My cousin, Irene Fazio Preolitti, Class of 1966, and her husband, Mike Preolitti, Class of 1961, celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary in Monongah. They live in Traction Park, just past the Mount Calvary Cemetery.

The grandchildren call them Nana and Pap. We called my Italian grandmother Nona (Maria Fedrigon Futten).

Irene’s mother, Frances Olesky Fazio, who married Renzy Fazio, was the younger sister of my father, John W. Olesky, Sr. Helen Olesky Kerekes was their other sibling.

Frances and Renzy owned and operated Fazio Grocery at the bottom of Jackson Street hill, where it intersected with Thomas Street. Renzy was a scratch golfer, which means he was damn good … good enough to beat me on my good days as a Fairmont State golfer.

Unce Renzy had 12 siblings. John Fazio; Jeanette Fazio DiBiase, who died in 2003; Albert Fazio of New York; Mary Virginia Fazio Pasquale of Fairmont; the late Nick, James, Joseph and Michael; Edith Fazio DeCarlo, Elizabeth Fazio Domico, Angeline Fazio Prozzillo and Carmella Fazio DePond. 

Renzy and Frances’ children are Irene; Mary Chris Fazio Ramsey, Class of 1969, married to Tom Ramsey and living on Pike Street in Monongah in the home once owned by Helen and Steve Kerekes, sister of Frances Fazio and John W. Olesky, Sr.; Steve Fazio, Class of 1975, whose wife, Nancy, is deceased; and David Fazio, Class of 1968, married to 1973 Farmington grad Cora, operator of Fazio's Eldercare in Stoney Lonesome.