IDA SHAVER, WHO HAD HUNDREDS OF 'CHILDREN' AT MONONGAH HIGH

 

Ida Foster Shaver, Class of 1943, was a secretary in Monongah so long in Monongah Middle, Junior High and High School that she was more familiar than the red brick building to most of us.

30 years in the Marion County school system including Fairmont West before she took to higher ground and Monongah.

The unforced smiles in everyone in this photo, one of Ida’s many office staffs in Monongah, reveals she was such a joy to be around.

Cindy Shaver Saloky, Ida’s daughter, remembers “This was really special for me! I always tell everyone my brother and I were the only kids to get thrown out of office instead of being sent to the office.”

Cindy added: “Yes, she was my Mom but I think she treated everyone like they were her child. She always told everyone that Monongah didn’t have bad kids but kids that made some bad decisions!”

Sure sounds like the marvelous Monongah where everyone was my surrogate parents when I ran the streets all day till the street lights came on, which was the town signal for youngsters to be home in 10 minutes.

Cindy Shaver Salosky, Ida’s daughter, caught me up on another Cindy in the Ida Shaw photo, Cindy Bashaw Pillo, married to Anthony Pillo and living in Florida. Cindy Shaver Salosky is a niece by marriage to Cindy Bashaw Pillo. I think I just got Cindyers caught in my eyes.

I have married names for Cindy Bashaw Pillo, Marlene Hamilton Connor Stephen, Class of 1972, Cindy Shaver Saloky, Class of 1970, Lydia Marbury Robinson, Class of 1971, Carol Jean Shipco Miller, Class of 1971, Nancy Manzo Boyer, Class of 1970, and Susan Staron Sanders, Class of 1971. That leaves Mary Pat Porter, Class of 1970, as the only one without a married name. Can anyone help me on that?

Cindy Shaver Saloky tells me that Cindy Bashaw Pillo, also in the photo with Ida Shaver, is her cousin. Cousin Cindy and cousin Cindy. So Ida is in a photo with two other family members. Well, Monongah High is like one big family, right?

Roy Foster, Jr., Class of 1945, is Ida’s brother. Rebecca Thompson Foster is Class of 1972.

Ida was a very popular name choice in Monongah.

There’s the late Ida Amelia Yanero, mother of Paula Bowers Yanero, Class of 1969, and Diane Yanero, Class of 1977.

And Mary Ida Plutro, although she was born Maria Italia Mezzanotte before she married John K. Plutro. Mary Ida’s mother is Michelle Plutro, 1 of 38 named to the Monongah High Favorite Teacher Honor Roll that I published on this blog.

And the late Ida Mae Paknik, who married the late John Paknik, Class of 1946.

And the late Ida Pearl Hardway Humbertson, from Four States, who out-lived husbands William F. Van Zandt and George S. Humbertson. This Ida’s siblings are Rose Hardway Thomas, Class of 1960; Edwin A. Hardway, Class of 1962; Maxine Parrish; Gladys Hardway; Russell Hardway; and Robin Kay Hardway Taylor, Class of 1975.

And Ida Mae Lockhart Paknik, who married the late John Paknik.

And Ida Wood Burwitz, whose siblings were David Wood, Class of 1955; Sally Wood Tarley, Class of 1959; Sherma Addington; Emma "Gene" Peters; Danny Wood; Robert Morris, Class of 1964; Charles Morris, Harley Wood, General Leonard Wood, Mary Lou Morris, Jerry Skormsley and Ruby Lee Wood.

They should have given the Basnett family its own wing at Monongah High.

Doris Jean Menear Basnett, Class of 1938, and her late husband, Roy Basnett, Class of 1932, started an enviable tradition: graduating from Monongah High.

All five of their sons followed suit:

Tom Basnett, Class of 1960

Dennis Basnett, Class of 1962

Carlton Basnett, Class of 1965

Jack Basnett, Class of 1969

Michael Basnett, Class of 1975

Doris celebrated her 99th birthday with family & friends September 29, 2019.

Dennis was on the football, baseball and track teams at Monongah High. Laura Basnett Shreve is Dennis’ daughter and Doris and Roy’s granddaughter.

Carlton also played football for Monongah High.

Tom married Nancy Riley Basnett, also Class of 1960. His photo wasn’t in the 1960 yearbook because he already was at the Columbus, Mississippi Air Force Base serving his country. Later, Tom was married Vivian Scott Basnett for 22 years.  

Their daughter, Kerri Basnett, an RN private duty nurse, is a Shinnston Lincoln High grad. An outlier in every family.

Fate kept the late Kimberly Basnett Culver from being a Monongah High graduate. She attended MHS for three years, then graduated in 1980 from North Marion because Monongah High was consolidated into North Marion in 1979. Kim also was a Fairmont State graduate who was David “Buck” Durham’s companion for a decade.

Barbara Basnett Cain started with the Class of 1956 before she left Monongah High and Worthington during her sophomore year and moved to Ohio. Barbara returned to Monongah in 1970 after marrying Matthew R. Cain. Her father was Paul Basnett, who drove both a school bus and a mine bus. At Monongah High, Barbara hung out with Barbara Jean Brooks, Class of 1955; Lillian Alice Baker, Class of 1956; and Sue Martino.

Other Basnetts who graduated from Monongah High:
Raymond Basnett, Class of 1947.
Beverly Basnett Zaleski, Class of 1965.
Debbie Rutherford Basnett, Class of 1975.
Raymond Basnett, Class of 1970

Monongah’s First Family expands

Monongah Mayor Greg Vandetta, Class of 1975, and Monongahfest president Debbie Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973,  have a granddaughter, Evalina Mae, born Thursday, Oct. 1 to Janelle Vandetta and husband Greg Vandetta II.

Greg II and Janelle were the couple who got married during a snowstorm which required them to find a church that wasn’t damaged by the weather.

Evalina can help Greg and Debbie celebrate their 39^th wedding anniversary on Oct. 16.

Manzo trio

Brenda Manzo, a Fairmont East High grad who is married to Danny Manzo, Class of 1957; Lisa Jacobin Manzo, 1986 North Marion grad; and Kristen Manzo got together for this photo.

Now, I may be accused of being a male chauvinist pig for this, but my experience has been that when TWO women show up at a party in the same dress, it’s a calamity. When three guys show up in the same outfits, it’s a bowling team.

Brenda and Danny have lived together in Monongah since 1967. Danny was on the 1955 Monongah High state champ football team and was co-captain with Joe Meffe of the 1956 Monongah High state football title game runnerup team.

There has been a Manzo at Monongah High almost since there was a Monongah High. Well, there was a Manzo at Monongah High from 1935 through 1949 and 1969 through 1978 (the year before the final 1979 MHS graduation class that preceded the consolidation into North Marion High).

Phyllis Manzo Berardo, Class of 1935.

Genevieve Manzo Lopez, Class of 1937.

Mike Manzo, Class of 1941, on the 1948 world champ coal-loading crew at Monongah Mine No. 63 which loaded 1,536 tons on one shift on June 14.

Patsy Manzo, Class of 1942.

Helen Manzo Raspa, Class of 1945.

John Manzo, Class of 1945.

Raymond “Pigeon” Manzo, Class of 1947.

Mary Manzo Tiburzi, Class of 1949.

Ronald Manzo, Class of 1969, of Morgantown, son of Helen Cecelia Manzo and Phil Manzo; brother of Monongah’s First Lady, Debbie Manzo Vandetta; nephew of Ernie “Frog”, Joe, Duke and Raymond “Pigeon” Manzo.

Nancy Manzo Bolyard, Class of 1970.

Pat Manzo, Class of 1973.

Debbie Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973, married to Monongah Mayor Carl Vandetta.

Karen Manzo Tennant, Class of 1974.

Lisa Myers Manzo, Class of 1977.

Tina Manzo Prodanovich, Class of 1977.

Jim Manzo, Class of 1978.

Kim Sapp Manzo, North Marion 1980.

If you have memories of the Manzo multitude that spanned four decades at Monongah High, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com and I’ll relay the information in another Monongah High Alumni blog posting.

Thank you.

===========JOHN OLESKY, CLASS OF 1950=====================