Singular honor for Class of 1950

This will be the first time that a 65-year anniversary class will be honored at the Monongah High Alumni Reunion on May 23, 2015 at the Knights of Columbus in Fairmont on Mary Lou Retton Drive.

That would be the Class of 1950.

It’s because people are living longer now and therefore more alumni are alive 65 years after their Monongah High graduations.

The other honor classes are 1955, 1965 and 1975 for the traditional 60^th, 50^th and 40^th anniversary classes.

The Class of 1950 and the Class of 1955, both honor classes, will have a combined dinner on Friday, May 22 at 7 p.m. at the Three Ways Inn Restaurant.

The official lodging for 1950 and other graduates is the Fairfield Inn, not far from the Three Ways Inn. That way, former Lions can have reunions at the Fairfield, the Three Ways Inn and the K of C.

Tony Eates and John Olesky are co-chair of the Class of 1950 gatherings. Tony’s wife, Lucy, will help with decorating the tables and labeling them “Class of 1950.”

Hopefully, the tables will be adjacent to the dance floor because, at the ages of 82 and 83, the 1950 graduates won’t be able to walk too far to start stomping at the Savoy, or whatever song is being played.

Or even to waltz out onto the dance floor to take their bows as the oldest graduation class ever honored.

Linda Lopez Gandy is president of the Monongah High Alumni Association and doing a lot of the groundwork to make the event a success.

Quips Linda:

“Let’s hope for a great turnout. Already working on my speech. Where's Mrs. Snoderly when you need her? Did I just say that. She never liked it because I wouldn't take Speech.”

Mrs. Snoderly, who was Miss Thomas when she began at Monongah High, also taught Social Studies.

As usual, treasurer Donna Davis will be handling dinner-dance reservations.

More details as they become available, but be sure you keep May 22 and 23 clear on your calendar so that you can show up and enjoy chatting with your former Lions classmates.

Another reunion by Tom Dean & Ramona Fullen Michalski

There's something about Monongah High that creates lifelong friendships. Tom Dean and Ramona Fullen Michalski are just one example. So is Doris Carpenter Rogers, Class of 1971, daughter of Iris Carpenter, and Sue Ahouse Schrader, Class of 1971. Doris lives in Piscataway, New Jersey and Sue lives in Charleston, West Virginia, but they manage to wind up together ever since second grade.

And then there's Bob Kasper, Class of 1950, who lives in South Lyon, Michigan and in the summer on Grand Lake in Presque Isle, Michigan, and John Olesky, Class of 1950, who lives in Tallmadge, Ohio. They have been friends since first grade at Sts. Peter & Paul School in Monongah. That covers about 76 years. 

John visits Bob on Grand Lake every summer for golf and talking about their Monongah High days. Bob visits John every autumn in Tallmadge and they go to a Mountaineer game together. This year they will be at the Oct. 4 Kansas game in Mountaineer Field. If you want to join them before or after the game, they'll have a meal in a University Circle restaurant on the hill in Granville, just after you get off the I-79 exit. Call John at (330) 388-4466 if you want to join Bob and John. 

What about YOU? Do you have a lifelong friend from your Monongah High days? Email John at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com with the details and maybe jpeg photos of your reunions and I'll post them on this Monongah High Alumni blog. 

As for Tom Dean, he's back in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, and may be headed Ohio way in a few months. Maybe for another visit with Elaine Hewitt Monell, who lives in the Dayton suburb of Riverside, where Tom visited Elaine and husband Raymond "Soak" Monell in 2012 before Soak passed away. 

2014 Monongah High Alumni Reunion program

At 2014 Monongah High Alumni Reunion 150 attended, up from 115 of 2013 Oldest classmates, all Class of 1942: Keith Dorman “Legs” Beckner Everett Jones Roseann Orwig

ALLISON’S PARENTS ASHCRAFT, SANDRA 1964 BARANSKY, JOHN BARRICK, CHRISTINE 107 THIRD STREET, SHINNSTON, WV 26431 BARTON, SANDY BASAGIC, PETE BASAGIC, RICHARD BECCALONI, ROBERT 1959 BECKNER, KEITH 1942 BLAGG, BUCK & JOAN BRAGG, DONALD 1525 LAKEWOOD DRIVE, MANNING, SC 29102 1964 BROOKS, RICK & CINDY P.O. BOX 207, IDAMAY, WV 26576 1974 CHRISTOPHER, MARLENE - JANE AMOS 1962 COGAR, BOB COLE, REBECCA CUNNINGHAM, BETTY JO SIKINOW 1954 CURTIS, VIRGINIA 1957 DAVIS, BILL & DONNA 1958-61 DAVIS' GUESTS DAVIS, CHESTER & OPAL 1958 DAVIS, JAMES 771 TRACTION AVE. MONONGAH, WV 26554 1964 DEAN, THOMAS PENSINSULA PT. LYNCH STATION,  VA 24571 DUCKWORTH, SYLVIA 1958 EDGELL, OKLA AND ARLENE 212 MAPLEWOOD DR. FAIRMONT, WV 26554 1944-51 EDMOND, BRUCE AND DIXIE 1957-58 EDWARDS, DOLORES 1955 FETTY, PARMA P.O. BOX 1495, FAIRMONT, WV 26554 1973 FISHER, ROGER 1961 FULLEN, DANNY & INA KINCAID GANDY, JIM AND LINDA 1964 GREYNOLDS, RAYMOND 1407 PAW PAW CREEK ROAD, FAIRVIEW, 26570 1964 HAUGHT, SABRINA 1974 HESS, MICHAEL 112 1/2 BELLVIEW AVENUE, FAIRMONT, WV 26554 HOLMAN, JAY HUELETT, PAT HUFFMAN, GOLDIE JONES, EVERETT 468 TAMIAMI TRL, AKRON, OH 44303-2420 1942 JONES, RONALD 2103 VALLEY VIEW DRIVE, FAIRMONT, WV 26554 1974 JUSTICE, ARRON 610 WALNUT ST. MONONGAH, WV 26554 KINGSTON, ALLISON SCHOLARSHIP WINNER KINGSTON, MIKE LONG, RACHEL SCHOLARSHIP WINNER MATKOVICH, JOHN MAYLE, SHOCKEY 1964 MELTON, COLETTE STANLEY MEREDITH CHARLES 3201 CHARLES McDONALD DR. SARASOTA, FL. 34240 MICHALSKI, ROMONA MOORE, LENORE 2000 HOWSON RD., RALEIGH, NC 27603 MOOREHEAD, FRED 1964 MORRISON, KITTY 220 LYNDON AVE. MONONGAH, WV 26554 1968 MUDRY, MICHAEL 3105 S. SCOTT DR. YORKTOWN, IN 47376 1964 MURPHY, PATRICIA BECCALONI P.O. BOX 247, WEST MILFORD, WV 26451 1964 MURPHY, ROY, "JAYBIRD P.O. BOX 247, WEST MILFORD, WV 26451 1966 MYERS, GARY 926 COLEMAN AVENUE, FAIRMONT, WV 26554 1964 MYERS, LARRY 305 OAKVIEW DR. BRIDGEPORT, WV 1964 NELSON, HARRIET. KOVACEVICH 4511 PIOUS RIDGE ROAD, BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV 25411 1964 NICHOLS, GARY 30 VALLEY FORGE CIR. FAIRMONT, WV 26554 1967 NICHOLS, ROBERT 1636 BOBBECK LANE, FAIRMONT, WV 26554 1964 ORWIG, ROSEANN 1942-69 PERKHEIM, MARION PITMAN, DON POSTLETHWAIT, GEOG 5310 PELHAM RD. DURHAM, NC 27713 1964 POWELL, SISSIE JUSTICE PREZISO, ROMAN RACHEL'S FRIEND QUINT RADDISH, DAVE & LUANNA RANCONE, DENISE ROACH, CAROLYN CAFFEE 5326 CHURCH DRIVE, CHARLESTON, WV 25306-69220 1964 ROGERS, DORIS CARPENTER 1971 SCHOOLEY, LEONA DAVIS 270 E. 190TH ST. EUCLID, OHIO 44119 SCHRADER, SUE 17 APPLE WAY, PISCATAWAY, NJ 08854 1971 SCRIVO, NICK SHAVER, CAROLYN 56 SUNRISE ST. WORTHINGTON, WV 26591 SPATAFORE, JOHN & CAROL STOTTLEMIRE, MARGARET 1335 GOOSE RUN ROAD, FAIRMONT, WV 26554 1964 STROUD, IRENE VOZNIAK 8108 IRON BARK CT. RALEIGH, NC 27606 1964 SULLIVAN, BERTHA PAZDRIC 1954 SWEDE, BARBARA TARLELY, SALLY TETRICK, ROCKY 405 BINGAMON RD.  WORTHINGTON, WV 26591 1964 THOMPSON, GEORGE LEROY 1964 THOMPSON, JERRY 714 MULBERRY AVE, MANNINGTON, WV 1964 THOMPSON, JOANN THOMPSON, SAM URICH, DORIS VANCE, STAN 4289 CORBIN BRANCH RD, BRIDGEPORT, WV 26330 1964 VINTON, SAM WILLIS, LINDA 1964 WILLS, PATTY WILSON, BERTHA KENNEDY 1972 WOODS, DANNY WOODS, DAVID

Linda Lopez Gandy wrote:

I would like to thank the 1974 and the 1964 class for such a great turnout. Seeing everyone having such a good time makes all the work worth it. Also thanks to everyone who attended. It made our night a success.

Linda Gandy President Monongah Alumni.

LET’S GO LIONS.