Longtime Norwin athletic director taught life lessons to students

Joseph E. Pellis taught many life lessons to his children and his students.

“When you get knocked down, you get back up until you can’t get up anymore,” recalled his son, Mark Pellis.

The longtime athletic director at Norwin High School, Pellis also coached football and wrestling. He was an educator for 35 years, with 34 of them at Norwin, prior to his retirement in 2003.

“He made lasting impacts, upon my life and everyone’s he touched as a coach,” Mark Pellis said. “He was my coach.”

Joseph E. Pellis, 78, of Greensburg, died Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital.

He was born Nov. 4, 1942, in Greensburg, to the late Roger E. Sr. and Mary (Massi) Pellis.

His family were longtime members of the Greensburg community. His grandfather, also named Joseph Pellis, helped create the mosaic tiling at the Westmoreland County Courthouse.

“Sports and coaching were his life,” Mark Pellis said of his father.

Joseph Pellis wrestled and played football as a student at Greensburg High School. He attended college in Minnesota. It was when visiting a restaurant in nearby Fargo, N.D., that he met his future wife, who worked there.

“He was a faithful husband to me, and we loved each other dearly for 53 years,” Janice Pellis said. “He was a good father and provider for his family.”

They married in 1967. Mr. Pellis returned to Southwestern Pennsylvania, taking a job as a teacher at Johnstown Junior High School.

The next year he got a job with the Norwin School District, where he remained the rest of his career.

His role as athletic director kept him very busy, his family said.

“When you’re athletic director it’s 24/7, there’s always a game after school, and there’s always a game in the evenings,” Mark Pellis said.

He remained close with some of his student athletes for years, even decades after his retirement.

“They meant a lot to him, in fact we just had a little get together with some of his students not too long ago,” Janice Pellis said. “I never heard of anyone having a bad word about him.”

Mr. Pellis enjoyed riding ATVs, staying in a mountain cabin with his friends and spending time with his family.

“We had many wonderful times together, raising our children and seeing them grow up to become successful adults,” Janice Pellis said.

Mr. Pellis is survived by his wife Janice; three sons, Mark J. Pellis and wife Cindy, of Bethel Park, Vincent D. Pellis and wife Viviani Ramirez, of Chatham, N.J., and Adam W. Pellis of Greensburg; and seven grandchildren.

Friends will be received from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Leo M. Bacha Funeral Home, 516 Stanton St. Greensburg.

A funeral mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Parish, 820 Carbon Road, Hempfield, with private internment to follow at Greensburg Catholic Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 1011 Mt. Pleasant Road, Greensburg, Pa., 15601.