The three boys playing baseball in their younger years
The Brisini family that grew up on Scanlan Hill outside Lilly had three children who became doctors. That is an accomplishment for any family, particularly one that was the children of immigrants.
Here is a short synopsis of those three distinguished men.
I was only treated by one, Dr. Sam, who was my dentist for a time when he was in South Fork. He was funny and congenial, which is important for any dentist.
His family remembers him as a joking person who loved to play with the kids.
I also remember Dr. John, also a dentist. I never met him until he had retired, but he had the same type of upbeat personality.
Here are some short bios of the three children of Italian-American parentage who benefitted from their parents’ emphasis on education.
Dr. Patrick Donald Brisini
The oldest of the three doctors, Dr. Patrick Brisini, was born in 1919 and he was the only one of the three to earn an M.D.
After graduating from Lilly High School, Dr. Pat attended Franklin & Marshall College and then Western Reserve Medical School. During World War II, he served as a naval officer and during the Korean conflict, he entered the Marine Corps.
After graduation from medical school, he served residencies in pediatrics and urological surgery. He returned to Johnstown where he established a practice and worked as a physician until 2006.
He first worked as a pediatrician, but then turned to urology.
He also served as a chief of staff at the three Johnstown hospitals at the time.
Dr. Pat passed away in 2007 at the age of 85.
Dr. Pat married the former Harriet Brooks, and they were the parents of these children:
Camille, married to John Bagnato
Patricia A. Brooks Brisini
Laura B. Fino
Grandchildren
Patrick J. Skelly II
Camille Wiedner
John Francis Bagnato
Kristen Fino
Greg Fino
Like Dr. John, the youngest brother, he was a lover of horses. In addition, he loved the Mercedes.
Information from Tribune-Democrat obituary
Dr. Samuel F. Brisini
Dr. Sam Brisini was born in 1921, and he practiced dentistry in Cambria County for 40 years. He attended Lilly High School and graduated in 1940.
Dr. Sam then matriculated at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster until he entered World War II. After serving in the Army Air Corps, he graduated from Western Reserve Dental School, now Case Western Reserve, in 1948 with a degree in dental surgery.
His postgraduate work covered a tremendous range of areas. After an internship at Cincinnati General Hospital where he focused on dental surgery, he then studied dental anesthesia at Ohio State, Orthodontics in New York, and cephalometry at the University of Pittsburgh.
He served in the Army Reserve for approximately ten years.
Dr. Sam practiced in South Fork for 19 years and in Richland for 31.
Family
Dr. Sam passed away in 2012 at the age of 90.
Wife, former Rose Marie Moyer.
Children
Joyce, wife of Bill Itle;
Sam, Jr., husband of former Rebecca McMullen;
Vincent, husband of former Jana Pelesky;
Jante, wife of Dr. David Selvig.
Grandchildren
Carissa (Itle) Westrick;
Cortney Itle;
Lindsey (Itle) Skandsen;
Dr. Nathan McKeta, DMD;
Dr. Travis Brisini, Ph.D.
Ryan Brisini
Samantha Brisini
Information from obituary, Tribune-Democrat
Dr. John C. Brisini
The youngest of the three “doctors,” John Brisini, D.D.S. lived a long life as his brothers did, not passing away until 2019 at the age of 96.
After graduating from Lilly High School in 1941, Dr. John entered St. Vincent College in Latrobe before entering the Navy during World War II. During his training in the service, he attended Villanova University and Notre Dame.
Like his brothers, he entered graduate school at Case Western Reserve, focusing on dentistry. After he graduated from dental school, he returned to Cambria County where he established a private practice. He also worked as a dentist at the Ebensburg Center, Laurel Crest Manor, and the Cambria County Prison.
Like his brother Dr. Pat, he loved horses and rode until his older years.
He married his high school sweetheart, the former Jeane Price and together they raised three children:
Nicholas
Joseph (Jill)
Mary Damin (Perry)
These are the grandchildren:
Isaac
Jon
Joshua
Carly
John Gabriel
Michael
Anthony
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