CHRISTMAS SURPRISE FROM LEATRICE YOKAY GREASER

 

I got a welcome Christmas present today. Leatrice Yokay Greaser, Class of 1950, phoned to wish me a Happy Birthday.

 

I call Leatrice the Kathryn Grayson of Monongah High because of her beautiful singing voice.

 

Kathryn Grayson, born Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick in 1922, sang in movies with Gene Kelly and Mario Lanza.

 

And sang as Magnolia in 1951’s “Show Boat” with Ava Gardner and Howard Keel.

 

As Leatrice told me about her phone chats with her brother, John Yokay, she sang a few bars from “You’ll Never Know”:

 

You'll never know just how much I miss you
You'll never know just how much I care
And if I tried, I still couldn't hide my love for you
You ought to know, for haven't I told you so
A million or more times?
You went away and my heart went with you
I speak your name in my every prayer

 

Then, as my request, she did a few bars from “Oh, Johnny,” which I adopted as my theme song when I was a teenager:

 

Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny!
How you can love
Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny!
Heavens above
You make my sad heart jump with joy
And when you're near I just can't sit still a minute
I'm so, Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny!
Please tell me dear
What makes me love you so?
You're not handsome, it's true
But when I look at you
I just, Oh, Johnny!
Oh, Johnny! Oh!

 

It was a fantastic Christmas gift for me!

 

We talked of our shared love for Monongah High.

 

We mentioned Class of 1959 members Donald Halpenny, Rose Commodore Cain, Patty Urban Utz who phoned Leatrice a day or so ago, Bob Kasper my friend since we were 5 years old, Tony Eates, the late Barbara Glover Rombola, Mary Ann Puffenbarger Moore.

 

It was Throwback Day to our youth.

 

If you want to wish Leatrice a Merry Christmas her phone number is (304) 363-4858.

 

Maybe she’ll sing to you, too. Like a nightingale!

 

If you want to phone me a Merry Christmas my number is (330) 388-4466.

 

Merry Christmas, everyone.

After reading this article, Sharon Kniceley Hawkins responded:

 

“Leatrice and her family were neighbors of ours when we lived on 5th Street in Carolina. Oh the memories…too many to share on here. Thanks for the update…will call her soon."