Cataract surgeries for Pete Basagic

Pete Basagic, Class of 1972, son of Richard Basagic, Class of 1948, had cataract eye surgery, which three million Americas have each year, on his left eye. "Doctor said left eye should be about 20/15 vision."

Pete Basagic

The right eye will get the same treatment May 27.

There’s a 98% success rate for cataract surgery. I’ve had both eyes done, several years apart, and the improvement is amazing.

20.5 million Americans have cataracts, including half the people 80 or older. At an average cost of $3,279 per eye, a lot of medical costs include cataract surgery. But only 0.5% have complications after cataract surgery.

Quips Pete: "I have the urge to sing Stevie Wonder songs." Born Stevland Hardaway Morris in Saginaw, Michigan, Steve Wonder, of course, is a superb, but blind, singer of such classics as "I Just Called to Say I Love You," "Higher Ground" and what is considered his No. 1 song, "Superstition."

I know it’s difficult to keep track of the Basagic family, or any Monongah High family that involved nearly a century of generations, but I’ll give this a go.

Pete worked at Davis Electric, lives in Monongah and is married.

Richard “Richie” Basagic, Class of 1975, works at FirstEnergy and lives in Fairmont. He attended the 2010 Monongah High Alumni Reunion.

Cathy Basagic, Fairmon State catering programs coordinator, is from Rachel and lives in Monongah.

Goldie Basagic Huffman, Class of 1974, once worked for the federal government and lives in Monongah with husband Johnl Huffman.

Sandra Basagic, after Parkersburg High, Fairmont State and West Virginia University, works for the Marion County Board of Education, is married and lives in Fairmont.

Hassan Basagic, Class of 1963, attended the 2013 Monongah High Alumni Reunion with Marlene Sandy. Hassan Basagic, Jr., Class of 1941, died in 1980.

Julius Basagic, listed both as Class of 1943 and Class of 1945 in my Monongah High graduation lists but as Class of 1945 in the North Marion High alumni directory.

Goldie Basagic Myers, Class of 1943.

John Basagic, Class of 1966.

Bruce Basagic, Class of 1969.

Deborah Basagic Berry, Class of 1970.

Then there’s Justin Basagic and Debbie Puluha Basagic, but I haven’t pinpointed how they’re tied to the other Basagics, except Justin must be the child or one or more Basagic on this list.

If you have memories of the Basagic family, or can clarify how they’re related to each other, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com with the information and I’ll add it to this Monongah High Alumni blog article.