53rd WEDDING ANNIVERSARY FOR LINDA & JIM GANDY

 

Linda Lopez Gandy, Class of 1965, and husband Jim Gandy, Class of 1964, are celebrating their 53rd wedding anniversary.

Linda, president of the Monongah High Alumni Association, posted:

“Happy Anniversary to this wonderful man and father. When Henry Lipinski told me when I was young, ‘See that boy down there helping his mom wash windows? That’s the boy you marry, best boy in Monongah.’ That was 60 years ago. I was smart and listened to him. Love you forever and ever, Jim.”+

Jim and former President Donald Trump were born on the same day – June 14, 1946.

Linda was one of coach Gene Kenzior’s softball players on the 1960 Marion County champs from Monongah. And, for one year, under coach David Van Meter.

Linda father, the late Sam Lopez, Sr. survived the 1945 sinking of the USS Indianapolis, including four days in the Philipines Sea with sharks picking off crew members floating in the Pacific Ocean. With 880 dead from the Japanese submarine torpedoes’ explosions with 1,196 aboard.

 

That is the worst at-sea death total in Navy history.

 

They live in Alachua, Florida but, since Linda is president and Jim is on the Monongah Alumni Association board, they will be at the oldest continuous high school reunion in the history of West Virginia on Saturday, September 4 in Fairmont for the 97^th Monongah High Alumni Banquet in the Knights of Columbus Hall on Mary Lou Retton Drive.

If you want to offer them congratulations face to face then show up at 6 p.m. for the dinner and stay for the Stepping Stone father/son music and dancing till 11 p.m. make YOUR reservation for the September 4 MHS Banquet, send a check for $30 per person made out to the Monongah High Alumni Association and mail it to:

Donna Davis

858 Park Avenue

Monongah, WV 26554-1143

The Reservations deadline is Thursday, August 26. So step on it!

Photos for the honor classes (1960, 1961, 1970, 1971) will be taken at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. The Stepping Stones band – Ron Poole and son Todd Poole – will provide music for dancing till 11 p.m.