Nisha McClain Davis, Class of 1971, passed away Friday, April 27.

She was living in Davisville, West Virginia, a Parkersburg suburb, with husband Robert Davis, Class of 1970.

Her parents were the late Clyde and Margaret Webb McClain.

Surviving siblings are Charlene McClain Synder, Shirley McClain Dorsey, Jessie McClain, Bergie McClain and Doug McClain.

Nisha’s obituary:

Nisha Louise Davis, 64, of Davisville, WV passed away April 27, 2018 at Ohio State University Medical Center.

She was born July 21, 1953 in Sutton, WV, a daughter of the late Clyde and Margaret (Webb) McClain.

Nisha was a homemaker who loved flowers, cooking, hummingbirds and especially spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her loving husband Robert Davis; daughter Jennifer and husband Michael N. Deem of Davisville, daughter Monalisa Uppole of Parkersburg, and son Bobby and wife Briania Davis of Finchville, KY; grandchildren Breeanna Moore, Austin Stockstill, Whitley Uppole, Chancey Deem, Blake Uppole, and Addysen Davis; sisters Charlene Synder and Shirley Dorsey; brothers Jessie, Bergie and Doug McClain.

Services will be 7PM Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at Leavitt Funeral Home Parkersburg. Visitation will be 2PM Wednesday until time of service.

Linda McGinnis Sandy, Donna Davis Osbourn and (insert) Donna McGinnis Suppa-Fullen 

Monongah’s Beach Girls at it again

Linda McGinnis Sandy and Donna Davis Osbourn, both Class of 1965, and Donna McGinnis Suppa-Fullen, Class of 1963, had “Fun, Fun, Fun” together, to borrow the Beach Boys song, for the fourth year on a southern beach.

This week they enjoyed a week on Surfside Beach in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina before returning to West Virginia on Sunday with a tired smile on their faces.

Donna, Linda's sister, explains:

“We rent a condo together. I do the driving. There are usually four of us. The fourth, Janet Sowers Rinehart (Class of 1964),  couldn't make it this year.”

Donna added:

“While in Myrtle we visited with Linda Moorehead Larry,” Class of 1968.

Donna is married to Bernie Fullen, Class of 1963. They live in Shinnston and both are Fairmont State graduates. 

Donna was the widow of Jack Lee Suppa, Class of 1963. Bernie was the widower of Chloe Ann Fullen of Webster Springs, although Bernie met her in Canton, Ohio. Jack and Bernie were friends in Monongah High and beyond.

Linda was a sports captain for MHS intramurals.

Elvira Mazza Roth passes away

Long-time Monongah High teacher Elvira Mazza Roth, Class of 1944, passed away Thursday, April 26.

Her brother, John Mazza, Class of 1948, lives in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Her sister, Teresa Mazza Slamick, Class of 1941, Carmella Mazza Davis, Class of 1942, and Jimmy Mazza, Class of 1946, predeceased her.

Their parents were Domenick and Genevieve Casuccio Mazza.

There was a Mazza’s Grocery in Everson.

Diana Conner Alger, Class of 1972, who lives in Bryantown, Maryland and was in Hutchinson during her Monongah High days, wrote:

“One of my favorite teachers at MHS. She got me started on my path to becoming a CPA."

Diana was at the 2012 Monongah High Alumni Reunion in Fairmont. 

The dozens of similar tributes to Elvira "Pete" on Facebook speak volumes about what a fantastic teacher she was at Monongah High, which has a long history or great instructors.

Elvira's obituary:

Elvira "Pete" Barbara Mazza Roth

April 8, 1926 ~ April 26, 2018 (age 92)

Elvira “Pete” Barbara Mazza Roth, 92, of Fairmont passed away Thursday morning April 26, 2018 at Fairmont Health and Rehabilitation. She was born in Everson  on April 8, 1926 daughter of the late Domenick and Genevieve Casuccio Mazza.

Elvira retired from the Marion County Board of Education. She taught Business Education for 28 years at Monongah High School and Marion County Vo-Tech Center.  She graduated from Monongah High School and West Virginia University. She was a member of the West Virginia retired school employees, Life member of the Marion County Senior Citizens and the Sunshine Chapter – Multiple Sclerosis support group.

Elvira was a member of St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church and formerly attended the Newman Center, and was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America Court Joan of Arc 341.

She is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, David and Deborah Lovett Roth of Fairmont, and one daughter and son-in-law, LeeAnn and Greg Narog, all of Fairmont, and one granddaughter, Mariah Roth. She is also survived by one brother, John Mazza, of Cocoa Beach, Florida.

In addition to her parents she is preceded in death by her husband Jerome Leo Roth, one infant son Charles Michael Roth, and one infant daughter Mary Roth, one brother James Mazza, and two sisters Teresa Slamick and Carmella Davis.

Friends may call on Sunday from 1-8:00 p.m. at Ross Funeral Home 801 Fairmont Avenue Fairmont. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church with Fr. Joseph Konikattil as celebrant. Interment will follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery.

Condolences may be sent to www.rossfh.com .

Paul Toothman passes away

Paul Albert Toothman, Class of 1948, passed away March 20. He was living in Mantua, Ohio and was born in Rivesville, West Virginia.

Sisters Kathryn Toothman Crim and Melba Toothman Lowe survive. Blanch passed away in Tennessee. Their parents were Albert and Nila Toothman. 

Kathryn, Class of 1950, lives in Farwell, Michigan, and is the widow of Reid Crim, a Monongah High graduate and former Lions football player.

Melba lives in Minden, Louisiana, which in the northwest quadrant of the state.

Not listed in Paul’s obituary is Mary Toothman Fleming, Class of 1960, who was a drum majorette and Student Council president at Monongah High. She lives in Venice, Florida with husband Daniel Fleming.

And Charles “Tinker” Prahl, who grew up in Monongah as the son of Paul and Beulah Toothman Prahl. 

Maybe that’s Paul, Jr., one of Paul Albert Toothman’s nine children. The late Helen Mary Prahl Graffius was one of 12 children of Paul and Beulah.

Paul Albert Toothman’s obituary:

PAUL ALBERT TOOTHMAN, age 88 of Mantua. Passed away March 20, 2018 at Gardens of Western Reserve, Streetsboro. He was born August 8, 1929 in Rivesville, WV.

Beloved husband for 65 years of the late Ellen (nee Stuckey), Paul is survived by 9 children; Paul Jr. (Ann), William (Vicky), Patrick (Edith), Debra Tucker, Kenneth, John, Denise Wallace, and Melba Henry; 20 grandchildren; 41 great grandchildren; two sisters, Melba Lowe and Katherine Crim, many nieces, nephews and in-laws.

He was also predeceased by his parents, Albert and Nila, two sons Dana and James, a granddaughter, a great granddaughter, a sister, and a son-in-law.

Services Saturday, March 24, 3PM at Faith Baptist Church, 12010 Snow Road (at SR 44), Newbury Twp., OH 44021, where family will visit with friends FROM 1PM UNTIL TIME OF SERVICES

Colbert rips Don Blankenship

Talk show host/comedian Stephen Colbert savaged Don Blankenship on his CBS show, “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” the successor to David Letterman.

Colbert had plenty of ammunition to work with.

Blankenship is the former chief executive of the Massey Energy Company where an explosion in the Upper Big Branch coal mine killed 29 men in 2010. Massey was cited for hundreds of violations while Blankenship was its CEO.

In 2016 Blankenship was sentenced to a year in prison, the maximum allowed by law, for conspiring to violate federal mine safety standards that contributed to the Upper Big Branch calamity, the deadliest mine toll in 40 years.

Blankenship attacked fellow Republican, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, because McConnell’s wife’s father is a “wealthy China person.” McConnell’s wife is Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, whose father is James S.C. Chao, the founder of The Foremost Group, a shipping and trading company.

Previously, Blankenship admired China’s state-controlled economy and expressed an interest in gaining Chinese citizenship.

Blankenship says McConnell isn’t falling in line deeply enough with President Trump’s foreign policy.

Establishment Republicans do not want Blankenship to win the primary in West Virginia. A super PAC with ties to McConnell has spent nearly $745,000 on TV and digital ads to oppose him.

While running in West Virginia, Blankenship’s primary residence is a $2.4 million villa near Las Vegas. As he says, he’s lived in West Virginia most of his life. 

The Marshall University graduate was born in Stopover, Kentucky, was reared in Delorme, West Virginia and graduated from Matewan High School not far from Williamson.

Incumbent Senator Joe Manchin, of the Farmington family, is running for reelection and has been photographed alongside President Trump over some GOP-favored issues in the aftermath of Trump winning in West Virginia so handily.

Despite those moves, Trump blasted Manchin in White Sulphur Springs this month while flanked by Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-WV, and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey — candidates in the Republican Senate primary —  for opposing Republican plans to overhaul the tax code and repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

To watch Colbert’s savaging of Blankenship, go to

https://www.facebook.com/colbertlateshow/videos/1386970548114359/

Want to see photos of John Olesky's trips to Cuba and Florida? Here's how.

To see photos of trips to Cuba and Florida by John Olesky, Class of 1950, copy the URL below and paste it into the www URL destination at the top of your screen.

When you click on a photo, the captions will appear on the right side of your screen.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EpGhORA30NcBuiSX2 

Sabo related to Lions passes away

Beverly Penny Sabo Davisson, Class of 1965, reports that Paul F. Sabo, a Farmington High grad, passed away Sunday, April 22.

Bev thinks Paul might be first cousins with her mother’s father. Paula lived on East Run.

Paul F. Sabo

Paul’s mother, Ann Barniak Sabo, survives him. His father was the late Paul Sabo, Jr.

Other survivors include sons Richard Paul Sabo of Beckley and Philip Ryan Sabo of Carrolton, Ohio; brother Jerry Sabo of Fairmont and  former wife Paula Sabo of Grafton.

Bev worked at  Westinghouse/Phillips Lighting for 30 years. She’s from Worthington but lives in Fairmont. She married Steve Davisson.

Paul’s obituary:

Paul F. Sabo, 72, of Farmington, died Sunday, April 22, 2018 at the River Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Clarksburg. He was born December 4, 1945 in Fairmont, a son of the late Paul Sabo, Jr. and Ann Barniak Sabo.

Paul worked for Owens-Illinois in Bridgeton, NJ and also in Fairmont until its closing. He was then employed as a substance abuse counselor at the Valley Mental Health ACT Unit in Fairmont, retiring with 22 years of service. During this time, Paul directly worked with and affected the lives of nearly four thousand clients.

He was a 1965 graduate of Farmington High School and a veteran of the United States Air Force. Paul was a loving member of the recovering community, having almost 40 years of sobriety. He was Catholic by faith.

Survivors include 2 sons: Richard Paul Sabo and wife Jennifer, Beckley, and Philip Ryan Sabo, Carrolton, OH; a brother: Jerry Sabo, Fairmont; 3 grandchildren: Jacob, Azalea, and Justice Sabo; and his former wife: Paula Sabo of Grafton.

Friends may call at the Hutson Funeral Home, 3171 Husky Highway, Farmington, on Wednesday from 2-4 & 6-8. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at the St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church in Fairmont with Rev. Father Joe Konikattil as celebrant. Interment will be in the Mt. Carmel Cemetery. The family would like thank Amedysis Hospice and the staff at River Oaks for their care. www.hutsonfuneralhomes.com.

West Virginia, #1 in the teacher movement

West Virginia’s teachers continue to get credit for starting a national movement to increase teacher pay and conditions in America’s schools.

This latest national story is just another example of how West Virginia’s teachers, who had a nine-day walkout in all 55 countries that brought them a pay raise, have shown the way for teachers in other states.

Oklahoma, Kentucky, Colorado, Arizona and New Jersey teachers cite the West Virginia situation in seeking better treatment in their states.

The latest article:

Americans back teacher raises

New poll shows support for multistate strikes, belief government at fault

By Carole Feldman and Emily Swanson

Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Americans overwhelmingly believe teachers don’t make enough money, and half say they’d support paying higher taxes to give educators a raise.

The recent run of teacher protests began in March in West Virginia, where teachers won a raise after going on strike. 

The strategy soon spread to Oklahoma, Kentucky, Colorado and Arizona, where educators joined together online and have held increasingly frequent protests during the past six weeks.

To read the entire article, go to

https://www.thegleaner.com/story/news/2018/04/24/poll-majority-back-higher-pay-teachers-even-if-means-more-taxes/544632002/

Sam Larry’s widow, Sandra, passes away

She worked at St. Barbara's

Sandy Harley Larry, who worked at St. Barbara’s Memorial Nursing Home in Monongah since 1991, passed away Sunday, April 15.

She was the widow of Sam Larry.

Sandy’s sister-in-law, Rose Larry Burkett, Class of 1944, lives in Akron, Ohio with husband John Burket. Rose’s son is Larry Dan Eates, Class of 1970, known as Dan Eates at Monongah High, married to Farmington High grad Frances Victor Eates.

Larry Dan’s parents were Dominick Eates, Class of 1946, and Mary Larry Eates. 


Beverly Penny Sabo Davisson, Class of 1965,  wrote:

"Sandra Larry was my first cousin. Her sister, Judy Ann, passed this past Saturday. She lived in Parkersburg. One week apart. Sad!"

A lot of heartache for the Harley and Larry families.

Sandy’s obituary:

Sandra Sue Harley Larry, 79, of Fairmont passed away peacefully at home on Sunday April 15, 2018. She was born on May 30, 1938 in Farmington, daughter of the late James L. and Helen Sabo Harley.

Sandra had worked full time at St. Barbara’s Memorial Nursing Home in Monongah since 1991.
She loved cooking at home. Her family, friends and countless others enjoyed eating at her house. She was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church.

Sandra is survived by her three sons, Stephen and Maria (Roscoe) Larry, David and Donna (Long) Larry, and Patrick and Christy (Cunningham) Larry. She is also survived by her grandchildren Hannah, Emma, Andrew and Alyssa, and her extended grandchildren; Derek, Drew and wife Jordan, and great grandson Anderson who she truly adored. Her grandchildren affectionately knew her as “Grandma Sam”. She is also survived by one sister Julia Stevens and sister-in-law Rose Larry Burkett.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Sam Larry in 2008 and two brothers James “Jake” Harley and David J. Harley.

A visitation with Sandra’s family will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday April 21, 2018 at Ross Funeral Home 801 Fairmont Avenue Fairmont.

In keeping with Sandra’s wishes she will be cremated. A private graveside service will be held at a later date.

In Lieu of Flowers memorial contributions can be made in her name to the WVU Heart Institute, 1 Medical Center Dr. Attn: Holly Sabatino Box 8005, Morgantown, WV 26505.

Condolences may be sent to www.rossfh.com .

Monongah High graduate Joe Commodore passed away Saturday, April 21.

Surviving siblings are Rose Commodore Cain, Class of 1950, who lives in Fairmont; Tom Commodore, Class of 1958, who lives in Monongah; and Don Commodore, Class of 1958, who lives in Rock Creek, Ohio.

Jim Commodore, Class of 1950, predeceased Joe. Jim married Marian Ola Commodore.

Joseph is survived by his wife of 60 years, Yvonne Commodore, and children 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. Shane and his parents live in Morgantown. 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.

Joe’s obituary:

Joseph Raymund Commodore, 82, of Monongah, passed away Saturday, April 21, 2018. He was born October 7, 1935 in Monongah, son of the late Dominick and Dominica Batiste Commodari.

Joseph was a graduate of Monongah High School and West Virginia Barber School in Huntington.

He owned and operated Joe’s Barber Shop on Locust Avenue and was a retired UMWA Coal Miner at Patriot Coal Company. Joseph was a veteran on the US Army in the Korean Conflict. He was an avid gardener, fisherman, and hunter.

Joseph is survived by his wife of 60 years, Yvonne Commodore; three children, Melanie Keener and her companion Pat Stevens, Joseph “Greg” Commodore and his wife Julie, and Todd Commodore; grandchildren, Jessica Soloman and her husband Matt, Joseph Commodore and his wife Stacy, Heather Keener, Emily Gay and her husband Aaron, Samantha Keener and her fiancée Keith Jackson, Zachary Commodore and his wife Shannon, Robert Keener and his fiancée Kirsten Barber, and Jason Beatty and his wife Laurie; great grandchildren, Chase Robert, Reese Lyn Commodore, Joseph Bryson Commodore, and Lincoln Matthew Gay; brothers, Thomas Commodari and his wife Jean, and Donald Commodore and his wife Patricia; and his sister, Rose Cain.

In addition to his parents, Joseph is preceded in death by his brother, James Commodore.

A private funeral service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the care of Domico Funeral Home in Fairmont. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.domicofh.com .

Sydney Michalski (left) with her fellow WVU AAUW members 

From Monongah to president of group empowering women

Sydney Michalski, who attended Monongah Elementary before graduating from Fairmont West, has been elected president of the West Virginia University American Association of University Women. 

Previously, she was community service chairperson at WVU UAAUW, dedicated to empowering women.

Full plate for Sydney Michalski

Sydney explains WVU AAUW:

“We are a group on campus that promotes women empowerment, holding events for youth throughout the community and seminars and programs for adults as well. We also highly value community service and had a very successful drive for children of Monongalia County that had been removed from their homes called the Shoe Box Project where we collected toys, toothbrushes, coloring books and much more for them. 

"I'm very excited for the next year and everything we are going to accomplish. If anyone wants to get involved, we'd love to have you.

“We have executive positions that would look great for resumes and on applications.”

Quality runs deep in this family tree.

Her parents are Marion County Parks and Recreation Comission executive director Tony Michalski, who lives in Fairmont with wife Holly Turkett Michalski. 

(Coincidentally, my late wife was a Turkette, with an “e,” Monnie Elizabeth Turkette Olesky, who grew up in Cinderella, West Virginia, a Sycamore Company coal camp adjacent to Williamson.)

Her grandparents are Mike Michalski, who lives in Monongah with wife Janet Sauro Michalski.  

And Ramona Fullen Michalski and her late husband, Frank Michalski, are her great-grandparents.

At Monongah Elementary, Sydney received the Anna McRight Principal's Award.  A plaque with her name on it is in the entrance hall in the school.

At Fairmont West, Sydney graduated at the top of her class with straight A's all 4 years. She received several scholarships, including the WVU presidential scholarship. She is finishing her sophomore year with an A average.

Not much grass grows under her feet at WVU either.

She’s working on her double major in English and mathematics. She’s also part of WVU’s Uteach program, which will allow her to receive her teaching certificate upon graduation.

She works at the Mountainlair, WVU’s student center, as a building supervisor for night operations.

During her summer’s “off” from WVU, Sydney works at the Dairy Crème Corner in Fairmont as a shift leader. 

And this summer she'll be with NASA’s Verification and Validation research facility in Fairmont to help gain a better understanding of where she’d like to go after graduation.

NASA V/IV, as they call it, is deeply involved in robotic competition.

And then there’s El Syd's pottery-making.

Don’t ask me how she finds the time to do all this. It’s a puzzlement, as Yul Brynner said in “The King and I” movie musical.

Angelo Catania’s daughter retires in California

Paula Catania, daughter of the late Angelo Catania, Class of 1943, retired from Martin Brinkerhoff Associates, where she was vice president, in Covina, California.

Paula recalls:

“My father and I went back to WV about four years ago (before he passed away) and he showed me the house on Thomas Street. I love the entire street.”

Paula Catania

The Olesky rental on Thomas Street was at the Church Street intersection. The Mangino family was next door and the Catania family was two houses away.

MBA – Martin Brinkerhoff Associates – has writers, producers, artists and editors who have produced award-winning entertainment spectacles in places like Los Angeles, Paris, Orlando, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai to help businesses woo clients and to sell their products.

Its clients include Honda, Accura, Mitsubishi, Six Flags and Ringling Brothers.

It was Angelo who convinced his siblings and their father Joseph Catania to make the move from Thomas Street in Monongah to Covina, which he discovered and fell in love with during his Army Coast Artillery training days of World War II.

By then, Joe Catania was the widow of Theresa Casuccio Catania.

Alex Catania, Class of 1944; Mary Catania Heywood, Class of 1945; Josephine Catania, Class of 1952; and their father, Joseph, joined Angelo, Class of 1943, in the expedition to a new land and a new life. For Joe, it was a reminder of his native Italy.

Angelo married a Monongah girl, Pauline Layne Catania, who passed away in 2001. Paula was named for her mother, Pauline.

Mary is the widow of Arthur Heywood, who passed away in October 2015.

Angelo’s sister, Carmella Catania Allard, Class of 1947, wound up in San Antonio because her husband, Omer, still was in the Air Force when the Catania migration took place. He retired after a pair of decades in The Wild Sky Yonder branch.

Alex died in 2007, Josephine in 2009 and Carmella in 2017. 

Alex Catania sponsored the Confirmation of Frank Franze, Class of 1950, who lives in Slidell, Louisiana near his daughters.

Angelo and Alex once owned and operated the Sinclair Station on U.S. 19 behind the Thomas Street homes’ row of garages and adjacent to the Lawrence and Regina Godby residence. They covered up our “ball field” to put up the building.

The Manginos also moved, to Philadelphia, in the 1950s. 

Florida Cuba John Paula 2018 Sisters finish 1st & 2nd in Name That Tune contest at Mystic Ice Cream Cafe

Sisters Janet, Paula dig into booze-infused ice cream at Mystic Ice Cream Cafe near The Villages, Florida

Crowd gathers for Name That Tune contest

Janet defeats Name That Tune competition in her group

Paula beats out Name That Tune competition in her group

Janet & Paula in final round of Name That Tune

They vanquish 18 opponents to finish 1st & 2nd

Champion Janet gets Mystic T-shirt from Mystic's master of ceremonies