How Lions did with Irma

How Monongah High alumni and family did during Hurricane Irma:

Joe Martin, Class of 1957, and Canadian wife Arlene Kitchin, who left their Treasure Island, Florida home near St. Petersburg to stay with Mandi and Brad Tucker in their new house, are “fine.” The Tucker home never lost power, which is more than nearly 7 million Floridians can say.

Joe's niece, Debby Abruzziono Coleman, and husband Dan, who lives in Naples, are safe but are surrounded by uprooted trees and their pool screen is torn. No power, like 7 million Floridians, and using bottled water. They have sore throats, fever and coughing.

Deb’s mother is Connie Martin Abruzzino, Class of 1962, widow of Danny Abruzzino and Joe's sister.

Jay Holman, Class of 1971, relayed this message from Mark Raddish, Class of 1974:

“To all all family and friends up north. We are all okay. Have been without power, cable, phone and internet since 10:30 Sunday night. But, we have cell phone service and running water. We are at a friend's house in order to communicate at this time.

“Thanks to my brother Keith for updating us on what has been happening in the aftermath of the storm. We were on the west side of the hurricane, probably close to the eye sometime Sunday morning around 2-4 a.m. with 60-70 or more mph winds.

“Our house and property was spared any damage, just some tree limbs in the yards. Hope to be back on line soon. Thanks everybody.”

Later, Mark posted:

“We got our power and other services back this afternoon-out for 40 hours. A lot of damage in South Florida and the Keys.”

Marcie Goush Raddish of Monongah and Mark Raddish were the parents of Brogan Raddish, who passed away from bone cancer at the age of 14 in 2009.

Brogan’s grandmother, Dietta Harden Goush, Class of 1959, sells jewelry and T-shirts to raise money for the Brogan Raddish Scholarship Fund (in 6 figures by now).

Joyce Cowart Davis Peck, Class of 1966, who lives in Palm Bay, Florida, is “safe in Dayton, Tennessee.” Her first night was spent in Macon, Georgia before she continued northward.

Anthony Pulice, Jr., Class of 1945, reports that his granddaughter and family, en route back to their Florida home, “ran into bad weather and had to stop at a Beckley hotel for the night.”

Bill Meredith, Class of 1957, who lives in St. Petersburg, reported in “safe.”

Ron Manzo, Class of 1969, waiting to play golf in The Villages, where Paula and I hang out in the winter in Paula’s home there, also is safe along with his wife, Fairview High graduate who could be a model, Janice Manzo.

So is Tammy Weintraub and family, who came from living in Brazil with husband Jacob to be greeted by Irma in Naples, Florida, which was only a few miles from Irma’s second landfall at Marco Island. Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949, is Tammy’s grandmother living in safe Monongah.

Bob Cottrill, Class of 1951, who lives in Melbourne near the Atlantic coastline, evacuated to Pinehurst, North Carolina, where his wife, Thelma, has family and friends.

Donna McDonald, 1980 grad of North Marion who attended Monongah High thru 1979, fled her Port St. Lucie home for Virginia.

Adam Michna’s cousin, Sandy Stevens McComas, 68, and her son returned from a Caribbean cruise to their Daytona home not long before Irma came along.

Adam reports:

“Sandy is safe. She rode it out. No damage to her house in Daytona. Lost electricity for about 38 hours. She said this was worse than Matthew last year.”

Sandy was a 1965 graduate of Shinnston High School and Fairmont State School of Nursing in 1969. She is the daughter of Adam’s uncle, Clifford Stevens, WWII veteran, 92.

Sandy was the first child born by C-section at St. Mary's Hospital in 1949. Her mother was in labor for more than 48 hours.

 

Even though Mareia Wilmoth McDougal, Class of 1964, lives in Hendersonville, North Carolina, Irma gave her a fright:

“A lot happened around us. Power outages, downed trees, flooding, at least one killed. All this within a few short miles all around us but we had much rain.

“I can tell you it scared me to death. I’m a big chicken.”

Maria is married to Earl McDougal, whose siblings are Helen McDougal Mudry, Class of 1965; Monongah High grad Johnny McDougal; Edna McDougal Saunders, Class of 1948; James McDougal, Class of 1961; and Reva McDougal Ash, Class of 1950.

If you know of any other Monongah High alumni endangered by Irma, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com with information about their safety and whereabouts and I’ll add them to this article.