Thursday, December 31, 2020

FRANK PULICE, JR. PASSES AWAY

 




Frank Pulice, Jr., Class of 1950, passed away Wednesday, December 30.

 

Frank, Jr.’s wife, Katherine Ann Arco Pulice, passed away in 2009.

 

After Frank Pulice, Sr. and Theresa Larry Loria Pulice moved their family from Chiefton, they  lived on Walnut Street at Camden Avenue in Monongah, where the Fiori and Gumont families once resided, where the Huntington Bank was constructed after the house was razed. Huntington Bank office has been long gone from that site.

The children of Frank, Sr. and Teresa are Sam, Tony, William, Rose Ann Pulice Satterfield, Norma Jean Pulice Zannino, Katherine Pulice Manno, Mary Louise Pulice Hefner, Jim, Joe and Frank, Jr.

 

Frank, Jr. was in the military from 1952-1954 and was on active reserve duty from 1954-1960. He once was Monongah Alumni Association president.

 

Frank’s obituary:

 

Frank Pulice, Jr., passed away peacefully on December 30, 2020 He was born on March 30, 1931, in Chiefton, WV, a son of the late Frank Pulice, Sr. and Theresa Larry Pulice.

 

Frank is a graduate of Monongah High School, the Greenbrier Cooking School and Fairmont State University. Frank was a charter member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and had been the chapter advisor for 26 years. He was very proud of his TKE brothers as they grew into fine young men after graduating from Fairmont State University.

 

In 1979, Frank began his service to Fairmont General Hospital through his appointment to the Board of Directors. Frank served as the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Board, the only Board member to serve in all four leadership roles until his term ended in 1997. He had been the Director for the Fairmont General Hospital Foundation, Inc., since 1993 when he retired as Director of Food Services for Fairmont State. Frank served on active duty in the milit ary from 19521954 and was on active reserve duty from 19541960.

 

He had numerous volunteer affiliations with his community, church, the Democratic Party and the restaurant industry. He owned and managed the White Tower Restaurant and Town House Restaurant in Fairmont. He also worked at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Phoenix, Arizonia, and the Elks Lodge and The Palace Restaurant in Fairmont.

 

His volunteer affiliations include the following: American Legion Post #17; BPOE Elks #294; Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Club; City of Fairmont 2000Committee; Friends to Save the 12th Street Municipal Pool; Friends of High Gate; Junior Chamber of Commerce; Korean War Vets; Marion County Chamber of Commerce; Monongah Alumni Association; Salvation Army; West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival Inc.; Deanery Council of Catholic Men; Knights of Columbus; Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church; Hu let Smith Commttee for Governor of West Virginia; John F. Kennedy for President Committee; Marion County Young Democratic Club; Marion County Restaurant Association and the State Association of Restaurants.

 

Frank loved being around people, especially in the food service, where he would greet you at the door and make sure you did not go home hungry. Many can remember his famous FSU dining hall chicken cordon blu and delicious desserts. He was always the best dressed man in the room whether he was going to a wedding or just eating out with friends and family.

 

Pulice dedicated much of his life to his family and wife of 58 years, Katherine A. Pulice, who passed away in March of 2009. His family includes: daughter, Diane Pulice Burnside; soninlaw, Phillip E. Burnside; grandson, Anthony Phillip Burnside; and grandson, Jonathan Wade Burnside and wife, Emily Gallon Burnside. In addition are his beautiful great grandchildren who brought so much joy to his life, Sophia Violet Burnside and Luke Anthony Burnside. He is also survived by one brother, Jimmy of Phoenix, Arizona.

 

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by three sisters, Katherine Manno, Rose Ann Satterfield, and Norma Jean Pulice Zannino, four brothers, Sam Pulice, Tony Pulice, William Pulice and Joseph Pulice. He was loved by many nieces, nephews and friends who called, visited and loved him throughout his life.

 

We want to thank the staff at Genesis Pierpont Assisted Living for the care and compassion they gave him during his stay. A private family service will be held at the Ross Funeral Home, 801 Fairmont Avenue, Fairmont, on Friday, January 1, 2021. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Anthony Catholic Church with Father Vincent officiating. Entombment will follow at Shinnston Memorial Cemetery in Shinnston A celebration of life will be help at another date. Pallbearers will be members of the TKE Fraternity. Family request that donations be made to Saint Anthony Catholic Church, Fairmont Catholic Grade School or Frank Pulice, Jr., Scholarship fund through Fairmont State University Foundation. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.rossfh.com .

                  

Obituary Notification from Ross Funeral Home


Tuesday, December 29, 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021 .... I CERTAINLY HOPE SO

 


Happy New Year from the Class of 1950 survivors ... 15, I think. 

Out of 45 in the 1950 graduations class. 

2021 just HAS TO BE better than 2020!

PAULA KERNS FAZIO HEALTH UPDATE

 




Paula Kerns Fazio, Class of 1979, married to Joe Fazio, Class of 1974, and daughter of Dorothy Stevenski Kerns, Class of 1942, has good news about her surgery.

 

It’s a slow recovery but the news is hopeful.

 

Paula wrote:

"It's been 29 days since my surgery and I can now drive again. Physical therapy still is painful and not my favorite thing to do but it is making my knees strongers and my endurance is improving.

“I will be going back to work next week (at Trailer City in Fairmont) and glad to be getting back to a somewhat normal life. Thanks again everyone for all the cards and well wishes you've sent.

Joe works at Mylan Pharmaceuticals.

Son Sean is working part time at Anthony's Chevrolet.  Daughter Alex was a teacher in Baltimore County, Maryland, living in Bel Air, MD, but is moving back to West Virginia because husband James, a respiratory therapist, was hired at Ruby Memorial Hospital on the WVU campus. James is from St. Clairsville, Ohio.  

Paula’s brothers are Dave and Donnie Kerns and her sisters are Pam and Patti.

Joe Fazio’s brother is John Fazio, son of another John Fazio, who was the brother of Renzy Fazio, who was the husband of Frances Olesky Fazio, who was the sister of John W. Olesky, Sr., who was the father of John Olesky, Class of 1950. See, I’m connected to everyone in Monongah one way or another.

There were 13 children in the Fazio family:

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

Paula grew up living near Mary Turkovich, Monongah High’s superb math/algebra/geometry teacher.


Sunday, December 27, 2020

CATCHING UP WITH ELAINE HEWITT MONELL

 


CATCHING UP WITH

Elaine Hewitt Monell

 

Elaine Hewitt Monell, Class of 1949, of Riverside, a Dayton, Ohio suburb, the widow of Raymond “Soak” Monell, Class of 1945, provided this welcome and heartwarming greeting:

 

“Merry Christmas John,

“Good hearing from you and hope you’re doing well. You asked about our Christmas. Christmas Eve is always a big time for our family. We still celebrate the Italian custom of having the seven fish and of course pasta, so it is a busy time. It was a little different this year due to the Covid pandemic, each of my children, with their children, will remain at home. We Zoomed at 8 0’clock to celebrate together. My one daughter and her family where with me at my house.


“I have four children, thirteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren. It’s been eight years since Soak passed and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss him. We were together sixty-one years.


“Take care John, keep in touch and a Blessed Christmas and healthy and Happy New Year to you and your family.


“Elaine”

 

Elaine also has indelible memories of the Champion Store, Consol’s company store in Monongah:

 

I have a lot of memories of the Company Store. Practically every day I would go there for my Mother. I would take a short cut by going through the lot in back of the Post Office.

 

When you entered the store the Dry Goods Dept. was to your right, on the left was the grocery section and in the back was the meat department. Everyone stood in front of the meat counter waiting for their turn. As I recall one of the butchers was Bob Kirk's grandfather and the other everyone called him Butch.

 

“Mr. Rogers was the manager, Mary Ellen Knight worked in the Dry Goods Dept. and later years Elda Tartell (Hammer's sister) worked there, and I also remember your Mom (Lena Futten Olesky, who immigrated from Italy as a child in 1920).

 

“Pearl Morris (Marvin Morris) sister worked in the grocery section and James Shultz (Hammer's sister Liz's husband) drove the delivery truck.

 

“I'm not sure if I'm correct with this name but I believe a Mr. Leeper worked outside the store. I don't remember what this section was called.

 

“The best part of the trip to the store was buying an ice cream sandwich or a creamsickle. They were the best and only cost 5 cents. During the war everything was rationed and you had to use a certain amount of tokens to purchase the merchandise. I believe it was blue for meat and red for groceries, or vice versa.

 

“On the side of the Dry Goods Dept. was another department where you could buy clothing, etc. I remember I was in the band and we had to have black shoes to wear with our uniform and that's where I bought my shoes.

 

“Another memory was all the miners standing outside of the store waiting to be paid.

 

“This has really been a trip down Memory Lane."

 

For me, too, Elaine, thanks to you. I remember miners buying cigarettes, then selling them immediately to my mom and passersby for instant money.

 

When I worked in the Dayton Daily News sports department and lived in Dayton, my late wife Monnie and I would visit Jim Shultz and wife Liz Tartell Shultz from time to time. Hammer – Eugene Tartell – also moved to Dayton, and lived there in retirement till he passed away. Liz and Jim also have passed away.

 

The Elaine and Soak love story began at the PNA Tavern where Elaine, Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949, who lives in Monongah, and Madonna Haggerty frequented to get a look at John "Duke" Manzo, Frank Ross and Soak. A first date at the Strand Theater led on May 12, 1951, to the altar at Our Lady of Pompeii Church with Father John Reardon handling the wedding ceremony and Joe Faber’s band providing the music at the Union Hall reception.

 

Soak passed away in 2012.

 

Madonna Haggerty, Class of 1949, became Mrs. Albert Snider. Ramona, Class of 1949, who lives in Monongah, became Mrs. Frank Michalski. Frank, who left Monongah High after his final 1948 football season there, is deceased.

Soak’s sister, Julie Monell Koloskie, passed away in 2013. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Junior Koloskie, Class of 1944; son Jerry Koloskie, Class of 1975, once deputy athletic director at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and at Albany in New York; and sister Lydia Monell of Monongah.


Saturday, December 26, 2020

CLARENCE WILLIAM TOLL PASSES AWAY

 



Clarence William Toll, Class of 1957, passed away Friday, November 6.

WifeOpal Mae Long Toll predeceased him. Clarence was among the 9 children of Hazel Jane Selby Toll and Joseph Francis toll.  Elwood Toll, Class of 1951, and Wanda Carpenter are his siblings.

Clarence’s obituary:

Clarence William Toll, 81, of Fairmont, passed away on Friday, November 06, 2020. He was born on June 20, 1939, in Fairmont, a son of the late Joseph Francis and Hazel Jane (Selby) Toll.

After graduating Monongah High School, Clarence went on to proudly serve his country in the United States Army, where he was stationed at the Czechoslovakian border in Germany. He worked for 18 years at Owens-Illinois and was also a construction worker. He was a lifelong member of Everson Baptist Church. He enjoyed reading, coin collecting, and caring for his cat, Rosie. He was dearly loved and will be missed by many.

He is survived by Misty Tate, whom he considered a daughter, and husband Michael, of Bunner Ridge; brother, Elwood Toll and wife Mary Lou, of Kilarm; sister, Wanda Carpenter, of Fairmont; good friends, Gene and Mary Cartwright; a special aunt, Kathleen Bissett; as well as several loving nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Opal Mae (Long) Toll; sisters: Mary Frances Hamilton, Katherine Mitchell, and Margaret Toll; brothers: James Toll, Joseph Toll, and Homer Toll; and lifelong friend, Carolyn Ann Stewart.

Family and friends are welcome to call at Carpenter and Ford Funeral Home on Wednesday from 1 p.m. – 8 p.m. and on Thursday, November 12, 2020, from 11 a.m. until the service at 1:30 p.m., at the funeral home, with Pastor Bob Tennant officiating. Interment will follow at I.O.O.F Enterprise Cemetery with Full Military Honors conducted by the United States Army and the Marion County Veteran’s Council Honor Guard.


Thursday, December 24, 2020

CHRISTMAS CHATS WITH CLASS OF 1950

 




When I sent out the Christmas card to my Class of 1950 members I included addresses, phone numbers of the surviving members of our class urging them to contact each other via email or phone.

Today I took my own advice.

I called everyone whose phone number was on the list.

Here’s what I found out, in case you’re interested:

 

ROSE COMMODORE CAIN

“I live out in the country” so her contacts are minimal. One daughter passed away. Rose has another daughter and a son. Her husband passed away four years ago. They have six grandchildren. Rose moved to a home she had built near White Hall after her husband passed away. She lives at 6 Quiet Dell Lane.

 

ANTHONY EATES

Tony will be going to the doctor January 5 to scrape the tumors on his bladder. Wife Lucy “still has back problems.” They have four children. A daughter in Boise, Idaho is with the FBI. Another child is in Silver Springs, Maryland. Another in Pittsburgh. Their son is in the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office in Charleston. Ann DeMary Eates, widow of Tony’s brother, Joe DeMary, fell and was hospitalized. Ann is home and has caregivers to help her out. Ann and Joe are the godparents of my son, John Larry Olesky.

 

FRANK FRANZE

Frank has been out of touch with other Lions because he’s been having problems with his email and Facebook. He lives in Slidell, Louisiana and has been widowed twice. Frank has 2 daughters, 4 granddaughters and 5 great-granddaughters. Frank says he does a lot of “sitting around” (don’t we all during this pandemic?) and “my youngstest daughter does the shopping for me.” Frank also is dealing with arthiritis.

 

DONALD HALPENNY

“Jake” no longer drives, “but I still use my riding mower to cut my lawn.” He was in the United Workers Bank and a Vingle Band but hasn’t performed musical instruments in public since 1982. Don has 5 children, 3 living with or near him and another in Pennsylvania. They are all “under the weather,” Jake says. He is a widow. They had 9 grandchildren, although one passed away. They have 2 great-grandchildren.

 

BOB KASPER

“Satch” is spending Christmas with his daughter, Judith and her family in the South Lyon, Michigan area where Bob lives. His son, Steven, is with his wife’s family at a small farm upstate in Hillman, Michigan, hundreds of miles north of Bob’s condo. Bob is a widower.

 

MARY ANN PUFFENBARGER MOORE

Mary Ann is dealing with sciatica nerve problems. After her husband passed away five years ago Mary Ann had a smaller home built that she moved into in Pleasant Valley, near White Hall. She has sons living in Winchester, Virginia and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and a daughter living in Pittsburgh. She has four grandchildren. Mary Ann was close to the late Barbara Bazuk Franklin, Class of 1950, and has been in contact with Leatrice Yokay Greaser, Class of 1950. Mary Ann missed Monongah High Alumni Reunions for years because they were held at the same time as the auto races in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mary Ann were big auto racing fans.

 

KATHRYN TOOTHMAN CRIM

Kathryn, widow of Reid Crim, Class of 1949, moved from her 40-acre home in Farwell, Michigan into the Green Acres seniors complex in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Kathryn and Reid have five children, 3 daughters and 2 sons, 8 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Kathryn’s ATV (all-terrain vehicle) riding days on the Farwell farm are in her distant past.

 

PATRICIA URBAN UTZ

Patty is doing “pretty good,” healthwise. She has a granddaughter who is a professional ballerina who has performed in New York City and who lives in Boston. Her husband, John, a West Point graduate with combat military service, is “doing fine.” They have 5 children and 4 grandchildren. Patty and John live in Springfield, Virginia. Patty talks by phone with Amelia Shenasky Zentz, Monongah’s grande dame who has seen 100 birthdays and lives on Shenasky Lane in Monongah. Amelia’s  parents were Pete and Nell Shenasky, who owned P.P. Shenasky Grocery adjacent to Thoburn School for decades.

 

LEATRICE YOKAY GREASER

Leatrice, the best singer our class (she had her own show on Fairmont WMMS radio station with Mary Jo Forte accompanying her on the piano), spent time in the Emergency Room when her blood pressure went above 200 and her nose was bleeding. “I don’t walk that good,” Leatrice says. She’s fallen 6 or 7 times in recent years. “I feel OK, but I don’t have the energy to do anything.” She combats boredom during this pandemic year “by taking out my yearbooks” and the two Class of 1950 books that I compiled and gave to my classmates. “I am too allergic to everything,” Leatrice says, which complicates her medical treatments. “I can’t even take penicillin.” She has a son. Leatrice’s family includes world champion wrestler who competed successfully in Japan, in Texas and in New Jersey. Her brother, John, is dealing with memory problems.

 

I called to wish them Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Their gift to me was the joy of talking to them again. I could almost hear the bell signaling the end of a class at Monongah. It was Christmas bells in my mind.

 


Saturday, December 19, 2020

PAT KIEHL WILLIAMS PASSES AWAY IN NEW MEXICO

 





Patricia Kiehl Williams, Class of 1950, passed away. It was in 2017 in Edgewood, New Mexico but I just found out about it.

 

I sent out Class of 1950 Christmas cards to the 16 I thought were still alive. I knew 29 had passed away.

 

Unfortunately, Pat also is a 1950 graduate no longer among us.

 

I got a phone call about her passing from her granddaughter, Courtney, who lives at 6 Lacy Road in Edgewood, New Mexico in the house where Pat and husband Gervais James Williams once owned and resided.

 

Pat was a retired schoolteacher.

 

Pat met G.J. because her sister married G.G’s brother, which is how people referred to him. G.G. also is decased.

 

G.G.’s mother chose his name from a character in a risqué French novel.

 

After reading an article in the Monongah High Alumni blog about 7 or 8 years ago, Pat emailed me.

 

She told me that she had visited Akron many times, not realizing that I lived in the Akron suburbs of Cuyahoga Falls and later Tallmadge.

 

 

Pat and I had a reunion lunch in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio in 2000 at the home of Pat's sister -- who later passed away -- 15 or 20 years ago, when my late wife Monnie and I were living in Cuyahoga Falls. 

 

Pat left Monongah High shortly after her senior year began and came to Albuquerque, showed up at Albuquerque High School, needed only one credit to graduate, tested out succcessfully in Albuquerque with the result sent to Monongah High, which awarded her a MHS diploma.

 

Several years ago when I called the phone number listed for Pat’s son, Clay C. Williams, to try to find out Pat’s whereabouts, Pat answered the phone.

 

Surviving members of the Class of 1950, unless, as in Pat’s case, I missed the passing away of others:

 

Rose Commodore Cain, who lives in Fairmont and was the sister of the late Jim Commodore, Class of 1950, and the late Joe Commodore.

 

Anna Currence Sutton, widow Grant Sutton, whose brother, Bob Currence, is deceased.

 

Tony Eates, who lives in Fairmont with wife Lucy Cann Eates. Tony’s siblings were Dominick, Joe, Mike and Mary.

 

Frank Franze, who lives in Slidell, Louisiana.

 

Bernice Grandstaff Maranville, who lives in Tennessee.

 

Donald “Jake” Halpenny, who lives in Fairmont.

 

Bob “Satch” Kasper, who lives in South Lyon, Michigan and has a home on Grand Lake in Presque Isle, Michigan.

 

Reva McDougal Ash, who lives in Marietta, Ohio.

 

Kathryn Toothman Crim, the widow of Monongah High grad Reid Crim, who lives in Michigan. Kathryn’s sister Melba lives in Linden, Missouri and another sister, Blanche, passed away in Tennessee.

Arnold Ray Morgan, who moved to Palatka, Florida.

Mary Ann Puffenbarger Moore, who lives in Fairmont and told me about the passing of her friend, Barbara Glover Rombola, Class of 1950.

Pat Meredith Wills, who lives in Florida. Her brother, Bill Meredith, Class of 1957,  lives in Sarasota, Florida.

 

Pat Urban Utz, who lives in Springfield, Virginia. 

 

Leatrice Yokay Greaser, who lives in Fairmont.

And me, John Olesky, Jr., who lives in Tallmadge, Ohio, an Akron suburb, after residing for 35 years in Cuyahoga Falls, another Akron suburb.

Only 15 original 45 Class of 1950 members still live. Or fewer if, like Pat, I don’t know about them passing away.

When we were born in 1932 during the Great Depression we were expected to live to be 60 years old.

That makes us a pretty hardy bunch since we are 88 years old, give or take a year.

We have greatly exceeded our expiration dates.


Friday, December 11, 2020

Catching Up With Gerri Dukich

 





Gerri Dukich, who attended Monongah High in 1966-69, lives in Chenoa, Illinois.

She didn’t graduate from MHS. She didn’t return for her senior year because she married Fairmont East graduate Jim Dukich, a Marine who was bound for Vietnam military duty. Gerri got her GED in Illinois about 14 years later.

Chenoa is 59 miles east of Peoria and 30 miles north of Bloomington in Illinois.

 

 


Thursday, December 10, 2020

TRY OUT THE NEW MONONGAH HIGH CLASS OF 1950 FACEBOOK PAGE

 

Check out Class of 1950 Facebook page!!

 

Try the Monongah High Class of 1950 Facebook page that I created.

When you open up Facebook go to the upper left where it says “Search” and type in

 

Monongah High Class of 1950

 

That will take you to the Class of 1950 Facebook page.

Enjoy!

If you have any suggestions for improvement I welcome them.

Stay safe during the pandemic.

John Olesky, Class of 1950

 

I continue to publish the Monongah High Alumni blog. You can check that out by clicking on the blue jo4wvu.blogspot.com   

 

Sunday, December 6, 2020

1907 mine disaster remembrance

 




The coronavirus prevented a public gathering in Monongah of the twin mines explosions that killed 362 miners on December 6, 1907 but the citizens of Molisano muncipality in Italy, which had 87 of its former residents among the dead, had an intense moment of reflection during the Holy Mass in Duronia.

171 Italian-Americans died on that terrible day, including 87 from Molisano: Duronia (36) Frosolone (20), Torella del Sannio (12), Fossalt (8), Pietracatella (7), Bagnoli del Trigno (3) and Vastogirardi (1).

 

The Monongah Cultural Association President is Meffe Gianni, a reverse name of the Johnny Meffe I grew up with in Monongah. Duronia’s mayor is Michelino D’Amico, another surname familiar among Monongah residents.

 

At the end of the mass there was then a moment of gathering, in compliance with the current rules, at the memorial made in memory of the victims in 2007, by artist Fernando Izzi, and at the old cemetery in the village, where already in 1908 A plaque by heart was affixed by the City of Duronia in 1908, the first and only testimony for nearly a century of the greatest tragedy of Italian emigration.

 

There was a prayer for the victims and the deposition of a bouquet of flowers to not forget those who abandoned their homeland in search of a better future but who unfortunately lost their lives in the bowels of the Monongah mines.

 

It remains the deadlyist coal mining tragedy in American history.

 

It is the 11th worst coal mining calamity in world history.


Friday, December 4, 2020

Connie Chucci passes away

Connie Chucci passes away

A Monongah High grad’s inquiry about the whereabouts of Connie Chucci led me to this sad discovery: Connie Romaine Racey Chucci passed away June 13 in Fairmont at the age of 92.

Connie was Fred Chucci’s widow.

Daughter Bonnie Jean Chucci Primo of Monongah was Connie’s caretaker for her final years.

Connie’s sons are Fred William Chucci of Hurricane, Utah and John Henry Chucci of Mooresville, North Carolina.

Connie out-lived all her siblings: Virginia Miller, Raymond Newhouse, Fern Parrill, John Newhouse and Thomas Newhouse.

Connie’s obituary:

Constance Romaine (Connie) Racey Chucci, 92, died June 13, 2020, at the Genesis Pierpont Center, in Fairmont. She was born on December 1, 1927, in Junction, Mineral County, the daughter of the former Sarah Ethel (Sallie) Biser and Guy Madison Racey.

Connie grew up in Hampshire and Mineral Counties, often working on family farms when she wasn't in school, and attended Keyser High School. She married Fred Chucci on June 28, 1946, and the couple moved to Monongah in 1950 with their oldest children. Fred died in 1977.

Connie was a caregiver by nature, yet feisty until her last days. But no one left her home hungry, and she opened her home to family and friends in need throughout her life. She was a devout Christian, an excellent gardener who grew vegetables and flowers as long as she was in her home, and an animal lover who took in strays throughout her life.

She is survived by her three children: Bonnie Jean Premo, of Monongah, who was Connie's caretaker in her later years; Fred William (Luanne), of Hurricane, UT; and John Henry, of Mooresville, NC. She also leaves behind three grandchildren and their partners: Rita Premo (Kevin Jernegan), of Santa Rosa, CA; Christopher Premo (Amanda Gasda), of Fairmont; and Tarri (Scott) Parkin, of Riverton, UT; seven great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. Several beloved nieces and nephews survive her.

Connie was the last surviving member of her immediate and married families. In addition to her parents and husband, Connie was preceded in death by her siblings, Virginia Miller, Raymond Newhouse, Fern Parrill, John Newhouse, and Thomas Newhouse; her step-father, Earl Boyce; and her son-in-law, Thomas Premo.

Her family thanks the staff and clinicians at Genesis Pierpont Center for their loving care of Connie during the past 4 years.

The family will receive friends at Domico Funeral Home, 414 Gaston Avenue in Fairmont, on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. A private funeral service for the immediate family will be held at a later date. Interment will follow at Grandview Memorial Park & Mausoleum at a later date. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.domicofh.com .