Mystery Classmate #122 proved a little too difficult for anyone to identify, and for good reason. I thought it was John Smozski (’84) - but as I later learned, the gentleman pictured is actually John's dad!Mark Blotzer tipped me to this, writing, “That bio of John Smozski on the Herrmann Printing and Litho web site is his father! I should know -- we were neighbors and grew up together. I believe John is working for Forest Hills Storage and Transfer on Ardmore Blvd. He has worked there since high school.”
In case you were wondering, John Sr. is a driver with Herrmann Printing and Litho in Pittsburgh. They seem to like him a lot! His aforementioned bio on the Herrmann web site reads, “John has been with our company for over 15 years. He knows all the routes and all the short cuts to get your projects delivered on time. He is a great part of our team, and will always manage to put a smile on your face. We're proud to have John!”
Beth “TGIF” Chufo Nichols wrote, “This is a VERY wild guess... Marc Schanfarber? It looks like an expression he would make. If it is, we used to sit in the back of French 2 class our senior year and totally get Kim Kost and Kris Kefalogiannis, then freshmen, in trouble. It was so bad one time, that Kim was sent to sit at the front of the class. I still remember her looking back at us, totally busted! Already corrupting minors!”
Some guessers were influenced by John’s cap. Milton Koutavas guessed Scott Glunt. Paul Rodgers guessed former Penguin center Orest Kindrachuk.
Donna Andreas Copley and Becky Gongaware Hannon felt that John’s photo made him look too experienced to be a 1980s graduate. Donna added, “I got carded at the beach a few weeks ago!”
Karen Campbell Ricci wrote, “Could it be Mr. Yeager, our Woodside School custodian? I can't quite remember his face but I'm guessing the age might be about right.” I remembered that Mr. Yeager used to draw pictures of trucks for us first-graders.
Stu Cohen wrote, “I think it's Emil, our old janitor from Atlantic Avenue Elementary. I have no idea.” Later, Jennifer Taylor Brandeis wrote, “An update on Emil, the janitor from Atlantic Avenue, would be nice. He was really great and his glass eye is one of my most vivid childhood memories. I took a metal door from the basement of the school when it was being demolished but haven't found a good use for it yet.”
Bill Stout wrote, “This week’s MC looks too old for my class. Could that possibly be a teacher? How about good ol' Les Neihl.”
Steve Landay guessed Dabney Coleman.
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