Drugs take deadly toll in West Virginia

The #1 cause of deaths in West Virginia is poisoning. Mainly opioid overdoses. The Mountain State has the highest drug-overdose death rate in America.

#2 is suicide. Drugs often are connected to the suicides.

#3 is road traffic accidents.

#4 is coronary heart diseases.

#5 is hypertension.

#6 is endocrine disorders.

#7 is homicide.

#8 is diabetes mellitus.

#9 is liver disease.

#10 is stroke.

#11 is breast cancer.

#12 is colon-rectum cancers.

#13 is drug use, which plays a major role in #1 and #2.

#14 is lung disease (in a state with coal mines)

 Nationally:

#1 cause of death in America is heart disease.

#2 is cancer, but this includes lung and bronchus, prostate, colon and rectum and breast cancer (#11 in West Virginia).

#3 is chronic lower respiratory disease.

The people of Monongah, who have helped their neighbors since I was growing up on Thomas and Church streets, are at it again.

This time they are trying to benefit Bill Posten, in mobile maintenance at FirstEnergy Corp., who is in UHC with a reaction to his first chemo treatment Monday. Bill’s wife, Tonia Carr Posten, works in the Monongah Water Office.

And 1989 North Marion grad Jenny Sypult Shaver, who also had cancer and lives in Monongah.

Denise Gum Ice, owner of KDS Signs, T-Shirts and More in Fairmont, produced decals of both Bill and Jenny for $5 apiece. Every penny will go to help Bill and Jenny with their medical bills.

Tonia, 1989 North Marion grad, has the decals at the Monongah Water Office where she works. Jenny has a few and will get more at her Jenny's Hair Salon shop near the Monongah Auction.

Tonia asked me to "Please put prayers out there for him. And prayer and thanks in advance." Done, Tonia. Group prayer can be a powerful weapon against illnesses.

Denise, who once prowled Chatham Hill, has been married to Steve Ice since 2008. They live in Fairmont.

Tonia’s parents are Linda Nobel-Carr, Class of 1967, and Sanford Carr, a former Monongah councilman, who both had too much experience being hospital patients. Linda worked at Philips (1968-89).

Tonia and Bill’s children are Tyler Carr and Teala Carr Jesseman, married to David Jesseman. Bill is in the montage with his nephew and niece.

There was a raffle held in Monongah last year to help Jenny pay her medical bills. 

Jenny’s sons are Steve Haught and Corbin Sypult.

Jenny is being honored this month by the Marion County Rescue Squad as a breast cancer fighter.

Sight problems for Nancy Riley Basnett

Nancy Riley Basnett, Class of 1960, went in for cataract surgery, as 300,000 Americans do every year with no problems, but in her case she has little or no sight now in her right eye and the remaining cataract on left eye.



Her daughter, Kerri Basnett, a Shinnston Lincoln High grad, reports:

“My mother asked me to relay that a few days ago she went in for cataract surgery. Unfortunately, complications were encountered and she has little to no sight in her right eye and the remaining cataract on her left eye.

“She is following up with a specialist in hopes that some sight can be restored with a second surgery. She said she will not be able to contact friends via FB for at least 6 weeks and wanted all to know. Thank you.”

Fairmont State grad Kerri, who lives on Swisher Hill in her grandparents’ former home, has had her own health problems.

Heart blockages put her in Uniontown, Pennsylvania hospital and Fairmont hospitals. The daughter of Nancy Riley Basnett and Tom Basnett, both Class of 1960, was in WVU’s Ruby Memorial Hospital with a heart attack in 2015.

Kerri, an RN private duty nurse, had a triple bypass and a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted almost a decade ago.

There were a lot of Basnetts roaming the halls of Monongah High from 1932 through 1975.

Taking them in chronological order:

Roy Basnett, Class of 1932.
Doris Menear Basnett, Class of 1938.
Raymond Basnett, Class of 1947.
Dennis Basnett, Class of 1962.
Carlton B. Basnett, Class of 1965.
Beverly Basnett Zaleski, Class of 1965.
Jack Basnett, Class of 1969.
Debbie Rutherford Basnett, Class of 1975.
Michael Basnett, Class of 1975.

Barbara Basnett Cain started with the Class of 1956 before she left Monongah High and Worthington during her sophomore year and moved from Ohio – Olmsted Falls and Brook Park as a Continental Can packer -- back to Monongah in 1970 after marrying Matthew R. Cain.

They have a son, Matthew. Barbara was married to Ralph J. Ayers from 1954 to 1968. 

Her father was Paul Basnett, who drove both a school bus and a mine bus.

Lisa Myers McCombs with her book about her MS experience

This is a Fairmont Times article about Lisa Myers McCombs, Class of 1977.

She is married to Monongah fire chief Harless McCombs, Class of 1976. Lisa is a retired Monongah Middle School language arts teacher and children’s book author.

The well-deserved Fairmont Times story about Lisa’s amazing campaign against MS:

Monongah woman continues campaign to support multiple sclerosis research

By Kelsie VanderWijst

Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT — Monongah resident and local author Lisa McCombs continues her personal campaign to support multiple sclerosis (MS) research.

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, more than 2.3 million people are affected by MS worldwide.

Not only is McCombs an author who writes about the illness to raise awareness, but she also has experienced it firsthand.

She was diagnosed in 2001 after collapsing from what was believed to be a stroke.

“I did not know I had MS. I didn’t know what it was until my son, my only child, was 6 months old,” McCombs said. “Six months after I had him, I totally collapsed. The doctors were kind of confused as to what it was. They treated me as a stroke victim. I was at Ruby Memorial (Hospital) for around 11 days.”

After extensive testing, McCombs saw a neurologist.

“When I finally got to see a neurologist ... he performed a spinal tap, and it came back that MS is exactly what it was,” McCombs said. “I spent the entire summer relearning how to walk and learning how to talk. It was a pretty scary time for me because I was pretty much alone with a newborn. I couldn’t hold him. I couldn’t take care of him.”

McCombs said she was fortunate throughout her rehab.

“I was very fortunate that I had a lot of family and friends,” McCombs said.

In 2011, she published her first young adult novel, one of a three-part series, about a 12-year-old girl whose mother is diagnosed with the disease.

“I am a retired schoolteacher, and my students actually helped me write it, so it was their project, too, so we had a lot of fun with that,” McCombs said. “A couple years ago someone asked me, ‘You spend a lot of time writing young adult stories. Why don’t you tell your story?’ ”

At first, she was not sure because she still felt like she did not know how to deal with her disease.

“But then it dawned on me — maybe it is time. I kept a journal, and so I just started looking back through my journal and reflecting on my journey, and I thought, ‘Maybe I can turn this into something that would help someone,’ ” McCombs said.

She wrote a nonfiction “survival guide” to living with multiple sclerosis.

March is National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month, and the month has been an adventure for McCombs. Through blogging, McCombs went further into her research of MS and how to deal with it.

“It has been a good adventure for me. In fact, I was contacted by the National MS Society (recently) wanting to know if I wanted to start a self-help group in Marion County,” McCombs said. “Now my goal is to start a new chapter in Marion County.”

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society website, “Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. It is thought to be an immune-mediated disorder, in which the immune system incorrectly attacks healthy tissue in the CNS.”

“MS is just such a questionable disease because nobody knows really what causes it,” McCombs said. “There are four different kinds of MS and they are all string levels of capability. It is just a big mystery.”

After struggles with multiple self-injecting MS drugs, although her doctor says she has to be on something, McCombs decided quality of life is better than quantity.

She wants others with the disease to remember, “You are not alone.”

McCombs will round out National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month with a book-signing from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Marion County Public Library.

With March being National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month, McCombs is donating a dollar from the sale of each of her books to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and will pay the postage for books ordered directly from her.

McCombs may be contacted at lisaannettemccombs@yahoo.com

When it comes to a jinxed body part, Bernice Grandstaff Maranville, Class of 1950, has a leg up on most people.

That would be her right leg.

It was affected by a stroke a few years back, causing her to use a cane at home and a walker in public where strangers tend to bump canes out from under you.

Later, she broke her foot on the same, right leg.

Despite this, Bernice planned to attend the 2015 Monongah High School Reunion in Fairmont May 22 and 23, with her daughter even though they live in Kernersville, North Carolina. Bernice had attended previous Class of 1950 gatherings in Fairmont.

Ah, but that right leg had other plans. Bernice broke her ankle in a stairway misstep. That required a couple of weekly visits to medical facilities each week before the reunion.

But it doesn’t keep Bernice from her duties as bowling league secretary. She once bowled 5 days a week.

Bernice’s husband, Charles Maranville of Fairmont, passed away in 1984. They have 5 children, 8 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

Bernice was a Volvo auditor in several states for decades before her retirement. She attended Fairmont West before transferring to Monongah High, where she and Patty Urban Utz of Springfield, Virginia finished as the top two in the Class of 1950.

Now, if she can just keep her right leg from getting into more trouble . . .

More trouble for Pulice family

Hoo, boy, the Pulice family is getting a rough deal again.

The latest: Anthony Pulice, Jr., Class of 1945, is in Monongalia General Hospital with an upper respiratory infection that contributed to a heart attack.

Toni Pulice Pill, Anthony Pulice, Jr.

His daughter, Toni Pulice Pill, Fairmont West and Fairmont State graduate, went to Fairmont General Hospital in August for several days of steroids and anti-biotics.

Wrote Toni: “My mother can also use prayers due to the same illnesses that occurred two weeks ago.”

Larry Paul Pulice, son of Anthony, Jr.,  passed away Nov. 13, nine days before he was to marry Michelle Curfman.

Anthony, Jr. and Saverio Pulice, Class of 1942, of Elkton, Maryland lost their sister, Genevieve “Jennie” Pulice, Class of 1936, in 2012. 

Jennie was predeceased by brother James William “Bill” Pulice, Class of 1948, who died in 2001.

Bill’s wife, Geraldine “Jerry” Pulice, died in 2011. She was the daughter of the late Frank and Lucia Costa Palagino.

Toni’s siblings are Julie Pulice Kraley; Jesse James Pulice (married to Chelsie Colisino Pulice); Mark Pulice; and Jamie L. Pulice.

Frank, Jr.’s siblings are Joseph A. Pulice and James Anthony Pulice, both of Arizona; Mary Pulice and Edith Pulice, both of California; Theresa Pulice of Arizona; Beatrice Pulice of Monongah; and the late Sam, Tony and Bill Pulice.

Frank Pulice, Jr. was president of the MHS Alumni Association 1981-82 and on the Board of Directors from 1983 through 1986. For 35 years he was one of Fairmont General Hospital's major supporters.

Anthony Pulice, Sr. and Frank Pulice, Sr. were brothers.

Anthony, Jr. grew up in Worthington. Anthony, Jr.’s nephew, Jim Pulice, Class of 1969, was principal of Monongah Middle School.

Other Pulice family members with Monongah High diplomas:

Geneveive Pulice, Class of 1936

Saverio Pulice, Class of 1942

Frances Savereno Pulice, Class of 1948

  Gerald Pulice, Class of 1974

John Koloskie, Jr., Class of 1944, widower of Julia Monell Koloskie, also Class of 1944, is recovering from knee surgery. 

John’s son, Jerry Koloskie, Class of 1975, former assistant athletic director for University of Nevada-Los Vegas, is helping dad deal with the recovery. Today, Jerry is winter-tasting with the family in Sacramento, California.

300,000 Americans have knee replacements every year. Dr. Raymond Acus of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio installed my store-bought right knee several years ago.

Julia’s brother is the late Raymond “Soak” Monell, whose widow is Elaine Hewitt Monell, Class of 1949, of the Dayton, Ohio suburb of Riverside.

Jerry was named UNLV's Interim Athletics Director in 2009, after former UNLV Athletics Director Mike Hamrick accepted the same position at Marshall University, until Jim Livengood was hired as UNLV's Athletics Director. Jerry had been with UNLV athletics department since 1982.

He played baseball for two years at Marietta (Ohio) College before graduating with a bachelor's degree from West Virginia University in 1980. He earned his master's in physical education from Iowa State University in 1981.

Jerry was on the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports Committee from 2004-2008, as Chairmen from 2006-2008.

He and his wife, portrait artist Annette, who live in Henderson, Nevada, have three children: sons John and Jim, and a daughter, Megan, as well as a granddaughter, Kayden. Megan Koloskie is a teacher at Somerset Academy Okey-Las Vegas. Jerry and Annette met at Iowa State when Jerry was getting his master’s degree.

Jerry’s favorite word is “dank.” It was a word made up by marijuana afianadoes to mean awesome. Hmnn . . . J

Well, Jerry does live in Colorado – in Henderson, near Las Vegas. So does Agnes Jean Larry DiLaura, Class of 1950. 

‘Jaws’ not funny to Bev Morgan Colisino

Bev Morgan Colisino, Class of 1974, is “suffering terribly with toothaches from 2 broken-off teeth, jaw pain and a headache! Taking pain meds and going to lie down again... Please say a prayer for me...thx.”

Monday, Oct. 20, Bev reported:

"Got 2 abscessed teeth pulled this morning; face is still numb. Going to lay down some. But on the good side, Kristy Naternicola, DDS was awesome!"

 

Bev Morgan
Colisino

Bev, who fought endometrial/uterine cancer successfully in 2012, has been married for 40 years to coal miner Harry James Colisino, son of Patsy Colisino. Bev’s career involved the post office and medical facilities.

Bev and Harry live in Carolina. And are WVU Mountaineers fans, naturally.

Leo Colisino was born in August, providing Bev and Harry with another grandchild.

Harry played Pop Warner Football as a child under the legendary Nick Saban, Sr. of the Idamay Black Diamonds, father of Alabama coach Nick “Brother” Saban.

You can offer your sympathy and encouragement to Bev on her Facebook page.

Good news for Sue Schrader

Sue Ahouse Schrader went to her doctor because she has a cold and an ear ache, but she got good news, too. The mass removed from her nose during a hospital stay had no cancer in it.

Sue, Class of 1971, is a coding engineer at Telcordia Technologies when she isn’t at her Stoney Lonesome home. Her sister, Mary Kitty Ahouse Morrison, is Class of 1968. Their brother is Mike Ahouse.

‘Little’ Joe DeMary’s eyes are 100% OK

Kim DeMary Clowers, Class of 1979, has happy news about “little Joe” DeMary, whose vision was endangered by an August boating accident that whipped the towing rope across his face. 'Little' Joe, dad Jo-Jo DeMary  Doctors said he had a 50-50 chance of losing the sight in his left eye. Kim, a registered nurse, writes: “Hi John. For the MHS newsletter. My nephew Joseph DeMary has made a complete recovery from the boating accident. His eyes are back at 100%. I love miracles.” So do I, Kim. “Little Joe’s” parents are Jo-Jo DeMary, formerly of Monongah, and Yvonne King DeMary of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee. Jo-Jo is a City of Red Bank, Tennessee engineer. Yvonne is a Red Bank High School graduate near Chattanooga. Yvonne had hand surgery in September. Jo-Jo’s siblings are Kim, living in Red Bank with husband Earl Lee Clowers; Julie DeMary; and Joanne DeMary. Their parents are Joe DeMary, a 1940's Monongah High graduate, and Laurelle Costello Hustead. If you have memories of the far-flung DeMary families, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com and I’ll add them to this Monongah High Alumni blog article.

Sue Schrader ‘doing OK’

Sue Ahouse Schrader is “doing ok after having a mass removed from nose” during her hospital stay, her sister, Kitty Ahouse Morrison reports. “She is home and just waiting for the biopsy report,” Kitty wrote.

Sue, Class of 1971, is a coding engineer at Telcordia Technologies when she isn’t at her Stoney Lonesome home. Kitty is Class of 1968.

 Bob Fox doing "much better" in hospital

At 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, son Bob Fox

posted this about his Dad:

"My dad was much better today & improving thanks to those who prayed for him. God is good. His preacher told him today he is the most resilient man he has ever known still here with all he has gone through the last several years, also said he had a great supporting cast with many family members around him in his hospital room."

Bob Fox, who lives in Vienna, West Virginia, posted this about his father, also Bob Fox, Class of 1948, the fearsome and fearless fullback for Monongah High School who lives in nearby Parkersburg.

“My Dad is in very bad condition now if my Facebook friends would pray for him I'd appreciate it a lot, thanks!”

Papa Bob Fox was hospitalized previously in May with fluid in his heart and lungs.

Reported son Bob Fox a few weeks ago:

“He has a herniated disc that is very painful. They put him on steroid pills, but they are relieving the pain. He can't have a MRI because of his pacemaker. His liver disease, of course, is an ongoing problem. I'll let him know you were asking about him. He will appreciate it greatly.”

Papa Bob is a Yankee Doodle Dandy, born on the 4^th of July, just like showman George M. Cohan.

You can contact Papa Bob by posting a message on Son Bob’s Facebook page. You know how to contact The Man Upstairs about helping out Papa Bob.

Prayers, please, for Barbara Sweede

Barbara Sweede, Class of 1956, who lives on Stoney Lonesome in Monongah, is ill and can use your prayers. She is undergoing treatments but continues to attend Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Monongah.

Barbara attended the Monongah High Alumni Reunion in 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2007 and 2005. She worked at Verizon Communications.

Her sister is Dolores Sweede Matkovich, Class of 1953, who lives in Palm Harbor, Florida with husband John Matkovich, Class of 1948.

If you want to wish Barbara well, her email address is bas1216@frontier.com and her phone is (304) 534-3160 or you can mail her a get-well card at

Barbara Sweede

10 Lion Lane

Fairmont, WV 26554-9719

If you have memories of Barbara, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com and I’ll add them to this Monongah High Alumni blog.

Joe Martin’s health situation

Arlene Kitchin, wife of Joe Martin, Class of 1957, Facebooked this account:

“Joe started having post chemo pains last night, didn't sleep, couldn't move without extreme pain this morning. Had to cancel our drive to Deland, FL to attend Jen's mother’s funeral. Joe is resting now with a heating pad, a big fluffy blankie, and some oxicodone. But if he coughs or moves he groans in pain. In the past these pains usually last 3-4 days. Poor Joe.”

Joe, a professional photographer, had strokes in March and lung surgery in June in St. Petersburg, Florida. Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph system caused by the body’s cells behaving abnormally.

Joe and Arlene, an artist, show up regularly at the Monongah High Alumni Reunion/Sarasota at the home of Bill Meredith, Class of 1957, and wife Roleta, a Clarksburg Washington Irving High grad.

Phil Colaneri, Betty Hanlin

Phil Colaneri’s Betty in hospital ICU

Betty Shillingburg Hanlin, who lives in Morgantown with Phil Colaneri, Class of 1963, is in ICU in a Morgantown hospital.

Phil writes:

“Well please pray for my Betty. She has high sugar and infection of some sort and the 2nd day of ICU--very tired and sleeps a lot I am very concerned--said would be a few days until everything is controlled--fed her first meal this evening--will hopefully see a difference tomorrow.”

Betty is on the kidney and pancreas transplant list.

Delores Bednarz

Delores Bednarz recovering with new hip

Delores Bednarz, Class of 1956, is recovering from her hip replacement.

She lives in Jackson Street in the home where she came from her Washington, D.C. retirement to take care of her mother, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 96.

Delores tries to walk at least two miles a day as part of her rehab.

Delores, Annette Bednarz Lambert of Clinton, Washington and Richard Bednarz of Beavercreek, Ohio, a Dayton suburb, are the children of Lena and Joseph Bednarz, who died in 1994.

If you have memories of the Bednarz family, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com and I’ll add them to this Monongah High Alumni blog.

West Virginia No. 1 in adult obesity

Written by Your WDTV-5News Team

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A new report by two public health groups shows West Virginia and Mississippi have the highest adult obesity rates in the nation.
  
The report released Thursday by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found adult rates at 35.1 percent in both states.
  
Colorado continued to be the thinnest state at 21.3 percent.
  
The study showed an alarming 20 states topped 30 percent obesity in 2013, up from 12 states in 2010. Nine of the 10 states with the highest rates are in the South.
  
Six states showed significant increases in adult obesity rates. No state showed decreases.
  
Trust for America's Health executive director Jeffrey Levi says to reverse the trend, efforts need to start in early childhood to promote healthy eating and increased physical activity.

Jim and Angela Birdsell

Jim Birdsell recovery going well

North Marion grad Jim Birdsell, grandson of Byron Birdsell, Class of 1947, and great-nephew of Bill Birdsell, Class of 1950, says “it feels so good after heart surgery to start riding bikes again on the trails.”

Jim works out with wife Angela Birdsell at Fairmont General HealthPlex Fitness Center, played pinball at the 2014 Monongahfest and enjoyed Davidsson Brothers music at the  Mannington Fair.

Jim is one of Monongah’s Company 10 Volunteer Fire Department members. He works in parts at Leslie Equipment and lives in Millersville, West Virginia.

 Jim’s dad is Edwin Birdsell, who grew up on Park Avenue by Mount Calvary cemetery with Jim’s grandparents, Zelda and Byron Birdsell. Byron was a long-time Monongah mailman.

Jim and Angela have been married for three years.