Pallan

Arthur E. "Art" Pallan, retired KDKA Radio personality, 83, of Mars, formerly of Middlesex Township and Fort Myers, Fla., died Monday evening at the LAS St. John Specialty Care Center in Mars. A family man, Art was proud of his children.

He was born in Braddock, May 11, 1923, and was the son of Rudolph and Elizabeth Berger Pallan.

Art retired in 1985 after more than 40 years in the radio booths of WWSW and KDKA. A year after graduation from Brentwood High School, he began as a disc jockey at WWSW, but World War II interrupted his budding career and his fascination with radio became a military asset.

As a radio operator aboard a B-25 bomber, Art served in the Aleutians and won the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Asiatic Pacific Ribbon with three battle stars for his service in the Pacific.

Returning to WWSW after the war, Art launched a career that made him one of the most respected voices to millions of listeners throughout the Tri-State region. Art was always upbeat and witty, even on rainy days. In 1956, he moved his talent to KDKA, where he remained until his retirement in 1985.

Art's versatility in the entertainment field was widely acclaimed. In radio he appeared in numerous time slots, afternoon, late morning and the morning drive time and he always had the top-rated show in each slot. In addition, he cut two records, "Waiting" and "Sleepy Time Down South"; acted in two movies, Disc Jockey and Once Upon a Horse; sang with the Lee Kelton Band; and for seven years conducted hour-long, daily broadcasts from the National Record Mart.

The community also made a large claim on Art's time. He considered the annual Children's Hospital Campaign, conducted in department store windows at Christmastime, as "the most rewarding work I have done in Broadcasting." At the 40th Anniversary of his radio career, the Myasthenia Gravis Association, which he had faithfully supported, honored him with the Art Pallan Humanitarian Award for contributions to the community.

A man of great faith, Art had attended various churches throughout his life and was most recently a member of St. Kilian Roman Catholic Church in Mars.

He had many hobbies that he enjoyed including painting, wood carving where he carved cypress into Santas and he carved apples into apple heads. He was an avid reader and a great joke teller.

He had been active in Rotary clubs, the Knights of Columbus, the Masonic Lodge, was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., the American Diabetes Association and the Myasthenia Gravis Association.For many years, he hosted record hops and he loved animals.Surviving are a son, Arthur Pallan Jr. and his wife, Lisa Marie, of Butler; three daughters, Mrs. Gary (Andrea "Pidge") Welsh of Butler, Mrs. Charles (Anne) Olescyski of Mars and Mrs. Dennis (Artha) Hockenberry of Shippensburg. He was the grandfather of Robin Lisac, Gary Welsh Jr., Jaime Olescyski, Riley Whittenberger IV, and Danielle Pallan; great-grandfather of Lucas, Malyn and Calvin Lisac, Dylan Olescyski, Kelly Mesina and Asia Whittenberger; and the great-great-grandfather of Cameron Mesina.He was a special friend of Irene Cerchiaro of Mars. Also surviving are a brother, Rudolph Pallan and his wife, Patricia, of Pittsburgh; and a sister-in-law, Florence Pallan of North Hills.He was preceded in death by his first wife, Agnes A. Simon Pallan, whom he married Nov. 10, 1942, and who died July 25, 1982; and by his second wife, Shirley McCandless Thayer Pallan, whom he married July 3, 1983, and who died Sept. 25, 2002. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Ernest Pallan.

<B>PALLAN</B> — Friends of Arthur E. "Art" Pallan, who died Monday, Jan. 22, 2007, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the <B>McDonald-Aeberli Funeral Home</B>, 238 Crowe Ave., Mars.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Kilian Roman Catholic Church, Cherry Street, Mars, with the Rev. Charles Bober officiating,Burial with military honors will be at the Mars Cemetery, Adams Township.Memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Hospice, 3500 Brooktree Road, Wexford, PA 15090; or to the LAS St. John Specialty Care Center, P.O. Box 928, Mars, PA 16046.Information and condolences are available at www.mcdonald-aeberli.com.