THE WI NEWSLETTER 10/08

Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith

Issue 110

October 2008

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO WROTE LETTERS OF THANKS AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR OUR BRINGING YOU THE NEWSLETTER---STARTING OUR 10TH YEAR!

GIVING
I wish to thank everyone who has given to the WIN Scholarship these past few years. Each and every gift is important. I agree that $5.00 to $100.00 won’t do much to help a child with their education when given to them. However, if we put all of our gifts together it will make a substantial gift that will help a graduate from RC Byrd High School. With each of your gifts to the scholarship, we are making a difference-we have now given $11,000.00 in scholarships to graduates from RC Byrd HS over the past 4 years.

Those who gave this month were:

Sherry Greitzner Dial (WI 1956)

Alexis Julian Scott (Notre Dame 1965)

Jim Pulice (WI 1962)

Nancy Mayer Capilla (WI 1959)

Terry Shorr (Elkins HS 1958) (bought tickets for the quilt)

Terry Shorr (Elkins HS 1958) Gave a nice gift in Memory of his best friend Bobby Neal. The 2 men were friends most of their lives—see his letter about this in the Mail section.

Dick Fitch (WI 1956)

Gene Davis (WI 1959)

If you wish to be part of this great Passion for Education write your check to:
Roleta Meredith c/o WIN Scholarship
Mail to:
Roleta Meredith
3201 Charles MacDonald Drive
Sarasota, Florida 34240

OLD WESTERNS
submitted by: Jay Sharp (WI '59)
jsharp4740@aol.com
Neat old memories, takes a little time to watch, but enjoy!

http://www.oldfortyfives.com/thoseoldwesterns.htm
EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks Jay, these brought back memories, even though I couldn’t identify all of them.

PAYING TRIBUTE TO WHERE YOU GREW UP:
CLARKSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD
SHARING MEMORIES

From the Editor: (Roleta1@aol.com)

This month we are featuring Arbutus Park and Arlington sections of Clarksburg. Re” Arbutus Park---one nice letter was received and it was from Jeanne Taylor Teter who grew up in that section. And one email came from Pat Elder who shared some memories “about” Arlington even though he did not grow up in Arlington, he is sharing memories of this section of town. Apparently Arbutus Park and Arlington are very small. I guess no one else remembered growing up there?

ARBUTUS PARK:
When I ask Freddie Layman where the name Arbutus Park originated he answered me:
“The only thing I can find out about Arbutus Park is that it came into the city limits of Clarksburg April 22, 1947”.

Thanks Jeanne Taylor Teter for your memories and your salute to the neighborhood in which you grew up.

submitted by: Jeanne Taylor Teter (WI '56)
teterrd@comcast.net
I don’t know how old I was when my family moved to Arbutus Park; but it was long before my sister was born, and I was seven years old then. Our original street address was 119 Woodland Avenue. Only later, when the neighborhood was annexed to the city, was the street name changed to Arbutus Drive.

Ours was a friendly three-block community where the women organized and met monthly as “The Garden Club.” It was mostly the men, though, who actually tilled gardens, mostly vegetable and some covering an entire lot. During the Second World War, everyone was urged to have a “victory” garden. My dad planted our garden in the back yard and kept a chicken coop there as well, so that we had fresh eggs every day and chicken every Sunday. He also kept a hunting dog in a pen near the chicken coop, and, briefly, I kept a pet rabbit there too. My mom worked at a Fourth Street dress shop and it was her employer who gave me the rabbit; my dad worked for the Railway Express Agency. A succession of baby-sitters and nanny-types looked after me during the day.

We kids spent most of our time playing outdoors, my most frequent companions being those who lived on my street: Myrna and Sandra Shreves, Carolyn and Kay Lawson, Janet and Cynthia Molle. Traffic was so light we could use the street for ring tennis and badminton. Hopscotch, roller-skating and scooters were relegated to the sidewalk that edged one side of the road. In winter we built snowmen and went sledding. In summer, we wore pullon skirts and strapless tops that our mothers sewed from shared patterns. We played, often unattended, for hours at a time. At dinnertime, mothers yelled from their front doors for their offspring to come home.

Our next-door neighbors, the Lawsons, were such good friends that we never bothered to knock when we went to their house. We just opened the unlocked front door and called out to see if anyone was home. They came into our house the same way. Only years later did we begin to lock our doors.

Like most kids, I wanted pets. After much pleading, I was allowed to keep a stray black cat, whom I named Petey. Petey was a docile soul who allowed me to dress her in doll clothes and rock her in my doll cradle. But Petey eventually had kittens, and before long her kittens had kittens. (I named three of my favorites Rachel, Rebecca and Ramona, during my Daphne du Maurier period.) Mom didn’t like cats much, but Dad argued that they were good mousers. When we eventually found ourselves with 13 felines on the property, mom laid down the law: No More Cats. And slowly our feline menagerie disappeared.

Still, I was able to keep an occasional dog. When I was very small, we had a cocker spaniel, aptly named Puddles. Later came a mongrel or two. Dad took a liking to a mutt named Shiner. He wasn’t allowed in the house though; and one day, when I had Shiner upstairs with me, Dad came home and plunked himself down in the living room, not far from the stairs. There was no way to get Shiner downstairs without Dad seeing him. So, with great anxiety and trepidation, I tied a rope around my faithful companion’s middle and lowered him from an upstairs window to the side yard below, where an accomplice waited with up-stretched arms. Unfortunately, a living room window was just below that upstairs window from which Shiner dangled, so the fiasco was readily visible from my dad’s chair. He never said a word to me about it though, nor I to him. But we both knew that I’d been caught, and I never tried that stunt again.

Aside from Dad’s vegetable garden and chicken coop, our back yard sported two cherry trees, a plum tree, a grapevine, and the ubiquitous clothesline. When I was 12 or so, I laboriously dug up the grass under one cherry tree and planted some flower seeds, inspired by the beautiful flower garden next door. Mr. Evers, the neighboring flower gardener, stood watching me, leaning on his shovel; but he never said a word. When Dad came home from work that day and saw what I’d done to his carefully cultivated lawn, he was very upset. He put all the grass sod back over the freshly dug dirt, saying that flowers would never grow there because it was too shady. I was bummed; Mr. Evers was amused.

The plum tree holds a memory, too. As a 7th grader, I climbed that tree, hung by my knees from a low limb and then allowed myself to drop to the ground, hoping I would break my arm or leg. (More likely, it would’ve been my neck.) On my second or third try, our other next-door neighbor, Jenny Lawson, came out on her back porch and yelled for me to “Stop that this instant!” So I had to give up the plan to incapacitate myself. Yes, no matter what, I was going to have to take my cousin, visiting from out of state, to the Central Junior High dance. Again, I was bummed.

I never thanked that neighbor for her vigilance and caring, but I should have. Having her next door was like having a back-up mom. But I have thanked the Lord, many times, that my sister and I grew up among caring and responsible people. Arbutus Park provided a spacious and secure place for us to play, to roam and to learn. I count myself lucky to have lived there.

REMEMBERING ARLINGTON
submitted by: Patrick A. Elder (ND '57)
St1pat@aol.com
When I lived in North View, we used to go on our bikes to Arlington Addition & go down those hilly roads at over 60mph. We played Arlington in sandlot football and would engage afterwards in a gang warfare type competition (like WW II) on the coal strip piles. We threw coal at each other just like shooting in a war. We all got along, but it was rough. The only one I can remember from Arlington was Lee Allawat whom I haven't seen or heard from since 1957. I think there was a Skinner welding shop and they had 17 kids.

BUDDIES GOLFING FOR CHARITY
submitted by: Ralph Brown (WI '65)
Rebrown65@embarqmail.com

Above is a picture of Ralph Brown, Joe Martin, and Tom Bennett playing in a Golf Charity event to benefit Prostate Cancer Research. The outing was at "The Villages", in Florida.

At top on left is Tom Bennett (WI 1965). Standing next to him is Joe Martin, (Notre Dame 1965). Ralph Brown bottom right (WI 1965). The other man pictured is Tom’s friend.

It was a fun day for a good cause.

THE 2009 QUILT
YOU COULD BE THE LUCKY ONE
The fabric packets for the 2009 WIN Scholarship quilt have been sent out and the excitement has begun. This year's theme is "Sizzlin' Summer" and our hope is that the quilt will look like a Mid-summer's Night sky with sparkling stars and/or fireworks.

The dedicated quilt makers are busy on their blocks. In fact Mary Sue Spahr has already sent hers to me. Carol Dean is stitching her 2nd block and Barb Charles, new to the quilter's group, has sent a picture of the block she is making to give a "sneak peek" of what we are making. Others are working on their great blocks for the quilt. If anyone else would like to join the quilting group, please contact: Sue Selby Moats by email at moatsue@aol.com

We sold quite a few chances for the 2009 quilt at the WI picnic in Clarksburg at the end of August. You may purchase chances by sending your check to Roleta indicating that you would like some chances for the quilt. They are 1 chance for $1.00; 6 chances for $5.00 and so forth. Roleta will let me know how many chances to enter for you. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Clarksburg Picnic on March 7, 2009 in Sarasota, Florida. You need not be present to win. Write a check, include your address and phone number along with a note saying that you want to buy QUILT tickets:

Make out your check to:

Roleta Meredith c/o WIN Scholarship

Mail to: Roleta Meredith
3201 Charles MacDonald Drive
Sarasota, Florida 34240

Let's work together to make 2009 even more successful in raising money to help young people get their higher education. I know all of us are having to tighten our belts with this present money crisis, but every little bit you can contribute will help a great cause.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Since we started the WIN Scholarship, we have given $11,000.00 back to the community of Clarksburg, WV by helping with the education of a few graduates from R C Byrd High School. Won’t you help too?

Above is one of the quilt squares that will be part of the 2009 Quilt. This square was made by Barbara Yeager Charles (not a Clarksburg native ) who married Joe Charles (Bridgeport HS 1955)……….Thanks Barbara for helping the ladies make this beautiful quilt to benefit the WIN Scholarship.

NANCY NORVELL LAFLEUR (WI 1957)
submitted by: Gloria Caruso Shaffer (WI '58)
mshaffer@ma.rr.com
To the classmates and friends of Nancy Norvell LaFleur (WI 1957): Nan fell and broke her hip and has had surgery. She has been going through physical therapy and is doing very well.

I know it would make Nan very happy to hear from her friends via e-mail or cards. Send a card to:
Nan LaFleur
9508 Grenville Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89134-6202.

MY NEIGHBORHOOD

Please write and tell me your memories of growing up, about the area, your friends, your family, where you played, the stores, etc….you get the idea. If you are proud of your old neighborhood or loved growing up there, share it with us….In the November Newsletter we will feature BROAD OAKS. Write to Roleta1@aol.com. So, if you are from Broad Oaks, contact friends and relatives and ask them to also write about the neighborhood so “you do it proud”!

I will only accept letters about BROAD OAKS this month. Please do not write to me about any other neighborhood until it is featured. I can not save letters until the proper time. Just wait until I feature your old neighborhood then write. Write to Roleta1@aol.com.

ADAMSTON---------------------------------------------------------NO ONE RESPONDED
ANMOORE (FORMERLY GRASSELLI)-------------------NO ONE RESPONDED
ARBUTUS PARK-------------------------------------------------ONE RESPONDED
ARLINGTON--------------------------------------------------------ONE RESPONDED
BROAD OAKS
BROADWAY
BRUSHY FORK
CHESTNUT HILLS
COLONIAL HEIGHTS (aka THE HILL—where WI was located)
COUNTRY CLUB ADDITION
DAVISSON RUN
DESPARD/ SUMMIT PARK
DOWNTOWN / UPTOWN (this is a new section added to cover all those who lived in any other “TOWNY”)
*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

DOWNTOWN (this is a new section added to cover all those who were “TOWNIES”) Downtown or Uptown.

This section was added in response to letters received from:
Nancy Mayer Capillla and Alexis Julian Scott (see below)

submitted by: Alexis Julian Scott (ND '65)
alexisrscott@yahoo.com
What a GREAT newsletter (September 2008) - you and Judy are just the "memory keepers" for so many and I guess we'll never truly know the number of lives that are made happier by this monthly journal.

Reading through I noticed that the neighborhood I lived in must not have had a "name" - Sycamore, Beech, Birch, College Streets and Mulberry and Broaddus (?spelling) Avenues are right in the center of the city and I guess our neighborhood was considered Clarksburg!!!! There were soooooo many kids on these streets and I know they all have stories to tell. I remember that I was in "love" with Kent Thrush and one day walking home from school (3 whole blocks) he kissed me right by the mailbox on the corner of Mulberry and Sycamore - we were in the first grade and everyone made me cry because they said they were going to tell my mom....I don't remember if they did, but I do remember that peck on the cheek!!

I also remember sitting in an apple tree with Ernie Fragale, while playing hide-and-seek, and eating the very green apples - by the time the others found us we were both "green around the gills."

So come on - all the Martino's, Ali's, Roger's, Teter's, Thrush's, Lynch's (they were 2 brothers and were really smart, so they probably didn't get in too much trouble), 2 families of Julian's, Clevenger's, Newport's, Betty Carr, Bobby Aaron, Merandi's, Morano's, Lana Myers, Burkhammer's and I am sure there are more I just can't think of all the names.

So let's tell everyone what a great childhood we had together and share the memories.

Also, don't forget to donate to the Scholarship Fund, I'll be mailing mine tomorrow.

Thanks again Roleta and Judy and your families and God Bless us all.

With much thanks and friendship

NEW READERS

Jack Rogers (WI '64)	jrog7696@aol.com
Neil "Mick" McDaniel (VHS '62)	inem@bellsouth.net
Karen Conaway Owens (WI '67)	kowenswv@aol.com
Joanne Cowgill Stonestreet Post (WI '64)	bluegrassposts@msn.com
Anne Marie Ryan White (WI '65)	anne.white@workflowone.com
Suzi Workman Lehosit (RW HS '73) and Roger Lehosit (ND '71)	sdl@mcmbusiness.com
Shirley Jeannie Conaway Jones (WI '56)	sjones6070@aol.com
Jack A. Moore (WI '64)	Jack.A.Moore@WV.GOV
Dawna Kelch (WI '81)	dawnakelch@gmail.com
Betty Ingram Hyre (WI '51)	bboop65@webtv.net
Eann Hodges (WI '71)	eth.penguin@ncf.ca
Vada Hickman (WI '66)	vhick14@aol.com
Terry Shorr (WI most of the time but graduated from Elkins in '58)	dtshorr@suddenlink.net
Debbie Skidmore Cunningham (WI '77) and Mike Cunningham (WI '75)	djcskids@aol.com
Donna Sokolosky Barnard (WI '75)	louise1110@verizon.net
Jeannie Sirk (VHS '63)	sirk@isp.com
Bob Patterson (VHS '54)	James22055@aol.com
Greg Myers (WI '56)	myers84@verizon.net

EMAIL ADDRESS CHANGES

LaDonna Davis Emerick (RW '56)	LaDonnae528@verizon.net
Vicki Limbers Moore (WI '67)	was: VnDmoore@aol.com is now: VnDmoore@bellsouth.net
Mary Nicewarner Tucker (WI '56)	was: spankytuk@aol.com is now: maryspankytuk7@aol.com
Bill Bowie (WI '62)	was: whbowie@mac.com is now: whbowie@me.com

PIERPOINT GRADE SCHOOL
submitted by: Jim Ali (WI '65)
jimali@verizon.net

I ran across this picture from Pierpont Grade school
I could remember only a few of the names.
I am sorry if I messed up any of the spelling.
About 1959 or before (1959) I would have been in 6th grade
Back Row: ?, ?, Larry Wilson, Ernie Fragale, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Jim Ali, Bob Aaron
Middle Row: ?- the teacher, ?, ?, Lana Myers,?, Alexis Julian,?, ?, ?, Gloria Abrizeno, ?
Front Row: Garry Law, Kent Thrush, Danny Airs, Frank Martino, Dave Cobb, Jerry___, ?,

BURMA SHAVE
submitted by: Mary Stump Harrell (WI '55)
harrellms2003@yahoo.com
If you can stand another Burma Shave -- this is the one my father quoted to me many times when I was a new driver:

He was right, dead right
As he sped along.
Now he's just as dead
As if he'd been dead wrong.

A THANK YOU TO SOME READERS
submitted by: Brenda Jo (Ash) Elder (VHS '69)
bennyjoelder@hotmail.com
Thank you so much for your assistance. There is no one like the folks back home!

Many, many thanks to all who responded to my plea to find Eann Hodges! It worked!! We are now back in touch after 20+ years. She lives in Canada and has a very dapper handsome husband! By the way, she looks fantastic! We can all only hope time has been as kind to us!

Signed,
A "greatful" Victory Eagle
Brenda Jo (Ash) Elder

UPDATE ON BOBBY SECRET
submitted by: Bob Secret (WI '60)
RLSecret@aol.com
I am back to work and am doing fine....the cancer has not spread and has shrunk to half the size it was in my left lung. I had a very aggressive treatment and responded well. I have stage 3b which is not so great, but each day is a treasure. Heck, I'm 66 and that's twice as long as Jesus lived. I'm fine with this. I'm just so fortunate to have so many caring, concerned people thinking of me and if you won't mind, say a little prayer for all of God's children who are ill. I am so sorry I didn’t feel well the weekend of the picnic. I miss you guys...saw the pictures in the last newsletter and they looked marvelous.

Our best to Roleta and Judy, and a big thanks for the monthly newsletter that is done so well.

Good health to all of you.

Bob

EDITOR’S NOTE: READERS::: It is important that we keep Bobby in our prayers as he is still fighting this cancer. Every day is a treasure for him...Please write or send a card to Bobby to help him keep up his spirit!

Bob Secret
741 Mulberry Avenue
Clarksburg, WV. 26301

submitted by: Jeannie Sirk (VHS '63)
sirk@isp.com

I graduated from Victory High School 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. You may remember him. He played football and his father owned the garage and service station on 19 north in Clarksburg.

submitted by: Bob Patterson (VHS '54)
James22055@aol.com

I enjoy every letter, every sentence, every person that wrote. I love this site. How wonderful it is to talk about older times.

I thought this might be of interest to some of the readers. I belong to the American Legion here in Parkersburg where I meet a lot of people. Recently, I was talking to this older man and he mentioned Fairmont. I told him I was borne and raised in Clarksburg. As we talked he told me his dad started the radio station WPDX in the 50's, I think. His dad’s name was Raymond C. Warden and this man's name is Darrell Warden. He said people told his dad the station would never make it but as we know, they were wrong.

Also, I was talking to this couple and they were from Clarksburg, Ed and Mary Gaskin as we talked I told them I was from Clarksburg and I graduated from VHS in 1954. What a surprise Ed graduated from WI in 1952 and Mary graduated in 1954, she was a majorette in the band. Ed has since passed away and I have lost contact with Mary. I wish I knew her maiden name sorry about that.

submitted by: Eann Hodges (WI '71)
eth.penguin@ncf.ca

Hi! I am a 1971 graduate of WI and I would like to be added to the distribution list of the WI Newsletter. My cousin ('62 grad) receives the newsletter and immediately contacted me when he noticed in a recent edition that a friend was looking for me. We had not seen each other in nearly 30 years (since we both lived in Fairfax, VA) nor been in any form of contact. Neither of us lives in West Virginia nor has family in Clarksburg. Via the electronic world, we are now back in touch; through an exchange of e-mails we have brought each other up to date on our activities/travels for the past 30 years and reminisced about our childhood. Hopefully, through this medium, I will be able to make contact with other childhood and high school friends.

submitted by: Annette Portaro Smith
alpsmith@atlanticbb.net

Congratulations on beginning your 10th year with the newsletter! You are doing a great job. Thanks for all the Clarksburg memories.

One more “good hot dog” place……………. Hagan’s – where the buns were homemade.

submitted by: Evan “Stumpie” Bice (WI '62)
esbice@msn.com

Glad to be back on the mailing list. Many flash backs, and very enjoyable. As we grow more into the junior/senior citizen years, I realize, we lived through some of the best years in history and did not realize it at the time. Keep up the great work.

submitted by: Mary Virginia Duncan (Johnson) Wilke (WI '55)
Mwdusty1@aol.com

Dear Roleta, First of all, THANK YOU for the many months of enjoyable reading of your newsletter! I look forward to it every month & hope it will continue for a long time!

I have so very many good memories of West Virginia & growing up there!

THE GREAT SNOW OF NOVEMBER 1950 was quite a surprise, but my neighborhood made the best of it! Of course, we were out of school & traffic was non existent, so the fun began! Our playground was Washington Avenue & someone made a huge bobsled track down the middle of the street. Of course, we all had regular sleds & had a wonderful time. A barrel was down at the end of the hill with a roaring fire going to warm our hands. I do not know who organized the fun, but feel the Dieson boys had something to do with it!

THE CORNER GROCERY STORE at Washington & Water Street was run by Dave Folio & his wife. He was always so good to all of us children. They had an apartment in Melbourne Hall where I lived for about 3 or 4 years. I remember the barrel with kosher pickles that were five cents apiece & were so good! But best of all, the Italian Mothers would prepare fresh Pepperoni Rolls & sell them there! They were always so fresh & reasonably priced! Nothing could beat them! It's a shame that tradition was taken away....

NICKNAMES - I remember these names the best as they were part of the seniors in 1952!
"Hayseed" was David Hawkins
"Sugar" was George Carroll Vincent
"Punky" was Claude Gilbert Goodwin

I don't think any of us realized they had different names at that time. "Hayseed" & "Punky" were part of a great WI football team & "Sugar" was class president & was so very nice to us poor scared freshmen!

WALKING - Wow, that was part of growing up. When I was younger, I lived in Bridgeport & we thought nothing of walking to school in the morning & home for lunch & back again. Same as later in Clarksburg, from Melbourne Hall on Washington to Towers Elementary & Central Junior High & then the first year at WI. Later years, from Third Street to WI. Always went home for lunch as my Mom fixed our big meal at noon since she worked on 3 - 11:00 pm at Union Protestant Hospital as a nurse. She, also, walked everywhere as we didn't own a car! It was what you did & the streets were safe & we were healthy for it!!

Well, enough for now. Keep up the good work, Roleta. I always enjoy the articles & letters. My time in WV was the best of times, when kids could be kids & people were all so nice to one another!

submitted by: Steve Goff (WI '72)
sgoff53@hotmail.com

The last time I posed a consumer type question to the Goff Tips mailing list I got great results. You might recall I was wanting advise on a digital camera purchase. A collective out pouring of knowledge, expertise, recommendations and personal experiences from literally around the country, helped me focus my research and I ended up buying Beth a Canon Power Shot A470. Thanks.

New query......Like many families of the 50's and 60's, Beth folks had a snappy 8mm home movie outfit and shot many reels of film of the three kids growing up at Lake Floyd. At one point, 25 years ago or so, they had the home movies transferred to VHS....but those tapes were lost and a thorough search of likely stash areas revealed the original films were also missing. Many times since Beth's mom passed away in Feb. we heard Jim long for those Celluloid memories. Occasionally Beth or Jim would think of a place/space that hadn't been searched and they would optimistically dig into a basement/garage corner or upstairs/downstairs closet....but...no movies.

Well......lo and behold....this evening Beth was going through some of Mim's old sewing boxes and behind stuff that shouldn't have been behind other stuff she found the lost home movies. I thought Jim was going to cry.....they are both Very happy.

Now.....has anybody out there had home movies transferred to DVD? I've just started my research and I've found a place in Charleston, WV (here's link to site http://www.homevideostudio.com/video-services/ 165/Home_Movie_Transfer.cfm ) Tomorrow I'll check Morgantown and I've seen an ad for a business in Parkersburg. I'd like to stay in state as we could make a trip of it taking them to wherever to be copied.

Please let me know if you've had this done and what your experience was...price, problems to anticipate, overall satisfaction, etc.

Thanks in advance!

submitted by: Maria Koutsobaris Alex (WI '66)
Santorini748@aol.com

Just read the letters in the WI Newsletter concerning the Coney Island and Sanitary Hot Dog. The Sanitary was owned and operated by my father Peter Koutsobaris and his brother Nick. When Nick retired in the late 60s, my father and mother (who passed away last week), kept it open until 1971 when it caught fire and burned - it was concluded to be arson. I remember my father standing across the street watching his life's work go up in flames. The Coney Island was owned by my great uncles, Nick and Charlie Simirotis. Nick came to this country in 1911 and started the restaurant and his brother joined him later. The Manhattan was a separate corporation run by 7 owners, one of which was my father-in-law Charles Alex, the Samaras family, Pappas family, Toompas family and the Charas family. It was originally a family restaurant that also occupied the Skasik's cleaner's building. The Manhattan complex ran all the way to Tony Diamond's coin shop and all the way back to Trader's alley, including the New Deal Shoe repair up to the Recreation pool room. It was open 24 hrs. and the doors had never been locked. They had to get a locksmith to make keys so they could close for several hours on our wedding day. That was the only time the restaurant had ever been closed. Just a bit of history.

submitted by: Carol VanHorn Dean (WI '58)
DBLU2@aol.com

In the picture of the girls from Morgan Grade School which was in the newsletter last month: I'm almost certain the girl with the plaid dress is my sister, Nancy Van Horn. Mother dressed us in plaid dresses and she wore long pigtails. Also, I believe Wilma Jo Costlow was in her class. I'm sending the picture to her for her to confirm. She has a computer but not emailing yet. Front row girl could be Loretta Huber our neighbor.

submitted by: Harriett Danley Van Voorhis (WI '58)
eerfanvan@comcast.net

Hi Roleta!
I can help a little with the identification of the members of the Pierpont Grade School class picture. The first girl on the left in row one is Mary Foster. The Wu girl's name in row one is Josette. Her sister, Ellen, is in row two. Next to Ellen is David White.

The teacher was Miss Marie Weekly, until the summer of that year when she married the brother-in-law of the second grade teacher, Mrs Gifford. So Miss Weekly became the second Mrs Gifford in our school.

Concerning the snowfall of 1950: I remember that the kids in our neighborhood dug a network of tunnels that we could actually crawl through. What fun!

As far as I know my neighborhood did not have a name. It was the extension of Washington Avenue, located on the west side of Chestnut Street. It also included Dodge Court, Dale Avenue, and the section of Chestnut Street that ran perpendicular to those streets. Though it may have been nameless, it was a wonderful place to grow up! "Sam's Grocery" was our "corner" grocery store. It was located on the corner of Main and Chestnut streets. It was torn down and replaced with a larger building, known as "Main Street Grocery". That was eventually turned into a flower shop.

I think the nickname "Dicko" belonged to Dick Hall. The nickname "Punky" went with the last name, Goodwin, but I can't remember his first name. I do know that he graduated in 1952, the same year as my sister and brother-in-law.

That's enough rambling for now!

submitted by: Terry Shorr (Elkins 1958 graduate but attended WI thru Jr. year)
dtshorr@suddenlink.net

You deserve to be in the WI Hall of Fame for all the efforts you have put into the WI Newsletter.

I have been a reader for the past two years and thoroughly enjoy all the contributions from all the Clarksburgers, regardless of where they attended high school.

I have sent you two checks, one for the purchase of tickets for the drawing for the 2009 WIN Scholarship Quilt and the other check is for a gift to the WIN Scholarship in memory of one of your classmates and my best friend from diapers through high school, Robert Esker “Bobby” Neal.

Bobby still had his 1940 Ford coupe at the time of his death from a stroke in July 10, 1988. As always, you could eat off the engine block of the ’40 or any of his vehicles, as he kept them “immaculate show room condition”.

Though I spent my senior year at Elkins High School, I attended Alta Vista, Central Junior High School and Washington Irving High School with the Class of 1958. My one other connection with both schools is the marriage of David Hamstead (WI) and Nancy Fisher (Elkins), both of whom I saw at the Elkins HS 50th year reunion two weeks ago.

I hope to join the other members of the WI Class of 1958 when they meet next year in Clarksburg for their 51st Class Reunion.

Thanks again for all you do to keep everyone interested and informed.

END OF SUMMER AT LAKE FLOYD
submitted by: Steve Goff (WI '72)
sgoff53@hotmail.com
I'm having a ball with the digital camera I gave Beth for her retirement....funny how that works sometimes....she approves. One of the many joys I'm finding about having a camera around is how much more in tune I am with my surroundings, and being at Lake Floyd, what surroundings!!

So here are a variety of shots to conclude the summer....I've found these make great computer wallpaper....if I don't say so myself. Living here is really building my confidence as beginning shutter bug, as most often, all I have to do is aim and shoot, and I hit something picturesque.

Get real pretty fall....I'm gonna be taking your picture.

A special shout out to the cousins in TX and NC ...we appreciate your appreciation of Lake Floyd from afar. And only slight apologies to the few of you who are seeing a couple of these for the second time.

"Ansel Avedon Adams" Goff

WALKING TO SCHOOL
submitted by: Patty Terrill Stealey (WI '59)
pstealey@frontiernet.net
Moving from Pennsylvania to Nixon Plaza when I was in the 6th grade, I found out that my grade school was Alta Vista in Broad Oaks. From where I lived I walked up to the next block, cut through a non street to Arbutus Park. There I met Becky Hollandsworth and we were responsible for getting various age children as young as first grade to school. From there we walked down the road and up the hill coming out on the edge of Route 20, crossed it, and walked down Haymond Highway a couple blocks and up to Alta Vista. Since most families had only one car, it was unusual for my mom to take my dad to work and keep the car. At the time I did not think much about it, but going back now and looking at the distance it was a long way for little elementary school age kids to walk. After 6th grade came Central Junior which meant getting the city bus to town.

PARSON SOUDER’S SUBMARINE RESTAURANT
submitted by: Pam Wolfe Brown (WI '60)
Pameez@aol.com
Thank you so much for your quick response. It was nice seeing you and Bill again. As fast as summer has gone we will be seeing you in Florida before we know it. Pam

PS. A topic for the newsletter discussion:

Parson Sauders Submarine Restaurant

Several days ago, my daughter Adrienne said that she would really like a Submarine Sandwich. Adrienne who usually has a memory like an elephant can't remember all of the ingredients and neither can I. We do remember that it was pimento cheese and bacon on whole wheat bread, but that is it. I hope that someone of your readers has a better memory than we do. It was really a neat experience to eat there. You would usually have to wait in line for a seat, not a table or booth. When someone would get up from a table it was customary for you to ask those left at the table if you could share the table and most people were very gracious. People from Clarksburg were very friendly and I enjoyed meeting many of them. I would take Adrienne when she was little and we had a shopping outing, which was not that often, so it was a real treat.

I also loved their milk shakes. I can't remember eating anything but the submarine sandwich because when I really like something I stick with it.

Here's hoping others will share their experiences and the sandwich recipe.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The subject: Parson Sauders Submarine Restaurant So write and tell us your memories of the Submarine Sandwich and give us your recipe too! Write Roleta1@aol.com

SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION NEXT MONTH
Share some memories. Write to: Roleta1@aol.com

BROAD OAKS is to be honored in the neighborhood section.

Memories of High School Football season.

Nicknames

Blackwater Falls

The Big Snow of November 1950

Parsons Souders Submarine Restaurant

FOOTBALL MEMORIES
submitted by: Steve Goff (WI '72)
sgoff53@hotmail.com
When you play high school football, as I did for 4 years, your Octobers are pretty much dominated by the Preparation, Practice, Prudence and Performance surrounding, and leading up to, each Friday night's game. As a freshman, it wasn't very intense. Our biggest concern was having to walk to Hite Field each day for practice. No upperclassmen, not even a sibling, would be caught dead offering a lowly freshman a ride. And it was OK to have your parents pick you up from practice, but to have a parent pick you up at school and take you to practice....not cool.

Once you made the varsity though, the aforementioned 4 'P's permeated the week of a game.

PREPARATION.....once the season got going, football players assembled at lunch each day to watch game films. One or more of the coaches would preside as we all filed into a chosen room with our bag lunches. On Monday we watched our performance of the game from the previous Friday. This could be heaven or hell, depending on how well you and/or the team had played. If something good, bad, or particularly funny caught the coaches' eye, that sucker was run back and forth for at least 5 minutes. It was heaven if it was a block you threw that took out 3 opponents; hell if you missed a block and your guy sacked the quarterback (can you tell I was a lineman?); and funny....well....funny was usually something that happened to somebody else. The rest of the week we watched film of our upcoming opponents as we tried to figure out their weaknesses ('oh man....I can handle that guy') and strengths ('oh man....I gotta block that guy?').

PRACTICE .... in some ways October practices were the best. To avoid injuries they weren't as intense and though the Indian Summer could bring some serious heat, there were many days that were overcast and downright chilly, a seasonal reward for making it through the previous miserable August.

PRUDENCE ....We had a curfew during the season and for some reason they wouldn't let us smoke or drink. The coaches also wanted us to stay away from our girlfriends as much as possible. Curfew...check.....no smoking and drinking....check....stay away from our girlfriends....what do you think?

PERFORMANCE ....No matter who we were playing I always looked forward to Fridays. Football players had to dress up for the afternoon pep rally, and a nifty byproduct was that you would be identified all day as a FOOTBALL PLAYER by the tie you were wearing (clip-ons were the neck wear of choice). When school let out we were left behind, waiting in the boy’s gym for a couple of hours before we marched downtown to eat a steak dinner together. (My sophomore year we went to Oak Hall Cafeteria, junior year to the Uptowner Inn, and for our senior year we were on our own.)

Before we knew it we were in our locker room, dressed for battle and charging on to Hite Field to see if the preparation, practice and prudence would enhance our performance. Our senior year (October of '71) our performance wasn't so hot. We were 3-7, but as I like to say, we were the best 3-7 team in the state.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I would love to hear from you ex-football players about your memories of preparing for the season. This was very interesting to me, even though I didn’t personally experience this, I lived in a house with an older brother who played for The Hilltoppers. The family was so “into” The Hilltoppers football that during the season, everything seemed to be centered on FOOTBALL! My daddy had been a football player while in school and he was really into it! I remember my daddy and Roy moving the furniture around in the living room to give them enough room to go over plays, carries and tackles. Do you have any memories to share about this subject? Write to Roleta1@aol.com. Come on and write about this interesting subject----even if you didn’t play for WI we would like to read your memories---Yep, even would enjoy hearing from RW, Victory, Bridgeport, ND and any other high school students!

WASHINGTON IRVING CLASS OF 1959
50TH REUNION BEING PLANNED

This is a heads up! Get your calendar in order, get your plane ticket, ask the boss for the week-end off work, make your motel reservations, (I have made mine---make yours now---contact me—perhaps all of our classmates can stay in the same place!)

Make your preliminary plans to be with your classmates July 17, 18 and perhaps the morning of the 19th of 2009.

NICKNAMES:
I am surprised that more people haven’t written in response to this section.

The identifications of the people who “own” the nicknames listed last month are:

CHINKY.........Anthony Minard...St Mary's remembered by 10
DICKO............Dick Hall ...WI remembered by 8
FOOTS........... MIke McGahan ..WI remembered by 15
HOTTY...........Tommy Hostutler.........St Mary's remembered by 6
SUGAR..........Carroll Vincent WI remembered by 11
PUNKY..........Gilbert Goodwin...WI and Garrett...Victory remembered by 9
FUZZY............WI Coach Bill Moore remembered by 22
POOCHIE.......Louie Iaquinta......RW.....former mayor of Cburg remembered by 6
MONK.............? Junkins also Brad Andrews remembered by 5
PORK.............Bob Fulton or "Porky" Anthony Julian....WI remembered by 6

submitted by: Billie Anne (Cork) Clevenger (WI '52)
Iamblessed3452@aol.com
Sugar was Carroll Vincent, the president of my 1952 graduating class and still a very sweet person who sometimes meets with some of us '52 graduates for lunch.

Punky was Gilbert Goodwin, also with the class of '52 and a football star. He married his childhood sweetheart, Barbara Antoine, who also graduated with us.

FROM THE EDITOR:
Nicknames is a section I thought of doing after a few different people started talking about nicknames. I have a person volunteered from the beginning to take care of this section. He/she will remain anonymous at this time. I don’t want to scare away my help! All nicknames are organized and provided to me by this person. If you have a nickname or know of someone with a nickname, please send it to : Roleta1@aol.com

At this time, we have decided not to reveal who is taking care of this section of the newsletter. The mystery adds to it doesn’t it? (Same way as the “Hallwalker” was never identified!) Let’s just call the person “Nicky”! So if you have a letter for “Nicky”/”Nick”/ or maybe it’s “Nicki” just send it to me and I will forward it to the proper person.

Don’t forget to send any nicknames and the name of who they belonged to or send your guesses to me also: Roleta1@aol.com

Here are the next 10 nicknames for you to guess :

Catfish
Chunky
Rocket
Face
Seeks
Dirty Denny
Fly
Poe Ann
Hop
Eaky

BLACKWATER FALLS
submitted by: Doris Jeanne Walters Webster (WI '59)
Jeanwbstr@aol.com

The young boy on the left is my brother, Robert Linn (Bobbie) Walters, Jr., who graduated from WI in 1957, next is my Dad, Robert Linn (Bob) Walters, Sr., Then my Mom, Lemmie Bell Walters (She graduated from WI in either 1933 or 1934), then me (Doris J (Jeanne) Walters, graduated WI 1959.

I'm not sure whether my Dad graduated from WI or not. I'm the only one left, so there's no one I can ask. If he did graduate from WI, he would have graduated a year or two before my mom.

EDIOTR’S NOTE: I just returned to Florida after spending 5 weeks in the mountains of West Virginia. A few days of that trip were spent at Blackwater Falls. We stayed in a cabin and enjoyed the beautiful scenery, clean air and friendly people.

Bill and I remember an early date we had at Blackwater Falls. (Probably the summer of 1958 or 1959). We think we double dated with Buck Horner and Martha Frey. At that time we were able to walk out onto the top of the falls and we stood in about the middle. It was a cloudy day and was drizzling rain so the rocks were all slippery. Now of course one can’t walk out there, we are protected so we won’t get hurt. We aren’t allowed to get too close to the falls but the beauty is still there. There is a walk way (a lot of steps) down to an overlook to see the falls….or there is a pullover with a short walk on the other side where you can look at the falls off in a distance.

Do you have any early memories of visits to Blackwater Falls? Write and share them with us. Write to: Roleta1@aol.com

SOME BLACKWATER FACTS AND FIGURES:
I found these on a print out at the Blackwater Lodge and I thought to share them with you.

3,100 feet above sea level
2,465 acres
120 to 150 inches of snowfall per year
The gorge is 525 feet deep and 2,000 feet wide between the lodge and Pendleton Point.
The height of the falls is nearly 60 feet or 5 stories

BLACK WATER----MINI TIMELINE:
1937-----State Park Established
1956-----Cabins opened
1957-----Lodge opened
1957-----Trading Post opened
1957-----Pendleton Lake opened
1961-----Campground opened
1979-----Recreation building and game courts opened

GRANDPARENTS NUN AND GLEN (BILL) COWGILL
submitted by: Glen Cowgill (WI '59)
gwcowgill@gmail.com

Garrett Luke Dawson was born on Sept 04 at 4:07 am weighing 10 lbs 14.4 oz and 21 inches long

JUKEBOX SITE
submitted by: Jim Pulice (WI '62)
JPulice@msn.com
Here is a site that some might like to visit. This is a jukebox type of site where you can pick songs to hear. These songs are from 1961.

http://www.snjmall.com/chico/

Here is a great one for the 1950’s

http://thefiftiesandsixties.com/growingupinthefifties.htm

THE ANNUAL PULICE FAMILY SUMMER GET TOGETHER

Left to right: Jim Pulice (WI 1962), Joe Pulice (WI 1967), Marty Pulice Williams (WI 1964), sister Mary Jo Pulice Benedetto (WI 1961) is not pictured

They have been getting together at a beach in Delaware for a week each year for a long time.

A FUN MUSIC SITE

http://home.comcast.net/~singingman8/Searchin.htm

TUNES FOR OCTOBER
submitted by: Steve Goff (WI '72)
sgoff53@hotmail.com
Here are the tunes from Octobers past and/or songs with an autumn or Halloween theme.

First for those of you who miss the colorful autumns of West Virginia (I'm primarily thinking of my Florida friends who either live or winter there) here are some fall scenes accompanying a Frank Sinatra version of 'Autumn Leaves'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8ceAMfbzxQ

1945....''Till the End of Time' Perry Como....Mr. 'C''s first number one hit. Note the cigarettes and tobacco leaves at the foot of the band stand when the orchestra is shown briefly....some sort of sponsorship set up I'm sure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH_Zpl5WUWc

1950....'Goodnight Irene' The Weavers....(video is from 1949) This sing-along standard was # 1 in the nation for 13 weeks, from August to November. Note..a young Pete Seegar strumming the banjo, before he would later strike out on his own as a popular but controversial folk singer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbdOFz_PQOQ&feature=related

1953....'St George and the Dragonet' Stan Freberg....One of the first 'spoof' records to top the charts. Freberg is a comedy legend and it was a pleasant surprise for me to get to include him in this format. Since the video is just a record player spinning a 78....close your eyes and relive the wonder of radio. (this is NOT from 1954, regardless of the text alongside the video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGG6sSu0g0g

1955....'Autumn Leaves' Roger Williams.....Excellent live version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_1tp2APNcg&feature=related

1958....'Purple People Eater' Sheb Wooley....The first of a handful of 'Halloween-y' tunes to get you in the mood to trick or treat. Rather primitive footage of the Sheb-ster scaring kids right through the TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9H_cI_WCnE&feature=related

1962....'Monster Mash' Bobby 'Boris' Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers.....Kind of the 'White Christmas' of Halloween....or at least the 'Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer'. The song charted again in 1970 and '73. I love this video....a well done tribute to 'monster' movies of all kinds....brace yourselves, this is a fun little ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0thH3qnHTbI&feature=related

1964....'Haunted House' 'Jumpin'' Gene Simmons....Amidst all of the British Invasion records of 1964, the charts found room for this hot little rock-a-billy tinged number. You can sing along with this video and be the hit of your next Halloween party. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyXW68eoHvU

1968....'Spooky' Classics IV.....Lead singer Dennis Yost was later featured with the group name....but not on this hit.....they later formed the nucleus of The Atlanta Rhythm Section. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwQKFDbq9a0

1970....'I'll Be There' The Jackson 5.....A concert version with Michael at his entertaining best...video/audio quality not so hot....but a solid performance nonetheless. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4QyZH0EXcQ&feature=related

1973....'Frankenstein' The Edgar Winter Group....A fully realized live version from the UK TV show 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGN9_E5cGOs&feature=related

1978....'Kiss You All Over' Exile https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJJQpSzDgC0

1980....'Another One Bites the Dust' Queen...This is one of those songs you either love or got sick of as it became a staple of the 'Classic FM' radio format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMenB9Ywh2Q

1984....'I Just Called to Say I Love You' Stevie Wonder...Live in Japan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IHu8RSSCvE&feature=related

1988....'Red, Red Wine' UB40....Tasty little reggae version (with a little dub thrown in) of a Neil Diamond tune...live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ8gChWidA8&feature=related

May all of your Goblins bring you Treats.

RECIPES
DUMP SALAD

(I don’t know who sent this to me)
1 LARGE JELLO ANY FLAVOR I had orange-very good
1 LARGE CONTAINER (SMALL CURD) COTTAGE CHEESE
1 20 OZ. CAN OF CRUSHED PINEAPPLE (DRAINED)
1 CUP OF CHOPPED OR BROKEN WALNUTS
1 CUP OF COCONUT
1 LARGE WHIPPED TOPPING (COOL WHIP)

MIX COTTAGE CHEESE WELL WITH DRY JELLO
ADD DRAINED PINEAPPLE (STIR)
ADD WALNUTS AND COCONUT (STIR)
ADD WHIPPED TOPPING AND MIX ALL TOGETHER WELL
CHILL AND SERVE

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
submitted by: Carol VanHorn Dean(WI '58)
DBLU2@aol.com

This is for all you Chocoholics! We used a 12 oz mug in our 1000 watt microwave and it turned out really great!!!!!

NOW WE’RE IN TROUBLE!!!!!
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla essence
1 coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla essence, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

OBITUARIES
JOANN DODDS RICHARDSON
MORGANTOWN — JoAnn Dodds Richardson, 79, of Bellaire Drive, Morgantown, passed away Saturday, August 23, 2008, at her residence.

JoAnn was born in Glenwood, Iowa, on June 28, 1929, the daughter of the late John Mann and Lorna Plimpton Dodds.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School for several years.

Growing up in Clarksburg, WV, JoAnn graduated from Washington Irving HS in 1947. At West Virginia University, where she graduated in 1951, she was a member and served as President of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. The next year she visited college campuses as a field secretary for KKG. After her marriage to Ron, they spent a year in San Antonio, TX, where she taught Home Economics. When they returned to Morgantown, JoAnn served as Director of the Campus Y.W.C.A. until she started her family. After her children were grown, JoAnn helped with the secretarial work in Ron’s Balfour office.

She enjoyed community activities such as The Morgantown League for Service and the Monongahela Garden Club. Always active in the KKG Alumnae Association, she served on the KKG advisory board for many years. In addition to her grandchildren, her interests included handcrafts, gardening, bird watching, and many years of compiling genealogy.

JoAnn is survived by her husband, Ronald E. Richardson, Sr.; her children, Dr. Ronald E. Richardson, Jr. and wife, Nannette, of Melbourne, FL; Douglas D. Richardson and wife, Margaret, of Morgantown; and Ann L. Richardson Keaton of Morgantown; her grandchildren, Brent and Austin Richardson of Melbourne, FL; Samuel and Garrett Richardson of Morgantown; and Allison and Matthew Keaton of Morgantown; a brother, Dr. John (Jack) P. Dodds and wife, Gayle, of Eastpoint, FL; a sister, Rev. Susan Michaels of Raleigh, NC; brother-in-law, Charles Joseph Richardson, Jr. and wife, Janet, of Kiawah Island, SC; and sister-in-law, Rita Richardson Hagarty, of Rockport, TX.

In addition to her parents, her stepmother preceded her in death.

STEPHEN ALBRIGHT
submitted by: Joanne Westfall Tetrick (WI '52)
fragilegranny@ma.rr.com
Stephen Albright, died in L.A. on August 26. He was an attorney. Stephen was the son of Dick Albright, W.I. '47, and June Hoffer Albright, W.I. '49 and they live in Lehigh Acres, FL. He is also survived by his wife and two children. Memorial services will be in L.A.

I am sorry that I don't have better info for this. Dick and I are friends with June and Dick. We received a phone call and spoke with them. We did not know their son, and when we talked to them, they were in no condition to give us details.

JOHN A. DE FRANCES
CLARKSBURG — John A. De Frances, 81, loving husband of Viola De Frances, of Bayonet Point, FL, and former North View resident, died July 29, 2008, of natural causes at St. Clair Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.

He was born in Clarksburg, WV, in 1927, to the late Al and Carrie Olean De Frances of North View.

John married his wife, Viola Ford De Frances of Salem, WV, in 1953. Together they had 3 sons, John De Frances (and wife Kathleen), of Orchard Lake, MI, Jim De Frances (and wife Kathy), of Downingtown, PA, and David De Frances, of Atlanta, GA.

His crowning achievement was that of being an adoring grandfather to his 6 grandchildren, who lovingly called him “Pap-Pap.” They are James, Lindsey, Kevin, all of Downingtown, PA, Devon and Derek of Orchard Lake, MI, and Ava Marie, of Atlanta, GA.

He was preceded in death by his only sibling, Eugene, of North View in 1984.

John graduated from Victory High School in 1945 as class president. He graduated from West Virginia University in Mechanical Engineering in 1949. John enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Fort Eustis, VA, where he proudly served his country. As the center, his football team won the U.S. Army Championship in 1950. He later went on to earn his Professional Engineering (PE) designation. He transferred to PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, PA, in 1955 in the Glass Engineering Department until retirement in 1991.

During his tenure with PPG from 1955 to 1991, he ultimately headed the Glass Engineering Liaison Group and directed engineering projects in nearly all of the PPG glass factories throughout the world. He resided with his family in Italy from 1961 through 1964. He was instrumental in the construction of PPG glass plants in Italy, Illinois, Indiana, California, Canada, Denmark and China. His travels with PPG took him to Nigeria, India, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Korea and many other countries.

He was a longtime season- ticket holder of the WVU Mountaineer Football team. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates he followed avidly. He passionately cheered his sons and grandchildren in all of their sporting endeavors. He was an owner of harness racing horses at The Meadows racetrack in Washington, PA, owning over 40 horses throughout the years as part of his “JD’s Stables.”

He also enjoyed golfing and was a member of Lakeview Country Club in Morgantown, WV, Sunny Croft Country Club in Clarksburg, WV, and Washington Country Club in Washington, PA. His other passion was breeding standardbred racehorses at his farm in Salem, WV. John attended Saint James Parish in Clarksburg, WV, in his youth and in his retirement years. As a longtime Pittsburgh resident, he was a member of Saints Simon and Jude Parish in Scott Township.

FREDRICK ‘FRED’ ‘BUTCH’ SCHELLENBERG
BUSHNELL, Fla. — Fredrick (Fred, Butch) Schellenberg, 63, departed this life at home on September 4, 2008. He was born on January 15, 1945, in Daytona Beach, FL, to the late Fred Schellenberg Jr. and surviving Doris (Bennett) Hill of Florida.

He graduated from Washington Irving High School in 1963, then joined the U.S. Army Reserves. He was employed at Pittsburgh Plate in 1964 until it closed in 1970. He served as both lieutenant in February 1980 and captain in October 1985 of the Clarksburg City Fire Department. He retired in November 1991 with twenty years of service.Fred is survived by his loving and devoted second wife, Catherine (Kitty) Schellenberg of Bushnell, FL, and her four children, Diane, Joey, Jenny and Jackie.

Fred is also survived by his first wife, Jennifer (Brunetti) Schellenberg of Clarksburg, and their four children, Fred, Katie and husband (Sean Frush), Joe and Andy (wife, Jennifer Sonnenfeld-Schellenberg). He has two grandchildren Sara M. Frush (Katie) and Jack R. Schellenberg (Andy).

In addition, Fred leaves behind his brother, David Schellenberg, and special nephew, David Lee Schellenberg; sister, Christine Shaw; and two half-brothers, Chip (wife, Ann Marie) and Richard (wife, Carol) Hough; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Fred had a love for music, art and nature. He was also a wonderful cook and enjoyed hosting gatherings for his friends and family. He spent much of his life hunting, fishing and boating. He started the Central WV Bass Masters Association in 1973. He opened Schelly’s Sport Center in 1974. His creative mind led to several U.S. patents for unique fishing lures. He was also a talented artist and photographer. He received many awards for his photographs. His photos were placed in various city buildings throughout Clarksburg. In 1983, he started his own photography business. Fred’s personality won him much love and many friends in his life. He enjoyed helping others. He donated his organs to those who needed them upon his death.

No funeral services will be held. Instead, a party in his honor will be hosted by his wife, Kitty, on Saturday, September 20, 2008, at his residence in Bushnell, Florida. Fred wanted to be cremated and for those who knew and loved him to celebrate his life. Afterward, his ashes will be scattered into the Gulf of Mexico, where he found much peace on the water. If you wish to attend this gathering, please send an e-mail to Kitty at FreddyKitty45@embarqmail.com,

GARY L. MAULLER
CLARKSBURG — Gary L. Mauller, 68, of Reynoldsville, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, September 9, 2008, in the United Hospital Center following an extended illness. Mr. Mauller formerly worked at Anchor Hocking Glass Factory, and retired from Homecare Pharmacy as a carrier.

He was born in Clarksburg on December 26, 1939, a son of Burnell “PeeWee” Mauller, who survives in Clarksburg, and the late Genieve Armour Mauller.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Goldie Starkey Mauller, whom he married on August 2, 1956.Also surviving are one daughter, Debbra D. Mauller, Reynoldsville; one brother, Marshall Mauller and his wife Cathy; one sister, Sandra Sue Watson and her husband Junior, Clarksburg; and several nieces and nephews.

He was also preceded in death by one brother, Harold Mauller.

Mr. Mauller was a graduate of Washington Irving High School. He enjoyed hunting and watching football on TV, especially the WV Mountaineers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was a member of the Fellowship Bible Church.

ULYSSES PERSHING BUFFINGTON
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Ulysses Pershing (”Buff”) Buffington, 89, of Hilton Head Island, SC, passed away on September 19, 2008, at the Coastal Carolina Medical Center, in Hardeeville, SC.

Buff was born on September 22, 1918, the son of Orin and Emma Buffington. Born and raised in Clarksburg, he owned Buffington Studios of Photography in Clarksburg, Fairmont and Buckhannon, WV.

Married for 56 years to his wife, the former Helen Bryant of Clarksburg, WV, he is survived by her and their three daughters and sons-in-law, Melissa and Robert Damiano of Centerport, NY, Suzanne and Richard Berman of Northfield, MN, and Jody and Charles Aud of Mt. Airy, MD; four grandchildren, David Berman of Charleston, SC, Brian Murray of New York, NY, and Madison and Hannah Aud of Mt. Airy, MD; one sister, Ruth Bolton, of Palm Desert, CA; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Buff learned his craft as a Navy photographer in WWII and today many of his movies and still photographs are housed in the National Archives as a permanent record of life on a World War II aircraft carrier. After the war, his specialty was portraiture photography, but he also worked with commercials and movies, weddings and photo finishing and was one of the first professionals to use color film. He won national and international recognition for his photography, resulting in an Honorary Master of Photography from the Professional Photographers Association of America.

Buff also received an honorary degree from the University of Hard Knocks, awarded at Alderson-Broaddus College in the 1970s. The late Senator Jesse Helms was the president of his class.

Buff made a second career out of his involvement with the International Lions Club. He was a member of Lions for 56 years, holding every office up to and including a position on the International Board of Directors. In 1977, the Lions named him an Ambassador of Goodwill, the highest honor given to an individual within the Lions organization. It was during that year that Buff was able to arrange a meeting between President Jimmy Carter and Lions International President Fernando Sobral of Brazil — during a time that Brazil and the U.S. were having tense trade negotiations. Over the years, Buff spoke to Lions Clubs in 34 states and in several foreign countries. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Hilton Head Noon Lions Club.

Throughout his life, Buff gave tirelessly to the communities in which he lived. He was a 32nd degree Mason, a Shriner and a member of the Elks Club. He also served 12 years as a member of the WV state advisory committee on vocational rehabilitation, 10 years as a board member and chair of the long-range planning committee for the hospital in Clarksburg and several years as board member for the local library and First United Methodist Church.

Buff’s community service did not end at retirement. After moving to Hilton Head, he edited the local AARP newsletter, delivered food for Deepwell and taught computer classes to high school students.

Buff held a special place in his heart for the cultural arts. In WV, he helped found and run a local arts center, established an artist-in-residency program in the county school system and for eight years produced a summer theatre program for high school students. After arriving in Hilton Head, he helped organize Scribblers, a local writing group for seniors.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, September 21, at The Island Funeral Home, 4 Cardinal Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926.

In honor of a life spent helping others, the family requests that contributions be made to the Campaign Sight First II, a program that has given the gift of sight to more than 2 million people around the world. Contributions can be made through the Hilton Head Noon Lions Club, P.O. Box 7325, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938.

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