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Many disparaging remarks have
often been made about the Wyoming
Valley. It is doubly gratifying then,
when it is possible to boast of the
fine talent that has emerged from
the area. In this case, two
personable young ladies who are
successful in their professions and
who are proud to say they are
Wyoming Valley products.
Esther Gray is he
the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs.
Philip Gray,
Meadowland
Avenue,
Kingston. Esther :
attended a _—
Wyoming DEBBEY WYSOCKI
Seminary, where she was active in
school activities, especially in
theatrical productions. She later
enrolled at Ithaca College, New
communications studies.
Esther, an attractive young
woman with a bubbly personality,
made many friends while at Ithaca,
in particular the late Rod Serling,
creator of “Twilight Zone.”
Fortunately for Esther, she had the
opportunity to get first-hand
experience in her chosen field as
she spent much time in California at
Universal Studios.
After graduation, Esther decided
to pursue an acting career and
moved to New York City. She began
studies at the famous Lee Strasburg
Acting Studio in the city. As a
New members
result, Esther has made numerous
television appearances.
Area residents might have seen
Ms. Gray on some of their popular
daytime dramas as “All My
Children’’ or ‘Another World.” If
not, it is a certainty that everyone,
at one time or another, has seen her
in commercials broadcast
nationally. Two of the most
frequently aired ones are the
dexatrim commercial and Uncle
Ben’s Rice. Her success has been
such that Esther was featured on
PM Magazine, telecast by WNEP-
TV, Channel 16, an affiliate of the
ABC network.
Presently, Esther Gray is
traveling coast to coast, from New
York City to Los Angeles, busily
furthering her acting career. When
home, Esther enjoys spending time
with her family at Harveys Lake.
Debee Parada is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Parada, Hudson
section of Plains Twp. Debee
attended St. Joseph School and
Plains Memorial High School.
Debee was popular in school, and
was an eager participant in school
organizations and functions.
After graduation from Plains,
Debee attended beauty school, and
operated a beauty salon in
Provincial Towers for a number of
years. She then decided to move to
Valencia, California, where she
applied for and received a tour
guide position at Universal Studios.
more than her share of stories to
relate, since so many of the shows
and movies seen by viewers are
actually filmed at Universal, the
busiest studio in Hollywood. For
local people who have no contact
with the entertainment industry, it
is quite interesting hearing of her
experiences with meeting and
befriending such famous celebrities
as Angela Lansbury, Shirley Jones,
Burt Reynolds, etc.
As time passed, Debee grew
especially interested in the casting
area of production and began
internships with casting directors.
Working diligently in the extremely
competitive field of entertainment,
Ms. Parada has recently been
manager position at the studio.
She is now working on ‘‘Simon
and Simon,” starring Jameson
Parker and Gerald McRaney,
‘“Blacke’s Magic,” a recent addition
to the network lineup starring Hal
Linden and Harry Morgan, and the
award-winning ‘‘Murder, She
Wrote,’’ starring Angela Lansbury
and broadcast locally on WDAU-TV,
Channel 22, an affiliate of CBS, on
Sunday 8 p.m.
Both Esther Gray and Debee
Parada are a credit to the area, and
most assuredly, have everyone’s
best wishes for continued success in
their young, aspiring careers.
(Debbey Wysocki is the
entertainment writer for The Dallas
Post. Her column appears weekly.)
Abram Nesbitt, Ill, president, Nesbitt Hospital Foundation, has announced. five new members
have recently been appointed to the foundation board of directors. The newly named members
are shown, from left, Bruce Slocum, president, Slocum Insurance Agency, Dallas; Dr. George
DeCurtis, first vice president, Nesbitt Medical Staff; Dr. Wallace Stettler, president, Wyoming
Seminary, Kingston; Abram Nesbitt Ill; Betsy B. Condron, director of community relations,
Wilkes College; Frank Orloski, Sr., president, Orloski’'s Service Stations, Inc., Wilkes-Barre;
Donald Jennings, president and chairman of the board, Hanover Bank of Pa., Wilkes- Barre; and
Kevin Ross, assistant administrator, Nesbitt Memorial Hospital.
Legion award recipients and their parents. From left, Mr. Michael, Darren Michael, award
recipient; Mrs. Michael, Jennifer Steuben, award recipient and Mr. Steuben.
Reunion held
Wyoming Seminary’s class of 1966 conducted their twentieth reunion at the Westmoreland
Club, Wilkes-Barre, in conjunction with the school’s Alumni Weekend activities. Those attending
are shown here. From left, first row, Guner Gery Burkhard, Arlington, VA; Bliss Arneberg Burton,
Dover, NJ; Pamela Seibert-Ontko, Gambrills, MD; Jane Parry Rice, White Plains, NY; Ann
Droelle Comstock, Dover, NJ; Anne Fisk Wilce, Fayetteville, NC; Lucinda Wolfe Hughes, Elmira,
NY; and Alice Engel Ellman, Forty Fort, PA. Second row, Richard Blum, Shavertown, PA;
Steven Foldes, Miami, FL; Jonathan E. Gray, New York, NY; Paul P. Fosko, Dallas, PA: Ira
Unger, Phoenix, AZ; Jessica French Morgan, Dallas, PA; Barbara J. Hauck, Lancaster, PA and
Polly Harvey Wielage, Dallas, PA. Third row, Stephen B. Killian, Wilkes-Barre, PA; Henry J. D.
Funke, Dallas, PA; John F. Gager, Shavertown, PA; David F. Lacy, Durham, NC; Meredith
Moses Maxwell, Lockport, NY; and John E. Person, Ili, Williamsport, PA. Fourth row, Ronald L.
Post, Dallas, PA; Leonard J. Thacher, Woodbridge, VA; Paul R. Freeman, Binghamton, NY;
Robert S. Stroud, Bear Creek, PA; Barbara L. Smith, Titusville, PA; John Goobic; Ill, Carmel,
NY; and Marshall D. Rumbaugh, Dallas, PA.
Students cited :
The above sixth grade students recently received academic awards at Lake-Noxen Elementary
School. These awards were given to the outstanding student in five different subject areas.
From left, Robert S. Kunkle, Principal; Karen Sichler, Social Studies award; Greg Dobash,
Science award; Billy Hoover, Computer Science award; and Karen Stefanowicz, Language Arts
and Mathematics awards. > : )
Class meets
Wyoming Seminary’s class of 1976 conducted their tenth reunion at the Pinebrook Inn Grove,
Dallas, in conjunction with the school's Alumni Weekend activities. Those attending included
are shown here. In the front center is Thomas Heffernan, Dallas. From left, first row, Lee Ann
Earl-Sedor, Sayre, PA; Carla Gausted Sives, Ambler, PA; Dana C. Pearce, New York, N.Y.;
Tracy Innes Riccetti, Forty Fort, PA; Amy Hollander, Philadelphia, PA; Barbara L. Klein,
Cincinnati, OH; Janet E. Murray, Hopatcong, N.J.; Jan Alexander Kanarr, Shavertown, PA;
Shelley S. Freeman, New York, N.Y.; Sally M. Nork, Natick, MA; Heidi Weber Geiger, Federal
Way, WA and Susan Isaacs, King of Prussia, PA. Second row, Mrs. Jane Heffernan, Dallas, PA;
Mrs. John DeWitt, John P. DeWitt, Ill, Dallas, PA; Scott E. Henry, Kingston, PA; Michael J.
McGrath, Spring City, PA; Terrance M. Hora, Dallas, PA; David I. Kluger, Brookline, MA; Robert
F. Malkemes, Brighton, MA; Stephen L. Seagrave-Daly, Philadelphia, PA; and Thomas M.
Haller, Elkton, MD. Those who attended but do not appear: Adam Mark Hildebrand, II, Meresity.
NH and Jeffrey A. Norris, Pittston, PA.
Robbins
finishes
degree
Dr. Joanna Leonard Robbins, 173
Woodbine Rd., Shavertown, recently
completed her doctoral studies in
education at Temple University in
Philadelphia. Degrees were con-
ferred at the graduation ceremony
at the Civic Center in Philadelphia
on Thursday, May 29.
Dr. Robbins is a graduate of St.
Mary’s Assumption and St. John the
Evangelist High School in Pittston.
She received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Art at Georgean Court
College in Lakewood, New Jersey
and a Masters of Science in Psy-
chology from Marywood College in
Scranton.
Dr. Robbins completed her disser-
tation in April following ‘a seven
month experimental study examin-
ing the effect of training in the
writing process on the development
of verbal skills in elementary school
children. Two hundred and sixty
eight elementary students in the
Pittston Area School District were
involved in the investigation. Dr.
Robbins is presently employed in
the Pittston Area Middle School and
is one of two Pittston Area appli-
cants for the NASA Teacher in
Space Program.
Dinner held
Shown here are some members of Cub Scout Pack 241 at
the pack’s annual Blue and Gold Dinner held recently. From
left, first row, John Presper, Jason McDade, and Chris Rice.
Second row, Jeff Phardes, and Holt Andrus.
Pack leaders
shown here are leaders of Cub Scout Pack 241 at the
pack’s recent Blue and Gold Dinner. From left, Mark
Hozempa, Cubmaster; John Grutkowski, assistant cubmas-
ter; Mary Chappell, Bob Bellos, Cub Scout Council Director;
and Frank Poplaski, committee chairman.