Westinghouse researcher, longtime worker at Horne’s
Joan VonHoene was a woman ahead of her time.
A lifelong adventuress, the local tennis champ studied French at the Sorbonne in Paris and earned two degrees in physics.
Ms. VonHoene worked as a research assistant at Westinghouse beginning in the 1940s — at a time when few, if any, women did — and she wasn’t afraid of hard work.
“She was really hearty,” said her brother John “Paul” VonHoene, of Springfield, Va. “She raked her own leaves, shoveled her own snow and walked to church, which was at least a mile in both directions. She was doing this at 90!”
Ms. VonHoene, who grew
up and lived in the same home in the Edgewood Acres neighborhood in Forest Hills, died Oct. 27 after a spate of recent health problems. She was 96.
As a girl, she attended Atlantic Avenue Elementary and graduated in 1944 from Sacred Heart High School.
Growing up, his big sister took him under her wing and taught him all sorts of things, Mr. VonHoene recalled.
“She was 13 years older than me,” he said. “She took me horseback riding in Schenley Park and taught me how to ski and ice skate. On Fridaynights we’d go skating at Duquesne Gardens . . . because they had a five-piece ‘Oompah’Band.”
Ms. VonHoene started college at Seton Hill University and transferred to the University of Pittsburgh, where she received a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1948.
Four years later, she earned a graduate degree in physics from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
She won several local tennis tournaments in the 1960s and enjoyed playing and watching the sport for many more years.
A published researcher at Westinghouse, VonHoene made a career of her groundbreaking work there, her brother said.
When her late sister Lois Donahue moved to Paris for her husband’s work, Ms. VonHoene lived with the couple while attending the Sorbonne.
“I was in the service and stationed in Germany at the time,” her brother said. “I would drive to France and meet them.”
For many years, Ms. VonHoene lived with and cared for their mother while she kept a very full schedule of volunteer activities. She was a longtime associate at Horne’s department store, Downtown.
“She drove a Volkswagen Beetle and she liked doing a variety of things -- she was Ms.very independent,” her brother said. She was an usher at musical performances “because she loved meeting people and talking about the music. She also gave tours at the Buhl Planetarium. That’s just the kind of person she was.”
One thing that Ms. VonHoene didn’t really like was doctors.
Even when she was found alone in her home days after a heart attack, she balked at going to the hospital. A timely call from a niece convinced her to go with paramedics, her brother said.
“She almost never saw a doctor,” he said. “She never thought she needed one.”
Her secret to a long and happy life?
“She was a big believer in physical activity,” her brother said.
“And, she liked doing things her way.”
Along with her brother, Ms. VonHoene is survived by many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her siblings, Lois Donahue and Robert VonHoene.
Her funeral was earlier this week.
Memorial contributions may be made to LGAR Home, 800 Elsie St., Turtle Creek, PA 15145 or to St. Joseph the Worker Parish, 2001 Ardmore Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15221.