Biographies of Our Forefathers
John
Wallace "Wally" (Tinneny) Klebes
John Wallace Tinneny was the first son of Patrick Tinneny and Anna
Ambrose. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania about 1915. He was
baptized in Holy Family Church and raised the Manayunk section of the
City the first couple years of his life.
After his father
died, Wally's mother married Leo Klebes who adopted Wally and his
younger brother Daniel. With the adoption boys last names were changed
from Tinneny to Klebes. The family moved from Manayunk to 6801 Ditman
Street in Northeast Philadelphia. As a child and young man Wally
enjoyed music, table tennis and tennis.
Wallace worked for Sears and Roebuck Company from 1945 until 1960. In
his earlier days with the Company he was a touring tennis professional.
He gave table tennis exhibitions throughout the states of Pennsylvania,
New Jersey and New York. During these exhibits he would play table
tennis with people from the crowd. While those he played against used
the standard table tennis paddle Wally used a miniature paddle that was
the exact size as the table tennis ball.
Wallace married Constance "Connie" Masciendaro. The couple was married
in New Jersey. Sponsors at their wedding were the grooms brother Daniel
Klebes and Connie's sister Dorothy. Following their marriage Wallace
and Connie lived in Camden, New Jersey then in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
Wallace was affectionately known by family and close friends as “The
Captain" due to his meticulous dress and demeanor. As an adult Wallace
enjoyed woodworking. He also enjoyed drinking beer and after a few
beers he considered himself quite a dancer. Concerning the drinking,
however, his nephew Daniel remembers that although his Uncle Wally loved
to drink beer his behavior and attitude was never anything less than
gentlemanly. Daniel went on to recount that his Uncle Wally was as they
say, "the stuff of legends and a true and honest son of Erin."
Wallace and Connie had no children. Connie's mother lived with Connie
and Wally in their home in Maple Shade, New Jersey. Connie contracted
lung cancer and died. Following her death, Wally who was in poor
health, sold their home and entered a Nursing home in Bucks County,
Pennsylvania.
In
the fall of 1995 Wallace died in Philadelphia of cardiac arrest. He was
70 years old.
Note:
Wallace had no descendants.
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