Friday, January 31, 2020


I just spent most of an hour on the phone with Frank Franze, Class of 1950, who lives in Slidell, Louisiana after spending a lot of his life in Texas and in the Air Force as a mechanic.

It felt like we were in Frank’s Dad’s old, old car again, tooling around Marion County, the car that had pedals on the floor that Frank had to use to change gears. Three pedals, for the gas, the brake and the gear-shifting.

Frank’s voice sounded great. His attitude is even greater.

Through National Geographic he had a DNA test. Turns out, Frank said, that he’s the same bloodline as Marie Antoinette and Jesse James. Sure hope Frank doesn’t get beheaded or shot at high noon!

Frank refused to put his latest love, Nanette Couturie, who had a stroke, in a nursing home, and cared for her himself. Did a damn good job, too. Frank the Nightingale nursed her love so well that they are back to going out to dinner and enjoying life together.

Frank, who was in the Air Force for 20 years plus 40 days, and I agreed that Thailand and its people are marvelous. “You could set your camera down and walk away and it would be there when you got back,” Frank said.

I told Frank how, when Paula and I visited Thailand, that a fellow passenger on our tour bus lost her wallet with $550 in it. The Thai help found the wallet with the $550 still in it!

When Frank’s second wife died, he said, his doctor had a prescription for him. Find another woman and you’ll live longer. Statistics prove it. A man living with a woman lives longer than a man living alone.

So, Frank said, “I decided to look around and find me one.”

By the way, Frank said, his DNA test showed that “I have more Italian in me than people living in Rome!”

Frank’s bloodline started in Africa, moved briefly to the Middle East, then made its way to Italy. Invading armies, which iraped the women, are responsible for a lot of the mixed blood in all of us.

In my case, my DNA showed me 10% Neanderthal (Paula says it’s more than that), with a lot of Italian (my mother was born in Pellizzano in northern Italy, where her father and his ancestors lived and died for 500 years without leaving the town), Polish (my grandfather Martin Olesky … Marcin when he was born in Molgilno, Poland), Austrian, French, German, Ukraine (Jews, mostly, who changed to Catholic when they moved to Poland, probably to keep from being killed as Jews) and a dollop of English.

Frank has survived a heart attack. Long enough ago that, Frank said, “My doctor says when they scanned my heart recently that I looked like I never had a heart attack.”

Frank has trouble with both knees but has put off having knee replacement surgery. “The knees only hurt in bad weather,” Frank said. I had my right knee replaced. It was hell for 2 months after the surgery but since then life has been a lot better without all the severe pain I had before I got my store-bought knee.

Frank, who grew up in Four States, lives in Slidell, Louisiana. Previously, he resided in Jasper, Texas until after his second wife, Linda Corkern Franze, passed away in 2013. Frank spent 15 years inspecting space shuttles for Lockheed Martin in Louisiana.

Frank has been to 42 states and all the countries that the Air Force took him to, but he doesn’t travel much any more.

Frank and his first wife, Earline Brownell Franze, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, passed away in 1981 after 27 years of marriage. They had three daughters – Barbara Franze Bell, married to Steve Bell, whose children are Amanda, Stevie and Erin; and Amanda Franze Calhoun, married to Pate Calhoun, whose children are Marley and Cooper; and Carol Franze Presbindowski and Brent Presbindowski, whose children are Jacob and Rebecca and who met after Hurricane Katrina destroyed both their homes when they found shelter and each other.

 

Kathryn Ann Manuel Marshall, Class of 1960, who lives in Columbia, Maryland, is Frank’s cousin. Her aunts are the late Ann Manuel Richardson of Colorado and Virginia Manuel Eddy, both Class of 1950. Frank, his wife Linda, Kathryn, my sister Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1950, who lives in Rivesville, and I got together for a meal in Morgantown in 2012 before a WVU Mountaineers football game.

 

Frank and Donald “Jake” Halpenny were the chaffuers for the whimsically named Gang That Terrorized Marion County (because we weren’t mean enough to do that). Frank would drive one of his dad’s vehicles from their Everson home and pick up Gang members along the way. My house on Church Street in Monongah was the last stop. I could barely get into the back of the pickup there were so many in it.

People like Bucky Satterfield, a retired West Virginia Highway Patrol Officer living in St. Albans; and the late Joe Manzo and Sonny Godby.

While cavorting with The Gang That Terrorized Marion County, Frank was known as Bruno. I was Junebug. Lawrence Godby was Sonny. Steven Satterfield was Bucky. Anthony Eates was Tony. Donald Halpenny was Jake. Bob Kasper was Satch, because he wore a cap like Huntz Hall, who played Satch in “The Bowery Boys” movies. Anthony DeMary, Jr. was Plumber. Ronnie Delovich was Cooley. Donald Harbert was Duane, his middle name. James Starcher was Judge. Joe Manzo went by Joe, which made name an outlier without a nickname.

Don would cajole his father into letting him use the Henry J, which made a lot of noise the night it sideswiped a bridge on our way to Clarksburg so that Duane Harbert of Worthington could make it to the train in time to join the Navy after a night of drinking and partying. No injuries. The Henry J. got the worst of it. It was Kaiser’s experiment with small cars.

 

Jake, clarinetist in the United Mine Workers and Vingle bands, is a widower living in Fairmont.

And then there was the night that Duane (I didn’t know his first name was Donald for another 60 years) drove the car owned by his father, Thoburn Elementary principal Frank Harbert. Police tracked dad down from the license plate after we were caught swimming at 3 a.m. in the Fairmont Field Club pool. Rich folks in Fairmont didn’t like the coal miners’ sons playing without authorization in their pool.

We would sneak into drive-ins (except for two who had to be in the vehicle) to save the money for a gallon job of draft beer we got at Drummond’s restaurant just before U.S. 19 meets Country Club Road, “borrow” watermelons to eat while skinny-dipping in the river and got thrown out of a Clarksburg theater, but I put that one on Ronnie “Cooley” Delovich, with his “Be nice; don’t fight” remark to the theater manager who came to our row to ask us to shush.

Bob Kasper and I have been friends since we began first grade at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Monongah. We attended school together at P&P, Monongah High and one year at Fairmont State before I transferred to WVU. Satch and Sonny Godby tried to enter the Marines together, but Bob’s dental plates kept him out. Bob settled for the Army and a stint in Germany. Sonny flew many missions in Vietnam as a Marine combat pilot and had a long life with Carol Yost Godby before he passed away. Later, Carol, a Farmington High graduate, joined Sonny in the Hereafter.

Ah, those were the days, my friend. I thought they’d never end. But they did, except in my memories.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Randy Collins passes away

Dennis Randy Collins, Class of 1971, passed away Wednesday, January 29.

Dennis Randy Collins
He was predeceased by his long-time partner, Denise Russell. He is survived by another Denise, his sister, Denise Lacy Kiser.

Randy’s mother, Martha Shaver Collins, passed away in 2016.

Randy’s obituary:

Dennis R. (Randy) Collins, 66, of Core, WV, passed away on January 29, 2020 after a prolonged illness.

Randy served in the United States Marine Corps and retired from Robinson Run coal mine. Randy enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, and a good party.

Randy was predeceased by his parents, Dennis Collins and Mildred Bosley Collins, and his longtime partner, Denise Russell.

Surviving are daughters, Carolyn Lancaster, Amy Johnson, Meredyth Russell, and Mariah Russell; a son, Randy Collins (Holly); brothers Monte (Charlene) Collins, Kevin (Tammy) Collins; a sister, Denise (Lacy) Kiser; 4 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

McCulla Funeral Home in Morgantown was in charge of the private services and online condolences may be sent to the family at www.McCulla.com

Saturday, January 25, 2020


Wauneda Evans, mother of Brian Evans, Class of 1969, passed away Saturday, January 25.


Wauneda, 91, was married to the late Don Evans, who passed away January 14, for 70 years.
 
Donald was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving during World War II, and retired as a motor winder for Westinghouse Apparatus/Eastern Electric.


The other children of Wauneda and Don are William “Bill” Evans and Bentley “Benny” Evans. They were predeceased by sons Robert “Bob” Evans and Bruce Wayne Evans.

Brian is married to Patti DeMary Evans, Class of 1972, a Fairmont State grad and a retired nurse (1987-2006) who is a daughter of Tina “Peaches” Aldridge DeMary, Class of 1945, and Frank DeMary, Class of 1947. 

Brian retired after 37 years at Consol Energy’s Loveridge Robinson Run mine. He went to Fairmont State.

Patti retired as a University Hospitals Clarksburg nurse in 2006. She had a 29-year career after her graduation from Fairmont State School of Nursing.

Patti’s parents are Tina “Peaches” Aldridge DeMary, Class of 1945, and Frank DeMary, Class of 1947, who ran DeMary Grocery in Monongah at the end of the Brookdale Bridge. 

Friday, January 24, 2020

Monongah native John Ed Davis passes away

Monongah native John Edward Davis of Moundsville passed away Thursday, January 23.

John Edward Davis
His parents were Mary Haught Davis and John Woodrow Davis.

His brother, Herbert “Bud” Davis, predeceased him.

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John E. Davis, age 84 of Moundsville, WV died Thursday, January 23, 2020 at Wheeling Hospital Medical Park, Wheeling, WV.


He was born July 16, 1935 in Monongah, WV, the son of the late John Woodrow and Mary Christine Haught Davis.


He was a Korean War Air Force Veteran; a retired supervisor from Ormet Corporation; a member of VFW Post #437; an avid golfer; and loved hunting, fishing, and sports; especially WVU.


In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Herbert J. “Bud” Davis; and two infant twin daughters, Tommi and Terri Davis.


Survivors include three children, Tammy Richmond of Moundsville, Kelly (Vin) Pinkston of Evans, GA, and Heather (Daniel) Blatt of Moundsville; eight grandchildren, Megan Richmond, Caleb Richmond, Blake Pinkston, Ross Pinkston, Bailey Pinkston, Alexa Blatt, Quentin Blatt, and Connor Blatt; and five great-grandchildren.


Family will receive friends Saturday from 3pm until time of Funeral Service at 5pm at Grisell Funeral Home & Crematory, 400 Jefferson Ave., Moundsville with Fr. That Son Ngoc Nguyen and the Moundville Honor Guard conducting Military Services.

Private interment will be held at the convenience of the family.

 

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Jean Hunter Cox passes away

Gloria Jean Hunter Cox, Class of 1974,  passed away Wednesday, January 22.



Jean Hunter Cox, Keith Cox
Fairmont State graduate Jean lived in Monongah with husband Keith Cox. They were married in 2005. Their daughter, Brandy Hunter, also lives in Monongah.

Other daughters are Cheray Goodman-Stephen of Roanoke, Virginia; Joli Meade of Pennsylvania; Tiffany Cox of Atlanta.

She also is survived by her siblings, Harriet Hunter and Harrison Hunter, Jr. of Monongah; Jennifer Allen-Hunter of Fairmont; Willie Hunter of Mississippi and Patricia Davis of Mississippi.

Jean’s obituary:

Gloria “Jean” Hunter Cox, 64 of Fairmont passed away on January 22, 2020 at her residence surrounded by family. She was born May 11, 1955 in Fairmont, daughter of the late Harrison and Rebecca Hunter.

Jean had previously worked as a clerk for Human Resource Development and Foundation. She enjoyed cooking and spending time with family, along with her church family.

Jean Hunter Cox
Jean is survived by her husband, Keith Cox; daughters, Brandy Hunter of Monongah, Cheray Goodman-Stephen of Roanoke, Virginia, Joli Meade of Pennsylvania, and Tiffany Cox of Atlanta, Georgia; siblings, Willie Hunter of Mississippi, Patricia Davis of Mississippi, Harriet Hunter of Monongah, Harrison Hunter Jr. and Marion of Monongah, Greg and Jennifer Allen-Hunter of Fairmont; sister in love, Debbie Cox, Jeanette Cox-Walker, and Jodi Cox and husband David; brother in laws, Mike Cox and wife Mary of Clarksburg, Dale Cox of Clarksburg, Vonnie Cox; special little boy, Jayden Hunter; several nieces and nephews; and a dog, Joey.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother, George Hunter.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Fresenius Medical Center and Sissy Justice for the care given to Jean.

Family will receive friends for a Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Davis Funeral Home, 124 Olen Thomas Drive, Clarksburg, WV 23601 starting at 11:00 pm until the time of service at 2:00 with Rev. Rahsaan Armand. Online condolences may be sent to Davisfuneralhomewv.com .  Davis Funeral Home is honored to assist the Cox family.
McDonald’s Coach with Michalski to guide East in Houston

Fred Sauro, son Scotty Sauro, both coaches
Williamstown girls basketball coach Fred Sauro,  brother- in-law of Michael Michalski, Class of 1969, will coach the East girls in the McDonald’s All-American Game in Houston on April 1.

Fred is the second-winningest coach in state girls basketball history with 504 victories, just 38 behind long-time John Marshall coach Stan Blankenship. Including his time coaching boys basketball,  Fred has coached high school basketball for 51 years.

He coached Williamstown girls to the state title in 2003.

Fred’s assistants in Houston will be Gilmer County coach Amy Chapman and Sauro’s former Williamtown player Ann Seufer Ferguson,  head coach at Thomasville High School in North Carolina and at 1,000-point star at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Fred is married to Connie McGunnnis Day, a Fairmont State graduate and retired physical education teacher.  Their son, Scotty, also is a successful basketball coach. They have a daughter living in West Virginia.  

Mike Michalski, son of Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949, and the late Frank Michalski, who started with the Class of 1949, lives in Monongah with wife Janet Sauro Michalski, a graduate of Fairmont West and Fairmont State.  

Mike and Janet’s children are Brandon Michael Michalski, married to Lynisa King Michalski and living in Arlington, Virginia; and Tony Michalski, married to Holly Turkett Michalski and living in Fairmont.

My late wife was a Turkette (with an “e” on the end; various branches went with or without the “e”). My Cinderella (WV) girl, Monnie Elizabeth Turkette Olesky, is buried in Northlawn Memorial Gardens in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Eventually, I will join her under our double grave marker with “WV” under each of our names so that everyone who visits the cemetery will know that we still are Mountaineer  fans.

To continue the Michalski-Olesky coincidences,  Ramona is called Monie by many of her Monongah High friends. My late wife’s birth name, mistakenly filled out by a busy doctor as he rushed through a week’s worth of birth certificates, was Monia and she was called Monie and, later and on her grave marker, Monnie.

Fred Sauro twice has helped coach the North in the girls North-South All-Star Basketball Game in West Virginia.

To read the full Charleston Gazette article, go to

Saturday, January 18, 2020


Dave Earl, husband of Barb Melton Earl, Class of 1978, passed away Saturday, January 18.

A tsunami of supportive and loving posts on Facebook washed ashore within minutes of this post from Barb:
“Dave, the love of my life, went to be with the Lord today. He will be missed by many . . . R.I.P.”
The late Penney Melton with grandson Jaxson Melton
To compound the unbelievable grief thrust upon Barb’s family, her brother John’s wife, Penney, passed away the day before Dave did.
Barb sent me a photo of Penney with her grandson, Jaxson Melton. Cancer claimed Penney.
As Barb wrote to me: “When it rains, it pours.”

Barb and Dave lived in Wadstown, West Virginia. They celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary last June.

Dave was a straight shooter, and not just with a hunting rifle. He had a no-holds-barred attitude about political chicanery. But he never made it about Dave. Just about doing what’s right.  

While Barb is a Monongah High graduate, she spent some time living in Mannington.

Barbara’s siblings are Charles Melton, Class of 1973, who lives in Elkins with wife Tamma; John Melton, Class of 1975, married to Penney; and Thomas Melton, North Marion 1984 grad. Their parents were Claudia Voyle Melton and George Walter Melton, Jr.

Sara Earl is Barb and Earl’s daughter.

Tyler McCarty posted:

“So sorry, Barb. I hope he and Grandma Brewer are getting to talk again. Dave was a great guy. And an influential guy in my life, especially during hunting season.”

Tyler is a medical lab technician married to Stephanie McCarthy. He also is friends with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

And both Tyler and Dave could get goofy about their Mountaineers.
Send your Mountaineers some help from Heaven, Dave!

Wednesday, January 15, 2020


Amelia Shenasky Zentz was ecstatic on the phone, talking to me about her 100th birthday party in the Monongah Town Hall.

“I was really surprised,” Amelia said. “I got all kinds of goodies.”

She continued: “I got a birthday card from the President. I got a birthday card from the Pope.”
Amelia also got a Facetime phone call from Alabama football coach Nick Saban, quarterback of the 1968 Monongah High state championship football team, congratulating her on the milestone.

“I got 145 cards,” Amelia said. I could hear the joy bubbling from her voice.

My response to Amelia: “You know that everyone in Monongah loves you.”

Diana Hartzell-Wheeler of Mannington, Amelia’s caretaker as arranged by Mary “Kitty” Ahouse Morrison, Class of 1968, who lives on Lyndon Avenue in Monongah, said:

“Amelia did really good for her 100th birthday! She ended up with 145 regular cards, a birthday blessing from Pope Francis, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump sent her a birthday card, a birthday poster from WVU football coach Neil Brown and an autographed WVU football and basketball from Coach Bob Huggins, 48 colored pics from some of the students from Monongah grade school and a lot of others goodies. She had a beautiful party and is still talking about it.”

Monongah made Amelia very happy. That made me proud of Monongah, by birthplace in my Olesky grandparents’ house on Walnut Street at the Pike Street intersection.
Later, we moved to a Thomas Street rental, the home nearest to Church Street, and then across the street to the Church Street home on Camden Avene (U.S. 19) my parents purchased from Consolidation Coal Company, which knew it would closing the mine in 3 years and began selling off the rentals to make more money.

Amelia said she was so happy that “John Henry,” son of her brother the dentist, showed up. His father came to our house when I was a child to do dental work on me because I had developed a phobia of dentists after hearing my sister scream in the dental chair when I took Jackie to Fairmont. My parents figured maybe he could kind of sneak up on me before I could work up my phobia. Well, he touched my teeth and I fainted.

I asked Amelia about the candy corn I gave her during my December visit to her Shenasky Lane house. When I was a child Amelia and her mother, Nell Shenasky, would let me dip my small hand into a bowl of candy corn and I got to keep and eat what I could grab with one try. So I brought her a bag of candy corn, told Amelia the story and gave it to her.

“We finished it right away,” Amelia said. Her and a young relative accomplished the task.

Amelia’s parting gift to me: “I love you and good night.”

I love you, too, Amelia. I am amazed how your memory is so much better than mine, and I’m only 87 years old.

When I asked her what she planned to do for her 101st birthday, Amelia responded: “My doctor wanted to know what I would do for my 105th birthday.” That’s her goal. God bless her.

As for the town of Monongah: I give you a giant pat on the back for honoring the Grande Dame of Monongah.
Her parents, Pete and Nell Shenasky, let coal miners run up a tab when the coal operators held out stubbornly during long strikes so that their children wouldn’t starve.
After the strike, my parents paid off every penny. Some people did not. But Pete and Nell were more concerned about the children than about piling up a mountain of money.
My family, and many other families, have been forever grateful to the Shenasky family for that.

No wonder I am so in love with Monongah and my childhood there.

Amelia is a "Walker, Texas Ranger" fan, too. That Chuck Norris stirs her blood, too, I guess. Or maybe Amelia just wants to give martial arts a shot.

The series lasted 8 seasons, which is impressive. Amelia gets that longevity by a lot!

Monday, January 13, 2020


From time to time, like most of us, I like to check in on my Class of 1950, to see how they’re doing.

There’s Leatrice Yokay Greaser, who lives in Fairmont and spent decades taking care of her ailing husband, Bob Greaser, and Leatrice’s and Bob’s mothers, until they all passed away.

Leatrice was known as the Kathryn Grayson of Monongah High for her beautiful singing voice. For those not from the dinosaur age, Kathryn Grayson was a colorature soprano opera singer and actress in such classics as “Show Boat” (1951) and “Kiss Me, Kate” (1953) and the stage production of “Camelot.” The lady could sing, not by belting it out like Ethel Merman but smoothly, as if Harry Belafonte was talking.

Leatrice’s sister Patty Yokay Maddox, Class of 1948, passed away December 10. Patty lived in Bentons Ferry. Leatrice’s brother, John Yokay, Class of 1953, has his health problems, too.

“I absolutely loved my childhood and Monongah,” Leatrice said. So did I. Running the streets of Monongah, with surrogate parents on every street where I roamed to keep me from harming or killing myself, was a godsend. God gave me his most reliable Guardian Angel because I did so many things that should have damaged me permanently.

Her advice to her family: “When I die, don’t you dare throw my Monongah High yearbooks away.” Because they are a vital part of her life, and mine.

Leatrice had been divorced from Bill Talkington for 8 years when Bob Greaser showed up at her doorstep. Leatrice’s son accompanied Bob, who had told her son, “I’ll give you my paycheck if you’ll take me to your mother.”

Bob and Leatrice clicked and were married until Bob passed away in 2013.

For years Leatrice remained in touch with her former music teacher, Beatrice Mangino, who had moved to Lansing, Michigan and was a daughter of Phil Mangino, whose trucks delivered coal to Monongah homes and Monongah High athletes to sports events.

Leatrice recalls “climbing up that hill” to WMMN (MMN for Senator Matthew M. Neely, who got the Fairmont radio station a favorable spot in the middle of the dial) with Mary Jo Forte Richards, Class of 1948, when the two of them sang (Leatrice) and played the piano (Mary Jo) with their own radio show. “The startup station needed some local musical talent,” Leatrice said. Later, the station went with a national music hookup.

Mary Jo moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Her parents were Patsy Forte, who ran the drug store in the center of the Monongah business district, and Mary Romino Forte.

Today, Leatrice is “excited” about watching WVU basketball. The youngest team in the Big 12 has the #1 defense in the country and is propelled mainly by freshmen and sophomores. I also am ecstatic when I watch Huggins Heroes play. Knocking off Ohio State and Texas Tech and scaring Kansas and St. John’s is a remarkable feat for a team just getting its feet wet. There should be more and better things to come this season and next season.

Leatrice admits “There are months at a time when I don’t see anybody.”

If you want to hear Leatrice’s still-melodious voice, her phone number is (304) 363-4858.

Leatrice also chats by phone with Patricia Urban Utz, who is enjoying retirement in Springfield, Virginia with husband John Utz, a West Point graduate who retired as a Lt. Colonel. John flew helicopters into combat for two tours in Vietnam before he met Patty. John lately has had heart surgery.

Patty keeps in touch with Amelia Shenasky Zentz, the blonde behind the counter of her parents’ P.P. Shenasky Grocery in Monongah a half-century ago who had the town of Monongah throw her a 100th birthday party this week. Shenasky and Urban families both owned and operated grocery stories in Monongah. The Urban grocery was just south of the United Mine Workers Hall on U.S. 19.

Patty is a granddaughter of Peter Urban, the only survivor of the 1907 Monongah mines explosions who later was killed in a slate fall. Patty’s father, Andrew Urban, was Peter Urban’s son.
Patty’s children are John, Jennifer, Deidre, Elise and Caryn. Patty's brother was Michael A. Urban, who passed away in 2008.

My next phone call to a Class of 1950 classmate was to Anthony Eates, who lives in Fairmont with wife Lucy Cann Eates. Tony, like me, has had hernia surgery done, more than once for him, and lately the doctors have been working on his eyelids, another area where physicians have worked on me. In my case, to open up the “sleepy” eyelids to give me what I call “Clark Gable eyes.” So far, no woman has bought that claim.

Tony watches WVU basketball and is “hoping Huggins will get a winner before he passes away.”

Next I phoned Donald “Jake” Halpenny, like Tony a member of the faceitiously named Gang That Terrorized Marion County that I ran around with during my Monongah High days. There were about a dozen of us. Jake drove us around in his dad’s car, the one that sideswiped a bridge as we were taking Duane Harbert, Class of 1951, to Clarksburg for his bus ride to a Navy training base. It was 3 a.m. and we had more alcohol than we should have, as teenagers are wont to do.

Jake’s report: “My legs are shot and I quit playing musical instruments in 1982” when he was a member of the National Guard band. Jake also had played with the United Mine Workers band and the Vingle band. Baritone clarinet, I believe, although I can’t play or sing a note.

A few years back Jake fell and broke his pelvis in two places. Ouch!

As most of you know, Bob “Satch” Kasper, Class of 1950, and I have been friends since we were in first grade at Sts. Peter and Paul School in Monongah. That’s 82 years of friendship, including reunions in Florida, in Bob’s Michigan residences, in my Ohio residences and no a month goes by without a phone call. We also have exchanged the same two Christmas cards since 1955 (!) that talk about “old times, old friends.” Bob has a home in South Lyon, Michigan, and a summer home in Presque Isle, Michigan on Grand Lake near Lake Huron.

I have been able to verify 16 survivors among the 45 Class of 1950 graduates. Hey, we’re 87 years old, give or take a year, so a 22% survival rate is pretty damn good. Nationally, only 4 of 70 have an 87th birthday. Class of 1950 is way sturdier than that!

Class of 1950 survivors:

Bernice Grandstaff Maranville, in Kernersville, North Carolina.

Rose Commodore Cain, in Fairmont.

Reva McDougal Ash, in Marietta, Ohio.

Anna Currence Sutton, in Ivy Bluff, Georgia.

Tony Eates, in Fairmont.

Frank Franze, in Slidell, Louisiana.

Donald Halpenny, in Fairmont.

Lucille Herron Anderson, in Annapolis, Maryland.

Robert Kasper, in South Lyon & Presque Isle, Michigan.

Pat Kiehl Williams, in Edgewood, New Mexico.

Mary Ann Puffenbarger Moore, in Fairmont.

Pat Meredith Wills, in Fairmont and St. Augustine Beach, Florida.

John Olesky, in Tallmadge, Ohio.

Kathryn Toothman Crim, in Farwell, Michigan.

Pat Urban Utz, in Springfield, Virginia.

Leatrice Yokay Greaser, in Fairmont.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Dave Earl hospitalized with stroke

Barb and Earl with daughter Sara
Barb Melton Earl’s husband, Dave Earl, is hospitalized after a stroke.

Barb, Class of 1978, posted:

“Hi, John.

“Please say a prayer for my husband, Dave.”

Done, Barb, a dozen times over.

I hope for a miracle recovery.

Barb and Dave live in Wadestown, West Virginia. They celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary last June.

Barbara’s siblings are Charles Melton, Class of 1973, who lives in Elkins with wife Tamma; John Melton, Class of 1975, married to Penney; and Thomas Melton, North Marion 1984 grad. Their parents were Claudia Voyle Melton and George Walter Melton, Jr.

 

Sara Earl is Barb and Earl’s daughter.