From time to time, like most of us, I like to check in on my Class of 1950, to see how they’re doing.

There’s Leatrice Yokay Greaser, who lives in Fairmont and spent decades taking care of her ailing husband, Bob Greaser, and Leatrice’s and Bob’s mothers, until they all passed away.

Leatrice was known as the Kathryn Grayson of Monongah High for her beautiful singing voice. For those not from the dinosaur age, Kathryn Grayson was a colorature soprano opera singer and actress in such classics as “Show Boat” (1951) and “Kiss Me, Kate” (1953) and the stage production of “Camelot.” The lady could sing, not by belting it out like Ethel Merman but smoothly, as if Harry Belafonte was talking.

Leatrice’s sister Patty Yokay Maddox, Class of 1948, passed away December 10. Patty lived in Bentons Ferry. Leatrice’s brother, John Yokay, Class of 1953, has his health problems, too.

“I absolutely loved my childhood and Monongah,” Leatrice said. So did I. Running the streets of Monongah, with surrogate parents on every street where I roamed to keep me from harming or killing myself, was a godsend. God gave me his most reliable Guardian Angel because I did so many things that should have damaged me permanently.

Her advice to her family: “When I die, don’t you dare throw my Monongah High yearbooks away.” Because they are a vital part of her life, and mine.

Leatrice had been divorced from Bill Talkington for 8 years when Bob Greaser showed up at her doorstep. Leatrice’s son accompanied Bob, who had told her son, “I’ll give you my paycheck if you’ll take me to your mother.”

Bob and Leatrice clicked and were married until Bob passed away in 2013.

For years Leatrice remained in touch with her former music teacher, Beatrice Mangino, who had moved to Lansing, Michigan and was a daughter of Phil Mangino, whose trucks delivered coal to Monongah homes and Monongah High athletes to sports events.

Leatrice recalls “climbing up that hill” to WMMN (MMN for Senator Matthew M. Neely, who got the Fairmont radio station a favorable spot in the middle of the dial) with Mary Jo Forte Richards, Class of 1948, when the two of them sang (Leatrice) and played the piano (Mary Jo) with their own radio show. “The startup station needed some local musical talent,” Leatrice said. Later, the station went with a national music hookup.

Mary Jo moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Her parents were Patsy Forte, who ran the drug store in the center of the Monongah business district, and Mary Romino Forte.

Today, Leatrice is “excited” about watching WVU basketball. The youngest team in the Big 12 has the #1 defense in the country and is propelled mainly by freshmen and sophomores. I also am ecstatic when I watch Huggins Heroes play. Knocking off Ohio State and Texas Tech and scaring Kansas and St. John’s is a remarkable feat for a team just getting its feet wet. There should be more and better things to come this season and next season.

Leatrice admits “There are months at a time when I don’t see anybody.”

If you want to hear Leatrice’s still-melodious voice, her phone number is (304) 363-4858.

Leatrice also chats by phone with Patricia Urban Utz, who is enjoying retirement in Springfield, Virginia with husband John Utz, a West Point graduate who retired as a Lt. Colonel. John flew helicopters into combat for two tours in Vietnam before he met Patty. John lately has had heart surgery.

Patty keeps in touch with Amelia Shenasky Zentz, the blonde behind the counter of her parents’ P.P. Shenasky Grocery in Monongah a half-century ago who had the town of Monongah throw her a 100^th birthday party this week. Shenasky and Urban families both owned and operated grocery stories in Monongah. The Urban grocery was just south of the United Mine Workers Hall on U.S. 19.

Patty is a granddaughter of Peter Urban, the only survivor of the 1907 Monongah mines explosions who later was killed in a slate fall. Patty’s father, Andrew Urban, was Peter Urban’s son.
Patty’s children are John, Jennifer, Deidre, Elise and Caryn. Patty's brother was Michael A. Urban, who passed away in 2008.

My next phone call to a Class of 1950 classmate was to Anthony Eates, who lives in Fairmont with wife Lucy Cann Eates. Tony, like me, has had hernia surgery done, more than once for him, and lately the doctors have been working on his eyelids, another area where physicians have worked on me. In my case, to open up the “sleepy” eyelids to give me what I call “Clark Gable eyes.” So far, no woman has bought that claim.

Tony watches WVU basketball and is “hoping Huggins will get a winner before he passes away.”

Next I phoned Donald “Jake” Halpenny, like Tony a member of the faceitiously named Gang That Terrorized Marion County that I ran around with during my Monongah High days. There were about a dozen of us. Jake drove us around in his dad’s car, the one that sideswiped a bridge as we were taking Duane Harbert, Class of 1951, to Clarksburg for his bus ride to a Navy training base. It was 3 a.m. and we had more alcohol than we should have, as teenagers are wont to do.

Jake’s report: “My legs are shot and I quit playing musical instruments in 1982” when he was a member of the National Guard band. Jake also had played with the United Mine Workers band and the Vingle band. Baritone clarinet, I believe, although I can’t play or sing a note.

A few years back Jake fell and broke his pelvis in two places. Ouch!

As most of you know, Bob “Satch” Kasper, Class of 1950, and I have been friends since we were in first grade at Sts. Peter and Paul School in Monongah. That’s 82 years of friendship, including reunions in Florida, in Bob’s Michigan residences, in my Ohio residences and no a month goes by without a phone call. We also have exchanged the same two Christmas cards since 1955 (!) that talk about “old times, old friends.” Bob has a home in South Lyon, Michigan, and a summer home in Presque Isle, Michigan on Grand Lake near Lake Huron.

I have been able to verify 16 survivors among the 45 Class of 1950 graduates. Hey, we’re 87 years old, give or take a year, so a 22% survival rate is pretty damn good. Nationally, only 4 of 70 have an 87^th birthday. Class of 1950 is way sturdier than that!

Class of 1950 survivors:

Bernice Grandstaff Maranville, in Kernersville, North Carolina.

Rose Commodore Cain, in Fairmont.

Reva McDougal Ash, in Marietta, Ohio.

Anna Currence Sutton, in Ivy Bluff, Georgia.

Tony Eates, in Fairmont.

Frank Franze, in Slidell, Louisiana.

Donald Halpenny, in Fairmont.

Lucille Herron Anderson, in Annapolis, Maryland.

Robert Kasper, in South Lyon & Presque Isle, Michigan.

Pat Kiehl Williams, in Edgewood, New Mexico.

Mary Ann Puffenbarger Moore, in Fairmont.

Pat Meredith Wills, in Fairmont and St. Augustine Beach, Florida.

John Olesky, in Tallmadge, Ohio.

Kathryn Toothman Crim, in Farwell, Michigan.

Pat Urban Utz, in Springfield, Virginia.

Leatrice Yokay Greaser, in Fairmont.