Family/Spouse: Larry LAWMAN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Ellen DOERFLER. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John Dudick was born and raised in Bradford, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force Reserve as an aviation cadet in 1944. He was called to active duty in March 1945. The war in Europe ended in May of 1945, and aviation cadets were not needed so he did not get a chance to fly. Interestingly, he graduated from St. Bernard High School in June of 1945, 3 months after he was called to active duty according to the Bradford Era Newspaper. He did solo, at his own expense, at Desert Skyway Airport, Boulder City, Nevada in November, 1945. He did not see combat but was a member of the occupational forces in Germany after the war was over. In a June 29, 1945 Bradford Era newspaper, his parents had received notice that he was promoted from Private to Corporal. He did get to sit in on the Nuremberg War Trials in the fall of 1946.

John's first job after the war was with Kendall Refining Co., Bradford, Pennsylvania This is the company that he loyally worked for, for forty-one years until retiring in January of 1990. He worked in all positions with the company, from digging ditches to Process Operator to District Manager and Farm Director. He had performed all types of work while in maintenance with painters, electricians, welders, machinists, riggers and millwrights. He became well known in the Farm Director's Position as he was responsible for the truck and tractor pulling program nationally and was involved there for 21 years. He continued as consultant in this position for the first summer of his retirement. Several excellent articles on John Dudick are in "The Puller" magazine. (See Feb. 1990 issue for retirement photos) (D:DOC)

He met his wife, Doris Forte, in December, 1946. They eloped to wed in February, 1949 while she was in the process of working towards her nursing degree. Doris is a steady and wise mother of four and grandmother of seven. She's an interesting person to talk with. She enjoys children, grandchildren, traveling, reading, knitting, and needlecraft. She remembers fondly her interest of her youth, that of roller skating. She and her friends apparently spent much of their free time at the rink and were quite skilled. She was attending the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota working on her Nursing degree in 1947 while dating her husband. She left college to marry in 1949. (F-400)

The Dudick's lived at 63 Clarence St., Bradford, PA in 1958 when their son James was admitted to the hospital. John Dudick had lived on 283 Congress St. in Bradford when he moved out of his parent's home as a young man. As an adult, he and family lived at 5505 Crawford Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43229 from 1962 through 1995. Sources on the above information came from John and Doris Dudick and from the April 1987 issue of "The Puller" magazine, pages 16 to 18.

John married Doris (Rosa) June FORTE on 3 Feb 1949 in Buffalo, Erie, NY, USA. Doris (daughter of Norman Leroy FORTE, Sr. and Theresia Rosa LINK) was born on 12 Mar 1929 in Glenside, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; died on 26 Mar 2013 in Boulder City, , Nevada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Doris was an intelligent woman who followed her own sense of direction. She was a catholic whom as an adult decided that going to church was not valuable. She gave sage advice and was a very strong minded individual. She was a good homemaker, fine cook, hostess, knitter, and crafter. She worked outside the home until her children were in their teens. This is the age where she decided it was important to be at home with them. She helped raise 4 unique, talented individuals and had a significant hand in helping with several of her grandchildren when they were young. Upon her death at age 84 from pulmonary fibrosis which she suffered from for many years, she was cremated as per her wishes.

Notes:

John Joseph Dudick, Sr. was either born in Germany, Austria, Hungary or in Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania. His marriage certificate, death certificate and social security records say Pennsylvania, but his son, John remembers him saying he was born in Germany. His birth record has not been able to be located, even though Elk Co., PA kept track of birth records from 1893 to 1905. He also lists his age differently in a couple of different forms. In his marriage record dated Dec. 29, 1919, he lists himself at age 25. His parents lived in Neviczke, Hungary for probably at least 3 generations, but came to America in 1892. If his 1894 birthdate is correct, he was likely born in Pennsylvania.

He supposedly lost his father when he was around 6 years of age from descendants' memories. However, according to this article in the Johnsonburg Press, dated January 3, 1908, he was 13 years old when his father died. "County Commissioner Thomas paid a visit to Father Baker's school in Buffalo last week and was much pleased with what he saw at the institution. He took there the thirteen year old son of Joe Dudack, the man who died suddenly at Johnsonburg some weeks ago, and left him. The lad is bright but has never attended school a day in his life. He was anxious to go to the Buffalo institution and Commissioner Thomas thinks it's the place for him. There are seven hundred boys in the school at the present time and they are not only educated, but also taught trades. It's a charitable institution and set up by Father Baker's unceasing efforts in behalf of homeless boys." He worked on the railroad as a young man and picked up quite a bit of Italian because of it. He was a soldier in World War I. He first enlisted May (1), 1917 as a Rig builder. His character was defined as "excellent". He is on a list of injured soldiers from the Pennsylvanians in the Indiana Evening Gazette on Saturday, Nov. 2, 1918. His rank was a private and he was from Kushequa, PA. He was honorably discharged from the 16th Infantry, Co. C, National Guard on Aug. 5, 1917. (D-131) He then apparently re-enlisted in the 112th Infantry, Company C and served in Le Mans, France from 1918-May 6, 1919. (D-132, 134) He was wounded in battle on July 18, 1918 and received the purple heart for gallant service. His son John has a large wide angle picture of him and the 112th in his home. (D:DOC, E) He had to fill out a World War II draft registration card, in which he verifies his birthdate, May 18, 1894 and place, Johnsonburg, PA, his wife's name, Sue, his address, 283 Congress St., Bradford, PA and his career as a fireman. He was 5 foot 7 inches tall, with brown hair, hazel eyes and light complexion.

In the 1930 census records for Bradford, McKean Co., PA, John was renting his home. It's contents were worth $35.00. He was age 36 and his wife was listed as age 28. They were married when he was 26 and she was 18. He lists his birth place as New York and his wife's as Pennsylvania. His parents were born in Italy (his stepfather and his spouse) and her parents were born in Austria. Children living in the family were Dorothy Irene, Donald, Evelyn, John and Edward. He was a fireman by trade. According to the Bradford Era, on Oct. 24, 1945, Private John J. Dudick of Congress St. was thrown a birthday party by his mother while on furlough. He had been trained in Las Vegas, Nevada and was expecting to be shipped to the Pacific. This is even more interesting as his birthday was in May. The only family member that I could tell was in attendance was brother, Ed Dudick. According to this same paper, his mother and her husband, Tony Cesario, visited them on Nov. 22, 1945. He and his wife attended the funeral of a cousin, Joseph Michalek, in Nanticoke in April of 1949. He was in the paper again when he fell down the stairs of his home at 15 Park St. and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance on Sep. 11, 1951. He is listed as receiving 26 Park St., in Bradford, PA on Aug. 31, 1954 in Smethport Deeds which was willed to them by neighbor, Albert A. Griffin. John and his wife never lived in this home, but continued to rent the home at 15 Park St. which they had lived in for much of their adult lives. (D-22) Before renting 15 Park St., they lived at 283 Congress St. in Bradford, Pennsylvania.

John Joseph Dudick, Jr. remembers both his parents as hard workers. His dad was a jack-of-all trades. He worked much of his life in the fire department as a firefighter and mechanic, doing all the necessary repairs on the fire fighting equipment. He had built a pumping truck from the ground up and was naturally proud of this accomplishment. He had several heart attacks, one of which forced him to retire from the fire department. In the Bradford Era on Apr. 12, 1976, he is listed as having received his 25 year membership for working in Sales at Witco Chemical Corporation. He was always a good provider for his family. For pleasure, he loved to fish. He would take his sons, fishing and hunting. His wife was a very attractive woman. It was always said that her children were well behaved. She liked her children to be well dressed and well mannered. She loved to collect pretty objects. By the end of her life her home was a wall-to-wall and ceiling-to-ceiling collection of old fashioned glassware, photographs and well loved objects. She was a born seamstress and did professional paper hanging. No job was too large to tackle. She did everything well.

John, Jr. remembers this about his family life. He says they always ate well, even during the depression. His father only took a belt to him once when he kept a friend out in the hills so long that his parents had gotten worried. He remembers fighting with his brothers, going hunting in the hills of Bradford often with his friends and building a radio receiver from odds and ends. He used it to listen in on his older brother and his girl friend while they would talk on the telephone. He felt he had a good childhood, "a damn good childhood with lots of fun." There was lots of snow in Bradford during winter months. Snow was enjoyed with ice skating, bob sledding, skiing, tobogganing and all other winter sports. He had a good time in the hills with his bicycle, model planes, soap box derbys, guns, and all the good things of youth.

John married Susan Irene KUTCHMIRE on 24 Jan 1920 in St. Bernard's Church, Bradford, Mckean, PA, USA. Susan (daughter of Mihaly \ Michael KACSMAR and Maria HRUSKOVITS) was born on 17 Jun 1902 in Ormsby, Mckean, PA, USA; was christened on 28 Jun 1902 in Bradford, Mckean, PA, USA; died on 20 Oct 1981 in Bradford, Mckean, PA, USA; was buried on 22 Oct 1981 in Bridge View Cemetery, Mt. Jewett, Mckean, PA, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sue attended Custer City Schools. At the time of her marriage, she lived in Custer City and John in Degolia, Pennsylvania She listed herself as age 18 with a birth date one year before her birth date is listed elsewhere. They honeymooned at his mother's house in Kushicaw, Pennsylvania. It was a large old country home. She remembers fondly the serenade their friends gave them that Saturday night from the railroad tracks, just outside her mother-in-law's home. They sang "Johnny is home". In the 1940 census, she is employed as a salesperson in a store. (D-10)

Notes:

Norman Leroy Forte married Theresia Rosa Link when she was 18 years old in Philadelphia. This is about the age he was when running in track for competition. There are several medals dated 1908 that I have rubbings of. He won the 100 yard dash at OGSC, 3rd place in the 75 yard dash in another and the Middle States Championship at the University of Pennsylvania on another. (F-431)

Norman and Theresia Forte's children have shared the following recollections of their parents. Their father was a good provider, but wasn't around for active involvement with his older sons. Photography was one of his interests. He was always taking 16mm motion pictures of his family. About 10 of these films and his old projector are in the possession of Doris Forte Dudick. He also did some of his own dark room work and a few of these pictures still exist. He made jewelry and worked with precious stones. He loved to dance. Any normal day, he'd be dressed in a suit and tie. (F-625)

Norman was from a family of very strong willed, unique individuals who never really got along when they gathered. At crisis points in his families' life, ex: upon parents death, Norman, seemed to be the only son capable of making the decisions and handling the affairs. Theresia, is remembered by all of her children, with respect. They feel she was a "real lady." They can't remember her raising her voice or hitting, yet she always maintained discipline. She seemed to be understanding with her children. Hank and Link remember her letting them borrow the car when he needed it.

She loved to read, play cards, go to the movies, listen to the radio, be with friends, and dance. She had all of her children take piano lessons. Link, Betty and Hank took the most lessons because of their interest in it. She would dance with her children. Her all time favorite music was "The Nutcracker Suite." She was a fantastic seamstress and a good cook. Physically, she was always very thin and smoked cigarettes. She didn't weigh over 100 lbs. She was in a fashion show in her younger days at the Keswick Theater at Keswick Ave., Glenside, Pennsylvania. Norman, her husband, used to recall this with pride. She was a member of the American Red Cross during World War II.

The life she and Norman established for their children was very regular. Monday was wash day. Saturday night dinner always included thick steaks with mashed potatoes. Saturday night was also the bath night for the children. Some of her sons don't remember this very fondly. Sunday dinner included pork chops. Sunday afternoons, at least when Doris was a teenager, was a "Go to the Movies" afternoon. She died at age 61 from a brain tumor.

All in all, her children described her in glowing terms. The following information about Norman and Theresia's residences and jobs is from a combined interview of Bud, Doris, Link, Hank and Bill at the Sept., 1988 Forte Reunion at Indian Lake and from a much earlier interview of Norman Sr. himself. During World War I, "Papa," as his grandchildren called him, couldn't get drafted because he had too many children and an important job. He considered himself a self-made Civil Engineer who learned the ropes from his father, not from any college. Employment records would probably list him as a Tar Salesman. While the War was taking place, Papa was invited to Hog Island Navy Yard, S.W.. Philadelphia by President Wilson to the christening of Kwis Konk--the first concrete ship or liberty ship. He then started supplying that shipyard.

Due to the nature of his job, and his own personal interest in enjoying changes in housing, he and his family moved a great deal. All of his children were born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at one of the following residences: (in 1915) Detroit St.; (1916) 3808 Delhi St.; (1917-18) 915 W. Butler St.; (1918) 4521 Morris St., Germantown; (1919-20) 138 Keswick Ave., Glenside; (This is verified in the 1920 Census for Chiltenham, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Norman is listed as a Sales Engineer in merchandising. They had 3 children at the time, Henry, Norman and Marie. Theresia lists her birth place as Pennsylvania and her parent's as Germany. F-261) (1920) 5713 N. Marshall; (1921) 414 Roberts Rd.; (1922-24) 935 Kenmore Rd. in Overbrook; and (Aug. 1925-June 1931) 17 Teague Ave in Glenside. Kenmore Road is where Henry contracted diphtheria.

Whenever a family member caught a disease such as measles, whooping cough, etc., the whole family would be quarantined to the house for around 3 weeks. This was a typical health practice at the time.

Norman and family can be found living in Abington Township, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania in the 1930 census. Norman was age 38 and his wife was 32. He owned his own home with a value of $8700.00 at the time. He and his parents were born in Pennsylvania. His wife was born in Pennsylvania also, but her father's birth place was Baden, Germany and her mother was born in Hessendomstadt, Germany. Norman is listed as a commercial traveler in the building and brick industry. Henry, Norman, Marie, William, Julius and Doris were members of their household. It also states that Norman was 23 and Theresia was 18 when they married. (F-665) After the start of the Depression, in 1931, Norman got a job with Barrett Company and they moved to 825 Walnut St. Norman was a good provider and his family of six children did not feel the effects of the Depression. This also meant that he was often at work and gone during the week. He spent Sunday afternoons working on his expense account. His sons remember him calling down, "What does the speedometer read?" This was information that they retrieved for his reports.

He and his wife were from stern English and German backgrounds, respectively, and their word was law. None of the children remember arguing with their authority till they were grown. Bud went to Cathedral Grade School for 8th grade and Cathedral Prep School in 9th and 10th. Henry, who was called Harry, was nicknamed Hank by his peers here, because there was already a Harry in the group. Nineteen Thirty Two found them living at 655 W. 8th St. in Erie.

In 1934, they moved to Rose Point in Roxbury, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Here, Bud attended Cochran Junior High School for the end of his 10th grade year and the senior high for 11th and 12th grades. He was a member of the glee club. His appreciation of music is quite evident in 1988 also. He graduated in 1936 and first went to work for Barrett Company as a shipping clerk. (This was the same company that his father worked for.) Henry worked at National Radiators in the Billing and later the Tabulating Dept. He remembers working with IBM equipment in 1936/7 that was the for-runner of today's computers.

Doris started first grade while at Rose Point in 1935. There address at this point was on Agnes St., and then Second Ave in 1936. World War II started. Bud left in 1939 to join the Army Air Corp. Norman still worked for Barrett, a division of Allied Chemical and Dye Corp. in the Tarvia Division. They were the largest corporation next to General Motors in the whole world at that time. (F-17) Further moves took them to 1319 Menoher Highway in 1939 and 1028 MillCreek Rd. in 1940, both in Johnstown, Pennsylvania When the U.S. was drawn into World War II in 1941, all of Norman and Theresia's children except Doris who was underage, joined the services. Linc, Bill and Bud were all Radiomen. Linc and Bill were in the Navy, Linc being stationed in New Calidonia, Australia.

Bud was in the U.S. Army Air Corp. He was first stationed in Langley Field, Virginia, then in Java, East Indies (now Indonesia) and when Java was attacked by the Japanese for it's oil wells, he was stationed in Melborne, Australia. He met his future wife the first day he arrived in Melborne at a pub. After the war, he went back to Australia and married her. There is a whole Forte branch now living there because he made his life's home with his new wife there. His brother, Henry, was in the Quartermaster Corp in North Africa. His sister, Betty, was a W.A.C. Amazingly, this whole family survived the war without injury. (F-236) On the home front in April, 1942, Norman, Theresia and Doris moved to Sawyer Rd., in Bradford, Pennsylvania where they owned a house for the first time since Philadelphia.

Norman was known for his love of new cars. He had a brand new car about every 2 years. It was in Bradford, where he owned a LaSALLE. His kids remember many of his cars as being very special, ex.: A Chrysler New Yorker, (Sedan) metallic blue with a blue interior. Also, it was here that Doris Forte met her future husband, John Dudick. After she married, Norman and Theresia sold the farm and moved to State St. in 1948 and then Vista Circle in July of 1949, still in Bradford, PA, then on to 2285 Kensington Ave., Kenmore, Buffalo, N.Y. in 1950.

It was at this point that Allied Chemical, Norman's employer wanted to move him to Syracuse, New York after shutting down the Tarvius division. He was unhappy going to a totally new city and therefore switched employment to Allied Bituminous. (pronounced Bitchimuns) Soon after, Bituminous moved him to Erie, Pennsylvania.

Bituminous was bought out by Ashland Chemical. Erie is where Norman and Theresia spent their remaining years. (F-228) A couple years after Theresia died of a brain tumor, Norman remarried Agnes Casey. They lived at 728 Michigan Ave. in Erie, Pennsylvania and had a long marriage of 20 years. Her son inherited their furniture and mementos. Edward Forte's (Norman's grandfathers) original diary was amongst his effects that likely went to Agnes' son by her first marriage. This is noted in the hopes that the original diary can one day be found. Norman's mass was held at St. Jude the Apostle Church at 11:00 A.M. He and his first wife are interred in Calvary Cemetery, Section 27, Lot 381.

Norman married Theresia Rosa LINK on 5 Jul 1915 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Theresia (daughter of Julius LINK and Elizabetha Wilhemina ECKSTEIN) was born on 22 Feb 1897 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; was christened on 6 Jun 1897 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; died on 15 Aug 1958 in Erie, Erie, PA, USA; was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Erie, Erie, PA, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Transcript of a copy of the christening record for Theresia Rosa Link as translated from the German by Ken Smith: 3/85. Therese Rosa, daughter of Herr Julius Link and his legal wife, Elizabeth Ekstein, born 22 February, 1897 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Baptized 6 June 1897 by the undersigned Christen Merkel. Witness: Rosa Link Seal: St. Matthews Evangelical Lutheran Church at Philadelphia. The seal imprinted on the original document as translated by Matthias Seifert is: German Evangelic Lutheran Mathew Community (of) unaltered Augsburgh(ish) Confession of Philadelphia, 1891. This would have been a very traditional sect at the time as the Augsburgh Confession was the first Lutheran written set of standards presented to the Roman Emperer in 1530. (E, F-109)

Theresia volunteered as a member of the Red Cross Motor Corps during World War II. She died of a brain tumor in her 50's and was greatly missed. She was said to be a very gentle woman who was able to raise a large family without ever raising her voice. She is buried in Lot #381, Section 27 of Calvary Cemetery, in Erie, Pennsylvania.