THE WI NEWSLETTER 09/08

THE WI NEWSLETTER

Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith

Issue 109- BEGINNING
OUR 10TH YEAR

September 2008

REMINISCING
submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com
As we begin our tenth year together reading the WI Newsletter, I want to take a moment to reminisce if you will be patient.

My time flies. I can’t believe it has been ten years since I started this newsletter. I guess I have gone through a few computers, a few fingernails, and a lot of patience. It has been great hasn’t it? As some know, I have gotten disgusted several times because people didn’t write and help me with this endeavor, I had to write to a few people who I knew would help me out and beg them to write something to the newsletter—just to help me have something to put out for the month without me writing so much myself (which would be boring)….I thank those people, you know who you are! Also, I cried and moaned to Judy many times about problems and bless her heart she saw me through it all, thus you still have this coming to you each month.

Most of you know why I started the newsletter. However, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about how much it has grown.

Judy and I have made many new friends through the newsletter and we hope you have also. We count those friendships among our many blessings.

The newsletter has reached far beyond our early dreams. We figured that we would start a little newsletter to keep our classmates connected. However, unbeknownst to us, there would be much greater results. We were so happy when we had 20 readers of our newsletter but we are amazed that we now have over 2,000. Every time I start to count the readers, I get distracted someway….but it is hard to count each one who reads the newsletter as I really have no way of knowing, so many people read the newsletter that is forwarded to them by classmates or friends. There are some people who send a copy of the newsletter to a group of people each month….thanks.

As a result of this newsletter: old friends have found each other and renewed friendships; people have contacted relatives; new friends have been made and people are now in contact with people they haven’t seen or heard about in years. High school classes now use the newsletter list of readers to get in touch with classmates concerning reunions or news about other classmates.

Some other things come to my mind that wouldn’t be happening if they hadn’t been started by the newsletter:

1.The WIN Scholarship which has helped several graduates from R C Byrd High School…..this was a big undertaking but you people who have provided gifts to this cause should feel proud for what we have done for “our town”. We have demonstrated that we feel education is important and we still want to be part of educating a young person in Clarksburg.

2. The Clarksburg Picnic held the first Saturday of March each year in Sarasota, Florida. This picnic is for all of you to attend whether you live in Florida, vacation there that time of year or come south for the picnic. We have a wonderful time of it! I love to see people find a face in the crowd and greet an old friend, relative, employee or employer….I love it!

3. The WI Picnic which is held in Clarksburg each summer and is hosted by Sharyn Cottrill McGahan, husband Jim and Judy Daugherty Kimler. What a wonderful visit we have with friends from WI all under one roof —— we visit with classmates, their spouses, new and old friends.

4. The lovely quilt made with love by wonderful ladies who sew together squares for the quilt and mail them to Sue Selby Moats who puts them together so cleverly to make a beautiful quilt to earn funds for the WIN Scholarship. Tickets are sold for the quilt each year and the winning ticket is drawn at the Clarksburg Picnic in Florida.

5. Due to the newsletter and those of you who want copies of the past issues, Judy Daugherty Kimler has created a computer disc that works in any computer. This way she has preserved all of our past memories…all proceeds from the sale of the disc goes to the WIN Scholarship. To purchase a copy contact jkimler@verizon.net.

I am sure you can come up with many other benefits of the newsletter, and Judy and I would love to hear about them from you. Just write and share your thoughts about the newsletter—Write to Roleta1@aol.com

Thank you one and all…May God Bless You.

REMEMBER THE GREAT SNOW OF NOVEMBER 1950?
Share your memories about what you remember of how your family coped with the snow! What did you do? How did it affect your family? How long did it last? What were the hazards? Anything else you can remember about the blizzard? Write to Roleta1@aol.com.

Do you have some pictures? Send them to jkimler@verizon.net. Contact her for her mailing address if you need to send them to her to copy.

THOSE WHO GAVE
This month four checks were sent to the WIN Scholarship. These people know how important education is for the young people today. We know that there is the Pell Grant for students (Federal Grant) but few are issued. WV has a Promise Scholarship but that is even harder to get….a few years ago many students qualified for this scholarship; however, I understand that the grade point average and the ACT score requirements have been raised so high that very few can qualify for this scholarship either.

The scholarship is awarded to a student graduating from RC Byrd High School and going on to college. The check is not issued to the student but sent to their college of choice and deposited in their student account from which the graduate may draw funds for only school related expenses.

Those who cared enough to give this month were:

Jim Alvaro (WI 1956) and Sonja Alvaro (Bridgeport 1959)

Bill Wolverton (RW 1951) and Penny Fish Wolverton (WI 1958)

Angelique Marie Wheelock (WI 1988)

Roland Schinkler and Amy Schindler

A gift from those attending the WI Reunion of the Class of 1988

Jack Emerick bought a copy of the WI Newsletter computer disc

Jim Campbell bought a copy of the computer disc of past WI Newsletters

Our thanks to all of you. If you care about education, if you want to say thank you to someone, if you want to give a gift in memory of someone, if you want to give in appreciation of the teachers who gave to you….

Beginning now, you can purchase tickets for the drawing of the beautiful quilt with your gifts for the WIN Scholarship. Profit from the ticket sales goes to the WIN Scholarship. Tickets are 6 for $5.00….12 for $10.00—and so forth…You can buy as many tickets as you want for the drawing and you benefit the scholarship at the same time……

IF YOU WANT TICKETS—MAKE SURE YOU SAY SO AND INCLUDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER WHERE WE CAN REACH YOU IF YOU WIN!

Write a check or money order to:

Roleta Meredith c/o WIN Scholarship

Mail to: Roleta S. Meredith
c/o Meredith Brothers, Inc.
3025 Switzer Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43219

Thank you for caring!

BURMA SHAVE SIGNS
submitted by: Charles Deem
cpdeem@verizon.net
My father used Burma Shave regularly, and this was his favorite: I can’t vouch for its authenticity however.

LISTEN BIRDS
THESE SIGNS COST MONEY
REST AWHILE
BUT DON’T GET FUNNY
BURMASHAVE

submitted by: Don Marple (WI '53)
dmarple@bellsouth.net
Oh, these were so much fun. Driving with my parents the four of us would look ahead to see the ones we knew were coming. I remember:

AROUND THE CURVE
LICKETY SPLIT
IT’S A NICE NEW CAR
WASN’T IT

AS YOU SPEED BY
REMEMBER, KIDDO
THEY DON’T PAY YOU
THEY PAY THE WIDOW

and the family favorite was...

THE MONKEY TOOK
ONE LOOK AT JIM
AND THREW THE PEANUTS
BACK AT HIM
HE NEEDED BURMA SHAVE......

We would all make sure my brother — Jim — saw it as we went by.

submitted by: Marilyn Lightner Kittle (WI '65)
Pamak41371@wmconnect.com
Oh my! The Burma Shave slogans really bring back memories for me! We went cross country in 1954 (my mom, dad and older sister) to visit our grandparents and some other relatives in Los Angeles area of CA. Like Brian said...no interstates then. I think we ran into one very small section somewhere out west and of course LA had some there. But on the way one of the greatest highlights of our trip was to watch for and read those wonderful Burma Shave signs! Such good memories!

How you think of all these subjects to converse about is beyond me! Keep up the good work as I so enjoy this newsletter!

I also hope to meet you this year at the reunion picnic at the VA park! I will have that jar of elderberry jelly for you if I get to. Just depends on my work schedule but I have told Sharyn that I plan on coming and hope to bring a few friends too! Hope to see ya then!

submitted by: Bill Bryan (RW '57)
PBRNRX64@aol.com
I can only remember one, but I believe there is a short book out that contains many.

THE MONKEY TOOK
ONE LOOK AT JIM
AND THREW THE PEANUTS
BACK AT HIM!
HE NEEDED
BURMASHAVE

HISTORY OF THE BURMA-SHAVE SIGNS
submitted by: Fred G. Layman (VHS’46)
FGL46VHS@AOLCOM

This company was originally known as “Burma-Vita” and was founded in 1925 by Clinton Odell in the State of Minnesota. At one time they appeared in all original 48 states and lasted for 38 years. In 1963 Philip Morris , the cigarette company, bought Burma-Shave out. Not only would they not put up any more of the signs, they began at once to dismantle the existing signs. In the fall of 1964 all Burma-Shave signs had been removed.

The first ad was more of a slogan than a jingle. It was referring to World War I and simply read
Cheer up/Face/The War/Is/over/Burma-Shave.

All signs were 80 feet apart. Here are a few more of the jingles:

He had the ring/He had the flat/But she felt his chin/And that was that/Burma-Shave

Does your husband misbehave/Grunt and grumble/Rant and rave/Shoot the brute/Some Burma-Shave

They missed the turn/Car was whizzn/ Fault was her’n/Funeral was his’n/BurmaShave

What you shouted/May be true/But did you hear/What he called you/Burma-Shave

Grandpa’s beard/Was stiff and course/And that’s what caused /His fifth divorce/Burma-Shave

ANOTHER HOT DOG STAND
submitted by: Diana Shablack Sandy (WI '69)
IcedTeaDee@aol.com
Another “hot dog” shop on the opposite side of Pike Street was Coney Island (formerly Manhattan) and was owned by my Uncle Theodore Mutafis and his friend Charlie Simirotis, they were both of Greek descent, like the owners of Sanitary Hot Dogs, which was on the Ritz/Workingman’s side of the street.

submitted by: Charlie Burkhammer (WI '69)
cbhammer12@aol.com
I enjoyed your August newsletter very much. In the article about Sanitary Hot Dog, I’m afraid I can’t take credit for the picture. I can add that I think the owners of the restaurant were brothers by the name of Koutsobaris. I think one of them was named George. My first job was doing accounting work for Tetrick & Bartlett accounting firm, and they were one of my clients. That was in 1963. Best to you and your family. See you at the picnic.

WI CLASS OF 1970
submitted by: Jane Heitz (WI '70)
janeheitz@comcast.net

Front Row: John Harris, Marilyn Malindzak Spatafore, Mary Fox McCoy, Pam Bokey Mitchell, JoEllen Welch Nieman and Jane Phillips Heitz

Row 2: Brenda Thompson Mazzie, Elaine Kern Faust, Maud L. Jarvis Quinn, Carol Moebus Baker, Marsha Thompson Turner, Vickie Marks Crimm, Danny Knight, Vince D’Annunzio, David Romano & Robert Tolley

Row 3: Manual Alvarez, Mike Brown, Joe Shelbaer, Terry Myers Brewer, Rodney Kidd, Beth Allen Goff, Coach Castellana, Elwin Robinson, Steve Nutt, Terry McNemar, Beverly FisherNelson, David Price, David Swartz, David Preston and Michael Angotti

Not pictured but present:
Melissa Spelsberg Loder, Lynwood Burnside and Bill Cather

The 1970 Class of Washington Irving held a social gathering at a private residence at the Pete Dye Country Club on Saturday, June 28, 2008. We would like to thank our classmates Manuel “Manny” Alvarez, Vince D’Annunzio, Dave Romano and Terry “Myers” Brewer for hosting and working so hard to make this a successful reunion. We would also like to extend thanks to the other members and spouses of the committee that worked so hard on this event.

We are planning a 40th reunion in 2010 and would like for anyone that was not been contacted to please get in touch with Terry “Myers” Brewer at the following email terry.brewer@lmco.com or give Terry a call at 304-622-4658.

1ST GRADE MORGAN 1946-47
submitted by: Betty Latstetter Burke (WI '58)
ejaneburke2000@yahoo.com

These are the names of those pictured above:

Top row: ? , Susan Milstead, David McGahan, Carolyn Grant, Jimmy Hall, Barbara Warren
2nd row: Mary Anne Conrad, J. G. Funk, Sharla Reynolds, Gary Bailey
3rd row: Billy Morgan, Elizabeth Smith, Mike Matthews, Emma Lou Singleton
4th row: Nancy Seckman, John Miller, Penny Capehart, ? , Beverly Ellis, Teddy Waroblak
5th row: Stanley Jenkins, Betty Latstetter, John Corathers, Ginny Lou Shaffer, Glenn Morrison, Mary Lee Wilson
Bottom row: Margaret Jean Reymond, Carol Sue Kesling, Judy Gabbert, Beth Ann Hill, Shirley Skinner

Our teachers were:
1st grade - Miss Chesnut
2nd grade - Mrs. McClung
3rd grade - Miss Israel
4th grade - Mrs. Malone
5th grade Mrs. Michaux
6th grade - Miss Matthews
Our principal - Mr. Sheets

PIERPONT 1ST GRADE 1946-1947
picture submitted by: Sharon Dillmore Smith (WI '58)
Shanangels@comcast.net

We had this picture in the August newsletter but did not have many ID's. Ronnie Werner, WI 1959, has provided us with some more. These are the ones we have identified so far.

1st row: ? , ? , ? Wu, Jim Fragale, ? , Jeanie Werner Davis, Ronnie Werner, Eddie Boyles, Jim Martin, Frank Mac Donald, Harriett Danley VanVooris

2nd row: Teacher Mrs Marie Gifford, Martha Lou Morrison, Tom Tallman, ? Wu, ? , Sharon Dillmore Smith, ? , ? , ? , ? , ? , Barry Mazza, ? , Peggy Criss

3rd row: ? , Larry Layman, ? , ? , ? , ? , Richard Ellis, ? , ? , Beverly Riggle

WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN INDUCTEES RECOGNIZED
West Virginia Wesleyan will induct three individuals into it’s Athletic Hall of Fame during the Homecoming week-end. The honorees will be recognized on October 11, 2008 at a reception to be held at the Campus Center. Among those to be enshrined in the Rockefeller Center is Cliff Judy who graduated from WI in 1954 and from WV Wesleyan in 1958.

To check out the write up about Cliff Judy in the West Virginia Wesleyan Newsletter…go to: http://bobcats.wvwc.edu/pdf/08_Sum_Bobcat_Web.pdf and scroll down to the 4th page ... or the one titled HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORES
submitted by: Joe Malone (WI '53)
jmalone934@sbcglobal.net
Corner Grocery Stores: -
In 1946, my family moved into a duplex that covered the entire corner of Fifth Street, Horner Ave. and Irving Place. Note that this was directly behind WI making my school commute minimal at best. Catty-cornered across Fifth Street from the duplex on the corner of Fifth where Hickman Ave. ran down the hill was Mathews’ Grocery. This enterprise was owned and operated by John & Ethyl Mathews. It was the original “Mom & Pop” corner grocery store. The Mathews were the Matriarch and Patriarch of the family food business on the hill. When Mr. Mathews grew infirm, I delivered orders on foot, in a basket to local customers for nickels and dimes. Not insignificantly, the Mathews served a substantial business from the WI students who would hang out there at lunchtime. Eventually, as the Mathews passed, so did the store. It was torn down in the seventies. I have a couple of old milk bottles that my sons salvaged from demolition site.

A second location “on the hill” was “Ryder’s Grocery” owned and operated by Howard & Juanita Ryder. It was located on Fifth Street also, halfway between Hickman and Wilson Ave. Formerly known as “Burrow’s Market” the Ryders (who began in the location at the corner of Fifth and Wilson) overlapped the Mathews but essentially filled the void when John/Ethyl retired. Howard (who played basketball at WI in 1934) and Juanita lived in the apartment over the store. Although childless, the Ryders continued the “Mom & Pop” service to the community on the hill for many years. While some 20 years younger, the Ryders were great friends with my parents. They once drove across country together - a substantial trip at the time.

Indeed, the world is a poorer place for not having the family-owned corner grocery anymore.

submitted by: Brooke “Boo” Beall (ND '58)
bbeall2@verizon.net
I was very surprised when I read the WI Newsletter for this month that nobody from WI mentioned a store that every one of them had been in, sometimes every day of the school week. I am referring to Ryder’s Grocery on Fifth Street, just up the street from WI.

Howard and Juanita Ryder started with their first store at the corner of Wilson and Fifth Streets. They later moved to the middle of the block and lived over the store.

My first real job was at Ryder’s Grocery. One day my father came home and told me that I would be starting my job at the grocery store the next day after school. I was 13 or 14 years old at the time. I stocked shelves after school for a year or two, and helped deliver on Saturdays and holidays. When I was 16 and got my drivers license, Howard let me drive the delivery truck on Saturdays and during the summer when the full time driver took a vacation. I worked for the Ryder’s until I left for college.

A side note about the Ryder’s. They never had any children and they treated every kid that worked for them or came to the store like they were their own. They were two very fine people. Howard was sometimes a big kid himself. He had the fastest sled in the winter time when everyone was out sled riding on Wilson Street. He knew how to sand his runners and make his Flexible Flyer fly.

As a young adult, living in Bridgeport, I continued to shop at Ryder’s Grocery, until bad health forced the Ryder’s to close the store. They later remodeled the downstairs of the store and turned it into a living area. I also enjoyed visiting with the Ryder’s after they closed the store and we often reminisced about the sled riding and working in the store.

On a sad note, the Ryder’s had to stop everything they were doing when the kids from WI came in on their lunch break. The shoplifting had become so bad, every employee stopped what they were doing and watched the kids. They usually caught one or two a day stealing.....This was in the late ‘60’s or early 70’s before they closed the store. Times had changed from the ‘40’s and ‘50’s.

submitted by: Ron Cleavenger (WI '63)
RonCleaven@aol.com
Reading John Timberlake’s story about spending $15 for groceries reminded me of something I often do at the checkout line today, when I tell the clerk that I have gotten stronger the older I get. When the clerk looks at me quizzically, I reply, “ When I was younger, I could not carry $20 of groceries, and now I can!!”

submitted by: Diana Shablack Sandy (WI '69)
IcedTeaDee@aol.com
John Timberlake (WI ’48) wrote in the August Newsletter about an A&P that was on Pike Street between Williams Court and Oak Street. That must have been before my time, because when I grew up on Williams Court, the little grocery store was called DeCamps and was in the same building connected to the East End Lunch, which was my family’s restaurant. Mr. DeCamp was the owner & I often went in to get various items.

In the late 60’s, after Mr. DeCamp retired and closed shop; my brother, Harry (Junior) Mutafis, took over the location and opened up a bait shop called Ju-Ju’s. I’m sure there are many readers who remember him and his stores. In the early 70’s, before his death, he opened a furniture/appliance store “Glen Village”, which was located on Main Street, down a bit from the Palace. His “Ju-Ju’s Bait Shop wasn’t in operation very long, but his furniture store was in business for several years.

John Teter (WI ’61) also wrote in saying he remembered the Garden Fresh stores, they were owned by my Uncle Tony Caputo and his brothers. They also had a third location out towards the Gore area & the Skyline Drive-In, which they also owned.

The only store I remember below the Palace was on the corner of Main & Monticello and was an A&P, with the Maidenform Company occupying the upper floor. I don’t recall the fire he mentioned; I would have been too young at the time.

submitted by: Jim Alvaro (WI '56)
jalvaro@aol.com
The first major store I remember was across Main St from Palace Furniture. I believe it was a Kroger. Then I remember the store down from there on the corner of Monticello Ave and Main St. The thing I remember most about that store was a time when my brother Fred and I went grocery shopping with my mother. My mother was a real strong woman and proved it by taking canning jar lids off when they were too hard for us to remove. She got a big kick out of that. So one time when we were at that grocery store, there was a big, empty box of Tide. It was about three feet tall. Now remember it was empty. I went over and pretended to try to pick it up but it was too heavy. She went over and pretended to roll her sleeves and went over to lift the box. Thinking it was very heavy she lifted it over her head and it went completely over her head and she knocked about 50 cans from a display counter. Fred and I took out running because we were embarrassed but not only was I embarrassed I was really worried what my mother was going to do to me when she caught up with me. Knowing my Mom, I could leave the country for a month and the first thing she would do when she saw me was give me a big kiss and then she would beat me and say you know what this is for. That is one of many funny things that happened in the Alvaro family while growing up. I know I have many buddies that could mention a few happenings at our house.

RITZY LUNCH FEATURED
Read an article written by Tricia Fulks for the Charleston Daily Mail on July 30, 2008. http://dailymail.com/Life/200807300236

One person who sent me the above link was Bob Davis who graduated from WI in 1959. He is also the one who helps me out by keeping my addresses in order. He wrote a memory of the Ritzy:

Concerning the above link to the article on Ritzy Lunch, which is located close to the US Postal Building in Clarksburg— I used to eat there often—as a substitute postal worker, you never knew how long and/or when you would work so I often only had 1/2 hour to eat. I went to the Ritzy Lunch as it was so close. They even had spaghetti back then—and it was very good. Later I used to go there after working all night and would eat two hot dogs at 7:30 AM before going home.

About 4 years ago, I took Mom there once when we were in Clarksburg and John was working behind the counter. I walked in and sat down as John was busy making hot dogs and I didn’t see him turn or look my way. As soon as I sat down, John said “How are you doing, Bobby!” I don’t know how he had seen me or remembered me.

A KILLER WALK HOME FROM SCHOOL
submitted by: Gary Dawson (W '61)
gadawaz@gmail.com
When I went to Central Jr. High and WI, I would walk down the old streetcar tracks from Hite Field, after football practice, to the Country Club Addition. The place that my grand dad rented from Mr. Joe Barnett was across from Mr. Pat Dolans house and property. In the fall and winter it was from Central and WI after basketball practice. This was about 7 miles by going US 19 and then out the Country Club road. Going down the tracks may of cut off a mile or so. I then lived at Corktown, and would walk home from practice - maybe 3+ miles.

Back then we walked everywhere though. I would go to the movies or dances on Friday night and walk into town and back home after stopping at the Dairy Queen in the West End. During the summer I would walk out to Lake Floyd (10 miles each way) and Chuck, Boyd, Holly and Hollys Mom would sign me in so that I could swim. Stayed at Chuck Bibby’s a few times but mostly walked home at night.

My junior and senior year I lived on Chestnut St. Walking to WI was great.

I knew you and a lot of your class well. I enjoyed dancing with Holly Furbee, Ruth Martin and went to the Lambda dance (spelling may not be right) with Harriett Stout. I always thought that 1959 was a good year. I moved to Colorado after a half semester at WVU. Joined the Marines, served in Vietnam, returned and went to work for the Gates Corporation 35 years, retired early, did consulting work with Iomega and Boeing for several years and now live in AZ. I really enjoy the newsletter, the stories, pictures etc.

I am really not one that talks a lot, but had a great deal of success at working all over the world. I contribute the success to the life that I had growing up in Clarksburg. You hear many people talk about high school days and attending WI was one of lifes highlights. I wanted to write about Ms Swiger, I assure you that she had such an impact on my life that I could never repay her.. A lot of people never knew of the help that she gave to students - after a lot of work that she did with me, she signed my year book and simply said, “Gary, What Next?”

I made sure that she knew that when I was a Marine, Generals, Senators and Congressmen wrote to my Mom about my performance. I was one of the Marines that was Henry Cabot Lodge’s body guards in Vietnam. Over the later years in my career, I would be a guest speaker at IBM Executive and Engineering Conf. I would always mention that I once had a teacher in high school that wondered of me “What’s Next?”, and would say ”I’m here to tell you, what is next” .

I have many wonderful memories of WI, Clarksburg and WV and would do it all over again the same way.

submitted by: Jerry Winerman (WI '57)
gerjerry@sbcglobal.net
After 8 years+ we never tire of yours and Judy’s “work of love” for our benefit. THANKS!!

John Randolph and I tied for the toughest trek to school. We had to cross hazardous Lee Avenue to get to school. Living across the street from WI forced us to make tough decisions. How late do we sleep— and as seniors, side or front entrance. Lunch was very hard, trying not to fall asleep while we listened to Hank Williams on WPDX. And then the long trek home after the grueling day at school. In winter if we had to attend a club meeting, we were concerned about getting home after dark. You guys that had to walk 2 miles in the snow, shoeless, had it easy!

submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
jteter@balmar.com
I used to think that the walk from 410 Broaddus Avenue to WI was AT LEAST 5 miles, even though my “used to” has been more recent than when I was actually making that walk every day to go to school. I kept telling my son how far it was and he did not believe me, so one time when he and I were in C-burg, I drove from my mother’s house to WI so that I could “show him”. FUNNY: it was ACTUALLY less than a MILE. I used to walk to Pierpoint Grade School and Central Junior High School and they did not seem to be very far at all, so it must have something to do with the HILL that I had to go up once I got past Main Street on Chestnut. WHO KNOWS!! I find it interesting in talking to my best friend from WI days (Bill Post) that he and John Cork used to walk from Davisson Run Road to Hite Field for football practice. I have never measured that distance, but I would (here again) think that it is close to 3 miles if not more.

My wife’s son was telling her the other day that he was going to have to drive his son to school in Reston, Virginia because the distance from his condo to the elementary school that his son starts in a week is less than ½ miles away and Fairfax County Schools does not bus students that close. She and I got into a discussion about how much we used to walk places, but now it seems like our younger generation either have to be driven (either by a parent, school bus or their own car) to almost any distance.

submitted by: Mary Elizabeth Weaver Snead (WI '60)
auntmerts@bellsouth.net
Hi Roleta, thanks again for such great newsletters. I look forward to them each month and read them over and over again. Guess the older you get the more memories mean to you.

I can remember walking from our home on East Main Street to Carlyle School every morning, at lunch and then home after school. We always had a group of kids to walk with and certainly didn’t mind the cold, snow, wind or rain during the treks to and from school. I do remember one winter, must have been in the late 40’s when such a bad snow storm came up. The road crew built caves for the kids to walk through since there was so much snow on the roads. But we didn’t mind any of it, it was such fun to go through the caves. And of course we didn’t know how cold it was until we reached school and our coats and boots would be covered with snow and ice. I can remember not stepping on cracks in the sidewalks, as they would break your Mother’s back!!!!!!

Then we went to Jr. High School and the walk was farther, but there again, we had friends to walk with and to talk with so the weather didn’t bother us again. I can’t tell you the distance we would walk every day but back then, we didn’t mind it at all.

Then we went to WI! That was even more fun and even farther. The walk in the mornings were challenging, as we were older, I do remember walking through the Arcade and getting somewhat warm and then on up to the “Hill” in time for the bell to ring to start classes. We would walk home and sometimes it would take more than an hour to get home, but who cared. We were young at heart and time was on our side. Sometimes, when the weather was real bad, I would ride the public bus home, but preferred to walk. I would stop at a small store just below the Pres. Church and buy a frozen Milky Way Bar and eat it on the way home. Back then, we had fun and distance was not a problem for us, just a way of life. I can also remember walking to the football games with our friends. We would gather on Chestnut Street and walk to the games. Also I can remember walking to the basketball games. It would be so cold when we got out, and started the walk home, but we had fun cheering our way home. Oh what fun we used to have!!

Keep up the good work each month.

submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah '57)
billmere@aol.com
My wife mentioned in the August newsletter that I always told our children that I walked 2 miles to school each way, in the snow and uphill both ways. It really was only about 1-1/2 miles and in snow only in the winter. However, it was uphill both ways. I lived on one hill and the school was across the West Fork River on a different hill. So, I definitely walked uphill, both ways.

That is not my only reason for writing this month. I just finished a book titled “Monongah” by Davitt McAteer. Davitt is originally from Fairmont (I think I played basketball against him or one of his brothers when we played Fairmont St. Peters HS—big left handed guy). He went on to become Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health at the US Department of Labor under Bill Clinton. His book, published in 2007 by the West Virginia University Press, outlines the coal mining industry in North Central West Virginia and elsewhere, from about 1880 to December 6, 1907, the day of the worst coal mining disaster in American history at Monongah Mines #6 and #8. Officially, 362 miners were killed, but Davitt basically proves that over 500 men and boys died that day.

Why would you be interested in this book? Because it documents how many of our ancestors arrived in this country and shows the hardships they endured. You will be familiar with the names of many of the immigrant workers, because you are either related to them or, like me, grew-up with their grandchildren. Fortunately, Jim and Fred Alvaro’s ancestors are not mentioned, which means they survived. Fred often told me that his father was from Monongah. I suspect that his grandfather might also have lived and worked there, since several thousand miners worked in Monongah mines in the early 1900’s.

Thank you for giving me a forum for my occasional ramblings. I’ve met so many great people from Harrison County, that I am starting to feel like a native.

SEPTEMBER SONGS
submitted by: Steve Goff (WI '72)
sgoff53@hotmail.com
As we all start to wrap up our summers and head into my favorite season, autumn, like many of you, Beth and I are busy packing in a lot of activity we had put off, thinking this summer was going to be longer than summers past....not so.   As I write this, we are planning to attend, for the first time, the All-Classes WI reunion/picnic at the VA Park on August 23.   We still live in Harrison County so we see many old (you know what I mean) classmates from time to time.   We are looking forward to seeing familiar friends and meeting some new folks who share Hilltopper alumni status, and also meeting and greeting folks who graduated from the other high schools in the area.

Not much chatter from me this time, but still a good variety of ‘September Songs’.   These tunes were all #1 in the nation during Septembers’ past.   Featured this month are Mitch Miller, Bing Crosby, David Bowie and The Knack. How’s that for a broad range of artists?

So as the leaves begin to fall and school buses once again make their rounds, I hope these songs will remind you of those first days of each new school year.....catching up with friends you hadn’t seen all summer, a new home room teacher, maybe a new locker assignment, and the beautiful hope and optimism that seemed to make high school a place of endless possibilities.

See ya in October when I will definitely have my hob goblins with me.

Steve

PS...along side each YouTube video is usually a little side link...’more info’...I highly recommend clicking it, as quite often it gives you a little background on the video and sometimes even lyrics for the song.

First a musical tribute to September:

’September Song’ has become a beloved standard recorded by many artists including Frank Sinatra and Willie Nelson.   Here are two distinctly different versions:

This is Jimmy Durante’s version from 1955.    He made the charts with this song in 1963 when it got up to #51.   Hope you enjoy seeing the old Schnozzola as much as I do.....and ‘good night Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-ldVj34Sfo

A classy, jazzy version done by Sarah Vaughn, featuring Wynton Marsalis, with the Boston Pops. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRhhNPBPGyU&feature=related

And finally.....’September’ by Earth, Wind, & Fire . This got up to #8 in December of 1979. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iknEJf9cPeY&feature=related

#1 Songs of September (thru the years)

1944....’Swinging on a Star’ Bing Crosby (w/the Mitchell Boys Choir)   From the movie ‘Going My Way’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXMQ0XEIG0Y

1948....’Twelfth Street Rag’   Pee Wee Hunt   ......Well you can hunt for Pee Wee but you won’t find him in this video.   What you will find is a fan’s tribute to this familiar ‘rag’ and the visual nostalgia of seeing an old 78 RPM record, on the Capitol label, being played on a vintage Magnavox record player.

Even before the music begins, I love hearing those familiar sounds of a record being presented and prepared for playing. Listen closely for the record being pulled from its sleeve, the click of the player being turned on, the tone arm making its first pass at the platter, the plop of the vinyl onto the turntable as it goes from zero to 78 RPM in an instant, and finally the warm crackles just before Pee Wee strikes up the band....ahh....now that’s how you play a record. And as the camera pulls back to scan the Magnavox....check out the knobs on that beauty....all three of ‘em!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqQfaxpkSOE

1952....’You Belong to Me’   Jo Stafford ....Click the ‘more info’ side link for some background on the song and its lyrics.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H1Imb6jm0U&feature=related

1955....’The Yellow Rose of Texas’   Mitch Miller ....While there is no Mitch Miller in this video it IS an interesting and odd, selection of various magazine covers from 1955.   What these have to do with a ‘yellow rose in Texas’....who knows?   Video kitsch at its’ best.....I hope the risque first cover doesn’t stop you from perusing the rest...a great variety. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH7JZzLIIJs

1957....’Diana’   Paul Anka ....His first big hit when he was only 16 years old. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuTbB-d12A0

1960....’The Twist’   Chubby Checker #1 for 1 week in 1960.....returned to the #1 spot for another two weeks in Jan. of 1962. At that time only Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ had returned to #1 after an absence of one year or more. One of the biggest dance sensations ever! Here the Chubster performs on American Bandstand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0llYzLX8Fr8&feature=related

1963....’My Boyfriend’s Back’   The Angels....I thought sure I would find a video of the Angels performing this song....but what I found is a good cover version from the television series ‘American Dreams’. If you’d like to hear the original song there is a panel link to the right of this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewjxzSGmOGw&feature=related

1965....’Help’   The Beatle An excellent black and white video of one of my favorite Beatle songs. This ran as part of the opening credits of the movie ‘HELP’.....where the bad guys were throwing darts at a screen showing the Fab Four doing the title song.....much hilarity ensued.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXh4EuJa2TU

1968....’People Got to Free’ The (Young) Rascals A live TV version that gets a little sloppy but hangs in there by throwing in a little ‘Oh Happy Day’ for good measure. Another band I always enjoyed. **The lead singer of the Rascals, Felix Cavaliere, brought his new Rascals to the WV Italian Heritage Festival in Clarksburg this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWkMXF5y0Uc

1972....’Brandy’   Looking Glass   Video from VH1’s ‘8 Track Flashback’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U8Bheg86hg&NR=1

1975....’Fame’ David Bowie    Hey...isn’t there Cher giving the off screen introduction? Did you know John Lennon got a song writing credit on this smash? Check out the ‘more info’ link for a lot good background material. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfeaNKcffMk&feature=related

1979....’My Sharona’ The Knack From a live performance on Japanese TV!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbYDb9Ni_Ng&feature=related

1983....’Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)’ Eurythmics ......Synth-pop-new wave memories. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQHrspjw4aA

1985....’Money For Nothing’     Dire Straits Let’s wrap things up with a spectacular version of this song recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in 1997. Joining Dire Staits front man Mark Knopfler are Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Sting!! Watch for the clapping cello players...no....really.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1lNMBsNEw8

Next month let’s ‘Moon Dance’.

NEW READERS

Jacqueline “Jackie” Hays Lafferty (VHS '54) (Jackie is now the grandmother of 18 and great grandmother of 9)	Grannieof15@aol.com
Tom Garrett (WI '65)	tandlgarrett@verizon.net
Anthony Fratto (WI '70)	afratto@access.k12.wv.us
Brenda Carol Starkey Newcome (WI '65)	bcnewcome@comcast.net
Loretta Jean “Jeannie” Crawford Sirk (VHS '63)	sirk@isp.com
LaDonna Emrick Davis (RW '56)	ladonnae528@verizon.net
Brenda Harrison Coleman (WI '58)	bjcole16@aol.com
Ellen White Pollack (WI '72)	ewpollack@cs.com
Jeff Westfall (WI '83)	westfall-family@hotmail.com
Debbie Skidmore Cunningham (WI '77)	djcskids@aol.com
Mike Cunningham (WI '75)	djcskids@aol.com
Donna Sokolosky Bearnard (WI '75)	louise1110@verizon.net

CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS

Johnnie W. Harris (WI '70)	SHARRIS9@MA.RR.COM
Bill Bowie (WI '62)	whbowie@yahoo.com
Wade Coffindaffer (WI '68)	Wcoffin3@verizon.net
Richard Underwood (WI '60)	Undie3423@yahoo.com
Dave “Tuffy” Knight (VHS '54)	Tuffcon@rogers.com
Lenora Marie Torchia Caruso (WI '46)	marie78t@verizon.net
Michael S. Elyard (WI '76)	michaelelyard@ma.rr.com

Michael returned to live in Clarksburg in June after serving his country for 23 years in the Air Force.
Thank you, sir!

submitted by: Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI '59)
jkimler@verizon.net
THE 8TH ANNUAL WI REUNION PICNIC was held Aug 23rd at 11am at the Veterans Park in Clarksburg. There were about 125 in attendance.

Sharyn Cottrill McGahan WI 1959 was in charge of the picnic. Many thanks to those who came early to help her with unloading the supplies from the cars, covering the tables, arranging the food and putting up the canopies: Judy Daugherty Kimler WI 1959, Paula Brasseur Riley WI 1959, Sharyn's husband Jim McGahan Grafton 1956, son Pat McGahan ND 1987, son Bil McGahan ND 1984 and grandson JW McGahan.

Judy Daugherty Kimler handled the registration and gave out tickets for the door prizes. A special THANK YOU to Jim Campbell WI 1960, Charlie Burkhammer WI 1959 and Phyllis Fitrro Brown WI 1959 who helped Judy at the Registration table. She really appreciated it.

Judy at the registration table with Jim Campbell.
photo submitted by: Charlie Burkhammer (WI '59)
Margaret Ann Heflin Bailey, WI 1962, thanked everyone for coming back to Clarksburg for the picnic and hoped they would return soon.

Remember-you don’t have to be a graduate from WI to be a WI Alum---if you spent any time at all going to school there, you are welcome to come and join your class as we consider you one of ours! Come, bring a friend and join us in the fun next year at THE 9TH ANNUAL WI REUNION PICNIC Saturday August 29th, 2009.

The pictures below were also submitted by Charlie Burkhammer (WI '59)

The pictures below were submitted by Glen Cowgill (WI '59)

The pictures below were submitted by Sharyn Cottrill McGahan (WI '59)
THE 40's

CLASSES OF 1950-1957

CLASS OF 1958

CLASS OF 1959

THE 60's

THE 70's

Pictured above are Jim Brown, Fred Dunham and Skip Bowie, all 1957

Pictured above are Jim and Sharyn Cottrill McGahan

LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY
EDITOR’S NOTE: I think a lot of us can relate to this one! We lived it!

submitted by: Bob Bridge (WI '56)
BridgePSU @aol.com
Some of your “older” readers may enjoy this. Someone sent it to me, and neither of us has any idea where it came from.

LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY, IN A LAND THAT TIME FORGOT

Before the days of Dylan, or the dawn of Camelot.
There lived a race of innocents, and they were you and me,

For Ike was in the White House in that land where we were born,
Where navels were for oranges, and Peyton Place was porn.

We learned to gut a muffler, we washed our hair at dawn,
We spread our crinolines to dry in circles on the lawn.

We longed for love and romance, and waited for our Prince,
And Eddie Fisher married Liz, and no one’s seen him since.

We danced to ‘Little Darlin,’ and sang to ‘Stagger Lee’
And cried for Buddy Holly in the Land That Made Me, Me.

Only girls wore earrings then, and 3 was one too many,
And only boys wore flat-top cuts, except for Jean McKinney.

And only in our wildest dreams did we expect to see
A boy named George with Lipstick, in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We fell for Frankie Avalon, Annette was oh, so nice,
And when they made a movie, they never made it twice.

We didn’t have a Star Trek Five, or Psycho Two and Three,
Or Rocky-Rambo Twenty in the Land That Made Me, Me.

Miss Kitty had a heart of gold, and Chester had a limp,
And Reagan was a Democrat whose co-star was a chimp.

We had a Mr. Wizard, but not a Mr. T,
And Oprah couldn’t talk yet, in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We had our share of heroes, we never thought they’d go,
At least not Bobby Darin, or Marilyn Monroe.

For youth was still eternal, and life was yet to be,
And Elvis was forever in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We’d never seen the rock band that was Grateful to be Dead,
And Airplanes weren’t named Jefferson , and Zeppelins were not Led.

And Beatles lived in gardens then, and Monkees lived in trees,
Madonna was a virgin in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We’d never heard of microwaves, or telephones in cars,
And babies might be bottle-fed, but they weren’t grown in jars.

And pumping iron got wrinkles out, and ’gay’ meant fancy-free,
And dorms were never coed in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We hadn’t seen enough of jets to talk about the lag,
And microchips were what was left at the bottom of the bag.

And Hardware was a box of nails, and bytes came from a flea,
And rocket ships were fiction in the Land That Made Me, Me.

Buicks came with portholes, and side shows came with freaks,
And bathing suits came big enough to cover both your cheeks.

And Coke came just in bottles, and skirts below the knee,
And Castro came to power near the Land That Made Me, Me.

We had no Crest with Fluoride, we had no Hill Street Blues,
We had no patterned pantyhose or Lipton herbal tea
Or prime-time ads for condoms in the Land That Made Me, Me.

There were no golden arches, no Perrier to chill,
And fish were not called Wanda, and cats were not called Bill.

And middle-aged was 35 and old was forty-three,
And ancient were our parents in the Land That Made Me, Me.

But all things have a season, or so we’ve heard them say,
And now instead of Maybelline we swear by Retin-A.

They send us invitations to join AARP,
We’ve come a long way, baby, from the Land That Made Me, Me.

So now we face a brave new world in slightly larger jeans,
And wonder why they’re using smaller print in magazines.

And we tell our children’s children of the way it used to be,
Long ago and far away in the Land That Made Me, Me.

THE SIXTIES
submitted by: Bryan McIntyre (WI '65)
bmcintyre@ec.rr.com
This is one of the best presentations of the sixties that I have seen online. It is very well done. Just click on the link and sit back and enjoy the memories Great photos and facts. The Sixties

EANN T. HODGES
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you know anything about Eann T. Hodges please respond to the following email! Thanks

submitted by: Brenda Jo (Ash) Elder(VHS '69)
bennyjoelder@hotmail.com
The WI newsletter was forwarded to me by a cousin. I am a proud Victory Eagle.

I wonder if anyone can locate Eann T. Hodges. She probably graduated from WI in the early 70’s. She married Tom Taylor, then divorced, moved to DC where we re-united and played some great racquetball. She eventually move to Canada and I have lost touch with her.

YOU CAN BUY YOURS NOW…
Tickets are now on sale for the drawing of the winning name to be awarded the 2009 WIN Quilt. This is the fourth year that Sue Selby Moats has undertaken this task. The winning name is drawn at the Clarksburg Picnic on March 7th in Sarasota, Florida. You need not be present to win. The first year the lady bought her tickets through the mail, the second quilt was awarded to someone who purchased her ticket at the Sarasota picnic and last year the lady purchased her winning ticket at the Clarksburg Picnic. So we have had a winner from each of the three ways to buy a ticket! So let’s see what happens this year! The planned quilt is beautiful! I am sure everyone will want it, I know I want it, I love all quilts!

Those who have purchased tickets are:
Bill Meredith
Judy Talkington
Roger Dean
Sandy Lindke
Dick Hanifan
Nun Cowgill
Susan Sandos
Jim Brown
Naomi Burkhammer
Boo and Judy Beall

Won’t you join this group and support the WIN Scholarship!

Make your check out to—Roleta Meredith/WIN Scholarship
And mail to:
Roleta Meredith
c/o Meredith Brothers, Inc.
3025 Switzer Ave
Columbus, Ohio 43219

Please put a note with your check stating you wish to receive tickets or that you wish to buy them for someone else……give me the phone number to reach the winner when the ticket is drawn.

DOWNTOWN STORES
submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
jteter@balmar.com
I can remember going thru all of the 5 & 10 cent store on Main Street, and the Workingman’s Store on Pike Street on a regular basis. I can remember the Ice Cream Store on Main Street being the after-school hangout, and I think that the name of that store was Hagen’s Ice Cream. I can remember Aaron’s Shoe Store on Main Street as Chris Winer (who lived across the street from my parents) used to work at Aaron’s. Then of course there was Palace, Parson Souders, James & Law, Lohr & White, Friedlanders, Pettrey’s, Melets, and of course the pool halls/beer joints on Pike Street along with the shoe repair shop and Weber’s Florist. I am hoping to get to Clarksburg for the WI picnic in August, as the last time that I was there they were working on tearing down some of the buildings on Main Street and it will be interesting to see how far along they are with the destruction of downtown Clarksburg and/or the restructuring of same. I hope that they never tear down Byard’s Pharmacy as that seems to be the one ROOT of downtown Clarksburg that remains.

The best place that I remember (AND STILL DO) is The Ritzy Lunch. I have always just loved their hot dogs (AND STILL DO) and at some point in my younger life was friends with one of the Selario brothers (John I think) and we used to hang out in the upper level of the restaurant where they kept their supplies. We would play and when we got hot and thirsty, we would drink a HOT SODA, which is something that I could not do today for LOVE nor MONEY!

submitted by: Debbie Stoikowitz (WI '69)
dstoik@cox.net
I am happy to share my thoughts of the dime stores and other stores with you and the readers of the newsletter.

I remember the dime stores in town like, GC Murphy’s, Woolworth (I loved the menu and copied it) and I can’t remember the other ones on Main Street....just doors from each other. Do you all remember the colored baby chicks at Woolworth at Easter time? I do and my parents bought us two of them. I know most WI classmates can remember the Home Industry Bakery on Main Street next to Aarons Shoe store. We went there at lunch time for those great pepperoni rolls. How can we forget Parsons Souders Department Store. The junior section was on the second floor and my mother worked on the third floor and became an interior decorator in the furniture department. She loved her job and even decorated for the Home Show at the Armory. My grandparents owned the Sayre Studio on Fourth Street, Clarksburg. The old building is still standing.....what memories I have of those days. Do you remember Vanes Jewelry Store and Rogers Jewelry Store on either side of Friedlanders Department Store. They were owned by Mr. Tannenbaum. I worked at Vanes Jewelry Store after graduating in 1969 from WI. I have such vivid memories of downtown Clarksburg. How can we forget any of the stores there!!! I hope Clarksburg is restored and is a working small city again like it was when I was growing up.

Keep up the GREAT work Roleta!

submitted by: Diana Matheny Jones (WI '70)
diana452@sbcglobal.net
There were 4 dime stores, WT Grant, FW Woolworth, G C Murphys and McCrory McClellan and Green........ I worked for McCrorys from the summer of 1969 to June 1971. I worked the lunch counter. I can remember making sub sandwiches to sell outside for the band festival we had in town every year. I also remember how hard I worked for 1.35 an hour, paid in cash in a little brown envelope. I learned so much from that first job. Unlike waitresses of today we did it all back then. We cooked, we served, we cleaned, we cashiered. I now work for Bank of America with a total of 20 yrs banking experience. I remember when they started issuing checks for our pay and I had to open a bank account. I miss the 5 and dime stores. I work with a 20 yr old young man and I was reminiscing one afternoon about how they were back in the late 60’s and early 70’s. he of course had never heard of them. I told him to ask his parents maybe they would remember them. The candy counter was a favorite place for me. Buying candy by the 1/4, 1/2 or pound. I believe coffee was a dime then went up to 15 cents. When I left there to come to Oklahoma to live I was making 1.85 an hour, my boss thought I would be back wanting my job back. I have two sisters that worked for Murphys.

I remember my sister talking about Mr Slaughter. The town I live in now does not have those kinds of stores but they do have a lot of little antique stores, art stores, book shops etc and I like going in them and strolling down main street. In some of these antique stores I see many items I grew up with for sale. So many downtowns are like ghost towns with everyone moving out to a mall. Independent stores are a thing of the past for sure.

Great job with the newsletter. I am attaching my picture. Any 1970 graduates, I would love to hear from you! Genealogy is my hobby and this was taken on a trip to Clarksburg Public Library.

submitted by: Margaret Cleavenger Maiocco (WI '65)
mlmaiocco@cox.net
In reference to the dimes store lunch counters, all stores had lunch counters.

G.C. Murphy, McCrory’s and Woolworth lunch counters were all on the far right side when entering the store.

W.T. Grants lunch counter was on the left side.

I just returned from Clarksburg and can not believe what downtown has become. The stores downtown were a vital part of growing up in Clarksburg. I guess they call this progress?

Thank you for the good job and the hard work everyone puts into producing this monthly newsletter. Your efforts are appreciated by all. I enjoy reading and look forward to each month.

submitted by: Kay Lawson Adair (WI '58)
Kladair1@aol.com
In my far back memory bank as a child, I remember going into Chicago Dairy on Fourth Street in Clarksburg with my mother and feeling the cool dampness and the smell of the grapes. I can close my eyes and I am there! Crazy!

NICKNAMES
Well, I didn’t hear from very many of you this month about the NICKNAME GAME—I was positive that you would recognize more than you did. I guess your memories aren’t tuned up yet. Come on, some of you are even listed here and you didn’t respond! This is a game—come on and play! Dust off that gray matter and participate. You have any nicknames that you know? Just send me the nickname and the name of the person to whom it belonged….

So here are the nicknames given to you last month and the answers…..

Spagots-------------Jim Alvaro——————————number who remembered—1
Burrhead------------Rick Kosmico————————number who remembered——3
Bozo Moran--------Ralph Moran————————number who remembered——5
Guppy----------------Ron Grow ——————————number who remembered——1
Theme Song-------Billy McCoy————————— number who remembered—1
Pidge-----------------Dave McGahan—————————number who remembered ——10 (this one surprised me, I thought dozens would have remembered this one, I even knew it!)
Hayseed Hawkins—no one identified him
Muzzy---------------2 people remembered that the last name was Policano but no one came up with a first name.
Hose Nose----------Sonny Talkington———number who remembered ——4
Pooter-----------------Carl Clovis————————number who remembered——28

Now the 10 for you to identify this month are listed below…Just write your guess to Roleta1@aol.com come and play the game.

This kind of fun makes for a good newsletter. Send me some nicknames (and the name of the person who owned that name) …..We need nicknames from all the years we were in school to add to the list, not just from a few years that one person might remember so we are counting on you to help us out! Now read the list below and send us your guesses…..write to Roleta1@aol.com

CHINKY.........
DICKO............
FOOTS...........
HOTTY...........
SUGAR..........
PUNKY..........
FUZZY............
POOCHIE.......
MONK.............
PORK.............
Email me the name and your guess……………thanks for playing the game and helping make the newsletter interesting. Roleta1@aol.com

submitted by: Richard Underwood (WI '60)
Undie3423@yahoo.com
I am Richard Underwood, WI class of 1960, my brother Ronald and I have always been called ”UNDIE”. I think Jim Collins gave it to us. From what I understand it started out as “Underwear” and then got shortened to Undie. We lived at Lake Floyd for a few years and even had a sign on our house (THE UNDIES) with four pair of underwear drawn on the sign, three long john type, and one pair of bloomers for my mother. I am 65 now and retired, but most of my friends still call me that.

You guys put out a super news letter, and I want to say thanks for all the hard work. I look forward to it every month.

Would you please put my name on your email list again, thanks.

submitted by: Bob Patterson (VHS '54)
James22055@aol.com
Back in the 50’s when there was SKY CASTLE , Carl Clovis was one of the DJ’S. I remember Carl working at his dad’s gas station in Point Comfort that's between Clarksburg and Adamston. I’m not sure but I think Carl went to WI. I know he had polio. Carl stayed in the radio business and later moved to Marietta, OH. I’m thinking he owned a radio station in Marietta. I know he made a lot of radio commercials and remote broadcasting. I remember one time he was doing a remote at a store in Parkersburg and I walked up to him and called him my his nickname of Pooter. He laughed and said “ I moved a 100 miles away to get rid of that name and the first person to speak to me calls me by my nickname”. Carl has passed away now, he was a very popular person in this area.

GEM IN THE HILLS
submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah '57)
billmere@aol.com
Roleta and I were in the Blackwater Falls/Canaan Valley area of West Virginia in late July. While there, we found a true “Gem In The Hills”. Approximately two miles south of the Canaan Valley Resort, on SR 32, we discovered “The Golden Anchor”, an excellent restaurant and pub. It is located in an old barn, which has been refurbished into a unique spot. They specialize in seafood, even though they are 300 miles from the ocean. The food was superb, the atmosphere was wonderful (we sat on the large front porch). The owner, Ron Cvetican, a Fairmont State grad from the Pittsburgh area, was a very friendly host. If you are ever in the area, don’t miss this dining experience. They have been in business for 20 years, which proves that good food and friendly service are the keys to success in this business. If “The Golden Anchor” can make it in this location, anything is possible.

CLARKSBURG NEIGHBORHOODS
I can’t believe that none of you are from Anmore or Adamston! Or is it possible that you grew up in one of those areas but don’t have any good memories to share with us? But your chance is gone now….So it is on to the next ones—This month I will accept emails of memories about growing up in ARBUTUS PARK AND ARLINGTON. Remember to sign your letters with your name (maiden name too if you are married) your school, and year of graduation… I know we should hear from someone soon! I have tried to include everyone in Clarksburg in this section….please don’t let down your area by not sharing some of your best memories about growing up there….Please don’t me down. Write to Roleta1@aol.com.

By the way, I understand some of you are contacting friends who grew up in your same area of Clarksburg and you are planning on giving a great salute to your section of town when it is featured! I can’t wait to hear your marvelous stories!

ALL AROUND CLARKSBURG
ADAMSTON--------------------------------------------------------NO ONE RESPONDED
ANMOORE (FORMERLY GRASSELLI)------------------NO ONE RESPONDED
ARBUTUS PARK
ARLINGTON
BROAD OAKS
BROADWAY
BRUSHY FORK
CHESTNUT HILLS
COLONIAL HEIGHTS (aka THE HILL—where WI was located)
COUNTRY CLUB ADDITION
DAVISSON RUN
DESPARD/ SUMMIT PARK
*EAST END
EAST POINT
EAST VIEW
EDGEWOOD
*GLEN ELK
GLEN FALLS
GOFF PLAZA
HARTLAND
HEFLIN HEIGHTS
HIGHLAND PARK
INDUSTRIAL
KELLY HILL
MONTPELIER (AKA PINNICINICK HILL)
NORTHVIEW
NIXON PLAZA
NORWOOD
NUTTER FORT
PARK PLAZA
POINT COMFORT
STEALEY
STONEWOOD--------------------------------------NO ONE RESPONDED
*WEST END

WHO WAS THAT MISS WEST VIRGINIA?
submitted by: Nancy Rice DeLaney (WI '62)
NLDeLaney@alo.com
Roleta, when I first saw the picture I thought it looked like Jo Dell Swiger from Salem & just figured many would name her, but since no one has guessed it, I’m submitting her name for contention. Keep up the great newsletters....Nancy

submitted by: Brenda Carol Starkey Newcome (WI '65)
bcnewcome@comcast.net

My brother Alfred Starkey just forwarded the August issue to me and said I should try to get it sent to me. I read it over . . . very interesting! Didn’t even know there was such a thing until he let me know. I don’t know if this is the right way to go about subscribing, but I would like to receive the WI Newsletter if possible. Keep up with this very informative item. I now live in Pennsylvania but was born and raised in Clarksburg, WV and lived in Chestnut Hills until I was married and moved away.

submitted by: Loretta Jean (“Jeannie”) Crawford Sirk (VHS '63)
sirk@isp.com

Hi, I graduated form Victory High in 1963 with Sharon and Terry Fleming. At our reunion last month, Sharon told me of your wonderful newsletter and also that there is a Clarksburg reunion picnic in Sarasota in March.

I live in Ocala, Fl. and would love to stay in touch with all the wonderful people of Clarksburg. Would you please put me on your e-mail list? My husband and I were born and raised in Clarksburg. We moved to Florida in 1989. My husband, John, passed away in March. If you or your husband are around our age, perhaps you knew him. He played football and his father owned the garage and service station on 19 north in Clarksburg.

Thank you and God Bless

submitted by: Wade Coffindaffer (WI '68)
Wcoffin3@verizon.net

Greetings from Spencer, WV. It has been sometime since we have been in contact and I wanted to provide you with my current email address to be added to your circulation list: Wcoffin3@verizon.net

My sister, Connie, and her husband, Bud Ferrell, stayed with Linda and I last weekend (in Spencer for Bud’s 50th Class Reunion) so we had a chance to catch up. I mentioned that I no longer received the email notices for the WI Newsletter so she sent me the link. As always, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it.

Keep up the good work!

submitted by: James Edward Callis
JamesEdwardCallis@hotmail.com

Thank you and your helpers for using my photos....God bless...Stealyite Jim Callis...as of Wed...I am a first time grandpa...mom is 41 and doing fine...I am almost 74 and still playing basketball twice a week....say this to encourage others...

submitted by: Dahrie Christiansen Hayman (WI '64)
dhayman2@cfl.rr.com

I’m trying to piece together some missing information and need some help. This is “way back when” and certainly a long shot, but does anyone recall attending first grade with me at Morgan School in 1953? If so, any chance you might have a photo? I would have been living in Hartland with my grandmother (Emma Axton).

Thanks so much.

submitted by: Tom Garrett (WI '65)
tandlgarrett@verizon.net

I’m back on line, this time as a retiree. My new email address is tandlgarrett@verizon.net. Something of interest maybe to you is that this upcoming football season at WVU (2008) I’ll be attending and sitting with my brother, Mark Garrett and his buddies Marty Elliot and Doug Aspy, along with other WI grads and our Garrett relatives. This should be a real “hoot” at the games and at the tailgating parties. If you want me to pass anything along to those guys let me know. Send me anything that would be of interest especially new newsletters.

submitted by: Beverly Lasher Bragg (WI '65) (Orlando, Florida)
bevbragg@aol.com

My husband, Jim Bragg RW “64” and I both enjoy reading your WI newsletter and look forward to receiving it every month. This month was particularly fun since the first picture of Morgan Grade School caught my eye immediately. I had so many friends in high school from that Morgan class and still keep in touch with Sheryl Pinnell and Linda Pouch. Unfortunately, a dear friend of many in that class, Sherry Hemsworth, was killed in a terrible car accident in Weston on her way back to her home in Virginia Beach many years ago.

Thanks so much for the memories you provide every month. Please keep that newsletter coming!

submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
jteter@balmar.com

I noticed in the August newsletter that there is a picture of a class and I noticed that one of the names under the picture was Jimma Rudd. I do not know if Jimma is any relation to a JOHNDA SUE RUDD, but if Jimma is related to Sue (as we knew her at WI), I would like to find Sue as she has been on my list of missing classmates from the class of 61 for 7 years.

SO, if anyone knows how to get in touch with Jimma and/or Sue Rudd, could you please have them contact me via E-mail at JATETER@AOL.COM so that I can try to get in touch with either one of them so that we can locate Sue.

Thanking you in advance, and THANKING YOU FOR ANOTHER GOOD NEWSLETTER (and JUDY TOO!)!

submitted by: Ron Watkins (VHS '54)
ronw@tx.rr.com

What an issue, I know you get tired of hearing it but you and Judy are really great. You keep memories alive and help to connect people with old friends.

I really enjoyed the stories this month about the servicemen, My Dad Paul Watkins had seven brothers and they all served during WWII. At one time the Exponent-Telegram ran a picture of all seven of them in uniform and told where they were serving. Used to have a copy but it has vanished. I remember my Grandmother had some kind of flag in her window to show she had sons in the service.

I am going to suggest that each one of us past 60 could send you a story about going to Grandma’s house on Sunday for Chicken dinner. I will save that for another time.

In keeping with the military theme my wife Nell and I were in Hawaii and had a chance to go to the Pearl Harbor memorial and visit the Arizona. I have attached a picture of the State Flag of W.Va. that is on display along with the state flags of the other states that had a ship lost.

RECIPES
submitted by: Charlie McClung (VHS '48)
CMCCLUNGSR@MSN.COM
OREO BALLS
MAKES 25-35 WALNUT SIZE CANDIES

1 PACKAGE REGULAR SIZE OREO COOKIES,CRUSHED
1 8-OZ PACKAGE CREAM CHEESE,SOFTENED
1 PACKAGE WHITE MELTING CHOCOLATE
1 PACKAGE CHOCOLATE MELTING

USING A BLENDER OR HAND HELD MIXER, MIX OREOS AND CREAM CHEESE TOGETHER.
ROLL INTO WALNUT SIZE BALLS
CHILL FOR AN HOUR

MELT APPROXIMATELY 3/4 PACKAGE OF WHITE CHOCOLATE
STICK A TOOTHPICK IN AN OREO BALL AND DIP IT IN THE MELTED WHITE CHOCOLATE
ALLOW TO HARDEN ON WAX PAPER
WHILE WAITING MELT 1/4 PACKAGE OF CHOCOLATE MELTING
WHEN OREOS ARE NO LONGER STICKY TO THE TOUCH DECORATE WITH DRIZZLES.

I JUST USE A SANDWICH BAG WITH A TINY HOLE CUT IN THE CORNER TO DRIZZLE

FRIENDSHIP BREAD (CAKE)
submitted by: Roleta S. Meredith
Roleta1@aol.com
A few months ago I ask if anyone had a recipe for Friendship Cake. A woman who went to school with Bill brought us 3 small loaves of this delicious cake. I had no idea that it was originally an Amish cake.

But of you are interested, Sharyn Cottrill McGahan (WI 959) kindly looked up the information and sent me a web site.. http://www.armchair.com/recipe/bake002.html

She did say that the one made with pudding is moist. Thought you might like to try it.

DO YOU HAVE A RECIPE TO SHARE? PLEASE WRITE TO ME….Roleta1@aol.com.

Here is another recipe for Friendship Cake!
submitted by: Jackie Lafferty
Grannieof15@aol.com
Here is a copy of a friendship cake that I cut out of a newspaper. I don’t know if it is the one you are looking for or not. I hope you can read it. If you have a problem with it, but would like to have it, please let me know and I will type it out for you and resend it to you. I also have some other copies of friendship cakes that my daughter sent me, if you would like me to make copies of them and send to you.

OBITUARIES
WILLIAM P. COTTRILL
LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — William P. “Bill” Cottrill passed away quietly at 6:15 a.m. July 23, 2008, surrounded by his wife and children at his home in Land O’ Lakes, Florida.

William P. (Bill) Cottrill was born January 20, 1924, in Clarksburg, WV, to Dovener and Ethel Goodnight Cottrill, both deceased. His only sister, Regina Conaway is also deceased.

Bill is survived by his wife of 60 years, Rhea (Peg) McCune Cottrill and a son and daughter, William Cottrill in Key West, FL, and Lisa Trofatter in Knoxville TN. Also four grandsons, Peter Trofatter and Parker Trofatter of Knoxville, TN, Benjamin Trofatter and wife Calla of Chicago, IL, and Taylor Cottrill of FL.

Bill graduated from Washington Irving High School with the class of 1941. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served with the 29th Infantry Division, 115th Regt, Co. K in Europe.

Bill received many medals, most cherished and presented By Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the Combat Infantry Medal, the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and the POW Medal. He was a Prisoner of War in Germany along with 82 of his Infantry Co.

After his discharge he returned to Clarksburg and worked at the Palace Furniture as a Buyer Salesman for 23 years, he was very active in the Civitan Club holding both chapter and state offices, also the ExPows, DAV and the 29th Division Post No. 2.

The family moved to Tampa, FL in 1971. Later Bill became an Industrial Manufacturing Representative and traveled the Southeastern U.S.

In response to problems unloading raw materials from railroad hopper cars he invented and received a U.S. Patent for the EVACUATOR.

MILDRED G. MILLS
CLARKSBURG — Mrs. Mildred G. Mills, age 93, of East Main Street, Clarksburg, WV, passed away at 7:55 p.m. on Friday, July 18, 2008, at the United Hospital Center following a brief illness.

Milly was born September 10, 1914, in Harrison County, WV a daughter of the late Thomas Nicholas Young and Bessie Young.

In addition to her parents, She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Lawrence H. Mills; her son, Lawrence Mark Mills; two brothers, Brig and Herb Young; and one sister, Bea Minion.

Mrs. Mills is survived by her daughter-in-law, Tracy L. Mills, her only grandchild, Andrew Mark Mills, both of Nutter Fort, WV and several nieces and nephews.

A loving mother and grandmother, Milly was a graduate of West Virginia University, and she enjoyed skiing and especially playing tennis. She had many wonderful friends over the years, whom she truly cherished. She was a member of the Christ Episcopal Church in Clarksburg. She was an educator, teaching school in her earlier years, and was a homemaker.

VIVIAN P. MORRIS
CLARKSBURG — Vivian P. Morris, 97, formerly of Park Blvd., Clarksburg, passed away on Monday, August 4, 2008. Mrs. Morris was born in Jarvisville on January 28, 1911, a daughter of the late Claude Albert and Pauline Myers Post.

She was married to Howard S. Morris on November 9, 1930, who preceded her in death on March 19, 1982. She is survived by one son, David L. Morris and his wife Victoria, Clarksburg; one daughter, Jacqueline and her husband David L. Corsini, Clarksburg; four grandchildren, Jeffrey (Robin) Morris, Jason Morris, David L. Corsini II (Robin), all of Clarksburg, and Kevin L. Corsini (Jodi) of Fairfax, VA; five great-grandchildren, Sarah and Steven Morris, Anna, Catherine and Emily Corsini; two stepgrandchildren, Matthew and Michael Boone; and one great-grandson, Anthony Corsini.

She was also preceded in death by one son, William Lee Morris; one great-grandson, Lee Edward Corsini; four brothers, Michael R. Post Jr., Harry B. Post, Cassel E. Post and Willis O. Post; and two sisters, Mary P. Coffindaffer and Helen P. Miller.

Mrs. Morris was a longstanding member of the Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Clarksburg. She was an Elder Emeritus, Deacon and member of the Women’s Association. She held various other positions in the church.

She was a graduate of Washington Irving High School, Class of 1929. Active in the Church Women United, member of the Ivy Rebekah Lodge 112 and was secretary for many years, former member of Sunny Croft Country Club and the YWCA.

She was a volunteer for Union Protestant and United Hospital Center for over 30 years. Her special interest was playing Bridge.

MARTHA RILEY TRIMBLE
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Martha Riley Trimble, of Fort Lauderdale, went to be with her Lord on Monday, August 4, 2008. She was born in Shinnston, WV, on May 16, 1920, to J.M. and Ada M. Riley.

She graduated from Washington Irving High School in Clarksburg, WV, in 1938 and went on to graduate from WV Business College in 1940. While there she met and later married Robert L. Trimble on Jan. 31, 1942.

She was an active member of First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale for 51 years. Predeceased by grandson Blake Armstrong, she is survived by her loving husband, Robert; children: Cheryl T. (Gary) Rhoads and William H. “Biff” (Jane) Trimble; by six grandchildren; and by four great-grandchildren.

L. WALLACE BRAKE
CLARKSBURG — L. Wallace Brake, age 87, of Seneca Drive, Clarksburg, passed away August 8, 2008, at United Hospital Center in Clarksburg.

Mr. Brake was a 1939 Washington Irving High School graduate and a graduate of WVU College of Arts and Sciences with a B.A. degree. He was a member of Sigma Chi and WVU Emeritus Alumni.

Mr. Brake was a U.S. Army veteran, having served during World War II in the European Theater as a lieutenant in the 89th Infantry Division and was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor. He was a Reservist in Austria following the end of the war.

Returning home, he joined his father, Ford H. Brake, in the Ford H. Brake & Sons Food Brokerage Business. He retired from that business in September 1989, having spent 44 years with that company.

Known as “Wally” by his many friends, he was born May 15, 1921, in Clarksburg, WV, a son of Ford H. and Flo (Abel) Brake.

He is survived by his wife, Oma (Young) Brake, whom he married December 9, 1948; a son, Lloyd Wallace Brake Jr. and his wife Karen of Fredericksburg, Virginia; a daughter, Marsha Brake Silver and her husband Bob of Denver, North Carolina; granddaughters, Ashley (Silver) Parish and her husband Geoff of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Amy Silver O’Toole and her husband Paul, also of Charlotte, North Carolina; sisters-in-law Millie Young of Clarksburg and Winnie Brake of Bridgeport; and a brother-in-law, G. Elder Young, M.D., DDS, and his wife Carolyn of Salem, Virginia.

HARRY H. KINNARD, JR.
submitted by: Augie Malfregeot (WI '56)
admasa@onearrow.net
Buck Kinnard, Jr, 82 years old, born April 4, 1926 in Clarksburg, WV, died August 6, 2008. He lived in lower Stealey on Milford Street. His family ran Central Storage Garage on Main St., just east of the telephone office. He introduced himself to me in West Palm Beach at some occasion that we both attended. He knew our family in Clarksburg. Interesting how small at time our big world can be.

submitted by: Kay Lawson Adair (WI '58)
Kladair1@aol.com
Several months ago, I read an article about Buck Kinnaird who was from Clarksburg. His parents owned Chicago Dairy on Fourth Street which I remember as a child. Yesterday, I read the Palm Beach Post obits. and saw that he had passed away at age 82. I had talked to him on several occasions through the years. He knew my father. Hope to see you this year in Sarasota

From THE PALM, BEACH POST—Friday August 8, 2008
HARRY H. KINNARD, JR.
“Buck”
Harry H “Buck Kinnard, Jr., 82 years of age, passed away peacefully at home. He was born April 4, 1926 in Clarksburg, WV, the only son of Harry and Deana Kinnard. He is survived by his cousin, Charles Kinnard of Chapel Hill, NC and his former wife Charlene Kinnard of Juno Beach. Buck served in the US Navy during WW II in the Pacific Theatre where he survived the sinking of his ship, the USS Lacerta. After attending WVU, he moved to Florida to West Palm Beach in 1962. He worked for WPTV for 27 years—21 as a sports director and five in the Marketing and PR Dept. Buck handled crowd control and the scoreboard for the Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 1997. When Roger Dean Stadium opened in 1998, he worked backfield security and ran the scoreboard which he continued to do until a month ago. He was inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and served as a director until his death. He was on the Lou Groza Awards committee as well as the Roger Dean Stadium Advisory Board.

JOHN STEPHEN TORYAK
John Stephen Toryak, age 65, of 119 Lang Ave., Clarksburg, WV, went home to be with the Lord and his daughter Megan on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, at the United Hospital Center.

He was born in Clarksburg, WV, on Feb. 16, 1943, at the former Union Protestant Hospital on Washington Ave., a son of the late John Frank Toryak and Ernestine (Tina) Berkey Toryak.

Surviving are his wife of 25 years, Rosemary Caveney Toryak, whom he married on June 22, 1983; a son, Mathew Lawrence Toryak, a student at West Virginia University, and a son, John Stephen Toryak, Jr., Manchester, CT, and a daughter and son-in-law, Pamela Denise Toryak and Richard Ramsey, Melbourne, FL, from a previous marriage to Roberta Ellen (Wright) Poe; six grandchildren, Alessia Levon Toryak and John Stephen Toryak, III who were both born in Naples, Italy, and live in Frederick MD, twins, Kayla Jordan and Karissa Brianne Toryak of Winchester, VA, Emily Christine and Julia Lee Ramsey of Melbourne, FL.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Megan Elizabeth Toryak, whose life was prematurely taken at a young age of 17 years on June 22, 2001, on Rt. 98 near Robert C. Byrd High School in a single car accident caused by a diabetic coma, a death Steve never really overcame.

Mr. Toryak served as Sgt. and was honorably discharged from the West Virginia National Guard, 1092 Engineers of Salem, WV.

He worked several years in the glass industry with Anchor Hocking Glass, Hazel Atlas Glass and Pittsburgh Plate Glass. A law enforcement career must have been in his blood, being his father was a police officer for the Clarksburg Police Dept. and also the fact that J. Stephen received an award of merit from the school safety patrol in 1956. August 3rd, 1966, Mr. Toryak began his distinguished career in Law Enforcement with the Clarksburg Police Department. During his tenure, he went through the ranks: Patrolman in 1966, Narcotics Detective in 1971, Detective in 1972, and Detective Sgt. in 1987, where he was in charge of the investigation division, and finally finishing his career as a shift supervisor, retiring in 1994. His career was full of many accomplishments, in which he received the Medal of Valor, Policeman of the Year and scored expert with his pistol.

Sgt. Stephen Toryak was shot in the line of duty on May 24, 1970, during an armed robbery at a local convenience store located in the Stealey area of Clarksburg. After retiring from the Clarksburg Police Department, Mr. Toryak was offered a job as a records clerk for the police department, a job in which he had a great amount of experience. Mr. Toryak held this position from 1994 until August 21, 2008.

While working in the records department, Stephen completed a three-year project of collecting photographs and other memorabilia from different members of the department dating from the 1800s to present day. He painted many of the old frames while others needed to be restored. After completing this task, these photographs now hang on the entrance to the police department.

Mr. Toryak was also known as the historian of the department. His father was also a police officer starting in 1946. When Stephen was first hired, he had the privilege to work with many of the officers who had worked with his father. They all knew Stephen because his father would bring him to the police station when he was young. As a small boy, he sat with his father at his desk watching him work, while spending many hours with the officers listening to their stories of excitement in the line of duty. Between his father and Stephen, they served the City of Clarksburg with more than 56 years. Stephen served 42 years and his father served for 14.

Stephen also was an excellent marksman with his pistol, qualifying as an expert during his career. He won many competitions, receiving numerous plaques and trophies. Throughout his twenty-eight years as an officer, he attended numerous schools to better his career. Some of these schools included a Criminal Investigators Development course, a Police officer survival seminar, as well as regular law enforcement training also.

Other courses he took part in include: Identi-Kit training, crime scene investigation and physical evidence collection school, a search and seizure seminar, and an improvised explosive device course by the Department of the Army. Stephen was also a police instructor for the National Highway Safety Counsel where he taught defensive driving, and was a certified instructor for the State of West Virginia teaching juvenile justice courses. He also was an instructor of the HALK radar system to his fellow officers.

Mr. Toryak loved sports of every kind. He lettered in junior high for two years, and all four years of high school. He also went on to play one year with the Army Post football team at Ft. Leonard, MO. He was a stellar athlete in four sports including football, basketball, baseball, and track. He has a record at his junior high school for his 400 meter relay team, where his name still appears on the track record in Salem, OH. Besides playing sports, Stephen also enjoyed the outdoors. He was an active outdoors man, enjoying hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting. He often talked about his record of hunting for over 36 years, taking at least one deer 35 of the 36 seasons, but often two or three.

Because of his passion for football, he became a football official belonging to the Northern Board of Officials and also the Mason Dixon Board of Officials, where he officiated numerous game over twenty-eight years. He also spent time officiating many basketball and baseball games. He was honored to officiate one of the North -South games, and was also honored by the West Virginia secondary schools activities commission for his years of officiating the state basketball tournaments in Charleston. Stephen also served as a Cub Scout leader of pack 547 for over 5 years, teaching young kids how to be good scouts.

Stephen belonged to many organizations. He was a member of The Fraternal Order Of Police, Mountaineer Lodge 78. The FOP was his blood that kept his heart pumping. He served in every chair of the organization, and attended every state FOP Conference since 1966, including some national conferences. He served as President in 1971, and was also a state officer for ten years. Stephen was also a member of The Loyal Order of Moose, Lodge 52, The Elks Lodge 482, the Fraternal Order of Eagles 3502, the VFW 573, the Blue Knights of WV, and the Salem Rifle and Pistol Club.

Stephen served as vice president of the Blue Knights motorcycle club. Stephen had many friends, but not too many knew about his passion for making apple butter each year during September and October with his members from the pistol and rifle club. Stephen also was a member of the Knights of Columbus 872, where he became a fourth degree knight, which was one of his proudest accomplishments. Stephen also was a fourth degree member of Our Lady of Peace 1184 Assembly.

Friends will be received at the Davis-Weaver Funeral Home, 329 East Main St., Clarksburg from 2-8 p.m. Saturday and 2-8 p.m. Sunday. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 25, 2008, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with The Rev. Father Casey B. Mahone as celebrant.

There will be a service conducted by the Blue Knights of WV on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., followed by a service by the Knights of Columbus at 5 p.m.

A service will be conducted by the Fraternal Order of Police at 6 p.m. Sunday.

A prayer service will be at 7 p.m. Sunday by The Rev. Timothy Grassi at the funeral home. Interment will be in the Holy Cross Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Megan Elizabeth Toryak Memorial Scholarship Fund, Wesbanco, 140 W. Main St., Clarksburg, WV 26301, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, 120 Wall St. 19th Floor, Att: Public Information Group, NY. NY 10005, or the American Cancer Society, Harrison Co. Unit, 122 S. High St., Morgantown, WV 26501.

Davis-Weaver service.

Thanks to the Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram for permission to use parts of their obituaries…

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