Joseph Paul Diviny, 89, science teacher
Joseph Paul Diviny, 89, a longtime science teacher in Philadelphia's public schools, died Monday, May 9, of esophageal cancer at his home in Mayfair.
Joseph Paul Diviny, 89, a longtime science teacher in Philadelphia's public schools, died Monday, May 9, of esophageal cancer at his home in Mayfair.
Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Diviny worked as a boy in the 1930s selling fruit and vegetables from a horse-drawn cart on the streets of Kensington.
"One of his favorite tasks was to feed the horse a carrot at lunchtime. His grandchildren marveled at this recollection of much simpler times in Philadelphia," his family said in a remembrance.
But his largest audience was generations of students to whom he taught science in the School District of Philadelphia from 1957 to 1993.
He began at Thomas Edison High School, then moved up to head of the science department at South Philadelphia High and finally, Central High.
Mr. Diviny was a lifelong Philadelphia resident. He graduated from Northeast Catholic High School in 1944. He graduated in 1955 with a bachelor's degree in biology from what is now La Salle University and earned a master of secondary education degree from Temple University in 1965.
He served during the Korean War with the 196th Infantry Regiment stationed at Fort Richardson in Alaska. He was a truck driver before being honorably discharged in 1952 as a private first class.
Throughout his life, Mr. Diviny was a passionate soccer referee with the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association, and a soccer and baseball coach for the Holy Terrors Youth Organization.
He sang in the choir at St. Matthew Catholic church in Northeast Philadelphia and was a frequent cantor, lector, and eucharistic minister. In recent years, Mr. Diviny was active with the St. Matthew Senior Citizens Association, for which he served as treasurer.
Mr. Diviny is survived by Clare A. Diviny, his wife of 58 years; sons Joseph P. Jr., Aidan A., Sean M., and Christopher; a daughter, Clare Anne Diviny-Eger; and 10 grandchildren. Five siblings died earlier.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Matthew, 3000 Cottman Ave. in Mayfair, at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 16. Burial will be in Our Lady of Grace Cemetery, Langhorne.
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