Little rascals from the 1940s:
Richard Basagic, Homer Delovich, John Matkovich
 

CATCHING UP WITH

John Matkovich & Dolores Sweede Matkovich

John Matkovich, Class of 1948, and Dolores Sweede Matkovich, Class of 1953, are enjoying life in Palm Harbor, Florida – for nearly three decades.

Palm Harbor, near St. Petersburg, is 950 miles from Swisher Hill, where John and Dolores once lived. It is south of Tarpon Springs, west of Oldsmar and north of Dunedin.

John’s still a solid golfer, and plays in tournaments and leagues even though he’s near his 87^th birthday. So does Dolores.

He’s also a swinger. No, not THAT kind of swinger. In the nearby Loudon Lakes golf tournament. I remember seeing John at Green Hills golf course when the Monongah High Alumni Scramble still was being held.

“I have a good time hanging out with the old guys,” John says.

They used to bowl regularly, too, but have “backed off” from that, John says.

John played football for Monongah High.

John and Dolores are frequent attendees at the Monongah High Alumn Reunion, including the one in 2015.

He has fond memories of long-time friends Nick Fiori – (304) 363-6106 -- and Otis “Sarge” Shaver. He’d like to hear from them.

Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949, who lives in Monongah, remembers when her and her late husband, Frank Michalski, who played on the Monongah High football team with John Matkovich, visited John and Dolores at their home within a 9-iron shot of the golf course.

Ramona remembers enjoying Dolores’ speciality: Rigatonia and meatballs. Mama mia, it’s make me hungry just writing about it.

Ramona recently talked to Dolores’ sister, Barbara Sweede, who still lives in Monongah. Dolores, Barbara and brother Tom grew up in the Stoney Lonesome house near the Union Hall on U.S. 19.

John fondly recalls walking the halls of the former Monongah High building with his 1948 classmates for their 50^th anniversary reunion in 1998.

Class of 1948 members that I hear from, besides John and Dolores, include Nathaleen Cameon Oliverio of East Chicago, Indiana; Nick Fiori, who lives in Fairmont; Connie Bonasso Rogers, Class of 1948, widow of Carroll Rogers; Benn Morgan, a retired music teacher and organist/choir director of the Old Durham Church near LaPlata, Maryland; Betty Hensley Lowther, who lives in Pompano Beach, Florida; Mary Lee Hertzog Gwinn, who lives in Rockville, Maryland with husband E.J. Gwinn; Mary Jo Forte Richards, who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, and who provided piano accompaniment for Leatrice Yokay Greaser, Class of 1950, on their Fairmont WMMS radio show in the 1950s; June Paxton Rogers, life-long friend of the late Frances Savereno Pulice; and Otis “Sarge” Shaver, who lives on Old Monongah Road and is the brother of Jim Shaver, Class of 1954.

Unfortunately, Suzanne Barr Loss, widow of Arnold “J.B.” Loss, Class of 1947, who lived in Mill Fall, joined her husband in the Hereafter a few months ago.

Suzi and J.B., the son of the original J.B., bought the 100-acre farm once owned by my aunt and uncle, Frank and Gezala Futten Loss. Gezala was a sister of my mother, Lena Futten Olesky, and the late Fairmont barber, Si Futten.

I saw Dolores’ sister, Barbara Sweede, Class of 1956, who lives in Monongah, in the box seats of Section 105 at Mountaineer Field last year.

If you want to catch up with old times with John or Dolores, their phone number is (727) 789-2711 or you can email them at jmatko8533@aol.com

I certainly enjoyed my phone conversation with John. It’s always good times when former Lions get together, whether it’s on the phone or in person, like the reunions we have in Punta Gorda and Sarasota, Florida.

Which reminds me: Be sure to mark Memorial Day weekend Saturday on your calendar. That’s when the annual Monongah High Alumni Reunion will take place at the Knights of Columbus on Mary Lou Retton Drive in Fairmont.

Call Donna Davis at (304) 534-5636 for details and she’ll send you’re a dinner-dance reservation form. Those who don’t show up the most, ironically, are those who still live in Marion County. Others travel from California and Florida to be there.

Go figure.