Donald J. Stetzer, 82, photographer's pictures of Steelers during 70s glory days got him in Pro Football HoF
Hoodoo
April 29, 1928 - June 16, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
By Dan Majors, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10169/1066434-122.stm
Donald J. Stetzer, a longtime photographer with The Pittsburgh Press
whose pictures of the Steelers during their glory days of the late 1970s
earned him recognition by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died of cancer
Wednesday at UPMC Shadyside. He was 82.
Born in Millvale and a graduate of Millvale High School, Mr. Stetzer
joined the Press as a copy boy in the late 1940s. According to former
Press photographer Al Herrmann Jr., another copy boy at the time, the
newspaper's city editor, Larry Fagan, told the young men that if they
worked hard and did a good job, they could try their hands at photography.
Mr. Stetzer picked up a camera and didn't put it down until 45 years
later, when he retired in 1993.
"He did a good job. You had to or you didn't last long," Mr. Herrmann
said. "We shot everything. Sports, news, general photography. Those were
fantastic days. When you worked then, you developed your own photos, and
everybody used to walk around with brown fingernails from the chemicals."
Mr. Herrmann and Mr. Stetzer would photograph Steelers games together.
"One of the best pictures Don ever took was in the [Los Angeles] Super
Bowl," Mr. Herrmann said. "He got [wide receiver John] Stallworth
catching the pass that won the game."
For the team's home games, Mr. Stetzer had his own special assistants --
his son and daughter.
"Back in those days, the team would give him passes, and we used to
stand along the field with him and hold his equipment," said his son,
Donald Stetzer Jr. of Hampton. "That was a thrill. I don't think they
can do that today.
"We were there for The Immaculate Reception. We even went with him when
the Maulers played. He covered Maulers games."
"I knew Don for 26 years," said Robert J. Pavuchak, who was a
photographer with The Press and later with the Post-Gazette. "He was an
old-time press photographer, a real news photographer from the past. I
remember he was very conscientious about his assignments. He put his all
into a photo assignment when he was given it.
"And he was very helpful to people like me, the young photographers. He
kind of pointed you in the right direction and helped you along."
Mr. Stetzer retired shortly after the Press was purchased by the
Post-Gazette, just as the world of photography was entering the age of
video and the microchip.
"I showed him my digital camera and he just asked me, 'Where's the film
go?' " his son said.
"He liked to take videos," said his daughter, Sandra Huncheck of Butler.
"But he'd forget to turn off the video camera and wear it hanging over
his shoulder pointed at the ground. We called it 'footage,' because all
it would record was people's feet."
As much as he loved photography, his daughter said, Mr. Stetzer did not
like to have his own picture taken. He preferred the other side of the
camera, even at family get-togethers.
"He was very persnickety about how he posed us," Ms. Huncheck said. "He
would take us kids and set us in a certain way, and it had to be
perfect. If it wasn't, he would stop and move a hand or a foot or
something. He was very meticulous."
In addition to his son and daughter, Mr. Stetzer is survived by his
wife, Maureen Stetzer of Shaler; seven grandchildren; and six
great-grandchildren.
Visitation is from noon to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. today at Neely Funeral
Home, 2208 Mount Royal Blvd., Shaler. A funeral will be held at 10 a.m.
Saturday.
Donations may be made to UP Cancer Institute, UPMC Cancer Pavilion,
Suite 1B, 5150 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh 15232.
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