John J. Pugh
Historical novelist
John J. Pugh, a historical novelist, died Monday of heart failure at the MedBridge Rehabilitation Center in Rosedale. The Northwood resident was 73.
His first novel, "Captain of the Medici," published in 1954, was the story of the rise of a blacksmith's son to nobility in 16th century Tuscany. More than 1 million copies were sold.
He wrote two other novels, one published in 1955 and the other four years later.
He was reared in Pimlico in Northwest Baltimore. After graduating from St. Ambrose's School, he entered St. Charles College and Loyola College, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1943.
After attending midshipmen's school at Columbia University, he served aboard the minesweeper Nuthatch, which was assigned to escort duty in the North Atlantic during World War II. He was discharged in 1946 with the rank of lieutenant.
While aboard the vessel, he began to suffer symptoms of night blindness, which led to retinitis pigmentosa that claimed his sight in 1979.
After the war, he taught English at Loyola College, then at the Johns Hopkins University and Towson State University.
In 1947, he married Caroline Daugherty, who died in 1991.
A Mass of Christian burial was to be offered at 10 a.m. today at St. Mary of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church, 5502 York Road, Govans, with interment in Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery.
Mr. Pugh is survived by a brother, Francis X. Pugh of Timonium; a stepson, Joseph Pugh of Baltimore; three sisters, Sister Virgine Pugh, M.H.S.A., of Washington, Marie Pugh of Baltimore and Gertrude Horney of Gaithersburg; and a step-grandchild.
Memorial donations may be made to the Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation, 1401 Mount Royal Ave., Baltimore 21217.
Paul Z. Kalavski
Research analyst
Paul Zachary Kalavski, a retired civilian research analyst at Edgewood Arsenal, died Sunday of heart failure at the Bel Forest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Forest Hill. He was 82.
During World War II, he was involved in the early testing of the atomic bomb while employed at the Naval Ordinance Laboratory.
Born in Pruzany, Russia, in what is now Belarus, he emigrated to Philadelphia with his family when he was a child.
He was a duplicate bridge player and a life master.
Services were to be held at 11 a.m. today at the Evans Funeral Chapel, 3 Newport Drive, Bel Air, with interment in Bel Air Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Kalavski is survived by his wife of 45 years, the former Jamie Swafford; a son, Paul Z. Kalavski Jr. of Falls Church, Va.; a daughter, Jean Ryan of Chatham, N.Y.; a brother, Frank Kalavski of Baltimore; a sister, Mary Mickel of Kingsville; and three grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the Berea College Alumni Association, Berea, Ky. 40404.
Jo McKee Travers
Composer, 99
Jo McKee Travers, a retired piano teacher and composer, died Sunday of heart failure at Roland Park Place. She was 99.
She set the Pledge of Allegiance to music, wrote music and lyrics for "Black Eyed Susan" and composed the "Charm City" march.
She was cited for her work by William Donald Schaefer, both as mayor and as governor.
Services were to be held at 4 p.m. today at the Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, 6500 York Road. She is survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Carmelo F. Curreri
Restaurateur
Carmelo F. Curreri, who with his wife operated restaurants and nightclubs in Baltimore and Ocean City, died Sunday of cancer at his Towson home. He was 71.
Known as "Melo," he operated, along with his wife, the former Frances P. Nacci, Rascals on Joppa Road near Loch Raven Boulevard beginning in 1978. From 1973 to 1978, they operated Melo's, a restaurant and lounge on South Calvert Street. From 1967 until 1973, they owned the Paddock in Ocean City
A Mass of Christian burial was to be offered at 10 a.m. today at Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Baltimore and Ware avenues, Towson.
In addition to his wife, who is known as "Chi Chi," Mr. Curreri's survivors include a daughter, Donna T. George of Phoenix; two ** sisters, Lena Fondnazio of Jarrettsville and Angie Fields of Lutherville; a brother, Albert Curreri of Perry Hall; and four grandchildren.
Kelly Parrott
Fifth-grade student
A Mass of Christian burial for Kelly Dawn Parrott, a fifth-grader at Glenmount Elementary School, was to be offered at 10 a.m. today at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Belair Road and Willow Avenue, Overlea.
The girl, 10, who lived on Walnut Avenue in Overlea, died Sunday at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital after being struck by a car Saturday at Belair Road and Overlea Avenue.
She is survived by her parents, Mary B. and Robert W. Parrott II; two brothers, Benjamin Andrew Parrott and Robert W. Parrott III; a sister, Brianna Noel Parrott; and a grandfather, Robert Parrott Sr. of Baltimore.
Memorial donations may be made to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Hopkins or to the Transplant Resource Center of Maryland.
Cleed Gallion
Retired mechanic
Cleed Gallion, a retired civilian mechanic at Fort Meade, died Monday of heart failure at his home in Arnold. He was 84.
Services were to be held at 2 p.m. today at the Barranco and Sons Funeral Home, Ritchie Highway and Robinson Road, Severna Park.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, the former Mabel Sharp; three daughters, Virginia Pumphrey and Eunice Vann, both of Glen Burnie, and Joyce Nicolai of Arnold; three sons, Leonard Gallion of Titusville, Fla., Dean Gallion of Cocoa, Fla., and Roger Gallion of Arnold; a stepdaughter, Louise Walsh of Pasadena; two stepsons, Louis Ray of Glen Burnie and Arnold Ray of Lansdowne; a brother, Dave Gallion of Graysville, Tenn.; 26 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
John L. Johnson, an electrical engineer who worked for Westinghouse Electric Corp. in the Baltimore area for 34 years, died Monday at a hospital in Thomasville, Ga., after a stroke. He was 83 and had moved from Laurel to Thomasville a month ago.
Services were to be held today in Thomasville. His survivors include two sons, Walter F. Johnson of Seattle and John L. Johnson Jr. of Thomasville; two brothers, Albert L. Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn., and David D. Johnson of Tallahassee, Fla.; a sister, Mary Johnson-Hall of Decatur, Ga.; a friend; Alice Booth of Highland; and two grandchildren.