Quality is Monongah Middle’s middle name

Monongah Middle School came within one point Saturday of sweeping both girls and boys first place in the Pepsi/Fairmont Veterinary Invitational for middle schools hosted by Barrackville Middle School at Old Clearview Golf Course.

The girls scored 42 points and won the tiebreaker against Fairmont West, which also had 42 points.

The boys were 27-28 to Barrackville. Low score wins in cross country.

Monongah’s Tristan Glasscock was the first boy to cross the finish line with a time of 14:43.

The Monongah Middle School building has housed champions for 65 years.

When Monongah High occupied the place, the Lions won five state football and one state baseball title.

Steve Malnick has been Monongah Middle School principal for 10 years.

On Malnick’s faculty is Ashley Reed, who coached Monongah Middle to 3 boys Mason-Dixon track championships in 4 years and one Marion County and 3 girls Mason-Dixon championships. Plus an earlier cross-country championship in girls this year and boys last year.

Also on Malnick’s faculty is Jon Pat Feltz, who father, the late Jim Feltz, coached the 1952 and 1955 Monongah High teams to state football titles. Jon, a superb 5th grad teacher, lives with his mother, Betty Lynn Wilson Feltz, Jim’s widow. Betty was a majorette who married Jim after her graduation from Monongah High.

Jon’s brother, Jay Feltz, quarterbacked the 1973 team to Monongah High’s 5^th state football title. Earl Keener coached the 1968 and 1969 state champs, including quarterback Nick “Brother” Saban, the current Alabama football coach (#1 coach in America with five national titles), on the 1968 team.

Another faculty sparkler at Monongah Middle is Rebecca Daniel Parrish, math teacher for 21 years, who is justifiably proud that Monongah Middle has raised more money for the United Way charity than any other Marion County school 5 out of 6 years.

Monongah Middle’s basketball team has academic-athlete award based on it collective grade point average.

Beckie is from Mannington originally and is married to Fairview’s Mike Parrish.

Others on the remarkable Monongah Middle staff: Olivia Bartic, Erin Bashaw, Chad Davidson, Josh Chiado, Jennifer Green, Anne Lienhardt, Kate McConnell, Janie Moore, Joe Price, James Stevens, John Straigjt, Stacey Strawderman, Andrew Weekley, Danette Woody and James Zaveski.

Monongah Middle excels in more than sports.

It is a West Virginia State Exemplary School, a West Virginia Reward School and, in 2013, was a National Blue Ribbon School.

Students have also won Health Science and Technology Academy recognition and Young Writers Awards (too bad they didn’t have that when I was a Monongah High student because, with my bent for journalism that led to a WVU School of Journalism degree and a 43-year newspaper career, I might have added to that marvelous Monongah achievements list).

As this photo montage shows, some really classy Lions were born in October.

 

Let’s start with the beautiful Lionesses:

 

Susan Staron Sanders, Class of 1971, the Angel of Thomas Street who spearheads the Monongah Christmas street lights fundraising, has a birthday October 8.

 

So does Valerie Vandetta Aldridge, Class of 1973, who helped Susan with her Christmas street lights fundraising.

 

Leona “Duckles” Davis Schooley, Class of 1953, who was joined at the hip with Patty Meredith Wills at Monongah High, has a birthday October 20.

 

Helen McDougal Mudry, Class of 1965, sister of my fellow Class of 1950 classmate Reva McDougal Ash of Marietta, Ohio, has a birthday October 31.

 

Then there are the Lion Kings.

 

Stanley Vance, Class of 1964, has a birthday October 2.

 

Jay Holman, who organizes reunions and parties for the Class of 1971, has a birthday October 11.

 

John Prunty, Class of 1949, has a birthday October 14.

 

Robert Boydoh, Class of 1956, has a birthday October 29.

 

Duckles works at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino in Maricopa, Arizona, south of Phoenix, when she’s not at her Cleveland home.

 

Susan, the Angel of Thomas Street, is primarily responsible for Monongah having 21 Christmas street lights this holiday season.

 

Valerie Vandetta Aldridge works at Fairmont General Hospital and lives in Monongah with husband Jim Aldridge. Her other distinction is that she is part of the prolific Vandetta family. You couldn’t walk through the halls of Monongah High or down Pike Street toward Mill Fall without bumping into a Vandetta.

 

There’s no shortage of McDougals at Monongah High either. Helen McDougal Mudry’s siblings are Earl McDougal, who married Mareia Wilmouth McDougal, Class of 1964, who spent her first three years at Shinnston High; Monongah High grad Johnny McDougal; Edna McDougal Saunders, Class of 1948; James McDougal, Class of 1961; and, of course, my former classmate Reva McDougal Ash, Class of 1950, who was a waitress in Morgantown when I was attended West Virginia University School of Journalism. Reva eventually wound up in Marietta, Ohio.

 

Plenty of Vances at Monongah High, too. Besides Stanley, there’s Laurann Vance Allen, Class of 1971, retired from WVU Children’s Hospital in Morgantown and living in Enterprise with husband Garry Allen. They have 2 children and adopted their 2 grandchildren.

Her sister, Nicole Knox Vance, lives in Fairmont. Sue Vance Latham is Class of 1975. Howard Vance, who lives in Worthington, is a 1985 North Marion High grad.

If every class had a Jay Holman, the Knights of Columbus Hall on Mary Lou Retton Drive in Fairmont wouldn’t be large enough to hold everyone for the annual Monongah High Alumni Reunion. Jay is always getting his 1971 class together for reunions. Any excuse will do. Jay alternate between retirements and digital conversions for cable and telephone firms and professional photography.

John Prunty is married to 1950 Farmington High grad Margie Jones Prunty. There are a lot of Lion/Farmer hookups in history. Their daughter is Debbie Prunty Poluck, wife of Louis Poluck, both Class of 1973. They live in Idamay. Their son is Todd Poluck, married to Kirsten Poluck. Debbie’s brother is John Prunty II, 1980 North Marion High grad. He lives in Monongah.

 

Boydohs aren’t shy about popping up in Monongah High history either. Robert Boydoh lives in Granville, Ohio. Cheryl Boydoh Fordyce is Class of 1963. Paul Reger Boydoh, Class of 1956, passed away in 2011 in Madison Heights, Virginia. His widow is Margaret F. Boydoh. His parents were Paul Lane Boydoh and Louise McNece Boydoh. Paul’s children are Miracle B. Williams and husband Larry, Mitchell L. Boydoh and wife Pamela and Melody B. Grubbs and husband Greg, all of Madison Heights.

 

If you want to congratulate any of the October Lions, most of them have a Facebook page. Go to them and roar your kudos at them!

 

If your name is not on this list, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com  with your full name, including maiden name, your birthday date, your graduation year and your current hometown.

 

October

 

2 – Stanley H. Vance, Class of 1964

7 – Sherry McIntire, Class of 1975

8 – Susan Staron Sanders, Class of 1971

8 – Valerie Vandetta Aldridge, Class of 1973

11 – Jay Holman, Class of 1971

12 – Brenda Manzo, wife of Danny Manzo, Class of 1957

14 – John Prunty, Class of 1949

20 – Leona “Duckles” Davis Schooley, Class of 1953  
20 – Richard Edwards, Class of 1978
21 – Ken Slovekosky, Gilmer County High Class of 1976.

 
25 -- Rachel Vivian Stalnaker Sloan, Class of 1962.
26 – Lori Hawkins Ice, Fairmont East graduate living in Carolina

29 – Robert Boydoh, Class of 1956

31 – Patty Steele McCombs, Fairmont East graduate who lives in Monongah

31 – Helen McDougal Mudry, Monongah High grad

 

November

1 – Tom Dean, Class of 1949

4 – Roger Harbert, Class of 1960

5 – John Olesky, Class of 1950

8 – Diana Pishner Walker

10 – Tony Orsini, Class of 1946

10 – Anthony Pulice, Jr., Class of 1945

14 – Ann Marie Mascak Davis, Class of 1955

17 – John Todd Moats, North Marion Class of 1985

20—Hellen Snider Carpenter, Class of 1950               

20 – Kathryn Toothman Crim, Class of 1950

22 – Mike Ahouse, Class of 1968

23 -- Antheai Justice Turner, North Marion 1982

25 – Gerald Nelson Hartley, Class of 1955

27 – Roy Foster, Class of 1945

28 – Danny Fullen, Class of 1961

29 – Dave Westfall, Marcia Westfall Michalski’s son

 

December

2 – Adam Michna, 1980 North Marion graduate

2 -- Mareia Wilmouth McDougal, Class of 1964

4 – Ronald Pearse, Class of 1961

4 – Jay Michalski, 1980 North Marion graduate

5 – Duane Harbert, Class of 1951

8 – Brenda Urban, Class of 1971

10 – Richard Weaver, Class of 1957

11 – Paulette Colanero O’Connor, Class of 1966

13 – Otis “Sarge” Shaver, Class of 1948

14 – Bev Morgan Colisino, Class of 1974

16 – Barbara Sweede, Class of 1956

16 – Shelvy Maze Cunningham, Class of 1964

16 – Henry Moore, husband of Beth Pritchard Moore, Class of 1975

18 – Bill Cameon, Class of 1960

20 – Mike Hess, Class of 1975

22 – Frances Wimer Miller, Class of 1951

23 – Jim Fullen

25 – Chris Shamrock Henning

27 – John Yokay III, son of John Yokay, Class of 1953

29 --  Dolores Edwards, Class of 1955

30 – Deborah Prunty Poluck, Class of 1973

 

January

6 – Jeanette Barr Baczuk, Class of 1940

13 – Beatrice Salisbury Mills, Class of 1951

17 – Susan Colaneri Monell, Class of 1949

18 – Arlene Marteney Decker Edgell, Class of 1951

?? – Marie Bee Zwiegel, Class of 1951

18 – Bertha Pazdric Sullivan, Class of 1954

18 – Greg Vandetta, Monongah mayor, husband of Debbie Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973

19 – Joe Martin, Class of 1957

19 – Joann Thompson, Class of 1962  

22 – Jo-Jo DeMary of Monongah, who lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee and is married to Yvonne King DeMary

24 – Marcia Michalski Westfall, Class of 1974

24 – Mark “Hooch” Aldridge, Class of 1973

29 – Kitty Ahouse Morrison, Class of 1968

 

February

1 – Debra Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973

2 – Sylvia Edwards, Monongah grad living in Idamay

3 – Debbie Weaver Hurley, Monongah grad living in Monongah with husband Milton Hurley

3 – Rebecca Urish Anderson, Class of 1971

8 – Tom Fleming, Monongah grad living in Bridgeport

9 – Bob Nichols, Class of 1964

10 – Bonnie Nicholson Moats, Class of 1960

11—Linda Renay Hess Postlethwait, Class of 1968

15 – Jerry Koloskie, Class of 1975

17 – Larry “Danny” Eates, Class of 1970

18 – Mark Tarley, North Marion grad

20 – Harold Dean Kniceley, Class of 1960

21 – Eva Huey Jarvis, Class of 1975

24 – Mary Kelly, Monongah & North Marion

29 – Betty Sikinow Cunningham, Class of 1954

 

March

5 – Phil Colanero, Jr., Class of 1963

5 -- Doris Carpenter Rogers, Class of 1971

6 – Karen Fitzwater Pausch, Class of 1961

9 – Richie Basagic, Class of 1975 

9 – Brian Evans, Monongah graduate married to Patty DeMary Evans

15 – Donna Colvert Davis, Class of 1961, married to 1958 MHS grad Bill Davis

15 – Clarence William “Bill” Woods, Class of 1952

22 – David Haines, Class of 1964

25 – Sandy Cook, Class of 1959

25 -- David Edwards, Class of 1976
 
25 – Richard Fitzwater, Monongah graduate

28 – Josephine Popovich Jones, Class of 1952

 

April

 

4 – Charlotte Walker Cahill, Class of 1954

5 – Bernie Fullen, Class of 1963

9 – Paula “P.J.” Hickman, North Marion 1983

11 – Leo Kubiet, Class of 1942

12 – Linda Sawyer Duckworth, Class of 1966

14 – Lyla Cosner Howell, Class of 1958

15 – Judy Stewart Monell Razook, Class of 1959

16 – Becky Shelosky Carvillano, Class of 1961  

30 – Shirley Knight Ritterhouse, Class of 1954

 

May

4 – Freddie Jane Colosino Villers, Class of 1964

5 – Frank Franze, Class of 1950

5 – Louis Poluck, Class of 1973

6 – Jerry Loss, Class of 1956

12 – Arlene Kitchin, wife of Joe Martin, Class of 1957

14 – Donna Post Swiger, Class of 1955

14 – Mike Jurasko, Class of 1957

14 – Virginia Belle Littleton Curtis, Class of 1957

17 – Colette Stanley Melton, Class of 1970

17 – Lorraine Hulderman, Class of 1968

20 – Linda Tomlinson Stevenski, Class of 1955

21 – June Paxton Rogers, Class of 1948

27 – Ed Graffius, Class of 1971

28 – Terri Orsini Saye, Class of 1972

29 – John Woods, Class of 1957

30 – Dave Westfall, Class of 1948  

 

June

1 – Parma Kay Fetty, Class of 1973

3 – Jim Birdsell, North Marion grad from Monongah; married to Angela

5 – Ann “Peaches” DeMary

7 – Kenneth Kincaid, Class of 1968

8 – John Koloskie, Jr., Class of 1944

8 – Pat Slovekosky Morris, Class of 1970

13 – C.L. “Roy” Parker II, North Marion Class of 1982

13 – Rick Morrison, son of Kitty Ahouse Morrison, Class of 1968  

14 – Pamela Morrison Bombardiere, Class of 1967

14 – Regina Levelle Humphrey, Class of 1973

14 – Regina McCoy Murphy, Class of 1973

17 – Delmas Gene Hartley, Class of 1979

20 – Shirley Ann Woods Merchant, Class of 1953

22 – Prudence Deane Tetrick Funk, Class of 1960.

23 – Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949

23 – Kathryn Manuel Marshall, Class of 1960

23 – Ron Manzo, Class of 1969

23 – Frankie Vandetta, North Marion grad

 

July

3 – Susan Ahouse Schrader, Class of 1971

4 – Barbara Fleming Marsh, Class of 1947

5 – David Gowers, Class of 1971

5 – Bill Meredith, Class of 1957

7 – Alex Fazio Huff, North Marion 2005 grad

10 – Mary Fleming Toothman, Class of 1960

14 – Ted Nagel, Class of 1954

14 – Bentley Evans, Class of 1978

18 – Larry Zickefoose, Class of 1968

20 – Catherine Reckart Boyce, Class of 1973

21 – Robin Huffman Satterfield, Class of 1973  

16 – Jean Nagel Viglianco, Class of 1949

19 – Jane Pritchard Moore, Class of 1975

29 – Pete Basagic, Class of 1972

 

August

1 – Kim DeMary Clowers, Class of 1979

5 – Robert Tennant, Class of 1971

6 – Wauneda Evans, Patty DeMary Evans’ mother-in-law

7 – Dorie Mike Whetsell, Monongah graduate

8 – Sandra Ashcraft, Class of 1964

9 – Paula Kerns Fazio, Class of 1979

16 – Debby Morrison Harden, Class of 1966

17 – Twins Earnest Hayes & Chester Hayes, both Class of 1965

18 – Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960

18 – John Fazio, Class of 1970

19 – Greg Postlethwait, Class of 1964

19 – Barbra Eller-Hanning, Monongah grad

20 – Irene Fazio Preolitti, Class of 1966

20 – Connie Warash, Class of 1975

29– Pat Meredith Wills, Class of 1950

30 – Beth Pritchard Brooks, Class of 1978

30 – David Harbert of Idamay, Farmington grad

 

September

 

1 – Claude Domico, Jr., Class of 1959

6 – Dave Domico of Monongah, Fairmont West grad married to Andrea Justice Domico

7 – Mary Louise Orsini, Class of 1948 (honorary)

7 – Phillis Tarley, North Marion grad from Idamay living in Fairmont

8 – Fred Moorehead, Class of 1964 

8 – Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955

13 – Karen Manzo, Class of 1974

14 – Jim Shaver, Class of 1954

15 – Bettie Hensley Lowther, Class of 1948

17 – Patti DeMary Evans, Class of 1972

20 – Greg Patrick, Class of 1970

23 – Sally Wood Tarley, Class of 1959

24 – Joe Fazio, Class of 1974

25 – Marylee Hertzog Gwinn, Class of 1948

25 – Jim Davis, Class of 1964

26 – Nathaleen Cameon Oliverio, Class of 1948

27 -- Bonita Lavencheck Waybright, Class of 1968

29 – Dietta Harden Goush, Class of 1959

29 – Pamm Yanero Bragg, Class of 1969

What a muck-up!

By John Olesky, former Beacon Journal Television Editor

Well, it turns out The Back Nine From Hell at Brandywine in Peninsula has some competition from #9 on the front nine.

Tom Stone, brother of the woman I love and have lived with for 13 years, Paula Stone Tucker, and I were on #9 tee. In front of us is the pond that is far below the tee in altitude and between the tee and #9 green.

I hit my drive that didn’t quite clear the water on the fly. But my orange ball with “WVU” and “John Olesky” on it (I have about 800 of those) hit the water and plopped onto the far shore, about one foot beyond the water.

When Tom and I drove our golf cart between the green and the pond, I walked toward the orange ball … and sank into black, mucky, suction/vacuum equivalent of the La Brea Tar Pits of Los Angeles that once trapped mastadons, relatives of the elephant, to death.

There I was, a modern mastodon, my legs sunk 17 inches deep into the black, sucking muck.

It took three Brandywine employees, a metal extension ladder placed flat on the ground and a 3 x 10 foot flat board and about 30 minutes of rescue work, directed by me, to extricate me from the trouble I got myself into.

The problem was that the black muck had trapped my feet in my golf shoes, so you couldn’t just pull me out without causing me a lot of pain and permanent damage. The rescuers and I had to dig up around my two legs all the muck that was within a 2-foot diameter and 20-inch deep hole (to get under my feet).

As the rescuers dug close to my feet, following my directions, and I could feel how close their shovel/spade was to my body, then I would take the spade from their hands and finish extricating my leg by digging myself out.

When we got one foot and the left leg free, I put that foot on the rung of the metal ladder that was lying flat on the ground, so that it wouldn’t sink bank into the black, mucky yuck. That was my left leg. Then we extricated my right foot.

Part of the problem was that I was facing #9 tee and the water, and my back was to my rescuers. If they tried to yank me out they would twist my body and cause damage to it.

Once we got my second, right leg free, I plunked my butt on the board and scooted toward the green. Then the rescuers lifted me to a standing position.

I had the extra problem of having a store-bought right knee, so we didn’t want to dislocate or damage that. And I think my Pacemaker got pretty excited, too.

By the time I got home and stripped naked in the garage (with the door shut so I didn’t frighten the neighbors or the squirrels), my right knee was swollen, my right calf, back, right arm and right shoulder had been tweaked and were uncomfortable.

After the naked Mountaineer climbed to the second floor and into the shower, removing what mucky debris was left, only the right knee remained a problem.

I called Tom’s wife, Lorraine, who is a nurse and told her that I had pain pills left over from my nose excavation two months ago to remove cancer. She indicated it was OK to take one pain pill, which I did, and to put cold packs on my right knee for 20 minutes, which I did.

So now I have something else for our family lore, including the time that I rode my wagon off the bumpity reddog road and down into the ravine about 100 feet deep.

Tom Retton, our Jackson Street neighbor across the ravine in Monongah, West Virginia, saw me as he was driving by. He went down, carried my lifeless body to our Thomas Street house, knocked on the door and, when my mother answered, said, “Here’s your son.”

That was one of several times that my mother fainted over her wayward son’s adventures.

Monongah residents were used to me going into that holler, as we called the ravine, because I did it with four or five different types of riding conveyances.

I was so clumsy that my mother refused to let me have a bike. So I borrowed one from a friend and drove it into a truck, which caused its owner to come screaming at me because I scratched paint from off the truck.

It was the equivalent of a deserved “Get off my lawn” episode.

Somehow, I managed to survive my childhood, despite 8 black eyes, one at a time except for a double black eye once, and never because I was fighting. Only because I was a klutz who couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time.

A guy coming out of my Uncle Renzy Fazio’s grocery store once found me hanging upsidedown, holding onto the top railing, and my nose bleeding from hitting the bottom railing.

Just to make it interesting, I was hanging 10 feet above a concrete walkway. If I let go, it would be a brain blitz you don't want to have.

I kept the whole town busy trying to keep me from killing myself.

As for The Back Nine From Hell, Brandywine’s famous 9 holes where you stay in the narrow fairway or lose the ball or confront snakes, Tom and I combined for FIFTEEN lost golf balls, most of them by me.

That’s a record because my daughter, LaQuita, and I lost only 9 golf balls on the first 7 holes for the previous high.

While I was stuck in the equivalent of the LaBrea Tar Pits, I was thinking:

“Hell, my coal mining father was covered TWICE in cave-ins and rescuers had to go through 4 or more feet of coal to get to any part of his body, and he lived till black lung killed him in his 70s, so this is a piece of cake by comparison.”

I am eternally grateful to the Brandywine trio that my seniors league golfing partner at Sunny Hill (Kent) and Brookledge (Cuyahoga Falls),  Tom Stone, summoned.

They did an excellent job of getting a mastodon who will 85 years old on November 5 extricated from some nasty, foot-sucking muck.

Thanks, guys.

I think I’ll wait a while before I play Brandywine again.

And I think I’ll let my golf ball stay stuck atop the black muck, rather try to go for it again.

After all, I have dozens more with “WVU” and “John Olesky” emblazoned on them.

All in all, it was a fun and interesting day.

  Photos by Tom Stone

Monongah High’s Sue Ann Campbell Parsons passes away

Monongah High’s Sue Ann Campbell Parsons, 69, of Enterprise passed away Friday, September 22.

Sandra Campbell Stalnaker, Class of 1965, is Sue Ann’s sister who lives in Shinnston.

Sue's brother, Mark Allen Campbell, Class of 1977, predeceased her.

1997 North Marion High graduate April Pierson, who helps with the annual food drive among Monongah schools which benefits the Worthington Food Panty, is Sue Ann’s niece. April lives in Worthington with husband Chris Pierson.

Sue Ann’s obituary:

Sue Ann (Campbell) Parsons (69) of Enterprise WV passed away on Friday September 22, 2017 at United Hospital Center in Bridgeport, WV.

Sue was born March 31, 1948 in Clarksburg, WV the daughter of the late Tony “Pat” Alan and Evelyn Henderson Campbell.

Sue was a cook at Casey’s restaurant and was a Methodist by faith.

In addition to her parents Sue was preceded in death by her husband John Allen Parsons and her brother Mark Allen Campbell.

Those left to cherish her memory are two sons, Jon Parsons and wife Valerie of Worthington, WV, Patrick Parsons and wife Carissa of Idamay, WV, one daughter Michelle Parsons of Enterprise, WV, one sister Sandra Campbell Stalnaker of Shinnston, WV, sister-in-law Lisa Campbell of Bingamon, WV, grandchildren Christopher Parsons and wife Nicole, Issaiah Wallace, Hannah Parsons, Chandler Standard all of Enterprise, WV, Jon Parsons and companion Kathryn Weaver, Jessica Tennant and husband Steven, Jeremey Parsons and wife Natalie all of Fairmont, WV, Josh Parsons and wife Sarah of Lumberport, WV, and Breanna Parsons and companion Mark Jefferies of Hutchinson, WV, her great-grandchildren; Magdalena Parsons, Aralynn Wallace, Matthew Parsons, Letha Parsons, Jordan Parsons and Nathaniel Parsons and several nephews and nieces.