My grandfather, Andrew Joseph Buchner, was the sixth child of Alois and Thekla Buchner, born on 16 March 1894 in Pittsburgh. At the time of his birth the family lived on Kramer Way in Mount Washington. In 1904, when Andrew was 10 years old, his mother Thekla died due to complications from a pregnancy. In 1912, at age 18, Andrew was living on Locust Street with his older brother John and working as a Fireman. A year later he and Nellie Miller would marry and begin raising a family. They had three children, Sara Blanche (Sister Bernard Mary), Andrew J, and my mother Helen Marie. In the 1920's Andrew began working as a Printer at the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph newspaper. In 1928 he was Chairman of the Pittsburgh Typographical Union, No. 7. The family attended St. Justin’s Church in Mount Washington where Andrew was active in committee work including the Athletic Association and the Holy Name Society. His wife Nellie died in 1929 after an extended illness. My Mom “remembered two wonderful parents who had a great marriage”. After Nellie’s death, Andrew took over as a single parent to the three kids … “he was very good to all of them, but very strict”.
Andrew was remarried to Mary Dixon around 1935 and lived on Haberman Avenue. He continued to be employed at the Sun Telegraph. In 1940 he registered for the World War II draft. My grandfather had blue eyes, brown hair and a ruddy complexion.
Later my mother would recall that “My dad (Andrew) liked Dan too (my father), but sadly he didn’t live long enough to see us married”. My grandfather died on June 14, 1942 at the age of 48, five months before his daughter Helen was married. My grandfather, Andrew Joseph Buchner, is buried in Calvary Cemetery.

Contributor: Daniel Patrick Birmingham (49083553) • [email protected]