Duane Harbert, Class of 1951, took a
winsome trip down memory lane from his Marlton, New Jersey home to West
Virginia.
Well, I’ll let Duane tell you in his
own words:
Good afternoon,
This past Sunday, June 27th, we had a a memorial
service in Parsons, West Virginia for Mary and my son Tom. Had a really
nice turnout.
The next day two other couples (friends
from New Jersey) went with me on a nostalgia trip to Marion and Harrison counties.
Some things looked different and others looked the same. I introduced them to
WV style hotdogs, crooked and narrow roads and WV hospitality.
We had dinner at Say-Boys (at their new location)
with Okie and Arlene Edgell and Eugene (Buck) and Joanne Blagg. Had
a great time.
After dinner we went to Arlene's house for dessert
and to see some of the work she and Okie do with their embroidery and
quilting machines. They have produced some incredible pieces of art. The
photographer was really interested in the work they do because she is also into
quilting, sewing and many other crafts.
It was an emotional trip but it really brought
back a alot of good memories.
Duane
Son Tommy passed away in 2014 at the
age of 51 after a 3-year battle with bladder cancer. That had to be tough to
deal with.
Duane’s wife, Mary Donham Harbert,
passed away in 2019.
Duane was part of the facetiously
named Gang That Terrorized Marion County (we were rascals but not a terror in
our teens) which include Bob “Satch” Kasper, Class of 1950, my friend for 83
years who lives in South Lyon, Michigan; Tony Eates, also Classof 1950, who
lives in Fairmont with wife Lucy Cann Eates; Frank “Bruno” Franze, also Class
of 1950, who lives in Slidell, Louisiana after out-loving two wives; retired
West Virginia Highway Patrol Officer Steven “Bucky” Satterfield, Class of 1950,
who lives in St. Albans; the late Lawrence “Sonny” Godby, also Class of 1950
(seeing a pattern here?); Donald Jake Halpenny, yep Class of 1950, who lives in
Fairmont; and, all deceased, Ronnie “Cooley” Delovich, Anthony “Plumber”
DeMary, Class of 1950 (of course), Joe Manzo, who survived combat in Korea; and
Jim “Judge” Starcher, another Class of 1950.
Our most famous exploit was swimming
in the Fairmont Field Club pool at 3 a.m. It was obvious when the police showed
up that the country club help didn’t appreciate it. I walked home barefoot
without my shoes but, when I woke up, my father stood there with my shoes and
an unhappy scowl on his face (I did that a lot to him in those day). Marion
County Deputy Sheloskie, father of my sister Jackie’s friend Lorain, brought
the shoes to our Church Street home.
While everyone made a break for it
the car that Duane drove didn’t and it was owned by Duane’s father, Thoburn
principal Frank Harbert. Cops checked the car license plate, found out he it
belonged to and everyone there was nailed to the wall.
We were brought into the Considation
Coal Company office in Fairmont, given a “Scared Straight” treatment (long before
it became popularized nationally), and turned over to our fuming parents.
It came under the category of “boys
will be boys.” At least there were no girls involved.
Duane’s mother,
Goldie, taught at Worthington Grade School.
Duane’s brother, John Harbert, Class of 1955, and his wife, Karen Colvin, also Class of 1955, are deceased.
James M. Harbert of
Taylor, Pennsyvania and David L. Harbert of Stratford, New Jersey are Duane’s
other sons.
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