Eddie Luszcynski, perhaps the greatest multi-sport athlete in Monongah High history, passed away Friday, Aug. 22.

Eddie exceled in football (quarterback), basketball (top scorer), baseball (ace pitcher), golf, bowling and dancing. And sang in the choir for the Knights of Columbus and in Monongah’s Holy Spirit Catholic Church. He attended St. Stanislaus Church during his Monongah High days.

Eddie and his beautiful wife, Mary Lee Evans, whose full birth name is Mary Elizabeth Evans Luszcynski, waltzed through Monongah High Dance Club and life together.

I remember Eddie’s favorite trick in basketball. He would dribble the ball by a defender and, as he got alongside the hapless player, fall down. Inevitably, it would be called a foul. And Eddie was a superb free throw shooter. He took his charity shots two-hand underhanded. Appropriate, huh?

In baseball, Eddie’s breaking stuff was as hard to hit as it was to spell his last name.

Eddie played baseball in the Detroit Tigers minor league system, with the Durham Bills, along with another his best friend, Monongah High grad John Fazio, also a pitcher. That’s the team made famous by Kevin Costner in the “Bull Durham” movie.

Later, Eddie played the outfield for the Worthington team in the Central West Virginia League in the 1950's. A number of guys from Monongah played on those teams.

I came across Eddie several years ago at a Monongah High Alumni Reunion golf outing at Green Hills, where he still could whip the young whippersnappers with his athletic ability even though, by that time, he was missing some fingers.

Besides Eddie, Paul and JoAnna Gintarska Luszcynski’s children included Veronica Luszcynski Mick, Class of 1941, of Monongah and, all deceased, Margaret Luszcynski Pulka, Helen Luszcynski Duncil, Class of 1941, Frank Lushinski and John Lushinski. The brothers made the name easier to spell.

Helen Luszcynski Duncil passed away in 2013 in Killeen, Texas, which is between Austin and Fort Worth.

Eddie’s mother’s siblings were Frank Lushinsky, John Lushinski, Sr. and Margaret Pulka.

Mary Lee’s brother was the late George “Sonny” Evans II, also an outstanding athlete in basketball and baseball at Monongah High. 

Sonny and Tom Dean, Class of 1949, who lives in Alta Vista, Virginia, were close friends and athletes during their MHS Lions days.

Bonita Lavencheck Waybright, Class of 1968, who lives in Blacksburg, Virginia, and is a cousin of Stan Slovekosky, Class of 1964, wrote this:

John,

I was saddened when I read on your blog about Ed Luszcynski passing away.  Growing up in Chiefton, my mother and her family (Scarcella 

family) knew the Luszcynski family quite well. 

I really enjoyed  talking with Eddie on my walking trips through Monongah.  He told me 

that he and some of his friends golfed quite frequently, but I didn't know about his baseball career. 

He was really nice and had an easy-going personality. My mother told me that she learned to speak Polish from going to their family home to visit with Eddie's sister, Helen. 

She also told me that Eddie's father boiled things like onion skins and other plant parts to dye Easter eggs.  I had a chuckle when a few 

years ago I saw an article in Martha Stewart 's magazine about using things like that to dye Easter eggs because it brought back that 

memory for me.

Thanks for the article, pictures and obituary about Ed.

Bonita Lavencheck Waybright, Class of 1968

If you have memories of the Luszcynski/Lushinski or Evans families, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com and I’ll also add them to this Monongah High Alumni blog article.

Eddie’s obituary:

Edward Paul Luszcynski
(December 20, 1928 - August 22, 2014)

Edward Paul Luszcynski , 85, of Monongah died Friday Aug.22, 2014 at Ruby Memorial Hospital. He was born December 20, 1928 in Chiefton, WV, son of the late Paul and JoAnna Gintarska Luszcynski.

Ed was retired from C&P Telephone, a Korean Conflict Veteran, and a graduate of Monongah High School in 1947. He played Minor League Baseball for the Durham Bulls and was affiliated with the Detroit Tigers. Ed was a member of and sang in the choir for both the Knights of Columbus and the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Monongah. He was also an avid golfer and bowler.

Ed is survived by one daughter and son in-law, Brenda and Michael Gillespie of Monongah; two grandchildren, Ryan and Bethany Moore; two step grandchildren, Ryan and Derek Gillespie; a sister, Veronica Mick of Monongah; nieces, Marlene Newell and husband Frank, Paula Webb and husband Richard, Rosemary Tetrick and husband Ronald, Loraine Clark and husband Denny, Judy Greaser and husband Rod, Linda Evans, Patty Reese and husband Bill, Janet Skarzenski, Joanne Pulka and husband Frank, Carole Martin and companion John; nephews, Ruben Mick Jr. and wife Jo Ellen, George Evans and wife Samantha, Tom Evans, Paul Duncil, and Frank Pulka, Jr.; and his faithful dog Molly.

In addition to his parents, Ed was preceded in death by his wife Mary Elizabeth Evans Luszcynski who died January 25, 2001; two sisters, Margaret Pulka and Helen Duncil; two brothers, Frank and John Lushinski; a nephew, John Lushinski; and a niece, Joanne Lushinsky.

Friends and family may call at Domico Funeral Home 414 Gaston Ave. in Fairmont from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.Sunday. The Knights of Columbus will hold a Ritual Service at 7:00 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Monday at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Monongah, with Fr. S.A. Arokiadass as Celebrant. Interment will follow at Mt. Zion Cemetery.