CATCHING UP WITH CLASS OF 1962 HONOR CLASS AT MAY 28 MHS REUNION

The Class of 1962 is an honor class for the 99^th Monongah High Alumni Banquet at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 28 in Knight of Columbus Hall, 1529 Mary Lou Retton Drive in Fairmont. They will have their class group taken, along with the other honor class, Class of 1972, at 5:30 p.m.

Linda Virginia Efaw Bonfantino married Lenny Bonfantino. Her siblings are Bonnie Efaw Debalski, Class of 1964, Donna Efaw Stottlemire, Class of 1966, John Efaw, Class of 1972, and Tim Efaw, Class of 1975, and the late Patricia Efaw Stottlemire, Class of 1961, who married Don Stottlemire. Bernie Fullen, Class of 1963, husband of Donna McGinnis Suppa-Fullen, also Class of 1963, is Linda’s cousin.

 

Patricia Ann “Pat” Fleming Satterfield, Class of 1962, passed away in 2021 after an auto accident.  Her parents were Lloyd “Shorty” Fleming and Virginia “Gen Gen” Mullins Fleming. Pat was one of the top 10 seniors in her graduation class. Pat was a beautifician and retired after more than 30 years at Alcan Aluminum in Fairmont. Her children are Todd Satterfield and Terri Satterfield, both of Colfax, where Pat also resided.  Pat’s sister is Mary Fleming Toothman of Salem, Ohio. Pat’s former husband is Rusty Satterfield of Clarksburg.

 

Lois Carol Harbert Moore married Dr. Jerry Moore, Class of 1969, a Monongah High tackle who protected quarterback Bill Fleming for the Lions’ unbeaten 1958 and 1959 football teams that compile enough ratings points to make the state playoffs. Jerry also played basketball and baseball at Monongah High. They began the romance when he was a junior from Four States and she was a freshman at Monongah High.

Their son, Jerry A. Moore II, is an artist involved in such movies as “Godzilla” and another son, Timothy, is a pesticide specialist in Falls Church, Virginia. Sandy Harbert Saunders, Class of 1965, is Lois’ sister. Prudy Tetrick Funk, Class of 1960, is Lois’ cousin. 

Ina June Kincaid Fullen is married to Daniel Fullen of Parrish Run in Farmington. Ina’s father is the late George Junior Kincaid. Her siblings are Jack Leroy Kincaid and wife Lisa of Gainesville, FL., Pamela Jo West and husband Joe of Grafton,  Mary Louise Tennant and husband Richard of Farmington. Their mother was the late Wilma Louise Kincaid.

 

Connie Jean Martin Abruzzino suffered the passing of her husband, Danny Abruzzino, and their son, Robbie, in the same year, 2016. Their daughter, Debby Abruzziono Coleman, lives in Naples, Florida with husband Dan. Connie is former owner-operator at Hair Perfection By Connie after graduating from Clarksburg School of Cosmetology. She lived in Carolina during her days at Monongah High, where she was a National Honor Society student and a cheerleader for 4 years. Professional photographer and artist Joe Martin, Class of 1959, is her brother. Joe lives on Treasure Island, Florida with his artist wife Arlene Kitchin Martin.

 

Carol Morgan Shupp Tetrick married Clarksburg native Ronald Lee Tetrick 1969. He passed away in Neosho, Missouri in 2011. They have two daughters, Diana Shupp and Terry Castro, living in Neosho.

 

Rachel Vivian Stalnaker Sloan worked at Consol, has a daughter, Vivian Sloan Rowe, and 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Rachel is from Four States but lives in Fairmont.

 

Joseph Anthony Amalett’s parents are Larry and Phyllis (Manuel) Amalett. His late sister Nellie retired from Westinghouse Electric after 42 years there. Joe lives in Worthington. His sister Lucille Wainio lives in Fairmont.

 

Dennis Basnett is a Fairmont State grad. Dennis’ brother, Michael Basnett, Class of 1975, married Debbie Elaine Rutherford Basnett, Class of 1975. Basnetts have been around Marion County a LONG time  -- before 1849, when the Basnettville Post Office (renamed Basnett Post Office in 1880) was established. The Basnett family had a store in Basnettville. The Post Office closed in 1903. Saint John’s Cemetery, next to the church, is sometimes referred to as Basnettsville Cemetery because Samuel Basnett donated the land for the cemetery.

Monongah High has Basnetts throughout its history. Roy Basnett, Class of 1932, and wife Doris Menear Basnett, Class of 1938, who were married 61 years. Roy’s parents were Evelena Bock Basnett and William E. Basnett and Roy’s siblings were Tom Basnett, Dennis Basnett, Carlton Basnett, Charles Jackson Basnett, Class of 1969, and Michael Basnett. Raymond Basnett, Class of 1947. Barbara Basnett Cain, who would have been in the Class of 1956 if she hadn’t left Monongah High and Worthington during her sophomore year, moved from Ohio back to Monongah in 1970. Her father was Paul Basnett, who drove both a school bus and a mine bus. Nancy Riley Basnett, Class of 1960, same as Tom Basnett. Kerri Basnett is Nancy’s daughter.  Beverly Basnett Zaleski, Class of 1965. Jack Basnett, Class of 1969. Debbie Rutherford Basnett Class of 1975.

 

Michael Batiste’s parents are Macie E. Santee Batiste and Patsy Batiste. They were born and married in Monongah. Mike’s sister, is Patricia A. (Don) Commodore of Rock Creek, near Ashtabula, Ohio. Michael Lee Batiste is their late brother.  

 

Gary Wayne Blare, husband of Patti Williams Blare, Class of 1965, passed away in 2015 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His parents were Carlton and Helen Howe McDonald Blare. Gary enjoyed working with computers, bird watching, fishing and NASCAR auto racing. Gary and Patti’s daughters are daughters Dawn Blare Richardson of Myrtle Beach and Danielle Blare Asher of Wilmington, North Carolina.

 

Denver Duane Browning passed away in 2014 in Arlington, Virginia. He had homes in Venice, Florida and Arlington. He also was a Fairmont State graduate. He retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. He was an outstanding pianist. His parents were Mary Browning and Louis Browning. Denver was survived by his partner and husband, Reggie Vieta, his sister Dorothy Browning Woods, married to Bill Woods. He was buried in Maine.

Don Pitman lives in White Hall with his wife, Jane. They were at the 2014 Monongah High Alumni Reunion.

Robert Owen Mick remembers sitting on the late Denver Browning’s family couch in Monongah with Gene Phillips while they waited for Denver to finish his piano practice.

Edgar Ray Burley married the late Katherine Ely Burley. Edgar once hung out in Worthington with his Monongah High buddies Jim Nottingham, Class of 1961; Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960, who today lives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; Roy “Jaybird” Murphy, Class of 1966; Joe McCullough, Class of 1962; David  Willis, Class of 1961; Clifford Morgan, Class of 1961; Harold Maze, Class of 1961; Wilbur Smith, Class of 1960; and Howard Shuttlesworth Jr., Class of 1972. Edgar once ran for mayor of Worthington.

Robert Thomas Danko’s parents are Mike Danko and Mary Chismar Danko. Their other children are Michael Danko, Class of 1965; and, all deceased, Anna May Danko, Class of 1966; Mary Ann Danko Evanson, Class of 1957; Helen Danko; Donna Danko; John Peter Danko; and George Danko.

Edgar Ray Burley married the late Katherine Ely Burley. Edgar once hung out in Worthington with his Monongah High buddies Jim Nottingham, Class of 1961; Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960, who today lives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; Roy “Jaybird” Murphy, Class of 1966; Joe McCullough, Class of 1962; David  Willis, Class of 1961; Clifford Morgan, Class of 1961; Harold Maze, Class of 1961; Wilbur Smith, Class of 1960; and Howard Shuttlesworth Jr., Class of 1972. Edgar once ran for mayor of Worthington.

 

Daniel Lee Fullen passed away in 2016 in Farmington. His parents were George E. Fullen, Sr. and Betty M. Tomlinson Fullen. Danny was married to Ina Fullen for 53 years. Their children are Robin Fullen Anderson of Mount Morris, Pennsylvania; Jane Fullen Harman of Parrish Run, Daniel Fullen, Jr. of Hurricane and Mark Fullen of Fairmont. Danny siblings are Connie Fullen Cantrell of Jasper, Alabama, and Charlotte Fullen Lloyd of Bear, Delaware; and, all deceased, George Fullen, Jr., James Fullen, Marshall Fullen and Janice Fullen Mayfield.

George Koski passed away in 2019. His widow is Penny Kay Koski. Both retired as long-time schoolteachers. His sisters, Loretta Jane Koski, Class of 1962, and Ramona Jean Koski, Class of 1963, live in Fairmont. George was a retired industrial arts teacher in Marion, Harrison and Brooke counties. Penny is a Shinnston High and Fairmont State graduate and a retired teacher.  Ramona represented Monongah High’s junior class at the 1962 Know Your Government Day in Charleston.  Jane was one of the primary organizers of a reunion in Worthington by former Hutchinson Grade School students in 2015, 48 years after the eight-room school, built in 1918, closed in 1967.

 

Roy Jackson played football at Monongah High and Fairmont State. His brother Matt Jackson, Class of 1964, passed away in 2021. Other siblings are Jackie, who transferred from Monongah High to Fairmont West in his senior year, Arthur, Julius, Gifford, Cleveland, Bernice, Diane, Helen and Mary.

Ben Gandy, Class of 1962, passed away. He was married for 54 years to Linda L. Wilson Gandy. Ben’s parents are Harold R. and Rose Mary Marra Gandy. Ben worked for Consol Coal Company. His brother, Jim Gandy, Class of 1964, is on the Monongah High Alumni Association Board of Directors along with Jim’s wife, Alumni president Linda Lopez Gandy, Class of 1965. Ben played football at Monongah High. He also was on the seniors team that won the 1962 MHS class tournament in basketball and was on his junior class team when it participated a year earlier. Jim recalls: “Ben, me and our friends would go to Mill Dam before Easter every year and skinny dip. Man, was that water cold!” Ben served his country in the Army and was a Fairmont State graduate.

 

Paul Shamrock’s siblings are the late Cecelia Shamrock Eller, Class of 1955, John, Joe and Jim, who passed away in 2020 and married the late Judy Carol Rose in 1988.

Harley Dean Swiger, Jr. of Worthington was married for 40 years to teacher Debra Rae Swiger, who passed away in 2020. Their children are Harley Dean Swiger III and Raeann Swiger, who both live in Worthington, Wendy Michele Richmond, who lives in Denver, Greg Swiger, who lives in Bridgeport, and Lori Jackson, who lives in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Mary Katherine Mikez Loy lives in Springfield, Virginia.

Sandra Sue Lipinski Hawkins married the late Charles “Chuck” Hawkins.

Rebecca Marlene Davis Christopher attended the 2018 annual Monongah High Alumni Banquet. Her sister, Nellie Joann Davis Thompson, Class of 1962, married Don Thompson.

Eddie Vozniak was on the 1961 Monongah High football team.

The 1962 graduates are Mora Jeanette Arnett Smart, Ollie May Brown, Delores Jean Clayton Downey, Margaret Phyllis Davis Rumer, Nellie JoAnn Davis Thompson, Rebecca Marlene Davis Christopher, Linda Virginia Efaw Bonfantino, Patricia Ann Fleming Satterfield, Jo Ann Garrett Bowen, Karen Sue Goush Sloboda, Lois Carol Harbert Moore, Christine Hawkins, Edna Mae Haynes Teixeira, Ina June Kincaid Fullen, Sandra Sue Lipinski Hawkins, Jean Lushinsky Same, Constance Jean Martin Abruzzino, Mary Katherine Mikez Loy, Helen Louise Minear, Carolyn Jean Satterfield,  Carol Morgan Shupp Tetrick, Rachel Vivian Stalnaker Sloan, Sara Elizabeth Sturm Blaydes, Denna Lou Watkins, Lenore Jean Wright Moore, Joseph Anthony Amalett, Dennis Basnett, the late Michael Batiste, Gary Wayne Blare, William Andrew Brown, Denver Duane Browning, Donald Frederick Pitman, Robert Owen Mick, Edgar Ray Burley, Robert Thomas Danko, Donald Fleming, John Fleming, Daniel Lee Fullen, Benjamin Gandy, Edwin Hardaway, Roy Jackson, George Koski, Joseph McCullough, William McKinney, Christy Clyde Morgan, the late Gary William Moyer, Roger Lee Nesselrette, Paul Shamrock, the late David Shears, Harley Dean Swiger, Jr., Charles Thomas, David Lee Van Meter, the late Edmund Ray Vozniak, Jyrld Eugene Whaley, Theodore Williams, and Gerald Woods.

Time is running out to get your Reservation in for the oldest high school reunion in West Virginia history. Click on the Reservation form, enlarge and print it, fill it out and mail it in. It must be received by May 24.