CATCHING UP WITH JOHN VOZNIAK

 

John Vozniak, Class of 1959, who worked as an electrician at Tygart River Mines and lives in Monongah, married Rivesville High graduate Catherine (Cathy) Ann Mencil Vozniak,who passed away in 2008. She is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Fairmont.

John’s parents were John Vozniak, Sr. and Nellie Vesick Vozniak. Cathy’s parents were John and Mary Elizabeth Mencil.

Cathy worked at Community Bank and Trust in Fairmont, attended Holy Spirit Catholic  Church in Monongah, was a member of the Holy Spirit Ladies Society and was legendary for her Easter eggs. She was named Monongah Citizen of the Year in 2007 for working with Girl Scouts, Brownies, Monongah Elementary Santa’s Workshops and charity fundraisers.

Cathy and John had two daughters, Sherry Vozniak of Monongah and Denise Vozniak Holcomb of White Hall.

On the thank-you card after Cathy passed away the family wrote:

“She suffered from Ruematoid Arthritis, a very crippling, debilatating and painful disease, for most of her later life but never let it affect her positive, happy outlook on life.

“She always had a need to help others regardeless how ill or helpless she was herself! She named Monongah Parade Marshal for MonongahFest several years ago for her work in the community.

“Right up to the end, she was helping others! She was a remarkable woman!”

Best tribute I’ve ever read.

Daughter Sherry, a 1986 North Marion and 1991 Fairmont State graduate who lives in Monongah, told me:

“My parents and Tom and Phyllis Shelosky have been friends even before I was born. That was probably their best friends and my mom's closest friend before she died.

“When the Martinka Mines closed down they all went to work in Hueytown, Alabama for three years along with Norma and Dean Cain. The wives had a really good time while the men were at work. My mom said that was a vacation. Of course she missed her family and and son but it was a new adventure for her.

“Have lots of adventures and stories with Tom and Phyllis over the years that I can remember so I'm sure my mom and dad had many more. We are still very close with them and their five children and many grandchildren.”

Tom and Phyllis have been married for more than 50 years!

Tom’s sister, Becky Shelosky Carvillano, Class of 1961, who lives in Fairmont, posted:

“They met in Kingmont, worked at City National Bank and Martinka mines and moved to Alabama when Martinka closed. They lived in Monongah on Saint Barbara’s Road,” which is parallel to Willow Road off U.S. 19 before you get to Swisher Hill when you are driving south toward Worthington.

Tom and Phyllis have 5 children, 8 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Tom and Phyllis’ children are Sts. Peter and Paul School and 1982 North Marion High grad Monica Shelosky Cochran, Greg Shelosky, Brenda Shelosky Myers, Brian Shelosky and Jeff Shelosky.

Tom’s other siblings are Barbara Shelosky Willis, Class of 1968, who is married and living in San Diego, California, and the late Bernie Shelosky, Class of 1965, who passed away in 2013.

The Shelosky clan began in Poland as Szydlowski. Like so many, at Ellis Island the name got changed to something people who speak only English could deal with.

St. Stanislaus Church in Monongah had a stained glass window with “Szydlowski” on it, the surname of the ancestors in Poland.

Stanley “Strob” Shelosky, Class of 1958, and George Walter Shelosky, Jr., son of George Shelosky, Class of 1932, were brothers. Strob passed away in 1993, his wife Julia Lazorick Shelosky in 2013, the same year that Bernie Shelosky, Class of 1964, passed away.

 

The late Mitch Vozniak, who married Barbara Prezioso Vozniak, is John’s brother. Both Mitch and Barbara are deceased.

Their son, 1962 North Marion grad Joe Pat Vozniak, passed away in 2016 in Florida. Another son, David Vozniak, survives.

The late Chester Vozniak also is Mitch's brother. Chester married Mildred Paknik Vozniak, Class of 1948, also deceased.

Mildred was the daughter of Samuel Paknik, Class of 1934, and Anna Cernak Paknik. She was married to Chester (22 October 1929-13 July 2012) on 14 July 1956 by Rev. Victor P. Ortino.

Another brother, Walter Vozniak, also predeceased Mitch.

Mitch was on the 1952 Monongah High state football championship team, one of 5 MHS teams to accomplish that feat (the others were in 1955, 1968, 1969 and 1973, the year that David Vozniak was on the state championship team).

Barbara’s aunt, the late Amelia Ann Yerace Prezioso (The Canned Peppers Lady), ran Prezioso Grocery at the top of Jackson Street with her husband, Roman Prezioso, Sr.

Amelia and Roman, Sr. are the parents of State Sen. Roman Prezioso, Jr., Class of 1967, who lives in Fairmont with wife Deborah.

Barbara’s sister, Lavinia Rose Prezioso Edmond, Class of 1960, is the mother of Dr. Michael Edmond, head of WVU Medicine and a pioneer in c.diff treatment using fecal matter.

Monongah High had plenty of Vozniaks:

 

Annette Vozniak Narog, Class of 1953.

 

Irene Vozniak Stroud, Class of 1954.

 

Eddie Vozniak was on the 1961 Monongah High football team.

 

Rose Hanus Vozniak, Class of 1938, was married to Edmund "Coozy" Vozniak. Rose’s sister, Ann Hanus Pavlick, who married Mitch Pavlick, and my father, John W. Olesky, Sr., were a couple after Mitch and my mother, Lena Futten Olesky, passed away. Ann visited my dad in my Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio home during his final seven months of life while my late wife, My Mona Lisa, and I took care of him.

I met Ann and Mitch’s granddaughter, Michele Pavlick Todd, in The Villages, Florida during my 2016 annual winter there. The late Junior Pavlick, Ann and Mitch’s son, is Michele’s father.

Ann’s parents were the owners of the Hanus Grocery across U.S. 19 from Thoburn School in the same building just off Jackson Street as the Brzuzy family’s PNA Tavern and the Joe Hanus Garage operated by Ann’s brother.

After reading the Catching Up With John Vozniak article below, daughter Sherry Vozniak added additional memories:

Very very nice article. Once things slow down here at the house and me and Dad get over this terrible thing cold or flu that we have that I will write a very personal one about my dad for a future article. I don't know if you knew this but he started working as a boy at Urban grocery store as a box boy and then later became the butcher. At the Catholic school that my sister and I attended from kindergarten to 8th grade. Monongah Catholic we had to take our lunch because they didn't have hot lunch, everybody else had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday. But my sister and I always had ham, turkey or some sort of meat sandwich. We just thought that was the worst thing in the world. In reality, that was probably the best thing but little did we know. I have plenty of Cruise vacation stories to tell you about. When my mother was living we would take a cruise every 6 months. At least twice a year. We visited wonderful places such as everywhere in the Caribbean that you can think of Belize, Atlantis, Costa Rica oh, we actually went into the rainforest, Honduras, all the Caribbean islands, Turks and Caicos. We actually stopped during a cruise in Key West during Fantasy week boy was that an education to some West Virginians. We partied some but we've never seen anything like this. Thankfully our ship left before nightfall because the daytime partying on the streets was Unreal and and I had to take my 12 year old and put him back on the boat because people did not wear clothes they just body painted themselves and that's what they were. Boy did we become educated. And Duval Street is known for partying in the bars but they party in the streets during this week. My parents just about missed the boat oh, they were the last ones on they were calling their name over the loudspeaker of the boat in case they were on the boat and miss them and as soon as they got on they pulled up the Gangplank and we took off. I'm not sure which one was in the wheelchair by dad or my mother when they got on the boat!!! But they both said they had a wonderful time. I blame the whole thing on my sister Denise she was supposed to be taking care of them. But one of our best times usually is when we stopped at the private islands, usually my sister and my dad go for bike rides in the early mornings. My mom finds a lounge chair and her Cabana Boy, then my dad finds a shade tree I find a raft and just float all day because there is no waves and it is clear blue and so scenic. My son build sandcastles or bury Pap in the sand or his cousins. And my sister usually goes scuba diving with my son and her husband. And they have the best barbecue lunch ever. Covid has put such a dent in our vacations. Since my mom passed we've only been going once a year or so. But we do miss her when we go and we always do a toast to her. But cruising is such the way to go. I hope that you have gone. If not you need to make sure it's on your bucket list. Once again very nice article. Thank you John

Just keep them. I will send a more personal blog about my dad in the future. I promise it will be just about him and his life. I have some really good stories and memories. Being the youngest of four boys. His life was different than the others. His dad died young so he had to pick up the slack in his family and help out . And my parents And really instilled some great values in US us. They always told us they were going to give us one thing that no one could ever take away from us. That was an education and they paid for it 100% regardless how long it took. And there's a great story behind that for me and my sister. Especially my mother driving me to College on my first day after I refuse to go. But I ended up with two degrees after all was said and done and would had two more if they would have let me go on one more semester but told me they were not going to pay for anymore semesters and I had to get a real job that was after 5 years. That was after I flunked out of my first semester in college I only ended up with one class. I found out what college life is all about "partying". My sister was going to be a teacher k through eight with a specialization in art and even had an art show when she was younger and sold paintings to a lady in Vegas because she said one day you will be famous . And then just as she was getting ready to go into the block she got into the nursing program. And she had to make a decision to be a nurse or to be a teacher and have her summers off . Well my sister said had a very difficult decision deciding . But if you will look on my sister's Facebook page you will see she just got recognize by wvuh last year for 25 years of service there . But due to covid they gave her a dinner for two with her and her husband a certificate Sarris chocolate and some other things to recognize her years of service just with them. So since you left nursing school she's been with them. Sorry it has been a rough rough couple of months. I hope your family gets better soon. It has been a terrible year I've been to the doctor twice in a week and I'm still fighting it. Now my dad has it. I wish your family well wishes. And I will get all these memories and stories complied and sent them too you one day. You will get a kick out of me sneeking down the alley down behind our house when I, 3 years old too see my Dad at work right after my mom had my sister. The Urban kids let me play with the cash register, gave me candy and the customers gave me their change. Then they finally told my Dad that I was there since he was in the back in the butcher shop. Then he would call my mom and ask if she knew where I was. Of course she said I was playing in my room! WRONG! of course, I got beat with the fly swatter when I got home but that did not stop me from sneaking down the alley a few weeks later to see my Dad and to visit the Urban Kids! Yes, I was the bad kid! I hope you and your family have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving! I promise to work with my sister and gather some great John Vozniak memories soon!!!!