Jerry Loss toe improving

After two weeks of 24/7 infusion of antibiotics, the infected toe of Jerry Loss, Class of 1956, seems to be making headway.

Cousin Jerry lives in North Olmsted,

Ohio with wife Elaine. He grew up on

the Mill Fall farm of his parents,

Frank andGezala Loss.


If you want to contact Jerry,  his

address is:

Jerry Loss

23560 Sharon Drive
North Olmsted, OH  44070

Phone: (440) 777-0183.

Frank Buckles

Living WW2 veterans at 697,806  
with 430 dying every day

West Virginia farmer was last WW1 veteran to die

Buckles in WW1

Of the 16.1 million who fought for America in World War II, 697,806 are alive, but 430 die every day.

The last World War I veteran to die, Frank Buckles, a Charles Town, West Virginia farmer who was born in Missouri, was 110 in 2011 when he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with President Barack Obama paying his respects.

Frank enlisted at 16 and drove ambulances for the Army in Europe.

Buckles was born in Bethany, Missouri on Feb. 1, 1901.

April 16 breakfast for county candidate Vandetta

There will be a breakfast 8-10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 16 in the Monongah Town Hall for Monongah mayor and Marion County commissioner candidate Greg Vandetta, Class of 1975.

Greg Vandetta

The cost is $10.

Monongah Town Recorder Patty Steele McCombs, who broke the tie that made Greg the mayor, is selling tickets for the event.

Patty’s husband, Bill McCombs, won the Monongah mayoral race when his name was drawn from a hat to break the tie with Don Harris. But the state ruled that he couldn’t be both mayor and town water director, so he resigned as mayor and Greg got the job.

The other Marion County Commission candidates are Randy Elliott, current commission president from Mannington; Samuel Wilson, also a Mannington High grad; James Emerick; and Robin Salai, the only Republican running.

Ernie VanGlider and Rick Garcia, who ousted sitting commissioner Butch Tennant by one vote 2014, are the other current commissioners.

Vandetta Construction owner Greg is married to Monongahfest president Debbie Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973.

 

Monongah fire chief Harless McCombs, Class of 1976, is Bill McCombs’ brother. Harless is married to Monongah Middle School language arts teacher and children’s book author Lisa Myers McCombs, Class of 1977.

David Haines retires

David Haines, Class of 1964, has retired from continuous pharmacy practice after 46 years. His co-workers surprised him with a balloons-laden party.

He has been married to Chris since 1996. He is a WVU pharmacy graduate who lives in Richmond, Virginia. He grew up in Worthington and has lived in Springfield, Missouri.

The Dave Haines in Fairmont is his cousin. He is a retired Grafton High teacher.

Official: West Virginia in a recession

The worst coal production since the 1930s has helped drive West Virginia into an official recession, according to the Mountain State Business Index.

John Deskins, director of West Virginia University’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research, said the recession will last at least through the summer.

Unemployment claims have risen for five consecutive months.

Hit hardest with jobless rates are Mingo County (15%), Logan (12.8%), Boone (11.3%) and Wyoming (11.9%), all in southern West Virginia.

West Virginia’s state jobless rate is 7.8%. The national average is 5%.

Update on Gary Phillips

Gary Phillips, who is in the extensive Fullen family tree in Monongah, is in intensive care with heart problems.

Gary’s sister is Sharon Cosco, who wrote: “Prayers please for my brother Gary. He's in ICU with CHF. Thank you and God bless.”

Sharon's daughter, Crystal Parker Towns, added:

"Prayers for my uncle. He is not doing well."

So they spent Crystal's birthday, April 1, in the hospital with Gary.

Sharon provided this Saturday, April 2 update on Gary:

"Several years ago he had a heart attack that damaged the lower left side of his heart. They did a CAT today and the Dr. told him he has had a silent heart attack that damaged the whole left side of his heart and it’s too weak to put a defibrillator in.

"The doctor is putting him on meds to strengthen his heart in hopes of doing the surgery.

"It's in the Lord's hands. Please pray for him."

So, keep those prayers coming.

Gary and Sharon's father was a Phillips. After he passed away, their mother married a preacher.

Sharon married a Parker, who passed away in 1979. She remarried a Cosco.

As for the Fullen connection: Gary and Sharon’s grandfather and Ramona Fullen Michalski’s grandfather were Fullen brothers. Ramona is Class of 1949 and lives in Monongah.

Sharon and Gary have been at Fullen tree reunions at Ramona’s poolside.

Dolores Edwards

Help keep the MHS Reunion alive!

Dolores Edward, on the Monongah High Alumni board, makes a special plea to former Lions to keep the annual Monongah High Alumni Reunion alive, and to continue to provide a scholarship to a North Marion High graduate who is in the former Monongah High School district.  Dolores' message:   “ALL MONONGAH ALUMNI AND FRIENDS.   “PLEASE MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND THE BANQUET AND DANCE.   “OUR NUMBERS ARE GETTING SMALLER. MANY OF OUR ALUMNI HAVE PASSED AWAY.   “BY YOUR PARTICIPATION THE ALUMNI IS ABLE TO GIVE A SCHOLARSHIP TO A GRADUATE OF NORTH MARION HIGH SCHOOL WHO WOULD HAVE GONE TO MONONGAH IF IT WAS STILL IN EXISTENCE.   “YOU ALL CAN SPARE ONE EVENING TO ENSURE THE ALUMNI IS ABLE TO CONTINUE THIS.   “HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.”   The 92nd Monongah High Alumni Reunion will be Saturday, May 28 at the Knights of Columbus, Mary Lou Retton Drive, Fairmont.   The honor class pictures will be taken at 5:30 p.m. at Knights of Columbus on Mary Retton Drive in Fairmont ($15 per photo), the banquet will be at 6:30 p.m. and the dancing to the music of Stepping Stone will begin at 8:30 p.m.   The traditional honor classes are 1956, 1966 and 1976. 1961 is getting together for its 55th anniversary reunion as a special honor class, as 1950 did for the 2015 Monongah High Alumni Reunion.   The dinner-dance reservation form is on this blog, so just print it, fill it out and mail it with your check to   MHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION C/O DONNA L. DAVIS 858 PARK AVENUE MONONGAH, WV 26554-1143   See you there! Keep this marvelous Monongah High event alive!