The River Running
"Immigrants: we get the job done" -- Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Teresa Cafaro, Agnes Dimsa and George Merrell Willy
George Merrell Willy was the second child of Rose Marie Murphy and George Willy. His middle name is spelled in some records as Merle, but Merrell is the spelling used by his granddaughter Theresa, for whom I'm indebted for some of the following information. He was born 17 May 1924 in McKees Rocks. By 1940, the family had moved to Crescent Township.
George Merrell enlisted in the Army Air Corps in Pittsburgh on 17 Sep 1942. The Army Air Corps seems to have sent him to Italy, where by 1946 he married Teresa Cafaro. Teresa was born in "Baria" (Bari?), Italy, on 29 May 1925. Her parents were Nicollette and John Cafaro or Caffarro. Teresa and George Merrell's oldest son George Russell was born in Italy in September 1946.
I don't know exactly when George returned to the States. However, on 24 May 1947 Teresa and 7-month-old George Willy arrived in NYC about the US Army Transport Thomas H Barry out of "Leghorn" (Livorno), Italy. Teresa was admitted as an alien under the so-called "War Brides Act" enacted 28 Dec 1945. Young George was admitted as a US citizen under Section 201(i) of the Nationality Act of 1940. Section 201(i), which was added on 31 Dec 1946, granted US Citizenship to children born abroad who had at least one parent who was a US citizen and who had served honourably in the Armed Forces in WWII.
Teresa and George Merrell had eight children that I know of:
Teresa Cafaro Willy died with her newborn son 07 Apr 1959 at the hospital in Sewickley.
After Teresa's death, her and George's children were placed in an orphanage, where baby Donnie was adopted out. It was at the orphanage that George met Agnes Dimsa Potts. Agnes was the daughter of Margaret Lobinsky and Anthony Dimsa born 20 Jun 1922. She had previously married Edward E Potts in Allegheny County on 30 Jul 1940. They had five sons but eventually the marriage broke up. She and George met because they were both visiting their children in the same orphanage. They moved in together, and George adopted Agnes' daughter Joyce Potts born November 1951.
Agnes died in Pittsburgh on 05 Jan 1977. (Edward Potts died in November 1984.)
George Merrell died 22 Oct 2011. He was living in Monaca, Beaver County, at the time and previously had lived in Glenwillard. He was predeceased by Teresa and Agnes, five of his sons (including Donnie and the unnamed infant), three of his Potts stepsons, his parents and two of his brothers. He was survived by a daughter, a stepdaughter, two sons, two stepsons, four sisters, a brother and "numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-great-grandchildren, and niece and nephews."
As a veteran, he was buried in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.
The Next Generation
As of February 2018, George Russell Willy was alive and well in Aliquippa.
John Willy married Judy Martin by 1972. They had three children, Stacy, John and Nicolette. John Sr was living in South Heights when he died 25 Feb 2018. Besides his wife and children, he was survived by a grandson.
Frederick M Willy married Ruth Ann Swogger, the daughter of Marianne Duncan and Earl Swogger born 31 Dec 1950 in Aliquippa. The marriage took place by 1977. They had three children, Dawn, Nicole and Frederick E. Frederick M died in Aliquippa 28 Oct 2002. Ruth Ann died 01 Jan 2013. She was living in Hopewell Township when she died. She was buried in the Good Samaritan Cemetery in Fairoaks (AKA Fair Oaks), Allegheny County. Besides her children, Ruth Ann was survived by two grandchildren.
Michael Willy was living in Georgetown, Beaver County, when he died 25 Oct 2010. He's buried in the Mill Creek Hill Cemetery in Hookstown, Beaver County. Michael was survived by his daughter, Tammy Willy Harris Fryer, and by several grandchildren. (His son-in-law Billy J Harris predeceased him on 28 Jan 2007.) Michael might or might not have been married up to three times, might or might not have had a second daughter and might or might not have had a stepson.
Rose Mary Willy married Steve Hronas by 1976. Steve was the son of Amelia Pattakos and George James Hronas born 21 Jul 1951, probably in Beaver County. He did 09 Sep 1992 and is buried in the Economy Cemetery in Economy, Beaver County. He and Rose Mary had two children, George and Nikki.
About four years after Steve's death, Rose Mary remarried, this time to Robert A Soltis. Robert was the son of Katherine Buzar and Andrew Soltis born 24 Mar 1955. Robert died 15 Dec 2017. He was living in Economy at the time. He was survived by Rose Mary, George, Nikki and five step-grandchildren.
Edward J Willy died 03 Aug 2001 and is buried in the Good Samaritan Cemetery in Fairoaks. He may or may not have had a wife named Beverly J, later Beverly J Labrie. They may or may not have had a son named Edward J Willy Jr born in or about 1983.