Joseph S. Nemeth Ed.D., PM – Bowling Green, Ohio
Joseph S. Nemeth, Ed.D., PM, a nationally known educator and reading expert and long-time resident of Bowling Green, Ohio, passed away on April 1, 2019, in Perrys-burg, Ohio. Dr. Nemeth was born in Glassport on Feb. 22, 1925. He is survived by his wife, Elvira Balku Nemeth, with whom he enjoyed nearly 65 years of happy marriage; his daughters, Mary Anne Nemeth (Joseph Phillips), Ann Arbor, Mich., and Dr. Julie (Richard) Shockley, Wellesley, Mass.; and sons, Joseph S. (Joann) Nemeth Jr., Las Vegas, Nev., and Michael A. (Dana) Nemeth, Bowling Green, Ohio. He had six grandchildren: Joseph S. Nemeth III, Cassandra (Nemeth) Jackson, Samuel, William and Harrison Shockley, Cole and Miles Nemeth; and two great-grandchildren, Jadyn and Jonah Nemeth. He was the son of the late Arpad and Mariska Borso Nemeth. His brother, Aladar Vilmos Nemeth, and sister, Jolan (Nemeth) Rogers, predeceased him. Dr. Nemeth served on the faculty at Bowling Green State University, Ohio (1965-90) in the College of Education as a professor and director of the Reading Center. He was graduate reading faculty chairman, training over 180 graduate assistants. He was also on the faculties of Defiance College, Ohio (1990-93), and Edinboro University, Pennsylvania (1961-63). He began his career in education as a science and math secondary school teacher in West Mifflin (1950-60). He completed his doctorate and master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh, (Pa.) and his bachelor’s degree at Duquesne University (Pa.). Dr. Nemeth was a veteran of the Army Air Corps in World War II. He served the Mighty Eighth Air Force in the 452nd Bomb Group, 730th Bomb Squadron in Deopham Green, England, and flew 13 B-17 combat missions over Germany. He earned a Purple Heart, the Air Medal with oak leaf clusters, and three Bronze Stars. He was a life member of many professional organizations and founded The Ohio Reading Teacher, the journal of the Ohio Council International Reading Association (OCIRA), which he edited for 10 years. Dr. Nemeth received a Certificate of Recognition in 1976 from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare for “Outstanding Contributions to the National Right to Read Effort,” and many other professional awards. He was a prolific contributor of over 100 articles to education journals, authored three elementary science reading textbooks and several professional textbook chapters. In addition, he was a life member of Free Hungarian Reformed Church, McKeesport; Eighth Air Force Historical Society; Ohio Chapter of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society; 452nd Bomb Group Association; National Museum of the United States Air Force; Purple Heart Veterans Association and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 9231, Bowling Green, Ohio. He was also the 1961 past master and 50-plus-year member of Polaris Masonic Lodge, McKeesport. He relished his skill as an instrument-rated private pilot and enjoyed flying cross country to reading conferences and speaking engagements. He especially loved his wife Ellie, children and grandchildren. His hobbies were recreational reading, backyard swimming, gardening and researching the Nemeth and Balku family genealogies. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, April 5, 2019, at Lebanon Chapel Mausoleum, 2701 Old Elizabeth Road, West Mifflin, PA 15122. Arrangements by STRIFFLERS OF DRAVOSBURG/WEST MIFFLIN, 740 Pittsburgh-McKeesport Blvd., Dravosburg, PA 15034, 412-678-6192. Those planning expressions of sympathy are asked to consider the National Parkinson’s Foundation, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the McKeesport, Pa., Free Hungarian Reformed Church’s Richard Heyz Scholarship Fund.
