Tuesday, May 30, 2017


Sue Greynolds Davidson, Class of 1955, passed away Tuesday, May 30. She had attended the 2017 Monongah High Alumni Reunion on Saturday, as she regularly did.

Sue was the widow of Melvin “Whitie” Davidson, Class of 1954. She lived in Fairmont.

Kim Davidson-Craddock is Sue’s daughter. She once lived on the same Fairmont street as Renee Straight, daughter of Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1950. Kim is married to Art Craddock.

Sue and Whitey's son is Gibb Davidson.

John Greynolds was Sue's brother.


Merlin Davidson, Class of 1957, is Whitie's brother. He is married to Patty Timms Davidson, also Class of 1958. Merlin was an outstanding athlete at Monongah High. 
 Sue and her girlfriends excited the male swimmers among the Monongah High students when they showed up at Coal Hole in their swimsuits.

Sue and Joseph Junior “Beansie” Elutrio of Baltimore were a regular dancing couple at the Monongah High Alumni Reunions for years. That was before Sue broke her hip a few years back.

Other Greynolds women were Alice Greynolds Sago, Betty Greynolds Craig, Aggie Greynolds Morris, Mary Lou Greynolds Palmer. Sue and her sister Alice both worked at Westinghouse in Fairmont for many years.

Alice’s daughter is Mary Sue Sago Miller. 


The Fairmont Time has an excellent article about Bill McCombs and Patty Steel McCombs.

Bill, Class of 1969, is the #1 expert on Monongah’s water system. Wife Patty, a Fairmont East graduate, has been the heart and soul of Monongahfest since its inception.

 

I’ll step out of the way and let those who don’t get the Fairmont Times but do read this blog wherever they are living together read it:

 

FACES: Bill and Patty McCombs’ involvements and activities in Monongah span fun events and government and everything in between

·         By Leah Nestor Times West Virginian

 

prev

next

 

MONONGAH — Patty McCombs moved to Monongah in her 20s, around the time she married Bill.

Bill had lived in Monongah all his life and became involved in the community early on. They’ve been together 40 years.

“I think it’s the friendship, maybe the fellowship of the town, that brings everyone together,” Patty explained. “I mean everyone just gathers to help you do everything. That’s the way this town is, and that doesn’t happen in a lot of towns.”

Patty and Bill have been very involved in the town for most of her life and all of his.

“I like my town, and I like to see good things happen to it,” Bill said.

“He gets so wrapped up in the town,” Patty said about her husband. “He cares more than anybody I’ve ever seen about a town.”

Their involvements and activities in Monongah span fun events and government and everything in between.

Patty has helped with Monongahfest since its inception. Monongahfest is now on its 29th consecutive run.

“(The creators) wanted to have a community gathering of some sort where everyone just got together and enjoyed the day,” Patty said. “And it just bloomed into what it is today.”

Patty has also served as the town recorder since 2003.

“(I just had) an interest in the town, and now I feel like if I quit I’m going to miss something,” she laughed.

A few years before Patty decided to run for town recorder, Bill began running for town council. He was a councilman for about 20 years. He is running for it again after a four-year hiatus.

“Because of the water projects and sewer projects that are coming up, I’d like to be involved with that and have some input,” he said.

Long before his time on council, he began volunteering with the Monongah Volunteer Fire Department in 1971 when he was 20 years old. After 45 years, he is now assistant fire chief and treasurer.

“All of us guys got together and we built this ourselves,” Bill said about the department’s building. “(It) took three or four years to build this. We don’t owe a penny on it.”

He said he always enjoyed helping people and knows that there are many people who either cannot volunteer or will not volunteer.

Way back when there was a Monongah Fire Department Women’s Auxiliary, Patty was on that, too. A lot of fundraisers were done for the fire department, she said, and she continues to help with the department even though the women’s auxiliary is no longer in existence.

After years as chief operator of the Monongah Water Plant, Bill has waffled between retirement and working again, going into retirement and returning to help train a new water plant supervisor.

“I retired and one guy took my place. He lasted three months; the other one lasted six months,” Bill explained. “So now I’m training another one. I told him he had to last at least a year.”

In their spare time, when they are not getting involved in another aspect of the town, they’re getting together with their neighbors.

“They’re all friends, and if they don’t know each other then their parents knew each other,” Patty explained. “It was just something that’s just come down the line that they all kind of inherited.”

She said that friendship is what has kept her here.

Not only do they find time to spend with their neighbors, all the families have camp sites at Big Bear Lake where they spend the weekends together.

“Everybody says you’re supposed to go to camp to get away from your neighbors, but all of our neighbors are at camp,” Patty laughed.

In addition to government, fire department, events and time with neighbors, Bill and Patty said they owned the ice cream shop for about five years. And although the businesses in the town have changed or left, she said the people have stayed the same.

“When you come (to Monongah), you feel like no one is a stranger in this town because everyone always treats you as if they’ve known you forever,” Patty said.

 


There’s a Peach of a Monongah High grad on the June list of MHS alumni birthdays.

Tina Ann “Peaches” Aldridge DeMary, Class of 1945, who lives with husband Frank DeMary, Jr., Class of 1947, in Monongah, will have another birthday Friday, June 5. Frank and Peaches once had a grocery store at the end of Bridge Street in Monongah before they moved to Rivesville.

Their daughter is Patty DeMary Evans, Class of 1972, married to Brian Evans.

Frank, Jr.’s parents were Frank Joseph DeMary, who passed away in 1972, and Lena Duva DeMary, who passed away in 1986. His siblings are Louise DeMary Lusi of Clearwater, Florida and Rose Ann DeMary Flore, Class of 1943, married to Robert and living in Princeton, Rhode Island.

Frank, Jr.’s brother, Joseph A. DeMary of Rivesville, passed away in 2007. Joe’s children are Kimberly Jo DeMary Clowers, married to Earl Clowers and living in Rossville, Georgia; Sgt. 1st Class Joanne Mary DeMary of Fort Meade, Maryland; another Joseph Allen DeMary, living in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee with wife Yvonne; and Julie Ann DeMary, also of Soddy.

 
Anthony DeMary, Sr. and Lucy DeMary are the parents of Ann DeMary Eates, married to Joe Eates, both Class of 1945, and Jimmy DeMary and Anthony “Plumber” DeMary, Jr., Class of 1950. Ann and Joe live at the bottom of Bridge Street hill. Jimmy and Plumber are deceased. Tony Eates, also Class of 1950, is Ann DeMary Eates’ brother and lives in Fairmont with wife Lucy Cann Eates.

 

If your name is not on this list, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com  with your full name, including maiden name, your birthday date, your graduation year and your current hometown.


 

June


1 – Parma Kay Fetty, Class of 1973

3 – Jim Birdsell, North Marion grad from Monongah; married to Angela

5 – Ann “Peaches” DeMary

7 – Kenneth Kincaid, Class of 1968

8 – John Koloskie, Jr., Class of 1944

8 – Pat Slovekosky Morris, Class of 1970

13 – C.L. “Roy” Parker II, North Marion Class of 1982

13 – Rick Morrison, son of Kitty Ahouse Morrison, Class of 1968  

14 – Pamela Morrison Bombardiere, Class of 1967

14 – Regina Levelle Humphrey, Class of 1973

14 – Regina McCoy Murphy, Class of 1973

17 – Delmas Gene Hartley, Class of 1979

20 – Shirley Ann Woods Merchant, Class of 1953

22 – Prudence Deane Tetrick Funk, Class of 1960.

23 – Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949

23 – Kathryn Manuel Marshall, Class of 1960

23 – Ron Manzo, Class of 1969

23 – Frankie Vandetta, North Marion grad

 

July


3 – Susan Ahouse Schrader, Class of 1971

4 – Barbara Fleming Marsh, Class of 1947

5 – David Gowers, Class of 1971

5 – Bill Meredith, Class of 1957

7 – Alex Fazio Huff, North Marion 2005 grad

10 – Mary Fleming Toothman, Class of 1960

14 – Ted Nagel, Class of 1954

14 – Bentley Evans, Class of 1978

18 – Larry Zickefoose, Class of 1968

20 – Catherine Reckart Boyce, Class of 1973

21 – Robin Huffman Satterfield, Class of 1973  

16 – Jean Nagel Viglianco, Class of 1949

19 – Jane Pritchard Moore, Class of 1975

29 – Pete Basagic, Class of 1972

 

August


1 – Kim DeMary Clowers, Class of 1979

5 – Robert Tennant, Class of 1971

6 – Wauneda Evans, Patty DeMary Evans’ mother-in-law

7 – Dorie Mike Whetsell, Monongah graduate

8 – Sandra Ashcraft, Class of 1964

9 – Paula Kerns Fazio, Class of 1979

16 – Debby Morrison Harden, Class of 1966

17 – Twins Earnest Hayes & Chester Hayes, both Class of 1965

18 – Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960

18 – John Fazio, Class of 1970

19 – Greg Postlethwait, Class of 1964

19 – Barbra Eller-Hanning, Monongah grad

20 – Irene Fazio Preolitti, Class of 1966

20 – Connie Warash, Class of 1975

29– Pat Meredith Wills, Class of 1950

30 – Beth Pritchard Brooks, Class of 1978

30 – David Harbert of Idamay, Farmington grad

 

September


 

1 – Claude Domico, Jr., Class of 1959

6 – Dave Domico of Monongah, Fairmont West grad married to Andrea Justice Domico

7 – Mary Louise Orsini, Class of 1948 (honorary)

7 – Phillis Tarley, North Marion grad from Idamay living in Fairmont

8 – Fred Moorehead, Class of 1964 

8 – Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955

13 – Karen Manzo, Class of 1974

14 – Jim Shaver, Class of 1954

15 – Bettie Hensley Lowther, Class of 1948

17 – Patti DeMary Evans, Class of 1972

20 – Greg Patrick, Class of 1970

23 – Sally Wood Tarley, Class of 1959

24 – Joe Fazio, Class of 1974

25 – Marylee Hertzog Gwinn, Class of 1948

25 – Jim Davis, Class of 1964

26 – Nathaleen Cameon Oliverio, Class of 1948

27 -- Bonita Lavencheck Waybright, Class of 1968

29 – Dietta Harden Goush, Class of 1959

29 – Pamm Yanero Bragg, Class of 1969

 

October


 

2 – Stanley H. Vance, Class of 1964

7 – Sherry McIntire, Class of 1975

8 – Susan Staron Sanders, Class of 1971

8 – Valerie Vandetta Aldridge, Class of 1973

11 – Jay Holman, Class of 1971

12 – Brenda Manzo, wife of Danny Manzo, Class of 1957

14 – John Prunty, Class of 1949

20 – Leona “Duckles” Davis Schooley, Class of 1953

21 – Ken Slovekosky, Gilmer County High Class of 1976.

26 – Lori Hawkins Ice, Fairmont East graduate living in Carolina

29 – Robert Boydoh, Class of 1956

31 – Patty Steele McCombs, Fairmont East graduate who lives in Monongah

31 – Helen McDougal Mudry, Monongah High grad

 


November


1 – Tom Dean, Class of 1949

4 – Roger Harbert, Class of 1960

5 – John Olesky, Class of 1950

8 – Diana Pishner Walker

10 – Tony Orsini, Class of 1946

10 – Anthony Pulice, Jr., Class of 1945

14 – Ann Marie Mascak Davis, Class of 1955

17 – John Todd Moats, North Marion Class of 1985

20—Hellen Snider Carpenter, Class of 1950               

20 – Kathryn Toothman Crim, Class of 1950

22 – Mike Ahouse, Class of 1968

23 -- Antheai Justice Turner, North Marion 1982

25 – Gerald Nelson Hartley, Class of 1955

27 – Roy Foster, Class of 1945

28 – Danny Fullen, Class of 1961

29 – Dave Westfall, Marcia Westfall Michalski’s son

 

December


2 – Adam Michna, 1980 North Marion graduate

2 -- Mareia Wilmouth McDougal, Class of 1964

4 – Ronald Pearse, Class of 1961

4 – Jay Michalski, 1980 North Marion graduate

5 – Duane Harbert, Class of 1951

8 – Brenda Urban, Class of 1971

11 – Paulette Colanero O’Connor, Class of 1966

13 – Otis “Sarge” Shaver, Class of 1948

14 – Bev Morgan Colisino, Class of 1974

16 – Barbara Sweede, Class of 1956

16 – Shelvy Maze Cunningham, Class of 1964

16 – Henry Moore, husband of Beth Pritchard Moore, Class of 1975

18 – Bill Cameon, Class of 1960

20 – Mike Hess, Class of 1975

22 – Frances Wimer Miller, Class of 1951

23 – Jim Fullen

25 – Chris Shamrock Henning

27 – John Yokay III, son of John Yokay, Class of 1953

29 --  Dolores Edwards, Class of 1955

30 – Deborah Prunty Poluck, Class of 1973

 

January


6 – Jeanette Barr Baczuk, Class of 1940

13 – Beatrice Salisbury Mills, Class of 1951

17 – Susan Colaneri Monell, Class of 1949

18 – Arlene Marteney Decker Edgell, Class of 1951

?? – Marie Bee Zwiegel, Class of 1951

18 – Bertha Pazdric Sullivan, Class of 1954

18 – Greg Vandetta, Monongah mayor, husband of Debbie Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973

19 – Joe Martin, Class of 1957

19 – Joann Thompson, Class of 1962  

22 – Jo-Jo DeMary of Monongah, who lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee and is married to Yvonne King DeMary

24 – Marcia Michalski Westfall, Class of 1974

24 – Mark “Hooch” Aldridge, Class of 1973

29 – Kitty Ahouse Morrison, Class of 1968

 

February


1 – Debra Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973

2 – Sylvia Edwards, Monongah grad living in Idamay

3 – Debbie Weaver Hurley, Monongah grad living in Monongah with husband Milton Hurley

3 – Rebecca Urish Anderson, Class of 1971

8 – Tom Fleming, Monongah grad living in Bridgeport

9 – Bob Nichols, Class of 1964

10 – Bonnie Nicholson Moats, Class of 1960

11—Linda Renay Hess Postlethwait, Class of 1968

15 – Jerry Koloskie, Class of 1975

17 – Larry “Danny” Eates, Class of 1970

18 – Mark Tarley, North Marion grad

20 – Harold Dean Kniceley, Class of 1960

21 – Eva Huey Jarvis, Class of 1975

24 – Mary Kelly, Monongah & North Marion

29 – Betty Sikinow Cunningham, Class of 1954

 


March


5 – Phil Colanero, Jr., Class of 1963

5 -- Doris Carpenter Rogers, Class of 1971

6 – Karen Fitzwater Pausch, Class of 1961

9 – Richie Basagic, Class of 1975 

9 – Brian Evans, Monongah graduate married to Patty DeMary Evans

15 – Donna Colvert Davis, Class of 1961, married to 1958 MHS grad Bill Davis

15 – Clarence William “Bill” Woods, Class of 1952

22 – David Haines, Class of 1964

25 – Sandy Cook, Class of 1959

25 – Richard Fitzwater, Monongah graduate

28 – Josephine Popovich Jones, Class of 1952

 


April


 

4 – Charlotte Walker Cahill, Class of 1954

5 – Bernie Fullen, Class of 1963

9 – Paula “P.J.” Hickman, North Marion 1983

11 – Leo Kubiet, Class of 1942

12 – Linda Sawyer Duckworth, Class of 1966

14 – Lyla Cosner Howell, Class of 1958

15 – Judy Stewart Monell Razook, Class of 1959

16 – Becky Shelosky Carvillano, Class of 1961  

30 – Shirley Knight Ritterhouse, Class of 1954

 


May


4 – Freddie Jane Colosino Villers, Class of 1964

5 – Frank Franze, Class of 1950

5 – Louis Poluck, Class of 1973

6 – Jerry Loss, Class of 1956

12 – Arlene Kitchin, wife of Joe Martin, Class of 1957

14 – Donna Post Swiger, Class of 1955

14 – Mike Jurasko, Class of 1957

14 – Virginia Belle Littleton Curtis, Class of 1957

17 – Colette Stanley Melton, Class of 1970

17 – Lorraine Hulderman, Class of 1968

20 – Linda Tomlinson Stevenski, Class of 1955

21 – June Paxton Rogers, Class of 1948

27 – Ed Graffius, Class of 1971

28 – Terri Orsini Saye, Class of 1972

29 – John Woods, Class of 1957

30 – Dave Westfall, Class of 1948  

 

 

 

Monday, May 29, 2017

210 !!!

Monongah High alumni loyalty is thriving

This is an amazing story about a high school that refuses to die even though it hasn’t had a graduation in 38 years.

That means that there are no replacements for the dozens who pass away, find travel difficult because of their health or geography.

And yet the 94th Monongah High Alumni Reunion May 27 in Fairmont drew its largest crowd in seven years!

Think about that. Nearly 200 people were lost from the available pool during that time, but 210 attended this year.

My records show that is the highest turnout since 232 showed up in 2010.

Between those years, 157 made reservations in 2016, 95 in 2015, 146 in 2014, 115 in 2013, 103 in 2012 and 159 in 2011.

That is a remarkable loyalty to a high school that disappeared into the North Marion High merger in 1979.

This is the longest, continuous high school alumni reunion in West Virginia. It began when the late Greta Martin Mike inaugurated the first one in 1922. Greta Martin Mike, Class of 1922, was a Worthington 3rd & 4th grade teacher in the 1930s before she married the barbering Mike brother.

I think Greta married Jimmy Mike, brother of Mutt Mike. I got many a haircut at their barber shop under the Monongah National Bank in the center of downtown East Monongah.

The togetherness extends beyond the town of Monongah to such communities as Carolina, Everson, Hutchinson, Bingamon, Worthington, Four States and Kilarm.

It has kept the MHS Alumni Reunion alive for decades after the high school ceased to exist.

Alumni Association treasurer Donna Colvert Davis, Class of 1961, who collects the money for the reservations, posted: “If we continue to have as many attending in the future years, we will make it to the 100th year.”
Think of that: A century later and the Lions will continue to gather in pride.
Donna added: “The food was good and the band great as usual. Everyone had a great time catching up with their friends.”
Donna is married to Bill Davis, Class of 1958. They live in Monongah. Her sister, Linda Pruitte, lives in Fairmont with husband Richard Pruitte. Their brother, Frederick R. Moorehead, was Class of 1964. His widow is Linda Savereno Moorehead, Class of 1968, who lives in Carolina.
Donna’s parents were Norma Lee Croaston Moorehead and Walter Colbert, killed during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
Alumni Association vice president Dolores Edwards, Class of 1955, wrote: “Everyone is thanking the officers but it is you, the people who attended, that make it what it is. Without your support we could not exist. Stay safe and God bless and hope to see you all next year.”
Dolores lives in Four States.

Donna added: “Join us next year for a really good time and getting together with old friends.”
Alumni Association president Linda Lopez Gandy, Class of 1965, married to Jim Gandy, Class of 1964, summed it up with: “If you missed the 94th alumni banquet, you missed a good time, good food, great music, seeing old friends and renewing old friendships. This year was a huge success, due to dedicated work of the officers and board members and John Olesky putting the word out on the Monongah High Alumni blog.
“We had 210 alumni to attend. Without them and their generosity of giving year after year we could not succeed.
“We pass the basket every year for people to donate to the scholarship fund. This year we collected $905 plus the amazing Dolores collected $750 on her own. We have given more than $45,000 in scholarships. I think that is WONDERFUL from a small high school alumni since their beloved school has been closed since 1979.
“We thank you for attending this year and hope to see more of you next year.”
Others would have been there but illnesses and grandchildren’s graduations intruded.
As always, there were separate single-class get-togethers on the day before or after the MHS Reunion at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Marylou Retton Drive.
The Class of 1957, one of the honor classes, met Sunday morning at DJ’s Diner for breakfast. Bruce Edmond picked up the tab. Brenda Manzo, Bill Meredith, Etta Ewing, Alice Greynolds Sago, Pat Rice, Nancy Pettit and Vernon H Fix were 57ers at the breakfast.
Richard Weaver wasn’t with his 1957 classmates because of “health issues; nothing lethal, luckily. So say hello to everyone for me and tell them I wish them good health and a long life.”
Memories flowed like fine wine at the MHS Reunion.
Linda Foster, Class of 1957, recalled: “My Teverbaugh Holler childhood pal, Eric Toothman, and I used to wrestle. I remember hiding in the woods and he could not find me. One night my dad thought there was a bear in the yard and almost shot him.” Fortunately, Eric didn’t become a bullseye.
Frances Toothman added: “Didn’t you help Eric wash his St. Bernard dog, Sam, in the pond?
Linda responded: “I almost forgot that! Sam was too big for a wash tub. How I miss those times.”
Showing up at the MHS Reunion brings those times back to life, at least for one night, maybe two if you’re an honor class.
In the Class of 1967 group photo alone, there are 26 people.
Since Monongah High closed in 1979, there are no more 25-year classes to honor. So the honor classes are the graduates of 40, 50, 60 and 65 years ago. This year that meant the Classes of 1977, 1967, 1957 and 1952.
While the attrition continues because of age, illness and death, the spirit of Monongah High continues to live among its alumni.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 




Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960, who lives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware with wife Mary Currey of Monongah, after reading this article, emailed:

John: 

 

Thanks for posting the pics of the banquet on your site.  i

only knew a few of those people - Marlene Davis, Don Pitman, Pat

Fleming, Sara Sturm and Joetta Martino.  Joetta and her family lived

up the street from me in Worthington.  there were 4 Martino girls.

A nice turnout.  By 2019 there will be no more 40-year class to honor.  Someday, they will only be 1 of us left.  My

niece jonna Pritchard was in the first class to graduate at North

Marion.  Hope you are in good health.   

Jim