginia Stephens of Erie, at Academy High School where he was a student teacher.  After a two year courtship, they married at St. Andrew’s Church on June 21, 1952.  He was hired by the School District of the City of Erie in 1952 where he taught 6th grade at Glenwood School from 1952 to 1963, and then served as a lecturer at the Planetarium for 5th, 7th and 9th grade students.  He would spend the afternoon at schools, showing students and teachers the value of hands-on Science learning at the elementary level.  In 1966, he was appointed Elementary Principal and served for 18 years at various schools, including Penn/Jones, Glenwood, Columbus, Columbus/Irving and Irving Elementary Schools.  

Mr. Pompeani was mentioned in a recent book, Revelations on the Road, written by one of his students , Lynn Wallerstein Huber, who used his teaching style to convey a valuable life lesson.  As a 6th grader, she found she was the only one who did not agree with the class consensus on a given answer.  Encouraged by her teacher to stick to her guns and assert herself, it turned out she was the only one in the class who was correct.  A Math lesson became a life lesson in self-confidence she never forgot and wrote about decades later.

Hugh took great pleasure in leisure time activities with family and friends.  He was a loving man who cared deeply for all his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He loved golf and bowling with his buddies.  He enjoyed 50 years of camaraderie  at Lawrence Park Golf Club where he was a member for 43 years and First Flight Champion in 1976.  He was most proud of his 4 holes- in- one.  Hugh was a life-time member at the former Maennerchor Club where he enjoyed over 30 years of bowling with his friends and fellow teachers.  In recent years he has also been a member of the Erie Yacht Club and the Sportsmen’s Club.  Hugh was a voracious reader and a history enthusiast.  Well into his nineties, thanks to an enlarged Kindle font, he would read major biographies about John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Grant and the Civil War for hours a day.

Hugh was preceded in death by his loving wife of 65 years, Virginia and his beloved brother Pat Pompeani of Aliquippa.  He is survived by his children, Susan Palka of Gaithersburg, Maryland and husband Joe, Rick Pompeani of Erie and wife Ann, and Phil Pompeani of Erie and Ayca Land.   He is further survived by six grandchildren and three great- grandchildren, (one of whom was born on his 94th birthday) as well as many nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the Quinn Funeral Home, West 9^th & Liberty St. on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 from 3:00 PM until 7:00 PM and are invited to attend Prayer Services there Wednesday at 11:30 AM followed by a Funeral Mass at 12 noon in St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church. Burial with military honors will be in Laurel Hill Cemetery. The mass will be livestreamed beginning Wednesday at noon at http://www.stjudeapos.org. All CDC Guidelines including facemasks and social distancing will be observed.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Church, 2801 West 6th St., Erie, PA 16505 or Our Lady of Mercy Church, 837 Bartlett Road, Harborcreek, PA 16421