THE WI NEWSLETTER 12/09

THE WI NEWSLETTER

Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith

Issue 124

December 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS
I am proud to shout to you and everyone else in the world :

‘MERRY CHRISTMAS”
AND
“HAPPY NEW YEAR”

And to our Jewish friends:

“HAPPY HANUKKAH”

SAVE THE DATE
submitted by: Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com
MARCH 6, 2010
This is the date of the Clarksburg Reunion Picnic that will be held in Sarasota, Florida. The time is around 11:00 am until around 4:00 pm. Many come to Sarasota and stay from Fri. to Sunday. Most stay in the same hotel. It is an annual event. We have a great time. More information later…..after the holidays.

NICKNAMES
Subject suggested by Jay Sharp (WI 1959).

Do you have a nickname? What is your nickname and how did you get that nickname?

Write to Roleta1@aol.com. Remember to sign your name, school and class year.

WI CLASS OF 1994 REUNION
submitted by: Dede Short King (WI '94)
KING4189@aol.com
The WI Class of 1994 celebrated our 15 year reunion November 6,7,8. The reunion committee headed by Clint Stealey and Chris Faris kicked off the reunion on Friday night with an evening at PJ Kelly's in Clarksburg. Saturday morning, fellow graduate Chadd Richards set up a tour of our high school (which is presently WI Middle School) and Robert C. Byrd High School (the new high school after our school closed) which we were guided through by Mr. Rollins (our former assistant principal at WI and current assistant principal at RCB) Saturday evening brought us a dinner/dance held at Via Venetos. In attendance was surprise guest, Mr. Poling, former WI teacher. The music and karaoke entertainment at the dinner/dance was provided by DJ John Martin (WI Graduate Class of 1992). Sunday morning led us to Eat n' Park for a final send off breakfast. A great time was had by all!

First row (floor) L-R: Clint Stealey, Chris Faris

Second Row L-R: Heather Thompson Rudolph, Elizabeth Hood Miller, Theresa Post, Heather Bice Randolph, Ginny Iaquinta Vincent, Kelly Latz Conley, Erin Marchio Miller.

Third Row L-R: Tiffany Bell Smith, Julie Nicholson Smith, Dede Short King, Chadd Richards, Barrett Byers, Brian Powell, Nicole Nutter, Cindy Snider Howvalt, Clarice Helm.

Fourth Row L-R: Rodney Hardman, Jason Parsons, Frankie Devono

WI CLASS OF 1954 REUNION
submitted by: Jo Ann Reed Carini Sharber (WI '54)
cnjsharber@frontiernet.net
This is the Class of WI graduating in 1954, 55th Reunion held August 28 & 29, 2009 held at Phillips Restaurant in Clarksburg, WV

(Left to right)
1st Row: Mary Elizabeth Custer Carter, Eloise Jackson Brassure, Nancy Van Horn Stunger, Ron Talkington

2nd Row: Nancy Harper Marple, Norma Pratt Garrett, Janna May Clark Westfall, Roberta Warner Wilfong, Carol Davis Childress, Hencie Williams deGive, Loretta Norman Corder, Eleanor Queen Heflin, Paula White Brown, Jo Ann Reed Sharber, Mary Daquino Gensel, Robert Welch, Jack Emrick

3rd Row: Lucy Wallace Ropp Hornor, Bill Adler, Bill Brassine, Bill Milstead, Mary Anne Comfort Kersting, Kencel Matheny, Robert Armistead, Jim Iaconis, Don Douglas, Jim Blair, Colin Church, Bob Griffith.

RCB HIGH SCHOOL TO ORGANIZE FUND DRIVE TO TURF FOOTBALL FIELD
Dear Friends:

The time has come to turf the football field at Robert C. Byrd High School!
Last weekend, the final home RCB football game of the 2009 season had to be moved to Bridgeport High School (which has turf) because of the unsafe condition of the current grass field.

The RCB stadium is one of, if not the most, spacious sports complexes in North Central West Virginia. It is a beautiful facility and the newest in Harrison County. Installing turf on the RCB field will bring year-round use of the stadium by the high school and WI Middle School sports teams as well as youth sports and community events.

This year, the Bridgeport High School's football field will host more than 150 events and athletic contests. The RCB field hosted fewer than 30 before it was deemed unsafe for the school's final home football game.

As a graduate of Roosevelt-Wilson High School I now consider RCB my "home school". And I know that many graduates of Washington-Irving and Kelly Miller join me.

So, let's all come together for our school.

I've agreed to help the RCB family to organize a committee to raise the funds necessary to upgrade the football field and install turf. I also helped out with the fund drive at BHS so I know that funds for such a project need to come from private and corporate donations. Bridgeport High School was successful in their effort and RCB can be too.

It will cost about $750,000 to install the turf and upgrade the field.The RCB boosters are trying to identify a couple of prominent alumni who may consider a substantial donation to kick-off the fundraising effort. In the meantime, we need to reach out to all of our alumni (RW, WI, KM and RCB) to get involved.

If we are successful in identifying a major donor, it would be our goal to have the 100% of fundraising complete by the end of this year. If we can raise the funds, we can upgrade the field (drainage) by April, the turf can be installed in May and the 2010 graduates will be walking across the new turf for graduation in June.

Whether it's a donation of time, equipment or money all donations are welcome!

Do you have time to sit on the organizing committee? Do you have email addresses for your graduating class? Are you good with raising money? The purpose of this email is to let RW, WI, KM and RCB graduates as well as parents, school employees, community leaders and local businesses who support RCB know more about this project. If you would like to add your name to our email list for future updates on this effort, please email me back with your email address.

The first update should be emailed out in the next week or so. In the meantime, please forward this email on to your family, friends and fellow graduates who may also have an interest in this "Field of Dreams" for the students at Robert C. Byrd High School.

Sincerely yours,

Mike Queen (RW 1981) (304) 624-5080 MichaelLQueen@aol.com

GROWING UP IN STEALEY
submitted by: Melanie Young Priest (WI '74)
melaniepriest@yahoo.com
I intended to send my memories of growing up in Stealey for the November issue of the newsletter but, as usual, time slipped by. As it is, I can add to some of the comments already made by others in this wonderful newsletter. Many thanks to all involved! I was privileged to grow up on Euclid Avenue just about five houses from the Stealey playground. Before I was even allowed to cross the street by myself, my mother would see me across safely, and then I was free to go to the playground where something was always happening. I would swing on the swing set, play on the monkey bars, ride on the merry go round, or wade in the wading pool, which, looking back, was just an overgrown bathtub/shower, but quite refreshing in those days before airconditioning. I spent many hours sitting in the shade with the playground worker making potholders or other crafts. When it was time for me to go home in those days way before cell phones, my mother would ring a bell from our front porch. Even when I would pretend not to hear it, EVERYONE at the playground seemed to know, and reminded me I needed to go home. Through the years, I remember attempting to play softball and basketball, playing Horse (why was it called that?), learning to ride a bike, and at least once attending a pet show at that playground. In later years, like other gals have already confessed, I went there to see which boys were there playing basketball.

I have one playground memory in the early 1960's that doesn't fit with all my carefree childhood fun. I was playing on the monkey bars when there was a large crash and everyone started running to the corner of the playground opposite my church, the Stealey United Methodist Church. I followed, but because I was small I could not see what was happening. I'm glad I did not see, because I learned later that a man working on scaffolding at the church fell to his death that day.

I share many of the Stealey experiences that others have already mentioned, like walking to Morgan School and home for lunch, riding the city bus to town when attending Central and WI, and often walking home after school. I well remember the corner store on Euclid, where bread at that time was 25 cents. Some called the store Ridenours, and others called Waggoner Brothers...which was it? I could go on and on about riding bikes, playing freeze tag, sled riding, youth group at the church, etc. Stealey was a great place, and it was a safe time to grow up. Multiple times when my Dad was offered a transfer to another state from where he worked at Carnation Milk Company, he turned them down so that I, the last of his four kids, could finish high school at WI before they moved. I appreciate that so much!

THE OAK RIDGE BOYS
He wrote and sang this about his parents. I know it must have been hard for him to get through this. It is a very good song and I wanted to share with you.

http://silverandgoldandthee.net/V/Lil.html

CORRECTION
submitted by: Buzz Floyd (VHS '56)
Floyds4@cox.net
I guess I didn’t do a good job with the pictures I sent last month. I got the street wrong where the Pilgrim Holiness Church was located and I’ve heard from various people about it, and they reminded me I had left out my dad’s name. The church was on West Virginia Avenue, near 17th St. It was not Williams Ave.

And my dad’s name was Carl Preston Floyd. I’ve never forgiven them for not giving me the middle name Preston (which is pretty cool I think), instead of the one I got. My real name is Carl F. Floyd…My grandpa, who I loved very much, was Flavious Josephus Heater…you do the math. Oh well, he and grandma named my mom Frena. Probably the only Frena in the world. Her twin got the good name…Freda. Aunt Freda is 97, and we love her too.

BORN AGAIN AMERICAN
The link below is to a beautiful song. Millions have watched it. I have received it several times over the last few years. I thought it was time to share it and let all of you enjoy it. Just copy and paste into your web browser…enjoy! (This song is not a political statement)!

http://www.bornagainamerican.org/index.html

THE FLOUR SACK

BY COLLEEN B. HUBERT
IN THAT LONG AGO TIME WHEN THINGS WERE SAVED,
WHEN ROADS WERE GRAVELED AND BARRELS WERE STAVED,
WHEN WORN-OUT CLOTHING WAS USED AS RAGS,
AND THERE WERE NO PLASTIC WRAP OR BAGS,
AND THE WELL AND THE PUMP WERE WAY OUT BACK,
A VERSITILE ITEM, WAS THE FLOUR SACK.

PILLSBURY'S BEST, MOTHER'S AND GOLD MEDAL, TOO
STAMPED THEIR NAMES PROUDLY IN PURPLE AND BLUE.
THE STRING SEWN ON TOP WAS PULLED AND KEPT;
THE FLOUR EMPTIED AND SPILLS WERE SWEPT.
THE BAG WAS FOLDED AND STORED IN A SACK
THAT DURABLE, PRACTICAL FLOUR SACK.

THE SACK COULD BE FILLED WITH FEATHERS AND DOWN,
FOR A PILLOW, OR T'WOULD MAKE A NICE SLEEPING GOWN.
IT COULD CARRY A BOOK AND BE A SCHOOL BAG,
OR BECOME A MAIL SACK SLUNG OVER A NAG.
IT MADE A VERY CONVENIENT PACK,
THAT ADAPTABLE, COTTON FLOUR SACK.

BLEACHED AND SEWN, IT WAS DUTIFULLY WORN
AS BIBS, DIAPERS, OR KERCHIEF ADORNED.
IT WAS MADE INTO SKIRTS, BLOUSES AND SLIPS.
AND MOM BRAIDED RUGS FROM ONE HUNDRED STRIPS
SHE MADE RUFFLED CURTAINS FOR THE HOUSE OR SHACK,
FROM THAT HUMBLE BUT TREASURED FLOUR SACK!

AS A STRAINER FOR MILK OR APPLE JUICE,
TO WAVE MEN IN, IT WAS A VERY GOOD USE,
AS A SLING FOR A SPRAINED WRIST OR A BREAK,
TO HELP MOTHER ROLL UP A JELLY CAKE,
AS A WINDOW SHADE OR TO STUFF A CRACK,
WE USED A STURDY, COMMON FLOUR SACK!

AS DISH TOWELS, EMBROIDERED OR NOT,
THEY COVERED UP DOUGH, HELPED PASS PANS SO HOT,
TIED UP DISHES FOR NEIGHBORS IN NEED,
AND FOR MEN OUT IN THE FIELD TO SEED.
THEY DRIED DISHES FROM PAN, NOT RACK
THAT ABSORBENT, HANDY FLOUR SACK!

WE POLISHED AND CLEANED STOVE AND TABLE,
SCOURED AND SCRUBBED FROM CELLAR TO GABLE,
WE DUSTED THE BUREAU AND OAK BED POST,
MADE COSTUMES FOR OCTOBER (A SCARY GHOST)
AND A PARACHUTE FOR A CAT NAMED JACK.
FROM THAT LOWLY, USEFUL OLD FLOUR SACK!

SO NOW MY FRIENDS, WHEN THEY ASK YOU
AS CURIOUS YOUNGSTERS OFTEN DO,
"BEFORE PLASTIC WRAP, ELMERS GLUE
AND PAPER TOWELS, WHAT DID YOU DO?"
TELL THEM LOUDLY AND WITH PRIDE DON'T LACK,
"GRANDMOTHER HAD THAT WONDERFUL FLOUR SACK!"

Feed sacks too!! Remember???

Most all these girls' dresses were made from flour sacks...
So glad I'm old enough to remember the good things about the old days!.......

FEED SACK CLOTHING
QUESTION: Did you ever wear clothing made from feed sacks?

submitted by: Sandra Zickefoose Lindke (WI '56)
alindke@tampabay.rr.com
Yes, I wore clothes made from feed sacks. My mother made most of my clothes. I wore the same pair of penny loafers through out my high school years. Dad would take them for repairs when I did not need them for school.

The Stealey memories mentioned a lot of places and names very familiar to me. I too attended Morgan grade school but was not in the class photo shown in the newsletter. Ms. Israel was my teacher that year. Even though we lived on the corner of Traction and Magnolia in Hartland we went home for lunch. Who needed a gym membership after that hike 4 times a day.

I also attended the Duff Street E.U.B. church. We sang in the junior choir and our mother sang in the main choir. She also sang for weddings and funerals. Rev. Roy Fishers was the pastor.

We also went to the Stealey playground because there was none in Hartland. I saw Vicki Booth's name mentioned in one of the memories. I used to babysit her and gave her my dolls and parakeet when I got married and moved to the west coast in 1956.

I want to thank everyone who offered prayers and lit candles for my brother, Rex, during his open heart surgery. He will be home and recovering by the time your next newsletter is printed.

Roleta and Judy you put out more than a newsletter. You girls also pass out care and love to us all. Thanks again for taking the time and effort to do this for us

submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah HS '57)
billmere@aol.com
You requested comments about feed sacks in the recent newsletter. My grandmother, who was a large women, went to a local airfield (probably a grass field) in W.Va., which had advertised airplane rides for a very small fee. Of course, this was way back in the 1920's. Everyone "dressed up" in those days, so she wore her best red dress with white stockings and, being a large women, her feed sack panties. Apparently, large sizes of "store bought": undies were not readily available in those days. She was accompanied by another robust lady. Upon arrival at the airdrome, the two of them paid the few dollars and climbed into the biplane for their first airplane ride The pilot started the engine and taxied to the end of the "runway". With full power, he headed for the"wild blue yonder". Unfortunately, he failed to take into account the weight of his passengers. After two attempts, he realized he could not get the plane airborne. He reluctantly asked the two ladies to exit the airplane and refunded their money. However, upon leaving the plane, my grandmother realized that she had laughed so hard during the takeoff attempts, that she had wet herself. The red dress had faded and her white stockings had red streaks running down the entire length. This story has been told and retold at every family gathering for the last 60 years. I'll bet there are many, many stories similar to this that other readers could tell. It certainly was fun growing up in West Virginia.

GET YOUR TICKETS
AND GIVE TO THE WIN SCHOLARSHIP AT THE SAME TIME
submitted by: Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com
From now until the Clarksburg Reunion Picnic which will be held in Sarasota on March 6, 2010 I have a special offer for you. For any money you send as a gift to the WIN Scholarship, we will give you tickets for the drawing of the 2010 WIN Scholarship Quilt named “Winter Wonderland”.

The tickets are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. You don’t have to be present to win. If your ticket is the winning ticket, we will ship the quilt anyplace within the continental USA for you. When you write to me and send your check, please tell me you want tickets, and supply us your phone number, and email address so we can notify you. ALL MONEY SENT TO THE WIN SCHOLARSHIP OR FOR THE QUILT TICKET DRAWING GOES INTO THE WIN SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNT.

Just write your check out to:

Roleta Meredith c/o WIN Scholarship

And mail to: Roleta Meredith
3201 Charles MacDonald Drive
Sarasota, FL 34240

Those who so generously gave in November were:

Auggie Malfregeot sent his check to pay an undisclosed amount for each student identified correctly in his Morgan class picture that he sent to the newsletter. Thanks for the picture, the game and fun and especially for the check.

Sharon Gordon DiMaria (WI 1961) sent money for the WIN Scholarship and received quilt drawing tickets.

Lyle Corder (RW 1957) sent money to the WIN Scholarship and received tickets for the drawing for the quilt in March.

Nancy Jones supported the WIN Scholarship by purchasing quilt drawing tickets.

Sam Selario (WI 1957) sent a generous check to the WIN Scholarship.

Joe Malone (WI 1952) sent a very generous check to pay for each student identified correctly in the class picture of a class his mother taught at Morgan Grade School…

Harriet (Danley) and Bill VanVoorhis (WI 1958) sent a check in their continued support of the WIN Scholarship.

Louanna Furbee (WI 1955) Thank you for your continued support of the WIN Scholarship.

THE ITALIAN GANG
Author Unknown
I am sure for most second generation Italian American children who grew up in the 40's, 50's & 60's there was a definite distinction between us and them. We were Italians, everybody else, the Irish, the Germans, the Polish, they were Americans.

I was well into adulthood before I realized I was an American. I had been born American and lived here all my life, but Americans were people who ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on mushy white bread. I had no animosity towards them, it's just I thought ours was the better way with our bread man, egg man, vegetable man, the chicken man, to name a few of the peddlers who came to our neighborhoods. We knew them, they knew us.

Americans went to the A&P. It amazed me that some friends and classmates on Thanksgiving and Christmas ate only turkey with stuffing, potatoes, and cranberry sauce. We had turkey, but only after antipasti, soup, lasagna, meatballs and salad!

In case someone came in who didn't like turkey, we also had a roast of beef. Soon after we were eating fruits, nuts, pastries and homemade cookies sprinkled with little colored things. This is where you learned to eat a seven course meal between noon and four PM, how to handle hot chest nuts and put peaches in wine. Italians live a romance with food. Sundays we would wake up to the smell of garlic and onions frying in olive oil. We always had macaroni and sauce (gravy).

Sunday would not be Sunday without going to Mass. Of course you couldn't eat before Mass because you had to fast before receiving communion. We knew when we got home we'd find meatballs frying, and nothing tasted better than newly cooked meatballs with crisp bread dipped into a pot of hot gravy (not sauce).

Another difference between them and us was we had gardens. Not just with flowers, but tomatoes, peppers, basil, lettuce and 'cucuzza'. Everybody had a grapevine and fig tree. In the fall we drank homemade wine arguing over who made the best. Those gardens thrived because we had something our American friends didn't seem to have. We had Grandparents.

It's not that they didn't have grandparents. It's just they didn't live in the same house or street. We ate with our grandparents, and God forbid we didn't visit them 3 times a week. I can still remember my grandfather telling us how he came to America when he was young, on the 'boat.'

I'll never forget the holidays when the relatives would gather at my grandparents' house, the women in the kitchen, the men in the living room, the kids everywhere. I must have fifty cousins. My grandfather sat in the middle of it all drinking his wine he was so proud of his family and how well they had done.

When my grandparents died, things began to change. Family gatherings were fewer and something seemed to be missing. Although we did get together usually at my mother's house, I always had the feeling grandma and grandpa were there.

Its understandable things change. We all have families of our own and grandchildren of our own. Today we visit once in a while or meet at wakes or weddings. Other things have also changed. The old house my grandparents bought is now covered with aluminum siding. A green lawn covers the soil that grew the tomatoes. There was no one to cover the fig tree, so it died.

The holidays have changed. We still make family 'rounds' but somehow things have become more formal. The great quantities of food we consumed, without any ill effects, are not good for us anymore. Too much starch, too much cholesterol, too many calories in the pastries! The difference between 'us' and 'them' isn't so easily defined anymore, and I guess that's good.

My grandparents were Italian-Italians; my parents were Italian-Americans. I'm an American and proud of it, just as my grandparents would want me to be. We are all Americans now...the Irish, Germans, Polish, all U.S. citizens.

But somehow I still feel a little bit Italian. Call it culture...call it roots...I'm not sure what it is. All I do know is that my children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, have been cheated out of a wonderful piece of our heritage.

QUESTION: WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS IN SCHOOL?
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: I ask for you to write about your favorite or least favorite teacher….I hope you will write this month re: this subject. Here are a couple.

Write to Roleta1@aol.com

submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
JATeter@aol.com
My two MOST favorite classes at WI were History and Math. History brought me into the world of Abraham Lincoln and I stayed on his trail all the way thru my one year at Fairmont State College. I also liked the idea of knowing how, what, when and where our history was generated. Math as I was always good at numbers (as I am to this very day). When I graduated from WI in 1961 and went to Fairmont State for a year, I think that History and Math were the only two subjects that I passed during my tenure at FSC. I think that my dad and my Aunt Kathryn drilled the needs for math and history into my head so much, that I just thought it came naturally.

I have to say that my two LEAST favorite classes at WI were Biology and English. Biology because I did not like dissecting frogs and such and I did not like the “ghory” that came with dissection; PLUS, I never liked getting dirty and dissecting just seemed to me to be dirty. English because I had Miss Nutter and she scared me. I have talked to a lot of my classmates from 1961 and nobody can seem to make me understand why Miss Nutter scared me, as nobody else seemed to be afraid of her. They may not have liked her much, but they were not afraid of her. I WAS!

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS
submitted by: Fred G. Layman (VHS '46)
FGL46VHS@AOL.COM
At VICTORY High School we had 22 teachers for the following subjects: Band, Commerce, English, French, Home Economics, Journalism, Latin, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, Shop, Social Science, Vocal Music and one Librarian. We had one Principal Miss Lucy Bailey. Our band director was A. W. Shaw who rode a bicycle to school from Washington Avenue to VICTORY during good weather. There is only one of my teachers still living, John Nuzum who was the shop teacher.

In November of 1945 I had a classmate in shop that was using the jointer and it hit a knot and caused him to lose the tip of all his ten fingers. He was taken to St. Marys Hospital for treatment of his wounds. The very next day I was using the rip saw which was left of the jointer and also hit a knot resulting in the cutting my right thumb down to the bone. There were no guards on this equipment at the time. My coach took me over to Bridgeport to my family company Dr. for treatment. His wife got him out of bed and he came down the stairs drunk. He just looked at my thumb and put sulpha drug on it. Didn't clamp or stitch it. Then he told me to come over to the company office at Dawson Mine in a week. He was the company Dr. for the mine and my father was bookkeeper. The next day the school board put guards on this machine.

I liked all my teachers at VICTORY. We also had a good principal. She died in March, 1950, of brain cancer at age fifty. Our school deprived it's name, VICTORY, from winning WW I. The war was started in 1917 and finished in 1919. The school was not completed till a couple years later but opened in 1919. The shop class helped in some of the work. The first graduating class had only fifteen (15) students. Before the school was opened the students attended WI.

JOHN COOPER MEMORIES
submitted by: John Cooper (WI '51)
Mysto99@aol.com

DECEMBER SONGS
submitted by: Steve Goff (WI '72)
sgoff53@hotmail.com
A roarin' "Happy Ho-Ho" to you and yours. I've put together a mixed bag of tunes that were NUMBER 1 in the country, from December's past, with an assortment of holiday songs tossed in for good measure. Not much chatter this month...all I want for Christmas is...oh, never mind....I've got everything I need. Merry Christmas from a Grateful Dude. Lets' get started with a few Christmas tunes/videos.

"The Christmas Song" Mel Torme dueting with Judy Garland on her TV show from December '63. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOQ4JxPDXIU

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" Harry Connick,Jr. jazzing things up on David Letterman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEoX9IX10_A&feature=related

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" John Mellencamp, from 1987. I like how he turns this into a good little rocker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsat4e8jgHA

NUMBER ONE SONGS FROM DECEMBERS OF YEARS GONE BY...
1947..."Ballerina" Vaughn Monroe. The concert footage here comes from 1964/65. (Note to self...so that's Vaughn Monroe.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZdI_okm2I

1950..."The Thing" Phil Harris. Here's a fun song with that mysterious, unidentified "bumba- ba-bum" for you to fill in the blank, as to whatever it is causing the consternation in this song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcj16EGYYrs

1955..."16 Tons" Tennessee Ernie Ford. Go-Go version from The Hollywood Palace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92arUrGVt6k&feature=related

1957..."You Send Me" Sam Cooke. What a smooth, stylish vocalist. He is at the top of my list. Many pop singers have been influenced by his great phrasing and tone. This has a Dick Clark introduction and the video is a little grainy, but the sound is good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqzv1ZS6uZs

1959..."Heartaches By The Number" Guy Mitchell. Ray Price took this to #2 on the country charts in the same year. Nice enough, but I think it works better as a country song. Regardless, this topped the charts for two weeks in December of '59. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ViGhBw3sUI

1963..."Dominique" The Singing Nun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuJEQzTLWKk

1966..."Winchester Cathedral" The New Vaudeville Band on The Hollywood Palace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkIJQxzuc8A&feature=related

1969..."Leaving on a Jet Plane" Peter, Paul and Mary. Here's nice live version. Mary Travers passed away this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa3h3pnhg8s

**Bonus: As you may know, John Denver wrote this song. Here he is doing his version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLBKOcUbHR0&feature=related

1971..."Family Affair" Sly & the Family Stone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RmKBFND9SY&feature=related

1974..."Cat's in the Cradle" Harry Chapin. A live version from 1981. Chapin would tragically die later that year in a car crash on the Long Island Expressway. He was 38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlHdjjHNEC8

1977..."How Deep is Your Love" The Bee Gees. Another hit from the soundtrack of "Saturday Night Fever". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHnZS8mAKGM

1980..."Lady" Kenny Rogers. Help me here folks. Harry Chapin, The Bee Gees, and Kenny Rogers; back to back to back. I need combat pay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj_NjLBPotQ&feature=related

1983..."Say Say Say" Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. Story goes that Mack and Jack had great fun making this video. The relationship soured when, years later, Jackson out bid McCartney for the royalty rights to McCartney's song catalogue. Ouch! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gWvBXS2t4A

Let me conclude with my favorite rock and roll rendition of a Christmas standard.

"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band from 2007. Let this one unfold folks and I assure you, you will be rockin' your jingle bells as this one takes off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEoX9IX10_A&feature=related

Best wishes, much thanks, and happy holidays,

HOW WE DRESSED
submitted by: Cathy Kay Strogen (WI '65)
MCSTROGEN@aol.com
Although I graduated with the class of 1965 and dress codes were starting to lighten up, I don't think I ever wore jeans or pants to school and God Forbid to church!

Footwear consisted of saddle shoes and penny loafers. On rare occasion we wore white canvas tennis shoes and if we were adventurous we had colored shoe laces. Wow, what a fashion statement that was!

Mother liked to buy my clothes at W.T. Grant and O.J. Morrisons. I remember one time when she bought me a crinoline so my poodle skirt was full and a white blouse to match. I really thought I was something.

And what about those hair styles!! Always permed and teased. I guess to match those full skirts.

One more fashion statement...GIRDLES. Yes, that's right and I bet most of us wore one. They have made a come back but are now referred to as body foundations!

A friend found this picture in our yearbook and I guarantee all of us were wearing skirts with our cardigan sweaters.

Reading left to right: ?, Cathy Kay Strogen, Margie Murphy Kovach, Pam Lough, Nancy Grow & Janie McIntire. I wish I knew the girl standing behind me, maybe someone will. I do not know Pam, Nancy and Janie's married names.

I hope everyone has a joyous Holiday!

submitted by: Roleta Smith Meredith (WI '59)
Roleta1@aol.com
When I was young, no matter the weather, girls wore skirts and tops (or dresses) to school. I don't remember ever owning a pair of saddle shoes. They were popular before I went to high school and apparently reappeared in popularity after I graduated. I loved penny loafers but I also remember that my parents hated the fact that I could take them off so easily (I still go barefoot a lot) and that I walked with the back crunched down into the insole, thus they always threatened to stop buying them for me but penny loafers were as strong as work boots and never wore out! A popular shoe was a Mary Jane with or without the strap. These were dressier and were worn with hose or bare legs. If one wore hose, and we always did when dressed up, we wore girdles or garter belts to hold up the stockings. There was no such thing as panty hose. Real wide belts were popular, cardigan sweaters or even sweater sets. ...We wore small scarves that were plain in color (not printed) these we folded, tied and we placed the tied knot at the front side of our necks. We had little collars that were usually trimmed in lace that we wore around our neck with our sweaters and it looked as though we were wearing either a lacy sweater or a blouse underneath. A string of pearls were popular too. We also wore white blouses a lot. I guess we almost looked as though we were in uniform because most of us wore black skirts (either straight or really full with crinolines underneath) and white blouses or sweater sets. I never owned a poodle skirt and don't remember if they were popular at that time or later. I can remember before a bunch of girls went someplace together, we would often call each other to see what to wear. (Now that hasn’t changed through the years). Do you remember those Playtex Girdles which were made out of rubber? I remember wearing one when I worked at Lerner’s. When you took off the girdle you had little raised spots due to the little breathing holes in the girdle and when it was a really warm day, you could smell rubber and if you took the girdle down, it rolled down and good luck on getting it unrolled and back in place! LOL

I remember I had school clothes, church clothes and “go to town” clothes. Oh and also, clothes I had grown out of or which were stained were my everyday clothes. When I came home from school, the first thing I did was take off my school clothes so they wouldn't get ruined. Church clothes were pretty dressy—no shoulders showing, etc. but as I grew older, they included a hat, often gloves and high heels….this was also true with the “go to town clothes”. I had an aunt who lived in Niles, Ohio and often came to WV to visit us. She said she couldn’t afford to live in Clarksburg because to go to town one had to dress like a model from a style show.

We never wore slacks. I remember I did have a pair of jeans which I wore around the house in cool weather. When my daughter, Vaneta, was in kindergarten (1970) I begged the principal to get with the trend and allow the little girls to wear slacks to school. Since I was president of the PTA at that time, he relented.

SPORTS
WEST VIRGINIA FOOTBALL
submitted by: Bill Meredith
billmere@aol.com
USF-WVU

We should have seen this loss coming. Six wins, over Liberty (1-AA), East Carolina (Average, at best), Colorado (Among the Big 12's worst), Syracuse (Among the Big East's worst), Marshall (Closer than the score indicated) and Connecticut (A very narrow win). The lone loss was to an average Auburn team. We hoped things would improve, but we forgot that Jarrett Brown is a first year starting quarterback, the offensive line is young and the defensive backs, well, USF (and U Conn) showed us how good they aren't. We need to regroup, get completely healthy, beat Louisville and hope for miracles against Cincinnati, Pitt and Rutgers. Two more wins are possible. Three or four would surprise even the most loyal fans.

WVU-Louisville

Going through the motions. That's what it looked like to me. Where has the offense gone? This was not a good U of L team. Let's hope we are healthy for the Cincinnati game. Lord help us if we are not. As one sportswriter put it, if we lose, it's back to a "Car Bowl".

WVU-Cincinnati

This game proved one thing to me. Either Cincinnati is not as good as they are ranked or WVU is better than a middle of the pack Big East team. It probably is a little bit of both. Also, college football is about emotion. Momentum can change in an instant. The reversal of the call at the WVU one yard line changed the entire game. Give the Mountaineer players credit. They did not quit, after what most considered a very bad call. This, coupled with poor playcalling by the coaches and even poorer kick coverage (again), cost us the upset win. Finally, the offensive line is still a problem. Jarrett Brown must "run for his life" in every game. Recruiting skill players is fine, but, big, mean linemen still made them stars. It looks like our BCS game will have to be against Pitt. GO MOUNTAINEERS !!!

LETTERS TO THE SPORTS EDITOR AND HIS ANSWERS
To Bill:

I attended this year's WVU/USF game in Tampa last Friday. You know the result. But the reason I'm writing is that going to Raymond James Stadium was fabulous. Although I was sitting in Row U, we had perfect seats! (As a matter of fact we probably got more breeze - the temps were in the 80's - even at 8 p.m. - than the folks sitting closer to the field.)

I would recommend that anyone who considered attending this match in two years (when USF again hosts WVU) make a decision now to go. My friend & I ate at a very good, reasonably priced steakhouse, 1/2 mi. from the stadium. We left our car there and walked to the game - along with a lot of Blue & Gold.

I wish WVU better success for the remainder of the season.

Carol (Gottlieb) Rovinsky (WI 1965)

To Carol:

I was not able to make the game this year. A friend (my ticket source) failed to get the tickets as promised. Just as well, since I die a little with each loss. I totally agree with you on Raymond James Stadium. I've been there several times and feel it is the finest facility in the country, used for college football. I was amazed at how wide the areas are beneath the stands. I never feel "crowded" there. Hopefully, two years from now (or before), WVU can break the spell that USF has had on them. Their team speed is tough to counter.

From: Bill (billmere@aol.com)

To Bill:

Bill Spears brought up some really good ' 56 --' 57 memories. Bill had mentioned the WVU freshman playing West Virginia Wesleyan freshman in the Carmichael Auditorium. I also saw that game. I was a freshman at Wesleyan but I played football that year. Wesleyan had a great team and one of the best basketball players in the country was Kenny Remley, one my best friends at Wesleyan. As Bill said, Ken was about 6'-10" and very coordinated for a man that tall. Ken was All-American, which he deserved. Wesleyan, that year, scored over 100 points in three games and the highest was 113. Eight games were in the 90's.

I would bring Ken to my house many weekends and my Mom and Dad loved him. He was so tall that about two feet of Ken's legs stuck over our beds. One of his highlights of our weekend, not to mention Mom's spaghetti and meatballs with homemade bread, was to go to the Ritz Theatre and watch the cartoons. I think they showed about 17 to 20 of them every Saturday. Well, if any of you remember, we had to stand in line until they opened. We were usually one of the first ones there in order to get a good seat. The line ran from the theatre, past the library, and on to the corner of Fourth St, across from the Waldo Hotel. Here we were in line with about 100 kids about 4 feet tall and then came Ken that looked like 50 feet tall. After we got in, we had to go get some Boston Beans and chocolate covered raisins. Once we sat down and the cartoons started, we laughed harder than any of the kids who were there. We had the best time. Another highlight was going to Willow Beach or Billy's Meadowbrook.

Ken visited with me about 7 years ago and he had not changed a bit. His sense of humor definitely has not changed and he definitely has not gotten any shorter.

Bill, I enjoy the sports section of the Newsletter. I hope more people will start contributing to this section. The whole newsletter is wonderful. Roleta and Judy have done a fantastic job and now it is enhanced by bringing on board one who has such knowledge of all sports.

Y'all know how to get- er done...............

Jim Alvaro ...........Alta Vista, Central Jr Hi, and WI ' 56

To Jim:

I honestly don't remember much about WV Wesleyan basketball in the 50's, nor, can I identify with you guys going to watch cartoons on Saturday morning at The Ritz. But, I'm jealous. Now, I know why we have such a good time when we are together. Neither of us wants to grow-up. I think the cartoon bit is hilarious! Just picture a nearly 7' tall guy and Jim jockeying for a place in line with all of those kids. Now that's funny. I'm glad you enjoy the sports. But remember, there will be no sports if we don't hear from all of you.

From: Bill (billmere@aol.com)

To Bill:

Being at NDHS, a small school, we never got to schedule W.I. or Victory. We did, however, play a lot of mutual opponents, like R.W., Bridgeport, Grafton, Doddridge, Phillip Barbour, Fairmont West, Buckhannon,& a few more. In my sophomore year, our J.V. had a scrimmage with Victory. Having lived in North View, I was really up for this one! Victory had a very good, hard running back (Fultz or similar) & for some reason, they ran him at me at linebacker almost every play! Our J.V. Coach, John Scott, came to me after the scrimmage & congratulated me. I had over 30 tackles & it was by far my best game ever. Since it was against Victory & a lot of my old friends, this was my best "Spaghetti & Meatballs" game!!

In our senior year, we were going to Fairmont to play Fairmont West (Senior). They had a huge guard over center who had already been contacted by the S. F. Forty-Niners to play for them the first year out of high school. Halfway to Fairmont, I realized that I had forgotten my hip pads. I went up to coach on the bus & told him & he snapped at me, "Then you will have to ride the bench tonight!". Johnny Joe Scott (who just passed away --Bless his Soul) was the backup center & coach made it a point to tell him, right in front of me, that he was our center tonight! Johnny Joe played the whole game against that pro, who was about 6 ft. 5 in tall & weighed about 270 lbs. Johnny Joe had a great game against him, screening him out most of the time. Poor J.J. was about 5 ft 9 in & a sophomore at 150lbs. He had a knack for just getting in the guys way. You just never know do you? (And, No guys, I did not forget my pads on purpose. I was looking forward to playing that big guy, but I would never have had the game that Johnny Joe had. He played him differently than I would & J.J. was right, bless his soul. (Spaghetti & Meatballs!!!)

Disclaimer: After fifty-some years of embellishment, all of the "spaghetti & meatballs" above has been overseasoned with fiction & humor, smothered in parmeson, overdone with red pepper, loaded with garlic and all done in good fun utilizing a lousy memory. Of course, all the names are fictitious!

Thanks---Pat Elder--NDHS 1957

To Pat:

Another great story. 30 tackles in one game. That doesn't happen often, even in JV ball. The middle guard for the Polar Bears (FSHS) probably didn't make it to the NFL, but one local player from that era who did, was Sam Huff from Farmington, WV. What a player. I have mentioned this before, but it is worth saying again. As of a few years ago, there were only two towns/cities in the U.S. that had two native sons in the NFL Hall Of Fame. One of them was Farmington, WV (Sam Huff and Frank Gatski). It may still be true.

From: Bill (billmere@aol.com)

To Bill,

Pursuant to my prior e-mail about the 1960 USA Olympic Team I am sending you the roster, game results and further information about that great team which could perhaps rank as the best team ever of non- professional players. I hope you find this interesting. Please contact me if you have any questions about this.

Regards,
Bill Spears
WI Class of 1962

USA Basketball

To Bill Spears:

Thanks for the link. I agree that this was really a great collection of basketball players. I'm sure some of the readers will enjoy the site.

From: Bill (billmere@aol.com)

From Bob Secret:

I thought I would talk about sports for a while:

In the last 50 years, there have been some super athletes in our county and from Washington Irving HS.

The toughest football player from WI was Gene Donaldson...at 6'2 and 235 he was a beast with speed.

Jeff Schneider was my pick as the best basketball player, boy could he pop'em in at 6'3. He put a show on in Charleston.

Danny Pettrey was the fastest human I ever saw. I ran a 9.9 for the 100 yd dash at Elkins and came in second to Danny's 9.8, the world record at that time was Dave Sime at 9.5.

The three greatest football players were Donaldson, my cousin Frank Loria, from Notre Dame and Jim Salentro from Victory.

Mark Defazio, pound for pound, may have been the best all-around athlete in America. He earned 16 letters at RW.

Chris Sprenger was one helluva all-around athlete from Bridgeport, he along with Salentro,and Defazio were my best three all- around athletes.

We must certainly be proud of Loria, a two-time All-American safety at VATech, Donaldson who was drafted by the Redskins from Purdue, and my dear friend Rex Bumgardner, who played with the Cleveland Browns for eight years out of WVU.

Also Chris George, a tremendous receiver from Glenville State who broke all of Jerry Rices’ records.

If Salentro had chosen baseball instead of football, he would have hit 500 homers in the big leagues.

There were many great ones before 1959. Perhaps, someone else can remember and write about them for the newsletter.

The above mentioned will long be remembered in the annals of Harrison County Sports History, at least in my opinion. I could have certainly continued on with more people…It was fun watching all of them play.

Thanks to Roleta and Judy. Keep up the tremendous job of informing us about our alumni.

To Bob:

Thanks for your interesting letter. I am familiar with most of the names and remember Rex Bumgardner at WVU very well. I think you missed at least one great athlete that I remember reading about. His name is Bob Secret. He is right up there with the best of them. (Now that Bob has started the ball rolling, we would like for others to send us their list of the people they think excelled in sports in the Clarksburg area.)

Email your list to: billmere@aol.com

QUESTION---PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS
Rich Rodriquez has had a rough two years at Michigan---He and U of M are paying his buyout to WVU, an 8-16 record, no bowl games, two losses to arch rival Ohio State, an NCAA investigation and venomous comments from fans calling for his ouster. He may last one more year, or longer, if he can turn it around next year. Regardless of all of this, the question is: " At some future date, would you welcome Rich Rod back as the football coach at West Virginia University?" ALL OF YOU have an opinion on this one. Please send me your answer, telling me why you feel the way you do.

Write to: billmere@aol.com

NOTICE TO SPORTS FANS
submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah HS '57)
billmere@aol.com
If you want to see sports programming not normally available on your regular channels, try www.channelsurfing.net on your computer. I have watched dozens of games (football, basketball, hockey, etc.) on this site. They often have WVU basketball games, which are unavailable to me on any other source.

JUST A FEW CLOSING THOUGHTS
As I write this, it's the day before Thanksgiving. The WVU football team has been a bit disappointing, but will still go to a bowl game and could end with a 10-3 record. The basketball Mountaineers are in California to play three games, are 2-0 and ranked #8. Hopefully, Ebanks will play and we will know how good they really are. A fine Bridgeport HS football team is preparing to play in the state semifinals. Ohio State beat Michigan, which makes Rich Rod 8-16 for his two years at U of M. We have a lot to be thankful for this year in sports, plus, for all our problems, we still live in the greatest country on earth.

My prayer is that each of you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving and will have a joyous Christmas and New Year.

Bill Meredith--Monongah HS 1957

ONE HIT WONDERS
submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
JATeter@aol.com
Here are some more "One Hit Wonders" that people have sent. The ones from Bryan McIntyre are ones that he had sent previously that I had not been able to verify as "One Hit Wonders" - which I have now done. Bryan had actually included some other songs that I have not been able to verify, so I have not included them in my list as was the case on some of the songs that Bill Spears had sent me early on.

I have also included some that my brother (Bob) sent, but I did not include all of the ones that he sent from the CD that prompted my doing this article. Reason being: some of the ones that Bob sent, other people had already submitted in previous newsletters. I have had this happen on several occasions, as Fred Alvaro and Lanie (Barbara) ZABEAU Norteman have sent me songs that qualified as "One Hit Wonders" but had been listed previously. I just decided not to relist songs that had already been previously mentioned.

I do hope that readers continue to "rack their brains" to come up with more "One Hit Wonders" for the upcoming newsletters. The main file that I created from different web sites has that there are over 500 "One Hit Wonders". Some I have disagreed with and depending on the article interpretation, I have made my own decision on whether they should be listed.

CENTRAL STUDENTS TRIP TO NY CITY IN 1960
submitted by: Wayne Winters (HHS 1966) left Clarksburg 1964
wwinters@ix.netcom.com

I picked up a photo recently of Mrs. Jack Dodds of Central JR hs TRIP TO THE BIG APPLE --before it was the big apple--in October of 1960.

At the Jack Silverman's Supper Club Broadway and 53d Street.

Sitting at that table was likely the biggest group of persons in NYC who were celebrating the outcome of the Baseball World Series. Game 7 held at Forbes Field PGH the day of the pic. Maz in the 9th inning --10-9 PGH -- Series 4-3 PGH. Yankees lost that one. Beat 'em Bucs!

Partial and suspect ID's

Mr. Jack Dodds--Pat Dodds seated on left
First male one on left seated Andrew J Weaver John?
Name might be last name of Cava
Male standing near female seated --Andrew J Weaver Jackie?

First male standing on left face almost directly above Mrs Dodds --Larry Burton

Fifth face standing from left --last name of Cava? I think two sisters Linda and Diane Cava were on the trip

Lewis Gale Grimm almost center with glasses an a bow tie

First male to right of Gale --Steve White?

I recall Fred Booth was on this trip --person standing to the left of the supper club manger

Two rightmost boys standing --Pat Mascaro and Wayne Winters in the bow tie and glasses.

Apologies for all I did not venture a guess and that goes double for the ones I misidentified

ST MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL BOYS
SKIPPED SCHOOL AND VISITED CHICAGO
submitted by: Paul C. Chicarell (St. Mary’s '55)
chicie55@cox.net
Once upon a time (1954) five young seniors from St. Mary’s High School decided to go to Chicago. One had a brother living in Chicago at the time. So they all hopped into a beautiful Silver and Black 1949 Chrysler, We called it the “Silver Ghost”. They left on a Friday, just as school let out. And returned on a Tuesday. Missing 2 days of school of course. They were, Albert Romano, John Petrigac, Harry Mutafis, Paul Light and Me. All chipped in and got one motel room for the 4 of us at night for the following 4 days. While Albert stayed with his brother Nick.

We ate pizza for the entire time we were there because Albert’s uncle Russel had a pizza parlor so we ate free. "Jew Jew Mutt" or "Jew Jew" as we affectionately called him, (short for junior) also had family in Chicago. His cousin Frank Oliverio who we all knew and loved. For four days we had a blast. It was winter but we went to the beach on a bright sunny day, The weather was beautiful. But it was winter and cold as hell. A huge beach along the Chicago Loop. It was Lake Michigan. Naturally five guy’s are going to wrestle and play grab ass so we decided to throw Al in the lake, cause he had it so soft at Nicky's house and we were roughing it. Nahhh we just wanted an excuse to get cold and sloppy. We had a ball.

One night after hearing that Ella Fitzgerald was playing at the Chicago Theater we decided we could afford it and had Frank take us. It was the late show and not too packed. We had great seats. A great new act was opening for Ella. They were a local Chicago act called the Three Chuckles. One played a tall base guitar. One played an electric guitar, and the lead singer played an accordion. They were not even heard of so to speak. They blew me away.

The following is their first hit. I found this slide on the internet last night and that’s what triggered this memory. The Chuckles recorded on the “X” Label. And The 45 player is what I had to play them on.

So after a great night at the theater and after having a great trip home. We are just pulling into East End Lunch to drop “Jew Jew” off. As Albert is backing up in the alleyway beside the restaurant I open the door to let “Mutt” out, and the door hits a small steel fence post. And it springs the door on his dads car. Oh my God. Over 800 and some miles and not a scratch on the car. Oh I was sick.

Well anyhow on the way home Albert said he’s bringing a note to school tomorrow that will say he had to drive his mother to Chicago. “Now I don’t care what excuse you use, but go home and make up an excuse for yourselves and make it good cause we are surely in trouble”.

So the following morning at school. Sonny’s note said he had to drive his mother to Ohio. Mine said I had to drive my Mom to D. C . Paul had to drive his Mom to Md. and “Mutt” said he went with Albert, to his cousin’s funeral.

Coach J. T. pleaded our case to Father O’Brian with us, not to expel us, we were the nucleus to the football team.

Moral to this story: Don’t open the door of a car when it's moving.

NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES

Jan Bee (WI '66)	auntack@yahoo.com
Lisla White Damoulos (WI '65)	ldamoulos@gmail.com
Bruce Chapnick (WI '65)	bpcsrc47@yahoo.com
Paul C. Chicarell (St. Mary’s '55)	chicie55@cox.net

CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS

Mary Smouse Griffin (WI '49)	new address is: marybobgriffin32@aol.com
Dottie Spears Rinehart (WI '60)	was: der42@webtv.net is now: Dottie2342@verizon.net
Lawrence Kinney (WI '51)	was: djkinney@windstream.net is now: djkinney@verizon.net
Harriet Murphy Pansing (WI '57)	was: HarrietPansing@sbcglobal.net is now: annpan13@att.net

A SPECIAL LETTER
submitted by: Sandra Zickefoose Lindke (WI '56)
alindke@tampabay.rr.com
This fall I saw an article in the Clarksburg newspaper on local scholarships. The WIN scholarship was the largest by far. The rest were mostly $200 to $500. I think WIN was listed at $3,000.00 each but we can do better because we care. RIGHT!!!!!

TO ALL OF YOU: Come to Sarasota, Florida in March for the CLARKSBURG PICNIC. You will have a good time. Roleta puts a lot of energy into this and we appreciate her work.

STEALEY FAMILY HOME
Picture sent in by: Joanne Johnson Morgan (WI '54)
jmorgan15@att.net

ABOVE: In the mid-1800's the Stealey family band stood in front of the Nicholas Carpenter house, 512 Milford Street. Band members were Mary Temple Stealey. Charles T. Stealey, Eunice Stealey (Babb), Elizabeth Stealey (Barlow), Lelia Stealey, Irvin Ray Stealey, Joseph E. Stealey, Ethel Stealey (Dickson) and John E. Stealey.

BELOW: Major William Haymond lived in the log cabin on Zack's Run which stands today. The log portion of the house was built around 1797. (Harrison County Historical Society)

MY HOW TIME SPEEDS BY
DID YOU KNOW?
submitted by: Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com
Freshmen entering college this year:

Were generally born in 1991. (As a friend of mine says, “I have under shorts older than that”.)

Never had a Pong Game hooked up to their TV.

Don’t remember TV without cable or remote control.

Don’t remember dial phones.

Never knew IBM made typewriters.

Have always had electronic games to play.

Can’t imagine what it was like before computers.

Are aware the Hubble Space Telescope has always been eavesdropping on the heavens.

Have always been able to use a calculator to aid them in math problems,,,,except during some tests in school .

Don’t remember the Wall in Germany. Can’t relate to the fears of WW II, The Korean Conflict, VietNam, Desert Storm, or the Cuban Crisis.

NOTE: I can’t imagine the changes they will experience in their lives!

submitted by: Bill Adler WI ’54 almost (moved to Arizona in 1953)
billsreflections@gmail.com
A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHRISTMAS ©
In December, the winter chill took on a different feel. It wasn’t quite so cold. There was something special about the walk home from WI that time of year, regardless of how cold it was. It was the Christmas season. It was always a special, warm time of year.

I would head out the side door of school (remember, only seniors were permitted to use the front steps) and on my way home, would head for the Arcade. I often stopped at the bakery to buy a special treat before exiting onto Main Street, which celebrated the season festooned with holiday lights and garlands. The store windows and their interiors complimented the spirit of the holiday with colorful and cheerful decorations.

Walking toward East End, the homes along Main Street mirrored the stores downtown with a beautiful holiday wreath on many doors, brightly decorated trees in most of the windows and blue, red, or gold staggered electric candles colorfully on display through other frosted windows in some of the homes. It was an especially magical walk home, if a light snow was falling.

In our home my three brothers, my parents and I celebrated the day, December 25th, but not the holiday. We had no wreath on the door; no brightly decorated tree in the window, no electric candles either. The candles we lit during the holiday season were on the Hanukah Menorah, a new candle for each of the eight nights of the holiday.

Our parents wanted to have a Jewish home where we celebrated the Jewish holidays, but did not want their four sons to feel left out when all of the kids on the block trotted out with their new toys and gifts on Christmas Day. Their solution was to exchange gifts on Christmas morning. Instead of a tree as a symbol of the season, Father removed all of the furniture from our large dining room, and set up his huge model train track that formed a complete circle nearly touching each wall in the room. In the center, the folks placed each son’s gifts behind a sign bearing each boy’s name; Billy, Joel, Gary and Bobby.

Dad would set-up his movie lights to photograph each year’s festivities. On cue we would come downstairs in our PJs and bathrobes (who wanted to take the time to get dressed) and file into the dining room, with bright lights shining in our eyes, and the sound of trains traveling around mounds of goodies.

Before noon we were out on Terra Cotta with the rest of the neighborhood kids, showing off and sharing our new gifts, new bikes and trikes, shiny new toys, and for the older kids, new clothes. Santa was good to everyone on the block even the Jewish kids who, like their gentile friends, loved the concept of giving and receiving and celebrating the moment. We just didn’t celebrate the holiday.

Years later, when the brothers would get together to look at the old films one thing was very clear, Bill’s bathrobe worn last year was now Joel’s, and Gary is seen in it a few years later, until after it was Bob’s turn and then the bathrobe disappeared. Tradition!

All that is missing in this 1950s holiday street scene
in front of the Harrison County Court House is snow.
It was bound to come but not always on Christmas Eve.
(Photo compliments of Gordon Williams)

I invite you to read more:

Please visit my blog at http://reflections-ofmyyouth.blogspot.com/

SCHOLARSHIP CHALLENGE
Here’s a CHALLENGE; I will contribute one dollar to the WIN Scholarship fund for each person who, between now and the end of the year, either writes a comment (good, bad or otherwise) on my blog, or emails me their thoughts at billsreflections@gmail.com

OBITUARIES
DENNIS R. KIRBY
Dennis Kirby, (WI 1952) age 76, died October 29, 2009, at his residence.

He was born in Clarksburg, the son of the late Clardon B. Kirby and Fanchion Lar-imer Kirby.

His wife, Ireta L. Tusing Kirby, whom he married April 2, 1954, survives.

Also surviving are his four sons, Stewart R. (Ann) Kirby, Stephen D. (Tara) Kirby, John M. Kirby and Jimmy A.(Heather) Kirby, one daughter, Linda Kirby (Michael) and nine grandchildren.

Mr. Kirby was a graduate of Washington Irving High School, Class of 1952, and attended. At Fairmont State, he played basketball and ran track. He was an avid RCB fan, usually arriving early for all athletic events.

BETTY LOU CONLEY
Mrs. Betty Lou Conley (RW 1943) age 84, died November 9, 2009.

She was born in Clarksburg, a daughter of the late James Lee Nutter and Loverna Smith Nutter.

She was married to Fred B. Conley, who preceded her in death.

Mrs. Conley is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Margaret and John Hess and Mary Ann and Roger Murray and three grandchildren.

She was the last surviving member of her immediate family, being preceded in death by two brothers, Lewis J. and Oscar L. Nutter, and one sister, Maxine Nutter Wery, and one nephew, James Richard Nutter.

STUART R. WATERS
Stuart R. Waters (WI 1940) died November 7, 2009.

He was the son of the late Carl R. Waters and Margie Queen Waters. He was preceded in death by brothers, James L. Waters, C. William Waters, and sister, Maxine Waters Hatmaker.

Surviving are his wife of 63 years, Carrie C. Waters of Bridgeport, WV; son, Stuart Reed (Karen) Waters, Jr. and daughter, Sarah W. Waters of Pittsburgh, PA; and several grandchildren.

Mr. Waters was a veteran of World War II, serving his country for four years in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

He graduated fromWest Virginia University College of Law in 1949, and practiced law in Clarksburg for 60 years as a partner in the firm of Waters, Warner & Harris, PLLC (formerly Stathers & Cantrall). Mr. Waters was in the active practice of law at the time of his death.

TERESA J. THORNE
Teresa J. Thorne, age 82 years, (WI 1945) passed November 5, 2009.

She was the daughter of the late John Joseph and Julia Koutyuk Grega. She was married to Hubert E. Thorne, who preceded her in death.

She is survived by one son, James (Cheryl) Thorne; two daughters, Patty (Terry) and Terry (Bob) Summers and seven grandchildren. Preceding her in death were two brothers and three sisters.

MARY LOUISE WORTHINGTON FULLER
Mary Louise (Worthington) Fuller, 83, (WI 1944) died on October 30, 2009.

She was the daughter of the late Charles C. and Cedar V. (Grosscup) Worthington.

Mary Lou graduated from the Muskingum Area Joint Vocational School, licensed practical nurse program, in 1972.

As an LPN, she worked for the Mark Rest Center, in McConnelsville, Ohio, and for Sunnyview Nursing Home and Willow Haven Care Center, both in Zanesville, Ohio.

Mary Lou was preceded in death by her husband, the late Richard George Fuller.

She is survived by her son, Keith (Cindy) Fuller, and three grandsons, Luke, Adam and Ethan Fuller, all of Tiffin, Ohio, and by a daughter, Lisa Fuller, and a granddaughter, Katie Maleckar, both of Arlington, Virginia.

RICHARD STALNAKER
Richard Stalnaker, (WI 1954) passed on Oct. 10, 2009 in Fountain Hills, Az. He was married to Phyllis Tutwiler (1957) Stalnaker. No other information was given.

ELEANOR YOUNG DETURK
Eleanor Young DeTurk, (WI 1940), passed away September 13, 2009 in Henryetta, Oklahoma at the age of 87.

She was the daughter John and Edna Young. Her father was a Clarksburg dentist for many years. She retired as a lab technician from Henryetta, OK Hospital and Clinic and continued to do volunteer work there after her retirement.

She married William E. DeTurk on June 29, 1946 in Clarksburg, WV. She was preceded in death by her husband in July, 1994; also preceding her in death were her parents; two brothers, John Paul Young and James E. Young; and a sister, Barbara Jane Stanton.

She is survived by her step-daughter Linda DeTurk (Bill) Jones, (WI 1960) children William "Bill" DeTurk, Barbara Ann Pitts; Mary E. "Betty" Simmons; John Marshall Deturk; Katherine "Kay" Sutterfield, Michael Wolfe DeTurk ; 15 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Ann Colenet Martin.

ROSE EVEA GREYNOLDS JOHNSON
Rose Eva Greynolds Johnson, 81, (RW 1948) died November 18, 2009. She was the daughter of the late Fay Greynolds. Her husband, Guy Roy “Mike” Johnson preceded her in death.

Surviving are one son, Michael Roy (Becky) Johnson three daughters, Carol Darlene Dennison, Ann Charlene (John) Harman, and Marlene Michelle (Jeff) one sister-in-law whom she loved like a sister, Sophia Greynolds, 10 grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren

CHARLES RICHARD “DICK” LYNCH
HONOLULU — Charles Richard “Dick” Lynch, 65, died, November 7, 2009, in Honolulu after an extended illness. He was the son of the late Charles Cecil Lynch and Kathaleen Kerens Lynch.

Dick graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1962 and performed at the Seattle World’s Fair with the West Virginia State Band. He served in the armed forces in Hawaii as a member of the U.S. Army 5th Division band and sang with the St. Andrews Episcopal Church choir in Honolulu. After discharge, he attended West Virginia University to study music and political science. While a student, he composed several musical pieces performed by the University. In 1986, Dick returned to Hawaii, as he had always intended, becoming a member of the carpenters’ union and working on several large projects on Oahu. Throughout his life, he worked at several different occupations, including chef, travel agent and construction worker. He had many interests and enjoyed keeping himself informed by regularly reading many newspapers and periodicals. He also enjoyed reading about food and cooking for friends and family.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his sisters, Sue Baldini of Bridgeport, WV, Janice Lynch and brother-in-law Rick Clapsadle of San Jose, CA; and nine nieces, nephews, greatnieces, great-nephews and friends on Oahu, including Camela Canio of Wahiawa, Hawaii.

DONNA J. BONNELL
Donna J. Bonnell, 50, (RW) died on November 22, 2009 as a result of complications from a resistant strain of the H1N1 flu virus.

Donna was a daughter of Frank Gump, Lost Creek, WV, and Nancy Tichnell Gump of Clarksville, Va. She had been employed with Americorps Vista, West Union, WV.

She is survived by a daughter, Lora Bonnell, and son, Josh Gump, both of West Union, WV; stepchildren, Donny and Ashley Bonnell, both of Pennsboro, WV; sisters, Debbie Jordan and Jani Licot Smith; brother, Frank Gump, Buckhannon, WV; and two grandchildren.

Donna was preceded in death by her husband, Danny Bonnell on July 2, 2009.

LAVORIS JEAN (PERNELL) RUNYON

Lavoris Jean (Pernell) Runyon Noted Arizona Artist Passes On After A Brief Illness.

Lavoris Jean Runyon (Pernell), (April 24th, 1937 - November 18th, 2009) was born to Vada Ware and Collie Pernell in Clarksburg, West Virginia where she grew up with many loving brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews in the hills. She was proud of her heritage that was part Native American. Lavoris was the first member of her family to graduate from college when she completed her degree in music at Marshall University. In her early career, she was a teacher of music and special education where she spent her time having fun with a certain spirit that was all her own. She met her future husband Donald Eugene Runyon in the 1960s in a mutual friend's basement over a washtub of beer. They were later married in 1970. In 1971 her daughter Nicole was born where upon Lavoris retired from her teaching career. Later in life, she picked it up again and became Coordinator of Adult Education in Kalkaska, Michigan where she touched many adult learners. Through the years she spent her time at her home in the wilderness of Northern Michigan and also at her home Green Valley, Arizona. In recent years, Lavoris became an accomplished watercolorist and was a member of the Arizona Watercolor Guild and a signature member of the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild. Her abstract paintings can be seen in a variety of collections. She is survived by her husband Donnie, daughter Nicole (Kurt Wierman), sister Cormadeen Bracken, and many nieces and nephews. She touched many people through her warm spirit and fun heart (you have to have a sense of humor when your mother named you after a mouthwash). There will be no services but in keeping with her fun spirit, the family asks that you raise a toast (preferably red) to this magnificent woman.

The Times Herald.com

Newsletter Archive

Back to WI Index