The month of September wasan emotional one for Thomas Northrop, former executive editor for the Observer-Reporter, when he and his sister, Lucy Northrop Corwin, announced the sale of the family paper to the company, Ogden Newspapers. Northrop’s last day of work was Sept. 28.

But the family is still somewhat of an institution in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Northrop family received news that not only would they receive the Washington County Community Foundation Philanthropist of the Year Award, but it would also be re-named the Northrop Family Excellence Award for Community Philanthropy. The family received the award, along with other award winners, at the Hilton Garden Inn at Southpointe, Pennsylvania.

Northrop said, when he first found out WCCF named the award after his family, was stunned.  

“We went into the office actually; it was my father, my mother, my sister Lucy and myself,” Thomas said. “It was stunning and humbling all at the same time, very surprising. I know there are a lot of people who have done a lot of good work.”

The family is spread all over the United States, said Northrop, but has been affecting the tri-county area specifically. Since 1902, when John L. Stewart, Northrop’s great grandfather, co-founded the Observer-Reporter, the family has kept the paper running while influencing and aiding surrounding counties for five generations.

The family has worked with Washington Hospital, The United Way of Washington County and even helped found WCCF. Although there is an extensive family history of service, Northrop said he and his siblings never felt pushed to follow in his ancestors’ footsteps.

“We were never pressured to do [service], but I think there probably was subconsciously an expectation that people were going to do it,” Northrop said.

What gave him the push to be involved in the community revolved around an interaction with his grandmother: One day, while eight-year-old Northrop was at a store, his grandmother left the store having all of her items paid for except for a book under her arm. When she realized her mistake, she walked back into the store and told the cashier. The manager was nearby, and saw what was transpiring. He asked Northrop’s grandmother why she took the time to come back into the store to pay for the book. Her answer, Northrop said, impacted him for the rest of his life.

“She said, ‘well, because it’s the right thing to do.’ At eight years old, [boys] are pretty oblivious to the world and to things, and boys sometimes can be pretty stupid,” Northrop said. “But it made such an impression on me as an eight-year-old, that you just do the right thing. It was one of those things that has stuck with me – I just turned 62 –  for all those years.”

Having this experience in mind, Northrop has pushed himself to serve. He is currently a chairman of the board for the Washington Health Systems and WCCF and a member of the Washington Rotary Club. Even though he is retired now, Northrop is not going to slow down because of that.

“I’m only 62,” Northrop said. “So hopefully I’ll participate for a long time.”