Victor "Vic" P. Kress

Victor Paul Kress drove his precious convertible (top down, of course) for the last time Saturday, July 22, 2023.

Born August 8, 1938 to Victor Frank and Helen Gail Kress, he graduated from St. Agatha’s High School (now Seton) and Allegheny College, and served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the Air National Guard in Vienna, Ohio.

Graduating from Allegheny College, he was a successful realtor, investment property specialist and insurance agent, with Vic Kress Real Estate for a half century. He was an investor in the City of Meadville. Starting at the age of 22, over the years, he owned and managed many rental properties in the city he loved.

All that aside, his true passion was sports. At St. Agatha’s he was a 1,000-point scorer and leading rebounder. At Allegheny he held a long-standing record, with 23 rebounds in a game against W & J and is currently tied for fourth place for all time. He coached St. Brigid’s grade school basketball, the Hawks, for three years and was gratified that many of his proteges ended up playing for MASH. He umpired little league baseball at Odd Fellows field, and co-organized/managed the first women’s adult softball team, the Chickadees – also known as ‘Vic’s Chicks.’ He pitched fast-pitch softball for the Red Barn and Cottage restaurants for 15 years and threw a mean knuckleball and changeup but regretted only having one no-hitter in his career. Vic Kress Real Estate Specialists men’s basketball travel team dominated the YMCA adult league for years. Vic’s personal high was blocking three of all-pro Gus Johnson’s (a guard with the San Francisco Warriors) shots in an Ohio tournament. His personal low was going for a rebound in a benefit game and being shoved under the basket by all-pro Jim Kanicki (300 lb. defensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns). Briefly losing his sanity, Vic drove his elbow into Kanicki and both went to the floor creating a kerfuffle. Good thing for him, it was quickly broken up.

A part-time freelance sports writer and columnist, he worked under three sports editors at the Meadville Tribune (Chuck Anderson, John Wellington, and Craig Phillips). For over a decade he covered top games of the week for local high school, county league and college basketball and football, and wrote the prediction column “Vic’s Pic’s” for NFL games. Always a loyal Cleveland fan, he also rooted for Notre Dame.

In 1990, Ray Horner, a popular local play-by-play announcer at WMGW/Forever Broadcasting, invited Vic to leave his writing gig to be his co-anchor for high school and Allegheny College sports on the radio. Vic did, and was a color analyst for more than 1,000 games.

His sense of humor was “off the charts”. He was self-deprecating but could trash-talk with the best. He had a penchant for giving nick names. Some of his favorites: Pogo Joe, Blue Shoes Hughes, Whispering Smith, Mouse Mottillo and his wife Minnie Mouse. When his brother Richard Bryan was born, Vic called his brother ‘Biff’, a name which stuck.

He got his “handle” “the Professor” from now deceased Gary Clark (also a local radio personality at WMGW). While some might have thought it scholarly, it was actually after Jerry Lewis’ absent-minded professor, appropriate because Vic was always looking for his keys, clipboard, glasses. He later elevated the title to “Professor of Gibberish”.

He was a fierce competitor, not only in sports and business, but he loved to play – and win at poker and 500 bid … and scrabble with Karen. He loved to sport his self-proclaimed title, World Backgammon Champion, especially around the pool in Marco Island. That is not mentioning a receiver of many tennis, racquetball, volleyball and even paddleball honors.

In 1985 Vic married Karen Kusmierek, a Kittanning girl who swept him off his feet and was the love of his life. Besides Karen, he is survived by his sister Patricia Cotta and her husband Dan of Plymouth, MA and, sister Karen Sherman and her husband Craig of Erie, CO, and brother Richard (Biff) Kress and his wife Victoria of Meadville, brother and sister-in-law Joseph and Karen Kusmierek of Warren, OH.

He is also survived by his nephews David Cotta and his wife Rachel, Dominic and Anthony Loiacona and nieces Courtney Cotta, Kendra Fryburg, Kristen and her husband Justin Zaitz, Theresa McKnight, Jennifer Kusmierek.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Kimberly Prager, and “Lil’ Bear, his loving Australian Shephard.

Family and friends are invited to call from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at STEPHEN P. MIZNER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., 404 CHESTNUT ST., MEADVILLE, with a Scripture Service at 7:45 PM.

A Mass of Resurrection will be held at 10 AM on Friday, July 28, 2023, at The Epiphany of the Lord Parish, St. Brigid Church, 383 Arch St., Meadville, with Fr. Jeff Lucas officiating.

Vic will be laid to rest in Greendale Cemetery with Full Military Honors by VFW Post #2006.

Memorials can be made in Vic's memory to Meadville High School Basketball Boosters, 930 North St. or Seton Catholic School, 385 Pine St., both in Meadville, PA 16335.

Share a memory or condolence at www.miznerfuneralhome.com