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.
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