Marvelous music maven Beatrice Mangino passes away

Beatrice Mangino, who loved and taught music for nearly all of her 97 years, passed away Friday, September 7.

I remember Bea from my childhood as the beautiful, dark-haired daughter of Phil Mangino, whose fleet of trucks delivered coal to Monongah homes and Monongah High sports teams to their road games, and Teresa Prezioso Mangino.

In 1963 Bea wrote “Why Italians Love Good Music” in the Music Educators Journal that capsulized her embracement of music.

Amazon sold her 1964 “Practical knowledge of music symbols” article.

Bea’s sister, Mary, was 2 years younger and another sister, Josephine, Class of 1944, was 5 years younger.

Bea was a music teacher in Monongah schools, chairman of the Bloomfield High School music department, professor of music at WVU and at Michigan State University (for 60 years!).

Bill Meredith, Class of 1957, who lives in Sarasota, Florida and Pataskala (Buckeye Lake), Ohio with wife Roleta, had a fascinating Facebook post:

“Roleta and I had lunch on Friday, September 7, near our home in Pataskala, Ohio, with two friends, who were passing through the area on their way to Lake Floyd in West Virginia. One of them, Joe, was from California and the other, June, was from Michigan. June mentioned that she was a Michigan State fan and looked forward to seeing the Spartans play Arizona State on Saturday night.

“After lunch, we returned home and I couldn’t get June’s comment about Michigan State out of my mind. I remembered that my music teacher from grade school, Beatrice Mangino, taught at MSU and I wondered if she was still living in Lansing, Michigan. So I Googled her name and found several hits, all of which indicated that she was still living at 93 years of age.

“This morning, in going through my old hometown newspaper (the Fairmont Times), I was shocked to find the obituary for Beatrice Mangino, my former music teacher. She passed away Friday, September 7. I’m sure we all have had something like this happen, but it still made me wonder why. It was not actually a premonition, but it was very strange.

“Rest in Peace, Miss Mangino.”

Bea’s obituary:

Beatrice "Bea" Mangino

January 11, 1921 - September 07, 2018

Beatrice "Bea" Mangino, 97, of Monongah, passed away on Friday (Sept. 7, 2018). She was born Jan. 11, 1921 in Monongah, daughter of the late Philip Mangino and Teresa Prezioso Mangino.

Bea retired as a professor of music at Michigan State University after 60 years. She was formerly employed as a professor of music at West Virginia University and at Marion County Schools.

Bea is survived by her sister, Josephine Westfall; her nephew, Philip Westfall and fiancée Susan; great nieces and nephews, Trista Kremer and her children Savannah, Mykala, and Justin, Eric Pulice and wife Jenny and their son Jacob, and Ryan and his wife Mina and their children Milo and Summer; and nephew by marriage, James Pulice.

In addition to her parents, Bea is preceded in death by her sister Mary Mangino; and her niece Donna Pulice.

Special thanks to all of her friends in Lansing before returning to West Virginia and to St. Barbara's Nursing Home for all of their love and care.

The family will receive friends from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11 at Domico Funeral Home, 414 Gaston Avenue in Fairmont. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home with Father Joseph Konikattil and Deacon David Lester officiating. A private, family interment will follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Fairmont. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.domicofh.com  .