LIONS HAVE A ROARING GOOD TIME AT CHRISTMAS EXCEPT FOR ONE WITH SORE PAW

 

Monongah Lions alumni roared with joy during the Christmas holidays!

Rose Commodore Cain, Class of 1950, who lives in White Hall, spent Christmas with her daughter, Beverly, who lives in Rivesville, just like my sister, Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955. Rose says her health is “OK.” She would have said more but she had company when I called so we kept the Happy Holidays phone call short.

Rose’s brothers, Jim Commodore, Class of 1950, and Joe Commodore, are deceased. Other siblings are Tom Commodore, Class of 1958, and Don Commodore, Class of 1958.

Jim married Marian Ola Commodore. Joe was married for 60 years to Yvonne Commodore. Their children are Melanie Keener, Joseph “Greg” Commodore and Todd Commodore.

 

Jim’s grandson, Shane Commodore, whose father John Commodore is Jim and Marian’s son, played football for WVU. Shane’s mother is Donna Commodore.  Jim played football at Monongah High.

 

Joe, Rose, Tom, Don and Jim’s parents were  Dominick and Dominica Batiste Commodari (others changed the family name to Commodore).

 

Rose’s daughter, Mary Pat Cain, passed away in 2017.

 

Donald “Jake” Halpenny enjoyed Christmas in his Fairmont home he shares with daughter Kathleen, Jake’s son and grandson. “There are 5 people in my home,” Jake said. “We’re old fogeys” who stay at home to avoid Covid. Jake has had his vaccine and booster shots. People who don’t “are stupid,” he said. And I agree. I’ve had my 2 Pfizer vaccines and booster shot, got a touch of Covid but recovered quickly thanks to my shots, unlike people who get Covid and were not vaccinated.

 

Jake still gets together with members of the 249^th National Guard Band that he played clarinet with for years. First Monday of every month. The band members are in their 80s and 90s but a reunion is music to their ears.

 

Jake’s late wife was Rosalee Cremeans Halpenny.

 

Halpenny is an Irish family so Rosalee gave all their children Irish names: Kathleen, living in Jake’s home on Ottanhurst Drive; Seaan Michael, Collin, etc. Kathleen, a nurse, “does the shopping,” Jake said.

 

“I feel alright,” Jake said, “although my legs are shot.” He uses a cane and a walker.  

 

Jake has 2 great-grandchildren, a 12-year-old boy who is “a pretty good size” and a 3-year-old girl who is “athletic.” I think that means she’s as active as my 3-year-old great-granddaughter, Reyna.

 

Jake ran into Tony Eates, also Class of 1950, about 3 years ago in a Wal-Mart store. Tony and wife Lucy also live in Fairmont.

 

Mary Ann Puffenbarger Moore, Class of 1950, said her “Christmas was OK.” But with her grandsons living in North Carolina and Oregon getting the family together is difficult. Logan Moore, her grandson in North Carolina, is getting his masters in broadcasting at WVU so Mary Ann gets to see him from time to time.

 

Mary Ann did have 5 family members at her house for Christmas. Her sister Martha Puffenbarger Nussear, Class of 1945, who was a nurse at Fairmont General Hospital for more than 50 years, passed away in 2016. Their parents were William Ralph Puffenbarger and Hazel Loges Puffenbarger.

 

Mary Ann once had a 4-level home with her husband, Fairmont East and Fairmont State grad William Richard Moore, on 189 acres, some of which was rented out to people who raised their cattle on it.

 

When her husband Richard passed away after they were married for 51 years Mary Ann sold the large home and massive property and built a smaller home in Pleasant Valley in 2016.

 

Mary Ann and Richard’s son is Richard A. Moore.

 

Mary Ann said she “might think about” attending the 2022 annual Monongah High Alumni Banquet in Fairmont. In previous years, Mary Ann and her husband always headed south to watching Memorial Weekend auto racing. They were big fans.

 

Leatrice Yokay Greaser, Class of 1950, had a visit from Monongah High graduate Kathleen Saunders Bishop. “You should see the food that she brought me,” Leatrice said. “She makes everything from scratch.”

 

Leatrice and Kathleen once were next-door neighbors.

 

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.

 

Leatrice has her problems on Christmas Day. “I was by myself, never had so much pain. My worst Christmas.”

 

She added, “Three of my fingers are numb. I don’t walk that well.”

 

Reminds me of the tale of the Aesop Fables tale of Androcles, who removed a thorn from a moaning lion’s paw. Later, when the lion was released to attack Androcles in an arena, the lions just licked Androcles. The emperor, impressed by the lion’s benevolence and the story behind it, freed the slave Androcles and released the lion into his native forest.

 

If you have a tale about your 2021 Christmas and you are a Monongah High graduate, email me at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com and I’ll add it to this article.