Last of their class: Only known survivors of Rostraver’s Class of ’39 share sweet reunion

By JOE GRATA
For The Mon Valley Independent
Members of the Rostraver High School Class of 1939 recently held their 80th reunion.
Both of them.
Jack Coulson of Sewickley and Catherine “Sis” Manack Matson of Rostraver met at the Fallowfield Township house of Coulson’s nephew, Dean Coulson.
It was the first time the former classmates had seen each other since they graduated from the long-gone school in Pricedale. Officials of the successor Belle Vernon Area School District demolished the red brick building a half-century ago.
The two 98-year-olds are thought to be the only members of the original class of 111 graduates who are still alive.
“It was so nice seeing the two meet up after all those years,” said Dean Coulson. “For the next couple of hours, they sat in my family room, going through the yearbook and reminiscing, talking about things that happened in school and the kids they grew up with. Priceless!”
Jack Coulson, who moved out of the township in the 1940s, asked his nephew earlier this year if he thought anyone in his graduating class might still be living, so Dean Coulson posted the question on social media.

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