This Santa drives more than sleighs
News flash: Santa Claus lives part-time in Bethel Park and is a great golfer (two holes in one)! Oh, and he just turned 100years old.
OK, so his real name is Ed F ass el, but he did port ray Santa for more than 40 years, when he was plant manager at Halco Costume Co. in New Eagle, Washington County. Every Christmas Eve, he was the neighborhood Santa, giving out awards for neighbors’ decorations.He retired at age 81.
He was born Nov. 24, 1917, the youngest of Joseph and Johanna Fassel’s three children. He grew up in Brookline and graduated from South Hills High School. One of his first jobs was as a mail carrier. On Dec. 27, 1941, he married Patricia Huggans and they had three daughters: Judy Roessler of San Diego, Janet Krol of Ross andNancy (deceased).
In January 1941, Mr. Fassel joined the Army and transported planes, including C46s,C-47s,P51sandB-25s.He was a member of the China-Burma-India Hump Pilots Association and commander for many years of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4532 in BethelPark.
When he was in his 50s, Mr. Fassel hit holes in one at South Park and Oaks North Golf Course in Rancho Bernardo, Calif. He and his wife took cruises in the Caribbean and trips to England and Ireland. Mrs. Fassel wife passed away in 2006 after 64 years of marriage. Four years later he married Betty Herzberg. They have taken a railroad trip in the Rockies
Mr. Fassel has five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, many of whom joined him for a birthday celebration.
If you or a friend or a relative recently turned 100 or will soon do so, the Post-Gazette would like to hear from you. To be included in Century Club, send the honoree’s biographical information and your phone number to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Century Club, Attn: Kevin Kirkland, 358 North Shore Drive, Suite 300, Pittsburgh 15212. E-mail: kkirkland@post-gazette.com.