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Director 1989 - 1990 Melvin L. 'Pete' Backstrom Mc Keesport, PA QCWA # 5295 |
M. L. "Pete" Backstrom, W3DM, first licensed in 1935 as W8NWB. Extra Class license since 1965, State of Pennsylvania. Calls held include W8NWB, W3NWB, K9HRX and W3DM. Member of ARRL, OOTC, QCWA (50 years), Piusburgh Chapter No. 6, where he was President for three years and Director for many more. Also, Past President of Two Rivers Amateur Radio Association . . .
has been active on most bands, but "home" has been 20 and 40 meter CW. Was first employed by a division of what later became U. S. Steel Corporation, where 1 earned my first Industrial patent at the age of 23. This . patent resuhed from my knowledge of radio- frequency which of course came from knowledge gleaned from my "ham" radio activities. My life has been spent in mechanical and metallurgical engineering. Nearly every major career activity change was sponsored, at least in part, because .of knowledge gained via amateur radio. Hobbies include music, golf, boating, wood and metal working, computers. my Wife Ginney, our 6 children and 7 grandchildren and travel.
"My ambitions for QCWA are w see it grow world- wide - for the promotion of amateur radio via the ARRL to the FCC - to strengthen the bonds of friendship - encourage communications between members - influence active participation of younger members while strengthening the preservation of knowledge and traditions of the early pioneers. Remembering that we too were once the "new kids on the block" and to take advantage of the fact that we can hold out a helping hand to the old timers as well as the new kids. I believe it is the duty of a Director to communicate personal I y with QCWA membership and the individual chapters to provide a decision making base for the Directorship. If elected 1 would make that pledge."
Birth: May 7, 1918 West Newton Westmoreland County Pennsylvania, USA
Death: Feb. 1, 1990 Monroeville Allegheny County Pennsylvania, USA
Melvin L. "Pete" Backstrom, 72, of Murrysville, died Friday, Feb. 1, 1990, in Forbes Regional Health Center, Monroeville. He was born May 7, 1918, in West Newton, a son of the late Albert and Minnie Hadley Backstrom.
He had lived in Murrysville since 1971. Prior to his retirement, he was employed as an engineer by U.S. Steel in Pittsburgh, Firth Sterling in McKeesport, Gibson Electric in Delmont, GTE in Pittsburgh, and Advanced Metallurgy in McKeesport and Delmont. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Murrysville, the Two Rivers Amateur Radio Club of McKeesport, and the board of directors of the Quarter Century Wireless Association.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Margaret Keenan Backstrom, in 1967.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia Gall Spurlock Backstrom; three daughters, Karen Ayers of Jaffrey, N.H., Marie Jo Thum of Boca Raton, Fla., and Celeste Backstrom of Huntingdon Beach, Calif.; three sons, Kevin Backstrom of Madison, Wis., Fred Spurlock of Vienna, Va., and David Spurlock of Plantation, Fla.; two brothers, Clyde of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Harry Backstrom of Talequah, Okla.; and seven grandchildren.
BACKSTROM {ed} Friends of Melvin L. "Pete" Backstrom, 72, of Murrysville, who died Friday, Feb. 1, 1990, will be received at the JOHN T. HART FUNERAL HOME, Murrysville, Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Services will be held Monday at 11 a.m. in the First United Methodist Church, Murrysville, with the Revs. Robert Wilson and David Fetterman officiating.
Interment will be in West Newton Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, Murrysville.
Family links:
Parents:
Albert Richard Backstrom (1892 - 1936)
Minnie M. Hadley Backstrom-Metzler (1894 - 1978)
Spouse:
Virginia Marie Gall Backstrom (1922 - 1993)
Siblings:
Clyde I. Backstrom (1916 - 2008)*
Melvin Leslie Backstrom (1918 - 1990)
Harry L. Backstrom (1921 - 2006)*
*Calculated relationship
Burial: West Newton Cemetery, West Newton, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA
