And a son makes seven in heavenly family

Another grandchild for Goldie Basagic Huffman & husband John

Goldie & John Huffman

Goldie Basagic Huffman, Class of 1974, who once worked for the federal government, and husband John Huffman of Monongah have another grandchild.

This one is John Richard Huffman, fifth child and first son of Erik and Katie Huffman.

Brooke Huffman Pethtel, Goldie & John's daughter, is married to Adam Pethtel, who is not above hacking into Goldie’s Facebook page and having “Goldie” tell the world what a great son-in-law he is. 

Goldie has a granddaughter, Winnie May, who is 5 years old.

It’s been a while, but there was a time when Goldie was a Monongah High cheerleader alongside Barbra Eller Aldridge Hanning, Class of 1974; Patty DeMary Evans, Class of 1972; Debbie Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973, Monongahfest president and married to Monongah Mayor Greg Vandetta, Class of 1975; and Debbie Basagic Bragg, Class of 1972.

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When they weren’t cheering for the Lions, they would drive to the Saban service station on Helens Run near Worthington and check out Nick Saban’s butt as he pumped gas into Patty’s car and excitement into their teenage hearts. 

That’s the same Brother who is the Alabama football coach making $7,160,187 a year. That’s $7.16 MILLION, which is a pay raise of about $1.6 million from the previous year.

Patti is a retired nurse (1987-2006) and graduate of MHS and Fairmont State. She lives in Fairmont with husband Brian Evans. Patti’s sister is BettyAnne DeMary.

Keeping the Basagic family branches straight is tougher than beating Monongah High in a state title football game, but I’ll try:

Pete Basagic, Class of 1972, son of Richard Basagic, Class of 1948, worked at Davis Electric, lives in Monongah and is married.

Richard “Richie” Basagic, Class of 1975, works at FirstEnergy and lives in Fairmont. He attended the 2010 Monongah High Alumni Reunion.

Cathy Basagic, Fairmon State catering programs coordinator, is from Rachel and lives in Monongah.

Sandra Basagic, after Parkersburg High, Fairmont State and West Virginia University, works for the Marion County Board of Education, is married and lives in Fairmont.

Hassan Basagic, Class of 1963, attended the 2013 Monongah High Alumni Reunion with Marlene Sandy. Hassan Basagic, Jr., Class of 1941, died in 1980.

Julius Basagic, listed both as Class of 1943 and Class of 1945 in my Monongah High graduation lists but as Class of 1945 in the North Marion High alumni directory.

Goldie Basagic Myers, Class of 1943.

John Basagic, Class of 1966.

Bruce Basagic, Class of 1969.

Deborah Basagic Berry, Class of 1970.

Then there’s Justin Basagic and Debbie Puluha Basagic, but I haven’t pinpointed how they’re tied to the other Basagics, except Justin may be the child of one or more Basagics on this list.

During my Monongah High days I rode the Phil Mangino-provided truck that carried the football team to away games with Richard Basagic and Tom Dean and others when George Ross was the coach.

That was before the late Jim Feltz and the late Earl Keener came along and coached Monongah High to state football championships in 1952, 1955, 1968 (Brother Saban’s quarterback year) and 1969 (Kerry Marbury’s 2^nd year with a state title team).

Another title came in 1973, after Jim and Earl were working elsewhere, when Jim’s son, Jay Feltz, quarterbacked the Lions to the top of the state football mountain on his way to setting a record for South Carolina that still stands as the longest punt in Gamecocks history (almost EIGHTY yards!).

Jon Pat Feltz was a brilliant math teacher at Monongah Middle School for 30 years, in the building where his dad and brother were stars. He lives in Fairmont with Betty Lynn Wilson Feltz, his mother and Jim's widow.