Monongah’s Melissa Mike’s father passes away

Kevin Rex Lake, father of Monongah’s Melissa Mike, passed away Saturday, June 30. Melissa is married to Matt Mike.

The late Greta Martin Mike, Class of 1922, founded the Monongah High Alumni Association.

Kevin Lake

Two Monongah barbers that cut my hair when I was still in school in Monongah were brothers Dominick and ? Mike.

Kevin’s obituary:

Kevin Rex Lake

·         BORN: April 29, 1961

·         DIED: July 30, 2016

·         LOCATION: Fairmont, West Virginia

Kevin Lake
Kevin Rex Lake, 55, of Fairmont joined God, painlessly in heaven, Saturday, July 30, 2016 after a 32-year battle with cancer. He made his transition at Ruby Memorial Hospital surrounded by his loving family.
Kevin was born in Marion County on April 29, 1961 to his father, Lawrence Rex Lake and the late Janice Louise Snyder Lake.
Kevin graduated from East Fairmont High School in 1979. As a gifted motorcycle technician, welder, and mechanic, he thrived as the owner of L & R Racing. Kevin found himself closest to God when on two wheels, with the wind in his hair, and the sun on his back. It was a passion that defined him. Along with his love of motorcycles, he enjoyed gardening, doing excavation work on his tractor, helping people, and most of all holding the hand of his angelic wife and best friend, "M.E.".
Family and friends will remember Kevin for his friendly, giving spirit. Regardless of the hardships he may have faced, he found peace in helping others. Kevin believed that life was measured not in the minutes, but moments, and he was sure to make each one count. To all those gifted with knowing him, he exemplified a true friend, and the value of unconditional love, and it shined through every relationship. He had no greater love than his family, especially his grandchildren, and countless close friends.
In addition to his father, Rex Lake and his wife Elsie Lake, he is survived by his loving wife, Mary Ellen Donaldson Lake, whom he adored for over 26 years and celebrates his marriage of 20 years; four daughters, Christina Moore of Barrackville, Brittany Myers and her husband Drew of Fairmont, Melissa Mike and her husband Matt of Monongah, and Michelle Moore of Morgantown; his lifetime best friend Travis Swann of Fairmont; his sister, Terry Lynn Thomas and her husband Gary of Haddonfield, New Jersey; five very special grandchildren, Brenner Moore, Maddox Mike, Madilynn Mike, Mason Myers and Brylee Myers and several wonderful nieces and nephews.
In addition to his mother, Kevin was preceded in death by his brothers, Lester "Kenny" Lake and Chris Alan Lake.
Friends and family may call at the Carpenter & Ford Funeral Home, 209 Merchant Street, Fairmont on Tuesday from 5pm to 8pm, Wednesday 1pm to 8pm and on Thursday from 10am to 11am. The funeral service will be on Thursday,
August 4, 2016 at 11am at the funeral home with Pastor Carl Radcliff officiating. Committal services will follow at Mt. Zion Cemetery.
Online condolences to honor Kevin's Memory: www.carpenterandford.com  

Greg Patrick, Class of 1970, Fairmont Catholic’s super social studies teacher and Jenna Won’t Sing Band’s excellent leader, loves Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and muscle cars.

So he combined both passions by going to the largest all-Mustang gathering in the country – nearly 3,000 -- rode his Mustang SVT Cobra around the track, drove back to West Virginia and then flew back to Myrtle Beach with family for more sunshine and fun.

Alas, today – Sunday, July 31 – is his final day. He’ll return to West Virginia via Bridgeport’s Benedum Airport.

You could look at it as a medical procedure. “It’s helping with my recovery,” Greg writes, from the health problem that surfaced during his trip to the Ukraine.

The authenic Cobras were built by Ford only from 1993 through 2004.

Greg switched to Fairmont Catholic after his retirement from 37 years at Miller Junior High and West Fairmont Middle School.

Greg is a Fairmont State graduate with a master’s from WVU. He runs the Monongahfest Car Show every year --  Sunday, Aug. 21 this year.

Jim Pulice, Eric Pulice and Ron Yanero are with Greg in the Jenna Won’t Sing Band, which will perform Saturday, Aug. 20 at Monongahfest, as usual.

Meanwhile, Larry Danny Eates, Class of 1970, known as Dan Eates at Monongah High. is soaking up sunshine on North Myrtle Beach.

Dan is married to Farmington grad Frances Victor Eates. His parents were Dominick Eates, Class of 1946, and Mary Larry Eates.

Dan and Frances’ children are Jo Ann Eates Horne, married to Kyle Horne and living in Washington, Pennsylvania with children Daniel and Samantha; J.D. Eates and wife Julie, who live in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Sarah Eates, who lives in Dormont, a Pittsburgh suburb.

Greg and Dan might run into Dietta Harden Goush, Class of 1959, who’s in the area, too, vacationing.

Greg left before Mary “Kitty” Ahouse Morrison, Class of 1968, and cousin Joyce Ahouse Blake took off Monday, August 1 from North Central West Virginia Airport in Bridgeport for Myrtle Beach.

Kitty lives in Monongah, Doddridge County High School grad Joyce in Salem.

 Lions know how to enjoy life. That’s why they call every gathering a pride.

1963 MHS classmates Donna & Bernie on honeymoon

Donna McGinnis Suppa and Bernie Fullen are on their honeymoon after their marriage today, Sunday, July 31.

Both are Class of 1963 and widows.

To read the previous story about this circle of life to each other, click on http://jo4wvu.blogspot.com/search?q=Jack+Lee+Suppa%2C+Bernie+Fullen+and+Donna+McGinnis+went+to+Monongah+High+together

Chiefton’s Teresa Nicoletti Morgan passes away

Chiefton native Teresa Ann Nicoletti Morgan passed away Sunday, July 17. She will be buried Tuesday, August 9 at Mt. Carmel Cementery in Fairmont.

Teresa Nicoletti Morgan

Teresa’s obituary:

o    Teresa Ann Morgan L

September 4, 1938 - July 17, 2016

 

Teresa Ann Morgan, 77, of Fairmont passed away Sunday, July 17, 2016 at her home with her family by her side.  She was born September 04, 1938, in Chiefton, WV, daughter of the late Joseph and Philipene Nicoletti.

Teresa was always smiling and happy.  She was loved by everyone she knew.  Teresa was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.  Teresa was a hard worker; she was formerly employed by Westinghouse, Stone and Thomas, and Times West Virginian.  Teresa enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.  She was an excellent cook and loved working in her yard.

She is survived by a daughter, Donna Morgan and Husband Douglas Bodkins of Fairmont; a brother, Carl Nicoletti of Fairmont; two granddaughters, Taylor Morgan and Addison Morgan Bodkins; and several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by many friends and neighbors, who were dear to her heart.

In addition to her parents, Teresa is preceded in death by her husband, Donnie Morgan; four brothers, John, Frank, Sam, and Pete Nicoletti; and a sister, Isabel Glaze.

The family will receive friends at The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 329 Maryland Ave. Fairmont, Tuesday August 09 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.  A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the Church with Father Walter Jagela as celebrant.  Interment will follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Fairmont.  Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.domicofh.com

Family Dollar in Monongah: Mirage or reality?

Mayor Greg Vandetta, who has been waiting for this day more fervently than anyone, says the empty Huntington Bank Building at Camden Avenue and Walnut Street may be razed in early August.

Writes His Honor:

“If anyone wants to get pictures of the empty Huntington Bank Building, you better get them real soon.”

Monongah has been waiting more than three years for this to happen. The planned Family Dollar store is taking longer than a 1-legged chicken trying to hop from Matewan to Monongah.

The site is where the Pulice, Fiori and Gumont families took turns living before the home was torn down to make way for the bank.

Family Dollar was acquired by Dollar Tree, but will keep the Family Dollar name, at least for now.

Dollar Tree, whose headquarters is in Chesapeake, Virginia, has 4,900 stores. Family Dollar, based in Matthews, North Carolina, had 1,400 stores. Dollar General, out of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, has more than 10,000 stores.

There are Family Dollar stores at Fairhills Plaza, 609 Bellview Boulevard, Fairmont; 917 E. Park Avenue, Fairmont; and 204 S. Pike Street, Shinnston.

Ahouse of cards

I am going to have to put a GPS chip in all the Ahouses so I can keep track of their travels.

Mary “Kitty” Ahouse Morrison, Class of 1968, will be flying to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with Joyce Ahouse Blake, her cousin who lives in Salem.

Joyce graduated from Doddridge County High School and works at the Clarksburg Walmart.

Sue Ahouse Schrader, Class of 1971, has been in Maine all week.

Brother Mike, a 1985 North Marion graduate, is busy attending the Black Bears baseball games in Morgantown.

It’s not that Mike doesn’t travel. Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, North Dakota and South Dakota are the only states he hasn’t visited . . . yet.

Officially, Sue lives in Piscataway, New Jersey and Stoney Lonesome, Monongah; Kitty in Monongah; and Mike in Monongah when he isn’t delivering the mail in Worthington.

You name a place in the Americas and one of more of the Ahouse siblings have been there.

........

Get revved up for Monongahfest Car Show

Greg Patrick, who is as excited about cars as he is about leading the Jenna Won’t Sing Band, is cranked up for the Sunday, Aug. 21 Monongahfest Car Show.   Greg writes:

“Hi everybody! It's that time of year again! We are getting ready and excited for this year’s 5th  annual Monongahfest Car Show.   “It will be at the "Rails to Trails" parking and festival tent on Sunday Aug. 21st. Registration is from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Show is from 1-4 p.m.   “There will be goodie bags for first 50 cars and door prizes and trophies. Go to our Facebook  Pages - Monongahfest Car Show for more information.   “See you there.”   The Jenna band will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, August 20.   The first Monongahfest was held in 1988. It has grown into this massive schedule:   FRIDAY, AUGUST 19  7 a.m. – Monongah Town Wide Yard Sale under the Monongahfest tent. Contact: Diane Huffman Prunty.  SATURDAY, AUGUST 20   7-10 a.m. -- Country Breakfast, Town Hall. 8 a.m. – 2nd  annual Monongahfest Miner's Run. Registration will begin at 6 a.m. Rails to Trails is the course. 10 a.m. -- Pinball Tournament in the Fire Department meeting room. Noon -- Parade. 3 p.m. -- Corn Hole Tournament, Murray Field. 3 p.m. -- Tug of War Contest at the West Fork River.   3 p.m. --  Duck Race on the West Fork River (watch from the bridge).   5:30-7:30 p.m. -- Gamblers Band.   8-10 p.m. -- Jenna Won’t Sing Band.   10 p.m. Fireworks.   ALSO: Crafts& Vendors at Fire Department. Food Booths in the Parking Lot. Children’s Games in the Parking Lot & Murray Field. Meet local authors at the Fire Department. Snow cones and ice cream. SUNDAY, AUGUST 21 1-4 p.m. -- Monongahfest Car Show.

For 78 years, since first grade at Sts. Peter and Paul School in Monongah, Bob Kasper and John Olesky, both Class of 1950, have been best friends.

70 years ago, they began playing golf together, first as caddies at Fairmont Field Club, then on the Fairmont State golf team, later at Monongah High Alumni Reunion scrambles and most recently when John visits Bob at his Grand Lake summer home on Presque Isle, as he did this week, or when Bob visits John at his Tallmadge, Ohio home he shares with Paula, before Bob and John sit together in Mountaineer Field to watch WVU play football.

This year Bob will be seated next to John at the Oct. 1 Kansas State game in Mountaineer Field. Right next to John’s sister, Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, who lives in Rivesville, and Jackie’s daughter, Renee Straight, a pharmacist at WVU’s Ruby Memorial Hospital.

As I’ve often written, Bob & John have exchanged the same two Christmas cards since 1955 – SIXTY ONE YEARS AGO.

Bob’s sister, Evelyn Kasper Boggess, Class of 1953, still lives in their childhood home in Frogtown, south of Monongah and just north of Swisher Hill on U.S. 19 between Monongah and Worthington with her husband, retired coal miner Okey Boggess.

As usual, Bob shot lower scores, but John was happy with his 51 and, after putting tips from Bob, a 48. As a bonus, when John returned to Ohio for his seniors golf league outing at Sunny Hill in Kent with Paula’s brother, Tom, John had 12 putts for a 46 instead of the 25 and 24 putts he had just before leaving for Michigan.

If anyone wants to fly Bob in for putting tips, I can give you his phone number, but you’ll have to negotiate his teaching rates with Bob.

Len Howell, Lyla Cosner Howell, Rosemary Raymond Pagliaro, Carmen Pagliaro, Bill Davis, Donna Colvert Davis,
Dixie Slimmer Rogers Edmond, Phyllis Shelosky, Tom Shelosky, Bruce Edmond

Lions gather year-round

Monongah High alumni are always having reunions. Graduation day rarely is the end of friendships.

Lyla Cosner Howell, Class of 1958, and Len Howell; Rosemary Raymond Pagliaro, Class of 1958, and Carmen Pagliaro; Donna Colvert Davis, Class of 1961, and Bill Davis, Class of 1958; Tom Shelosky, Class of 1958, and Phyllis Shelosky; and Dixie Slimmer Rogers Edmond, Class of 1958, and Bruce Edmond, Class of 1957, gathered in Elkins for dinner and shopping and good old-fashioned Lions reunion.

Lyla and Len live in Elkins and Fort Myers Beach, Florida, so they must have been the host couple. Lyle sent me the photo, too.

Rosemary and Carmen came from their Fairmont home and Donna and Bill and Tom and Phyllis and Dixie and Bruce from their Monongah homes.

Paula and I regular have MHS reunions with the Howells and the Edmonds in Florida during the winter, when we’re all escaping the Northern winter, in Sarasota and Punta Gorda.

There were 21 Lions at Three Ways Inn in Fairmont two winters ago when I stopped there on my way to the Amtrak auto/train in Lorton, Virginia, for yet another MHS reunion. While waiting for the train to head for Florida, I had a reunion with Pat Urban Utz, Class of 1950, and her husband, John Utz. They live in Springfield, Virginia, not far from the auto/train station.

Lyla and Len, like Paula, have a 2^nd home in Florida. Paula’s is in The Villages, where 119,000 senior citizens make every day playday.

Dixie and Bruce had attended every Monongah High Alumni Reunion in Fairmont from 2006 through 2016. Only the Alumni Board of Directors, which includes Donna and Bill, have a longer attendance streak.

Donna keeps the Monongah High Alumni Reunion humming by handling the dinner-dance reservations, not an easy chore.

Rosemary and the late Bob Raymond’s parents were Mary Dudiak Raymond and Angelo Raymond. Bob’s widow, Susan Russell Raymond, lives in White Hall.  

 

Rosemary and Carmen’s children are Melanie Ann Pagliaro, policy analyst for the Majority Leader in the West Virginia House of Delegates, who lives in Charleston, and C.J. Pagliaro.

Rosemary’s mother’s siblings were Anna Dudiak Koval and the late Sophie Dudiak Shelosky of Monongah, who married George Shelosky, and John Dudiak. Sophie passed away in 2009.

Anna’s children are John Koval, Class of 1956, who lives in Cincinnati, and Larry Koval, Class of 1968, who lives in Columbus, and the late Shirley Koval Dodd, Class of 1953, who passed away in her Idamay home after growing up at the top of Jackson Street in Monongah.

Sophie, who passed away in 2009, was an aunt of Bernie Shelosky, Class of 1965, who passed away in 2013. Bernie’s widow, 1965 Fairmont East High grad Linda Mazza Shelosky, lives on Cottage Street in Monongah. 

To paraphrase Humprey Bogart’s movie-ending remark to Claude Rains in “Casablanca,” this is the continuation of a beautiful friendship.

For 78 years, since first grade at Sts. Peter and Paul School in Monongah, Bob Kasper and John Olesky, both Class of 1950, have been best friends.

We’ve comforted each other when our wives died. We’re celebrated marriages and births and adoptions together, too.

We’ve exchanged the same two Christmas cards since 1955 – SIXTY ONE YEARS AGO. Since we put the names of all family members next to each year, it’s almost like a family Bible that tells of birthdays, deaths, marriages.

It will be a treasured keepsake to the one who doesn’t go into the Great Beyond first.

And every summer John goes to Bob’s summer home on the shores of Grand Lake in Presque Isle, Michigan. We recall our Monongah High days, our lives and play golf at nearby Rogers City Golf Club.

In autumn, Bob comes to John’s home in Tallmadge, Ohio, which John shares with Paula, for more stoking of good memories and more golf, this time at Brookledge Golf Club in nearby Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Plus, a WVU football game in Mountaineer Field.

This year, Bob and John will sit alongside each other in Mountaineer Field for the Oct. 22 TCU-WVU game, adjacent to John’s sister, Jacqueline Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, who lives in Rivesville, and Jackie’s daughter, Renee Straight, a Ruby Memorial pharmacist across the Blue Parking Lot from Mountaineer Field.

Bob’s sister, Evelyn Kasper Boggess, Class of 1953, still lives in their childhood home in Frogtown, south of Monongah and just north of Swisher Hill on U.S. 19 between Monongah and Worthington. 

Her husband is retired coal miner Okey Boggess.

John will fly into Alpena, Michigan airport tonight – Monday, July 25. He’ll return to Ohio and Paula on Thursday night, July 28.

Because John won’t have his laptop with him, there will be no Monongah High Alumni blog article till July 29.

You still can email him at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com with any information you think should be shared with other former Lions.

He’ll catch up with the articles when he returns to Ohio.

2016 Monongahfest schedule

The second annual Monongahfest Miner's Run will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, August 20. Registration will begin at 6 a.m.

Rails to Rails is the course.

The Pinball Tournament will begin at 10 a.m. in the Fire Department meeting room.

Other Saturday, August 20 events for Monongahfest, which began in 1988:

7-10 a.m. -- Country Breakfast, Town Hall.
Noon—Parade.

3 p.m. -- Corn Hole Tournament, Murray Field ($10 team entry).

3 p.m. -- Tug of War Contest at the

West Fork River.

3 p.m. --  Duck Race on the West Fork River (watch from the bridge).

5:30-7:30 p.m. -- Gamblers Band.

8-10 p.m. -- Jenna Won’t Sing Band.

10 p.m. Fireworks.

ALSO:

Crafts & Vendors at Fire Department.
Food Booths in the Parking Lot.
Children’s Games in the Parking Lot & Murray Field.
Meet local authors at the Fire Department.

Snow cones and ice cream.


SUNDAY, AUGUST 20

1-4 p.m. -- Monongahfest Car Show (registration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

Show cost: $5.

 

Leaders for Monongah’s Neighborhood Watch

Cat Wildman is the new president of Monongah’s Neighborhood Watch, which is neighbors having each others’ backs.   That’s what everyone did when I was growing up in Monongah, keeping each others’ children out of trouble and whatnot, without an official organization. So watching the neighborhood has a long tradition in Monongah.

Phillip Rush is vice president and Lugene Christner  is secretary of Neighborhood Watch.   Writes Cat:   “Over the previous year we have identified areas that needed some changes to include slowing down speeders on a few of our streets and shut down bullying and threatening behaviors. To our astonishment we found out this NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH thing can work.   “Be watching our page for meetings and activities. We look forward your suggestions and involvement in your community as we work together to keep Monongah safe.”

Vivian Pierce Lambert, Class of 1978, and Paul Eugene Lambert, Class of 1973, are celebrating their 34^th wedding anniversary.

They live in Monongah. They were married on July 24, 1982.

Vivian, a former Union Carbide inspector and Fairmont State graduate, wrote:

“Happy Anniversary, my dear husband!! You are a wonderful man. You have a caring heart you help people in their time of need. I am proud to be your wife. Love you to the moon and back.”

Thomas Pierce, who lives in Monongah with Robin Herron, and Vivian’s parents were Betty Melinda Collins Pierce and James Pierce, who were married 55 years.

Betty’s parents were Oval Edison Collins and Dephna Jones Collins.

Other Lamberts who graduated from Monongah High:

Norma Lambert Preston, Class of 1966. 

Richard Lambert, Class of 1975.

Mitch Vozniak and Barbara Prezioso Vozniak’s granddaughter Kristen Vozniak is safe in her Spring Hill, Florida home after gallivanting through West Virginia, Washington, D.C., Tennessee and Georgia for 16 days with Kristen’s fiancé, Anthony Cowles.

To wind up in Spring Hill in her life, Kristen went from Monongah to Central High School in Brooksville, Florida to Spring Hill.

She works at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.

Her father was the late Joe Pat Vozniak, Mitch and Barbara’s son and a 1982 North Marion High grad and former Monongah firefighter. Mitch was  and Barbara were both Class of 1953.

Mitch was captain of the 1952 Monongah High state football championship team.

Monongah High had plenty of Vozniaks:

Arlene Vozniak Narog, Class of 1953.

Irene Vozniak Stroud, Class of 1954.

John Vozniak, Class of 1959.

Eddie Vozniak was on the 1961 Monongah High football team.

Rose Hanus Vozniak, Class of 1938, is the widow of Edmund "Coozy" Vozniak.  

Chester Vozniak is Mitch's brother. Chester's widow is Mildred Paknik Vozniak, Class of 1948.