THE WI NEWSLETTER 10/10


THE WI NEWSLETTER


Editor: Roleta Smith Meredith Issue 134 October 2010






IF YOU WRITE TO ME AND YOUR MAIL IS FOR THE
NEWSLETTER—PLEASE INDICATE THAT!
ALSO, SIGN YOUR NAME, SCHOOL AND YEAR OF GRADUATION
TO EVERYTHING THAT IS FOR THE NEWSLETTER
OTHERWISE IT MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED!

Thanks for helping me out, Roleta1@aol.com






WILD AND WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA
THE 2011 WIN SCHOLARSHIP QUILT

submitted by: Sue Selby Moats (WI '55)
moatsue@aol.com

The WIN quilters have been busy with their creativity making blocks for the 2011 WIN scholarship quilt. We are doing a quilt representing various aspects of "Wild & Wonderful WV".

Some of the blocks made for the quilt are: apple on 9 patch, cardinals-state bird, Clarksburg chili dog, covered bridge scene, Mail Pouch barn, landscape with deer, maple leaf blocks; bear's paw, Moon over the Mountain, "West Virginny Moonshine", appliquéd dogwood blossoms, appliquéd bear-state animal; embroidered state outline; WV outline with hand painted farm scene as well as other pieced blocks such as Card Trick, Delectable Mountain, Rail Fence, Flying Geese, and 9 patch.

The WIN quilters are: Carolyn Cady, Mary Liz Carder, Barb Charles, Carol Dean, Mary Hulick, Sara Graham, Nancy Jackson, Gig Meredith, Joan Merrill, Sue Moats, Mary Nophsker, Elaine Norteman, Kitty Sager, Mary Sue Spahr, Pam Wolfe Brown, Lin Stricker and Mary Ann Williams.

This is going to be the BEST WIN quilt yet. You will want to purchase many tickets to be sure you have the opportunity to own it. Chances for the 2011 WIN quilt are one for $1.00; 6 for $5.00 and any multiple of $5.00 you wish to donate to this great cause. You do NOT have to be present to WIN the quilt.

Write your checks to: Roleta Meredith c/o WIN Scholarship

Please send your check to:

Roleta Meredith
3201 Charles MacDonald Dr.
Sarasota, FL 34240




Cardinals submitted by Kitty Sager wife of Don Sager WI ‘56 forwvu@sc.rr.com




Autumn Maple Leaf submitted by Carolyn Layfield Cady WI '53 rcadyc@sbcglobal.net




THE BIG FLOOD
NOVEMBER 4-5, 1985

submitted by: Jim Alvaro (WI '56)
jalvaro@aol.com


WATER PLANT NEARLY SUBMERGED------The Clarksburg Water Board's filtration plant, located off South Chestnut Street, was inoperable for several days as a result of flooding of the West Fork River Nov. 4 and 5, causing a serious water supply crisis for the city.



submitted by: Ron Cleavenger (WI '63)
roncleaven@aol.com

November 4-5, 1985
That would be the day of the great flood that really affected the Parsons area. My brother, Cliff Cleavenger helped some with the clean-up; he was a 1969 graduate of W-I.

There were several people from the Medical Center in Morgantown, WV, that I know who also volunteered in the clean-up efforts.



submitted by: Terry Snider Fazio (WI '67)
terrymomma@msn.com

I remember well that weekend. It was the weekend of the big flood. My step father & I walked in the CROP Walk that weekend. It was my first 10 mile walk & I had trained for it. It drizzled rain the whole time. We didn't realize till the next day the devastation that was to follow. The water plant flooded & we were without water for several days--it was a real eye opener.

Clarksburg didn't have water but I remember Bridgeport did, because we were able to eat at restaurants on Bridgeport Hill. My children who were 6 & 4 at the time thought it was a great time--they got to go to Big Bear Lake with their grandparents--a real holiday for them. Our minister at the time, Tom Clark of the United Methodist Temple, was very involved with the relief effort. Clarksburg was hit hard but some of the areas were hit even harder--Parsons, Petersburg, and others. It changed the whole landscape of several areas.



submitted by: DeDe Short King (WI '94)
KING4189@aol.com

That would have to be the Clarksburg flood of 1985. I was 9 years old that year. I lived in Adamston on S. 22nd Street and was always able to look out my bedroom window, between the houses, onto the bridge that crossed over the West Fork River towards the car wash. Sometimes I would just watch the cars pass over...That morning, when I awoke to look out as I did every morning, all I could see was rushing dirty water along with debris it had picked up during it's mad dash to wherever it was going. The water was so deep at the gas station that I could only see a tiny speck of the roof of a car sitting in the lot. Those days stay in my memory as one of the most horrible things I have ever witnessed in my lifetime. I remember my dad spending a lot of time in Parsons, WV during the flood. He was in the Army Reserves and was part of the clean-up. Many lost their homes and all of their belongings on those days. What a devastating time for WV that year.



submitted by: Chris Wyatt (WI '71)
cvwyatt@Frontiernet.net

This was the Flood of '85, said to be the Flood of the Century.

The remnants of a hurricane settled over the mountains and it rained hard for several days causing flooding throughout West Virginia.

I was in Randolph County at the time, they sent all the kids home from school early. Harman School was closed for a week.

It was devastating. The National Guard was called out. There was actually a drowned cow stuck under a bridge in St. George.

Tucker County was especially hit hard.



submitted by: Bob Davis (WI '59)
RAD29063@aol.com

I have approx. 200 pictures, etc. from the flood. Mostly where in the West end of Clarksburg--- Pike and Milford meet), Adamston, etc. Also Parsons, Petersburg, Rowlesburg, Albright, Philippi, Seneca Rocks area, etc. I was on the road for 2 - 3 weeks as we had 50+ Post Offices damaged--a few completely gone!!

I talked with several people while traveling. I remember two people in Rowlesburg--one in particular who lost his home and he had nothing. I could tell by talking with him for awhile that he had never had much, but now all was gone in the Cheat River. (If I am correct, it was named by the Indians as the river was so clear--as they tried to walk across the Cheat River, many were cheated of their live as the water was much deeper than it looked.)

The second family was two elderly people (possibly my age now) and they had a beautiful brick home, but all that was left was the basement--it was painted bright yellow! Everything else was gone!

It was hard to find a place to eat, stay, get gas, and having to go around all the many bridges that were washed away. Luckily, they gave me a Jeep with 4 wheel to drive as I had to go up and down muddy mountain roads to bypass the rivers with the missing bridges. I met many people with their homes completely gone. Several of my pictures were printed in some magazines. I had a special pass and was able to travel everywhere with no restrictions.



submitted by: Deb Yorgensen (Parkersburg Catholic '69)
dyorgensen@hughes.net

National Guard delivered water. Philippi was hit very hard. Elk Creek behind my house was up. Kept the bathtub full with the National Guard water.



submitted by: Chuck Wilson (WI '67)
cwilson@aviall.com

Roleta,
I remember this one very well, I was living at 420 Water St, Clarksburg. It started raining that Fri., and rained straight through Mon. That Fri., I had left town for a Racquetball tournament in Wheeling, WV, it never stopped raining. That Mon., after work my neighbor Columbus Ester who lived across the street from me had me come over to look at the drain to his basement which had started bubbling that was about 5 o'clock. I left there went over to First St to move my Mom & Grandmother to the Sheridan Inn. Once I got them settled I went back to Water St., by this time the water was up in the intersection of Water & Washington Ave, this is around 7 or so. I got in the house which had never flooded before, at that time I started packing up the family and getting clothes together. The Fire Dept came along and was telling everyone to leave their homes. Well when we finished packing up the water was at the top step of the front porch, as we went out the back up to Ben St and to the Sheridan. The next morning I went down to check out the damage, well the water was coming out of the kitchen window. The street sign at the corner of Water & Lee Ave, you could only see the top of it. Water St. Mt Zion Baptist Church the water was over top the front doors. My Uncle George Wilkinson who lived with my Mom & Grandmother stayed in the house at 182 First St, the Fire Dept rescued him, the next day he walked out on to the second floor roof and stepped right into their boat. At this house the water reached the top step before the second floor. On Water St my house the water was 5 ft inside, the clock in the living room had stopped around 2:30 or so. There were several families that rode it out in their homes till the water went down. We were lucky I had Flood Insurance, but we lost everything. Then it was the long lines at the Armory to sign up with FEMA. I will never forget the Flood of 85, I had seen Clarksburg flood before but nothing like Nov. of 85.




submitted by: Mary Ellen Sereno Rawlinitis (ND '62)
Mra622@aol.com

November 4-5, 1985!!!
My parents, Tony and Daisy Sereno, still lived on Baltimore St. in Clarksburg. I lived in Bridgeport on Williams Ave. There was an evacuation order for both streets at the same time!! At our house, we just moved small things and clothing as high as we could, then hurried to my parents' home to move things from their basement, which we did numerous times over the years because they experienced many floods in their basement, which was also my dad's workshop in later years. After we got the evacuation order, we knew that we had to put things in my parents' home on the first floor on higher ground too, as they were predicting some 23 ft over flood stage, a record for Clarksburg in our time, so we started taking things to the second floor. (Only one time in all the years my parents lived on Baltimore St did the water ever get to the 1st floor - the first time was 1967 when they got an inch or two on the first floor, (just enough to ruin carpets.) While we were working, I heard a terrible noise in the basement and looked down the steps to see that the water had blown a locked basement door wide open and the basement was filling with water at a pace I'd never witnessed in all the years I lived there - very scary indeed! We got my parents safely to my sister's home on Buckhannon Ave. and went home - the water never got up to our home on Williams Ave. in Bgpt. but Elk Creek had taken my father's workshop like a barge down the river, crashed into the railroad trestle, broke apart, dumping all contents into the creek, and stopping at the West End Bridge. (The younger men in our family were able to later retrieve most of my father's tools.) The house suffered 5 1/2 feet of water on the first floor, pretty much totaling the 1st floor. I would never have imagined the destruction that we saw in the house - very little was salvageable. On top of that, someone broke into my parents' home during renovation and stole silver dollars given to my mom by her dad and an antique typewriter! After the flood, the first floor was gutted down to the beams and remodeled with the help of family, family friends, and friends from St. James Church in North View, and a team of electricians that my brother brought from the VA-DC area, who rewired the house for my parent. My parents were finally able to return to their home to live on New Year's Eve.



submitted by: Joanne Westfall Simpson-Tetrick Tetrick (WI '52)
fragilegranny@ma.rr.com

I vividly remember the 1985 flood. First of all, we were living on Magnolia Ave. I always knew if we had a major flood that got up that far that we should begin to build an "Ark". Of course it didn't come up that far. However, it was up to the "alley" as we called it. My daughter, Tracy (W.I.'79) was pregnant with my granddaughter, Samantha. They were living on Liberty Ave. by the river. They had to vacate and came to stay with us. Samantha arrived a few weeks later. It was a dreadful time for all the folks along Liberty Ave. also among which was my brother and sister-inlaw, Don and Joretta (Cochran) Westfall, W.I. '48. The water was one step away from their kitchen. The basement was completely flooded. A huge clean-up mess followed.

The Newsletter continues to be the best. Thanks to you and Judy



submitted by: Carolyn Reynolds Burnside (WI '52)
crburnside842@frontier.com

On November 5, 1985, disastrous flooding occurred throughout a large area of the region. My husband Cappy owned Consolidated Supply Company at the confluence of the West Fork River and Elk Creek in the flood plain of Clarksburg's West End. Previous floods had never reached desk tops in the office, so Cappy stacked drawers on top of the desks. They moved the mixer trucks and other equipment to higher ground. However, this flood exceeded expectations and predictions --- water reached the ceiling of the one-story office. Cappy brought much of the soaked contents of desk drawers home to dry out --- some on newspapers and some in the microwave. These included our passports whose covers disintegrated but the rest was legible. Only seventeen days later, we flew to London. The immigration officer was suspicious but let us pass after we explained the damage. I was teaching at WI at the time --- of course, school was canceled. We had no water for a week and rented a room in a Fairmont motel so we could shower. Cappy especially needed that because he was cleaning up the office. Although we certainly felt this catastrophe, we were grateful that our home was safe. So many lost so much in a large area. After the flood, Cappy had offices built in a building we owned on Peck Street that was above the flood zone, just a few years late. Hind sight is wonderful.



submitted by: Jim Nutter (WI '71)
jlnutter@hotmail.com

This was the first disaster recovery action that I participated in as an employee of the Huntington District US Army Corps of Engineers. As a member of the Contracting Division, I volunteered with four others to operate an emergency contracting office in Elkins. We had two teams of engineers which would survey the disaster sites, provide specifications with estimate, and perform quality assurance. One team was located with us and the other worked out of the Stonewall Jackson Dam construction office. Usually, the engineers would submit their survey and specs by evening. By late evening, my office would complete a draft for the solicitation. The next morning, I would present the draft solicitation and estimate to the FEMA office in Clarksburg, for their review and approval. By noon, I would be back in Elkins with the authorization to release the finalized solicitations. The bids would be issued to local contractors with a bid opening the afternoon of the next day and we would award within an hour. This process went on for 45 days without a break. Twelve to sixteen hour days were the norm, including Thanksgiving. I saw the damages and the lost look of the survivors that I shall never forget.

From receipt of funding authorization and specs, it normally takes 30 days for an award process. But under the 1985 emergency conditions, we reduced that time down to 24 hours, and this was done without computers. In addition, we were allowed to restrict the bidding and make awards only to West Virginia contractors. The commendation in part read, "These 43 contracts resulted in the rapid emergency relief to the disaster communities through the cleanup of potential health and safety hazards and the removal of future potential flood hazards."

Knowing that you do something that helps others is a warm and fuzzy feeling.

EDITOR’S NOTE: WOW! Having close experience with the bid of jobs and the awarding of them to contractors…this is amazing that the job was proposed, planned, let for bids, bid, and awarded within 24 hours….People were lucky that you were there.



submitted by: Marlene Parsons Andre (RW '53)
EAndre@twmi.rr.com

West Virginians Endured After 1985 Flood

Source: statejournal.com



submitted by: John Teter (WI '61)
JATeter@aol.com

Oh do I remember these dates; more November 5th, 1985 than the 4th.

My phone rang at 5:00 a.m. in the morning on November 5th and it WAS MY MOTHER! She asked me what I had planned for the day and I told her that I was planning on going to work. She asked me if I could come home to Clarksburg, West Virginia as her house on Broaddus Avenue was FLOODED. I immediately told her that I would be on my way at daybreak. So I packed some clothes, went to work until daylight, called a friend of mine who lived in Frostburg, Maryland to find out if I was going to run into any problems going thru Cumberland and Garrett County, and after she told me no, I was on my way not sure what I was getting into.

When I arrived on Broaddus Avenue, I heard the sounds of a pump running at my mother's next door neighbors house, so I knew trouble was on the inside of my mother's house as both houses had backyards that lined the Elk Creek banks, which had obviously overflowed. When I walked into my mother's house, she said go directly to the kitchen and look down into the basement. So I did, but I could not see much of the basement as the water was within two or three steps from coming up into the main section of the house. I went next door and Mr. Koon and his family were outside watching their pump do its thing (for what it was worth). If I remember correctly, it had actually stopped raining by the time that I got there, but that did not help the situation. The Koons spent a lot of time in their basement, and I could not imagine what was going thru their minds at the devastation that they were witnessing. Elk Creek had reared its ugly head in the past, but this was the first time that I could remember it coming up into the houses on Broaddus Avenue. We were fortunate to have Mr. Koon as a next door neighbor, as he had gone over early in the flood stages and disconnected the hot water tank in the basement, so that it would be able to be salvaged and used afterwards - which it was!

I called the rental company out in Anmoore to see if they had any pumps left, and they actually had ONE, so off my mother and I went to get the pump. When we returned to Broaddus Avenue, Mr. Koon came over to my mother's house and we decided on the best plan for using the pump to get the water out of my mother's basement. We ran that pump all day, and after the water was out of my mother's basement, we took the pump over to Mary Clyde (Murph) Sharpe's house and set it up to help her out of the situation.

I remember staying overnight and the next day, we tried cleaning the gunk/junk out of the basements and Mr. Koons' son-in-law was hauling it away by the truckload. We got as much done (without being able to use public water) and I left as my mother said that there was no more that we could do.

My sister (Lib Akin) and her husband went to my mother's the following weekend, and took over the cleanup from where I had left it. The most interesting thing that I had heard they had done was my brother-in-law (Bill Akin) had RAKED THE BACKYARD. I would never have thought to do that in a million years, but he knew to do that.

Well, a lot of junk went out of my mother's basement during that week (some good, some bad), but she survived and continued living in the house until about three years ago.



HIGH SCHOOL GOVERNMENT DAY IN 1959



Above is a picture sent by Fred Alvaro (WI 1959)

Front row: (?), Judy Noe (NDHS), Holly Furbee (WI 1959), Diana Nose (RW), John Thomas (NDHS 1960), Dave Horner (WI 1959)

2nd row: Ed DeVoge (RW), Jack Keeley (ND), Fred Alvaro (WI 1959), Jim Mazzie (RW), (?), Fred Kroll (ND)

If you recognize anyone pictured above and not named, or you can supply married names of females or any years missing, please write to Roleta1@aol.com. Thank you



FYI
FROM THE EDITOR

Due to the size of the newsletter, the time it takes me to work on it, and other obligations I have in my life, I no longer have the time to write people who send me things and ask for their school and year of graduation plus ask if they meant for it to be for the newsletter. You must include this information in everything you send me to consider for the newsletter, otherwise, it will not be published. Thank you, Roleta1@aol.com.


RADIO

submitted by: Eugene Jaumot (VHS '54)
VictoryHi54@aol.com

Roleta growing up in Northview, during the war years thing were tough, but a good place to live. As a child I never got allowance and didn't have TV. So I would cut grass to make enough money to go to the movies on Saturday. But one day by surprise my neighbor bought me my first radio for cutting their yard., so after doing my home work around 8 o’clock I would go to the icebox to fix me a sandwich and glass of milk and go to my room. I would listen to Fibber McGee and Molly and the The Big Story. those were the days.



submitted by: Marilyn Lightner Kittle (WI '65)
mapak41371@yahoo.com

Our first TV came into our home when I was 6 yrs old so I didn't have a lot of time to enjoy radio like some folks have. It was still a joy to listen to the old westerns...my favorite! Roy Rogers, especially. My sister and I looked forward to seeing the show on TV! I also remember listening to The Squeaky Door, Lone Ranger and many cartoons. Sometimes I think our imaginations could use a kick to go back and enjoy some of these shows! It was a bit like reading a book! You had to imagine and picture in your minds eye how it was.

Again, I have to say, I have so enjoyed the Newsletter! Keep up the good work!



submitted by: Bob Davis (WI '59)
RAD29063@aol.com

Whiz Kids
Bobby Benson and the BRB Riders ???? not sure of correct name
Green Hornet

And of course, when we were very young--the VERY BEST was hearing your name read by Santa Claus!!



submitted by: Walt Cleavenger (RW '52) Stuarts Draft, Va.
cleavy1@verizon.net

I remember as a young boy around 10 years of age and around 8 O'clock PM my mother would call us in to hear my favorite radio program " THE SHADOW". I now have tapes of it that my son bought me when he knew I liked that program. It was only on for one half hr. every Wednesday.



submitted by: Pete Dakan (Bridgeport '60)
dakans@comcast.net

I remember the Philco radio (a 1939 table model that I still have) sitting on the ledge above the kitchen window playing Straight Arrow (Kee-A-Wan-Nee Fury) , Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders, The Lone Ranger and Nick Carter Private Eye. I can still visualize Straight Arrow coming out of the cave on Fury and the Lone Ranger rearing up on Silver. Wonder what kids today visualize while listening to their Ipods?



submitted by: Bob Dennison (WI '57)
Rdennison39@yahoo.com

Favorite mystery - THE SHADOW KNOWS. In the car the radio was always tuned into SKY CASTLE...



submitted by: Jim Alvaro (WI '56)
jalvaro@aol.com

I had many favorite radio shows. My father loved listening to the radio in the evenings when he came home from work. That was our entertainment when I was very young. NO TV!!

We loved The Hit Parade, with Snooky Lansen, (forgive me for the missed spelled words from here on) Giselle McKenzie, and Doothy Collins. If I remember right, they would give you a few bars of the next song coming up and we would try to guess what it was by listening to the them. Some other favorite shows we listened to were, The Squeaky Door, The Shadow Knows, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Amos and Andy, (my very favorite), Jack Benny with Rochester and Dennis Day. When playing in the band, our band assignment, outside of practicing, was listening to Band of America with Paul Lavelle. I know there were many more but this will do for now. You really had to have a real imagination when listening to the radio. I loved it.



submitted by: Mary Ellen Sereno Rawlinitis (NDHS '60)
Mra622@aol.com

Our favorite radio show in the late '50's and early '60's was probably "SkyCastle" that broadcast from the Ellis Restaurant and played all the popular songs of our day. At that time, the Ellis "Drive-in" movie, restaurant, and actual curb service, along with the Satellite restaurant "curb service" were some of the most popular spots in Clarksburg for anyone in high school who had a car, or who could hitch a ride, and a little money!



submitted by: Bill Meredith (Monongah '57)
BillMere@aol.com

My family never had a television set, so until I was 18 years old, I had little choice but to listen to the radio for entertainment. As I recall, the local stations were WMMN and WVVW (Later WTCS) in Fairmont, WBLK, WPDX and I think WHAR in Clarksburg and WAJR in Morgantown. At night, we could receive many of the 50,000 watt stations, like KDKA in Pittsburgh, WBZ in Boston, WWVA in Wheeling and KMOX from St. Louis. My favorite programs were "Let's Pretend" (Until I was about 10 yrs. old), "The Shadow", "Mr. Keene, Tracer of Lost Persons" and "The Jack Benny Show", to name a few. Locally, I listened to every sports broadcast that I could receive. I fondly remember Jack Fleming's wonderful calls of WVU football and basketball and Frank Lee broadcasting Fairmont State College sports action. He had a special way of calling them "The Fighting Falcons" and always ended his broadcasts with the phrase, "This is Frank Lee, frankly speaking".

I still listen to the radio often, but now it is Sirius Satellite Radio, which allows me to catch every WVU football and basketball game. (Even at the W I Picnic in Sarasota) I could write or talk about radio shows for hours. Unfortunately, each year, I lose more of my family and friends, who enjoyed it as much as I did.



submitted by: Judy Holden Cork (WI '62)
jhcork@bellsouth.net

We did not have a TV until around 1954 or 1955 so we loved to listen to the radio. My sister, Sallie, and I would lie in bed and listen to The Shadow. I wanted her with me because it scared me. I also loved Sky King and Sergeant Preston of the Yukon. I remember my parents listening to The Great Gildersleve (sp?) and Amos and Andy when we traveled home from my grandparents house in Hendricks.



submitted by: Marlene Parsons Andre (RW '53)
eandre@twmi.rr.com

I found this with my genealogy papers, do not remember from where it came, Might have been RW! I think it is real nice, may be you can use it.




FROM THE EDITOR

The WIN Scholarship is our way of paying back to our community (Clarksburg). Won’t you join us?

It is again time to buy your quilt tickets for the drawing on March 6, 2010 at the Clarksburg, WV picnic in Sarasota, Fl. So when you send your check, please indicate that you do or do not wish to buy tickets with your check.

If you want to join those who have given, please write a check to: Roleta Meredith c/o WIN Scholarship

MAIL TO: Roleta Meredith
3201 Charles MacDonald Dr.
Sarasota, FL 34240

Those who gave this month are:

Beverly Morris Hissong (WI 1958) in the name of Harry Morris (WI 1960)

Beckie Gribble Drumheler (WI 1968) sent with a nice Thank you note for the work on the newsletter. Sorry I couldn’t send you a personal thank you note but I couldn’t find your email address.

Martha Sellers Cornelius (WI 1960) with a note of Thanks for the newsletter. Sorry, I couldn’t find your email address to write a personal thank you note to you.

Robert Manley (WI 1934) Thank you for your support

Nancy C. Jones (WI 1948) Thank you for your support.

Margaret Cleavenger Maiocco (WI 1965) Thank you for the kind words and your continued support of the scholarship.

Connie Bailey Casto (WI 1959) Thanks for supporting the scholarship. I am so glad to hear from someone from our class….

Bobbie Johnston Swisher (WI 1959) So nice to have three of my classmates and friends respond!

Jeannie Wells Himmel (WI 1959) Given in the name of her cousin, Deedie Souders who passed away about a year ago.

Lois Wiseman Fields (WI 1946) Thank you for your generous check.



SATURDAY MORNING

submitted by: Jim Alvaro (WI '56)
JAlvaro@aol.com

I remember when my father would takes us "up town" on Saturday mornings, there would always be a group of men on both sides of the steps, in front of the court house, sitting on the wall. Once I asked them what they were doing and he said they sit there every Saturday morning showing and trading watches. If you had a magnifying glass and look at the men in the picture, four of them have a watch in their hands. This was an every Saturday tradition, weather permitting. It was amazing how almost every man wore a hat or a cap.


I got this picture out of one of Bob Stealey's books, "Harrison County". If you are interested in information about Bob's books or how to purchase same, please contact him at bobnalong1@aol.com.



FOR ALL THE BRAVE HEROES WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY
PRESENT OR PAST

This is a great video. I hope you will watch it. Show this to your kids: Show This to Your KIDS & GRANDKIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click Here https://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=KTb6qdPu8JE



WI PICNIC AUGUST 28, 2010


The weather was beautiful. Even though the temperature was in the high 80’s, it was very comfortable in the pavilion. The WI Class of 1960 was very well represented with about 48 present. The Class of 1959 had 13 present. The total attendees was estimated anyplace between 115 and 130. A good time was had by all and hopefully more will attend next year. We especially miss those who live in Clarksburg and hope to see more of the locals next time.

Sharyn sent a letter to thank all who helped:

I would like to thank Paula and Mike Riley, Lenny and Robin Smith (daughter and son-in law of Marsha Woods Roper. The Smiths did not attend WI and are from Florida) for all their help in setting up and moving the heavy things; Phyllis Brown and Charlie Burkhammer for working at the registration table; Ronnie Rogers for his help and also the music; and last but not least..... Judy Kimler for coming to Clarksburg a day early and all the help she gives. Also, I would like to thank all of you who worked at the food tables to help Paula out and all who stayed and cleaned up at the end.

It was nice to have the people from the class of 1960 in attendance, they worked this into their 50th reunion as a Saturday afternoon activity which is a good idea for all the reunions. Just let us know you are doing this so we can plan for more.

The oldest WI alumnus attending was Roxie Heater Tibbs from the graduating class of 1935, and the youngest alumnus was Colton Lee who attended both WI HS and RCB HS and graduated with the Class of 1998.


The class of 1959: L-R: Roleta Smith Meredith, Marsha Woods Roper, Judy Daugherty Kimler, Charlie Burkhammer, Bobbie Johnston Swisher, Jeanie Werner Davis, Paula Brasseur Riley, Phyllis Fittro Brown, Rosemary Grow Warne, Bob Dennison WI 1957, Carolyn Pinella Warne, Jerry Warne, Sharyn Cottrill McGahan. Joy Gregorie Stalnaker was there too but is not pictured.



BORN TO BE A MOUNTAINEER

I received this from many readers. I thought it was so good that I wanted to make sure you have a chance to hear and see it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22up9twy9Cc




MYSTERY PICTURE

Remember the way it works? You send me the name and any memories you have of the people in this picture; I print only the correct guesses… Write to Roleta1@aol.com.





WI BAND

submitted by: Billie (Kittle) Fox (WI '61)
bdfox@cox.net

The guys talk about August being the start of practice for football season and being on the field at 9:00. Who do they think was there before them? The band….Hank Mayer was band director at that time. We started practice at 7:00, both during the month of August and before school during the weeks of football season. Mr. Mayer took no crap from the band members, if you were late you ran, just like the football players.

We didn’t have band camp in the late ’50 and early ‘60s. But, we worked hard and had a lot of fun. Some of my best memories of high school are from being in the band. And I would agree that the best trip of all was to Parkersburg on the train. This was kind of the “band romance” trip, since we were separated from the general population. Many members cuddled and smooched in the back end of the rail cars. One of my favorite shows we did was the Veteran’s Day performance. We marched down the field playing all the themes of the military corp. to honor the Navy, Army, Marines, & Air Force. It always gave me a chill no matter how hot it was in those darn wool uniforms. I never did learn to tie the yellow ties we wore. My dad would tie it for me and leave it hanging on my bedroom door knob the night of a game so I could slip it over my head.

I encouraged my children to join the band when it was offered in their Ohio schools. (Of course, I ended up with 2 drummers). BTW, do you know why most bands have their drummers dressed differently than the rest of the band? So they don’t mix them up with normal people;) My one daughter was not very musical inclined so she was in the flag corps. It was a great experience for all of them. I tried to pass the tradition down to my grandchildren. But, alas it did not take. They all tried band and decided their talents lay in different areas.

Your August stories brought a smile to my face. We thought it was hot in WV when we were kids. Now I live in Phoenix, AZ and as I check the outside temp it is only 110 today.

Keep up the good work.



submitted by: Mickie Ford Brumage (WI '61)
micdic324@att.net

First I would like to thank Roleta and Judy for the wonderful newsletters these past eleven years, an accomplishment well done!

It took me three years of try-outs before finally being selected as a majorette my senior year (Mr Mayer probably thought my legs were too short and bow-legged!). I can still remember the thrill of hearing the drum roll as we high-stepped onto the field at football games. I take my grandchildren to the local parades in our town of Edmond, OK so I can watch the bands perform, but sadly they do not have that military precision and pride that Mr Mayer instilled in us.



submitted by: Barbara Younkin Park (Would have been WI ’62 but moved - Easton HS, MD 1962)
bparkbsma@aol.com

My parents, sister and I lived in Chestnut Hills and when we were in elementary school, Dad would take us to Hite Field to watch the football games. I did not understand the game and really all I cared about was the WI band. Right then and there I decided that being in the band was something special, and that I would be in the band! I began trumpet (my dad’s) when I was in the 4th grade at Monticello (later to be named Chestnut Hills) Elementary School. Since the school had only 4 classrooms, we had to take our lessons in the principal’s office. I played for two years and then we moved to Maryland. In seventh grade in Maryland, I started playing French Horn in the combined Easton Jr High/High School band and did so until I graduated from high school in 1962. I stopped playing and then picked it up again after 20 years when I joined the Bel Air (Maryland) Community Band, where I have now been a member for over 25 years!

Thanks WI Band for inspiring me to a great “hobby” which continues to bring me great enjoyment in life!


Part of the Bel Air Community Band. I am the red head in the middle with the trumpet directly behind me.




CALLING ALL READERS FROM THE 1940’S

submitted by: Tom Keenan (WI '49--The Silent Generation)
tpkeenan@frontier.com

As I read the Newsletter each month, I am struck with the absence of stories from graduates of WI and the other schools near to and earlier from 1949. Other people have called us, "The Silent Generation" and we are and were. My thoughts on that are we grew up in the Depression, I started First Grade in the worst year of the Depression, 1937 although I never knew it until much later. When we were at the remembering age, the War started and then in two years we were involved. We were concerned for ourselves and family and most of us had relatives "In Harms Way" and were always concerned about their well-being. The atmosphere of Life was foreboding. Our playgrounds were the streets and there were few sporting goods available as all production was for the war and transportation was limited. Not many adults had time for the kids.

Even when it was over and our relatives returned, there were difficulties as Sue Clark said about her brother. I remember her as a child and her Father as one of the regulars at Joe's Dairy Bar. The end result was we learned to keep our thoughts to ourselves and we never outgrew the mental conditioning of "The War". And to us who grew up during that time, there is only one war, WW II. I am glad that the graduates that followed us share their good memories of high school and growing up in Clarksburg. I am always struck with the intelligence and ability of the graduates of the Clarksburg area high schools.



GIANT WV ENCYCLOPEDIA NOW ON-LINE FREE

The publishing of the West Virginia Encyclopedia in 2006 was a major effort, involving 600 writers, editors and graphic artists.

The 944 page book, which sold well, covered 2,118 subjects.

Now the WV Humanities Council has placed it on-line for free reading and research at http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/

The Council will be updating the articles and adding new features to the site.

The million-dollar project, mostly funded in part by the state, has actually made money.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I reported about 3 years ago that a reader had given me a hard back copy of this book. It is wonderful….I am sure you will enjoy this on line book. I like to sit and read my book..it is comforting. Thanks to that reader again for the gift.



submitted by: Bill Meredith

Sports: It's All About What You Write

Again, this month, the readers cover a variety of subjects including Babe Ruth League baseball, Church League and college basketball and high school football. The Major League baseball season is winding down. My team, the St. Louis Cardinals, tanked in mid season, but our local team in Tampa Bay is still doing very well. At least, I'll have someone to cheer for in the playoffs. Just a hunch, but I feel this may be the year that the Minnesota Twins win it all.

High school football is going strong. RCB and Bridgeport are both 4-1 (RCB beat the Indians last week). However, the two Morgantown schools (MHS and University HS) seem to be the best in the area. Both are undefeated and highly ranked in the ratings. WVU is still undefeated (barely) in football, at least until tonight (LSU---scary) Fairmont State is 2-1. Marshall is still looking for its first win. I think it will be another "Ho-Hum" season, all the way around. I hope I'm wrong, but I just don't see the talent----anywhere. Regardless, I still love this time of the year and I'm already looking forward to watching Bob Huggin's team play round ball. They start on November 5. Please keep those letters coming. Everyone enjoys reading your memories and comments.

Send them to Bill (billmere@aol.com)



(The next letter was sent to Jim Alvaro, referring to a letter Jim wrote to last month's newsletter. I thought everyone would enjoy reading it) Bill

Jim
I can't believe it, but the Newsletter has come back to “full life”, thanks to our buddies contributing articles in all categories this month. Also, I can't believe that “good basketball player” and “my name” were used in the same sentence, even if it was Independent BB. Thanks.

I remember a lot of trips into the wilderness with Nick, especially in the snow storms. The main one that I can remember, was to Folsom or Wallace, where we played guys that looked like they dug coal during the day and played (ate up) little guys like us in the evening. They had beards, no less. Now you know, if I can call us little guys, then they were very, very large and tall. The gym didn't have any extra dressing rooms attached, just a big gym. Parking was on the grass, as I recall. We changed clothes on the floor and left them piled up in a corner. Maybe, we just wore our “uniforms” under our regular clothes.

I usually guarded the center of the lane or the big guy and it was usually fairly rough around the basket. As you recall, Nick had professional elbows and the rest of us learned fast that we weren't in Broad Oaks anymore,Toto. Anyhow, one night one of the opponent’s big guys was driving straight down the lane with the ball about head high and I stuck out a forearm to block his shot. Well, I missed the ball (maybe) and caught him across the nose. He did stop and didn't score, but blood was gushing everywhere and I broke his nose. They called a foul on me, no less! I don't know what happened to “charging”? Haha.

The next thing I know, we ran to pick up our clothes and were high-tailing it out of the gym. We jumped in the car and headed rapidly back to the Burg. They probably called it a forfeit!!!!

I wish the kids today had all the fun we did playing sports, anywhere and anytime, and not just pushing keys or buttons, or dwelling on the computer or TV.

Don Sager, W I 1956

Reply To Don:

It's funny how one person's letter will trigger memories in others. I can identify with your "road trips" to play basketball. At times it was semi-organized brawling, but it certainly was fun.

Bill (billmere@aol.com)



To Bill:

Subject:Jesse Rodriquez

While I am reading the latest newsletter, I thought I'd better send you this name, for fear I might forget. You will no doubt remember the discussion of him being the punting coach at WI for several years, including most of my years playing there, from 1956 through the1959 football seasons. I imagine we were the only high school in WVa and maybe the whole country to have such a position coach.

It was great getting to talk with you, if even for such a short time, at the picnic. I promise, when I can set my mind to it, that I will send you some sports stuff for discussion.

I had the good fortune to play with a very talented group of guys. We had good teams for most of my high school years, but particularly my Junior and Senior years.

Thanks for your contributions to the newsletter.

Bob Teter, (WI 1960)

Reply To Bob:

I wonder if any other high school, even today, has a punting coach. You have me very interested and I have some questions. How long was Mr. Rodriguez associated with W I football? Was the punting at W I above average, because of his teaching? Was he a volunteer or was he paid to coach? Is he still living? I am sure there are many stories out there about this man. I'd really be interested in hearing some of them. Since you said you would be sending more stories for the sports section, I'll be looking for them for future editions. For instance, who were some of the talented players on those teams from 1956-59? I'm sure many of them read the newsletter. Thanks for the letter. I look forward to hearing much more from you.

Bill (billmere@aol.com)



To Bill:

Responding to last month's newsletter, regarding WI vs. Parkersburg in football, WI beat the Big Reds 20-9 on a memorable night in Parkersburg in 1948, and it was WI's first win in that matchup since 1933. I was the quarterback (blocking back on the single wing) in '48,'49 and '50. My brother Dave was the fullback in '47,'48 and '49. Others on the team were Bill Smith, Joe Marchio, Guy Curotz, John Vespoint, Blaine Gooden, Kenny Moore, Arthur Burgess, Ning Paceri, Elmer Mitchell, Punky Goodwin and Ronnie Borror. Dave took direct snaps from the center, either handed-off, kept the ball and ran, or passed. He was also the punter. As the ball carrier, he was hard to bring down and, once beyond the line of scrimmage and into the secondary, he ran over defenders and was virtually unstoppable by a single tackler. Dave ran for 187 yards that night and also had a record-setting "quick kick" that traveled 72 yards with the roll. We scored on Dave's 3-yard plunge, a pass to me for a 13 yard touchdown and Dave scored again on a 50 yard run. Parkersburg had a safety and scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, after we gave up 45 yards with three 15 yard penalties on one play, including one against a fired-up Clay B. Hite. (Game got a little rough toward the end). In the "long ago", starters played both ways and we shocked the Big Reds with our defense as well as our offense. Sports writers labeled Dave the "Human Tank" and he was selected the AP player of the week in WV. That was one spectacular night!! We were happy kids on the bus ride home and Clay B. had his season.

P.S. When the band returned home on the train, they marched down Main Street at midnight, playing the WI fight song.

Tim Corsini, (W I 1951)

Reply To Tim:

What a great story. I can't believe you can still remember all of the names. Several people have mentioned how good Dave was in many sports. It appears that, although Parkersburg wasn't your biggest rival, you certainly celebrated when you beat them. Winning, after losing every game to them during a 15 year stretch will tend to cause that. I still remember Penn State beating WVU something like 18 years in a row. When the Mountaineers finally won one, Jack Fleming the WVU announcer, went crazy. I used to love to watch the single wing formation being run correctly. Denison U. in Granville, OH was the last college to run it. My wife and I spent many Saturday afternoons sitting and watching Keith Piper's offense. Great memories. Thanks so much for taking us back to the good old days.

Bill (billmere@aol.com)



To Bill:

I know it wasn't your error, but in the September Newsletter there is a pic of Hot Rod Hundley and Joedy Gardner. Hot Rod’s last named was misspelled as Huntley, and the note says they preceded Jerry West at WVU. As you know, Joedy played with Jerry, and Hundley was in his senior year while Jerry was in his Freshman. I believe that Hot Rod spent more time as the announcer for the Utah Jazz than he did playing basketball. Interestingly, he finally graduated from WVU in 2000.

Buzz Floyd, VHS 1956

Reply To Buzz:

Sorry that I didn't catch that, but quite honestly, I don't really care how the spelling is in the letters. I'm just happy to have people write about sports. Hot Rod is certainly a character. He has done well as a broadcaster. But best of all, neither he nor West have forgotten where they got their start.

Bill (billmere@aol.com)



(Note: Steve Limbers also caught the spelling error of Hot Rod's last name, but added the following)

To Bill:

Funny, I never saw Hot Rod play, but he certainly was talked about. My wife and Jerry West's first wife were sorority sisters, and so I got to see a lot of West at the Chi O house, but we never really knew one another. I just remember him being very unaffected by his fame. I understand one of his sons by a later wife plays for WVU now.

Steve Limbers, W I 1957

Reply To Steve:

I did get to see Hundley play, but saw West a lot more. They are both legends in WVU basketball. Jerry's son did play for three years, but has left the team to pursue his academic career.

Bill (billmere@aol.com)



To Bill:

I don't remember if the picture I sent you of the PPG Babe Ruth Team with Bernie Cohen's picture was already put in the Newsletter or not, but that may stir up some action from those who played in the Babe Ruth league. They may mention some of the coaches and the team they coached. I know when I played, Garden Fresh was one of the great teams. Coaches like Brooks Riffle and Dominic Salentro were two of the most successful coaches. There were some great players who came out of the Babe Ruth League. If they would have had the right people promoting them, there would have been some who would have gone much further, like Paul Popovich. Players like the Curkendall brothers, Bobby Secret, Anthony Fazio, etc.. I looked it up one time and saw where Frankie Tate from Harrison Co. batted .600, leading the country for 13 year olds in 1990. John Curkendall, in 1955, batted .500, leading the country for the Babe Ruth League, 13 to 15 year olds. Also, John was voted the country's most outstanding player that year. John Curkendall also had the most strikeouts (38) in a series, a record at that time. Pete Romano, I believe, not only headed up the Clarksburg Babe Ruth League, but also the WV Babe Ruth league, and was elected into the 1978 Babe Ruth Hall of Fame, as was Coach "Pudge" Bryan in 1994.

The Clarksburg Babe Ruth team, for which my brother Fred played, went to the 1955 Babe Ruth World Series in Austin TX. Fred has pictures of the team and they were all stars from all over Harrison Co. There were some great players on that team.

When I started playing baseball, I had to start in the Babe Ruth League. We had no little league baseball at that time. I guess Clarksburg Little League and Babe Ruth League Baseball are still going strong. I do not know if the American Legion Baseball is still in existence in Clarksburg. I know some of the Newsletter readers did play for the American Legion. Sure was a lot of fun.

Jim Alvaro, WI 1956

Reply To Jim:

We did publish the picture of the PPG Babe Ruth League team.. I don't remember getting any comments on it. It is obvious that there were several very good players and coaches in the league during the 50's and later.

We have a picture of the 1955 team in this newsletter. I'd like for someone to send me a story about that team. How was the experience of playing in the world series? It must have been a thrill just to be a part of it.

Thanks again Jim, for giving us a look at life in the 50's in Clarksburg. Hopefully, this will spark a memory from others and they will share it with us.

Bill (billmere@aol.com)



TOPICS AND QUESTIONS FOR NEXT MONTH:

1. It is almost time for the Major League World Series. Who do you think will win it? Have you ever attended a World Series game? If so, send me a note about your experience.

2. The High school football season is at the halfway point. Everyone is trying to make the playoffs. Do too many teams make the playoffs in W.Va.? Are there too many classes? In the 50's, the top two teams in the ratings played for the championship in each class. Should they go back to that system?

3. Pat White was recently released by the Miami Dolphins. Did he get a fair chance to make it in professional football? Will he do well in pro baseball?

4. The Big East Football Conference is not doing well against other BCS conferences this year. Will eastern football be in the same class as the Big Ten and SEC in the next ten years or ever?

5. Tickets for professional sports games are so expensive, that only the well-to-do and corporations can afford to buy tickets. I predict that all games will someday soon be available only on pay-per-view. Do you agree?

Please send your answers and comments to Bill (billmere@aol.com).



1955 CLARKSBURG ALL STAR TEAM
3RD PLACE IN BABE RUTH WORLD SERIES


1955 Clarksburg Babe Ruth All-Star Team that placed third in Babe Ruth League World Series, in Austin, TX.

L-R Front Row: Coach Andy Garcia, Harry Hall, Paul Popovich, Pat Minnitte, Jr.Desist, Batboy,Jim Salentro, Fred Alvaro, Al Toth, Merrill Bray, Mgr. Dominic Salentro

Back Row: Max Curkendall, John Curkendall, Phil Weese, Dave Hutson, Willard West, Bob Fortney, Dave Hess, John Lough.

Note: The players were from Philippi, Shinnston, Lumberport, Bridgeport, Flemington, Belington and Zesing (where Alvaro and Hutson played although being from Clarksburg, WV.) Fred Alvaro,13, was the youngest player on the team and the team proudly was awarded The Sportsmanship Trophy Award. Pitcher, John Curkendall, still has the record of striking out 18 batters in the seven inning game.



THE YEAR WAS 1951
THE TEAM WAS:
THE ALTA VISTA BASKETBALL TEAM



Picture submitted by: Fred Alvaro (WI '59)

Kneeling: Bob Westbrook, Terry Shorr, Bill Junkins and Freddie Alvaro

Back Row: Mr Wagner (principal), Fred Miller, Jerry Paugh, Gary Goodwin, Ross Terango, Mark Garrett , Mr. Junkins, coach



COUNTRY MUSIC
WV MAN ENTERTAINS AT THE WHEELING JAMBOREE

submitted by: Emory Cole (RW '59)
cjcranks@charter.net

Way back in 1959 in Columbia, TN, I worked in a Gulf service station. I worked for a guy by the name of Dick Hartley from WV. He came from Marshall County.

Dick, liked to play the guitar and on Saturdays would get his employees to join him in the back room to do a little pickin and singing.

Well, Dick went back to WV around 1966 and got serious about his playing and singing. He changed his name to Slim Lehart and played on the Wheeling Jamboree.

Here is his website and a lot of other information: http://slimlehart.com/

Sept. newsletter was fantastic

EDIOTR’S NOTE: I found this on You Tube: Listen to Slim Lehart sing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNhUgw2CiFc



THREE WOMEN FROM CLASS OF 1965 HAVE A MINI REUNION

submitted by: Susie Wysong Sutton (WI '65)
susiesutton65@roadrunner.com



From left: Susie Wysong Sutton, Anne Marie Ryan White and Nancy May Fox, all of WI class of '65. We have had such fun. We're at Deerfield Village at Canaan Valley at my place. We missed our 45th class reunion this summer so got together this week here.



GREAT PICTURE OF THE ITALIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL
DOWNTOWN CLARKSBURG 2010

submitted by: Shahn Douglas (RW '86)



Picture taken by John Seti (RW High School)




THANK GOD I’M A MOUNTAINEER

The youtube link to this song was sent to me by several of the readers.

We hope you enjoy this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYDA7oVxQr4



WHERE DO THE READERS LIVE?
WE DO HAVE MORE READERS!

CALIFORNIA--1

Wayne Winters (WI 1966) Sacramento, CA

FLORIDA--11

Annabelle Lee Hutson (WI 1960) Ft. Myers, FL and summers in Asheville, NC
David Hutson (WI 1957) ) Ft. Myers, FL and summers in Asheville, NC
Edie (Edith Kline) May, (WI 1964) Palm Coast, Fl
Bill May, (WI 1963) Palm Coast, FL
Bob Williams (WI 1945) Dade City, FL
Barb Williams (WI 1958) Dade City, FL
Carol (Gottlieb) Rovinsky (WI 1965) St. Augustine, FL
Joe Martin (NDHS 1965) The Villages, FL
Ralph Brown (WI 1965) The Villages, FL
Tom Keenan (WI 1949) WV and FL
Martha Jeffries Rice (WI 1955) South Ft. Myers, FL
William J Kaska (Victory 1959) Siesta Key, FL

GEORGIA--1

Connie Bailey Casto (WI 1959) St. Mary’s, GA

MARYLAND--1

Barbara Younkin Park. (WI 1962 but moved Easton HS, MD 1962) Easton, MD

MICHIGAN--1

Dorothy Ann Shaffer (WI 1952) Grand Rapids, MI

NEW JERSEY--2

Phil Hooper (WI 1959) Galloway NJ about 8 miles from Atlantic City
Sue Robinson Pierson (WIHS 1965) Stirling, NJ

NORTH CAROLINA--1

Linda Johnston Binkelman (WI 1959) Charlotte, NC.

OHIO--3

Gloria Rosenthal Plevin (WI 1952) Cleveland, OH
Nancy Crane Jones, (WI 1948) Hopedale, OH
Barbara Sutton Elder. (WI 1957) Reynoldsburg, OH

OKLAHOMA--1

: Mickie Ford Brumage (WI 1961) Edmon, OK

TENNESSEE--1

Jo (Ann Reed) Sharber (WI 1954) Fairfield Glade, TN

TEXAS--1

Anne Pears Jones, (WI 1958) live 6 months in Gun Barrel City, TX and 6 months near Brevard, NC, which is south of Asheville. Guess which 6 months we live in the mountains

WEST VIRGINIA--6

Stewart Kirby(1974) Clarksburg, WV
Ann Bush Kirby (1976) Clarksburg, WV
Phyllis Alton Nichols (WI 1957) Clarksburg, WV
Martha Rebecca “Becky” Gribble Drumheler (WI 1968) Charleston, WV
Charles R. “Rusty” Short, Jr. (RW 1973) Clarksburg, WV
Sondra (Sonnie) Cork Brown (WI 1962) Clarksburg, WV (she sent hers in for last month but I missed it in my saved emails—sorry Sonnie—and thank you)

CANADA

THIS IS A CORRECTION-HIS SCHOOL WAS VICTORY NOT WI

Dave "Tuffy" Knight : Victory H.S.1954. Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.



MYSTERY PICTURE



submitted by: Buzz Floyd (VHS '56)
floyds4@cox.net

I believe that would be Roleta Smith who married a guy named Bill Meredith that I warned her about in about 1958. I’m still hoping their marriage works out. Ha, ha.



submitted by: Barb Warren Williams (WI '58)
gemdandy@htwc.biz

It looks like you Roleta. A very nice picture. You are to be thanked so much for doing this newsletter. A wonderful job.



submitted by: Joanne Johnson Smith Morgan (WI '54)
JMorgan15@aol.com

That is you Roleta !

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank you Joanne, you were a sister to me for 20 years.



submitted by: Bob Teter (WI '60)
bteter@chartertn.net

Roleta----I think I remember that is none other than you! I do remember not recognizing you from school days when we first met at a C-burg picnic and going to an annual to look because you did not look anything like anyone from my high school days.

Recollection is that was when I figured it out. You have changed since, more than most.

Was good seeing you at the C-burg picnic. Thanks for all you and Judy do to put the newsletter together.



submitted by: Sharyn Cottrill McGahan (WI '59)
mtmama41@msn.com

This young lady was a friend in WI, and I hope is still a friend. Recently while in Florida my husband and I had the pleasure of meeting up with this lady and her husband. We had a lovely lunch and a great tour of the Sarasota area. She works hard for each and everyone of us that reads this newsletter and keeps all our memories alive. Now in the great state of West Virginia for the summer, we have met up again and still had fun going over our memories of Clarksburg, Stealey and good ole WI.

Hi Roleta!!!!!!!!!!!



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

Roleta
I do believe the girl in the "mystery" photo is you, Roleta.



DUE TO LACK OF RESPONSE, THESE EMAIL ADDRESSES
WILL BE CUT FROM THE NOTIFICATON LIST

Jhfleming@hughes.net (WI 1959)
kcmiller@wi.rr.com (WI 1959)
ssh720@aol.com (WI 1959)
mom8941@comcast.net (WI 1959)
bqcsrc47@yahoo.com
EGreen5648@aol.com
Jean Holt (has passed away) isa.lambert@verizon.net
dianahaskell@mindspring.com
gigi.s.hagge@verizonbusiness.com
huntknn@aol.com
JlMK@alc-net.com
lgimmel@bcbankinc.com
Meatball@iolinc.net
rb.boggs3262@ieee.org
mimaiocco@cox.net
nandreh1@yahoo.com
pclegget@access.k12.wv.us
jking@owaters.com
Warren.Whaley@cox.net



A THANK YOU NOTE

FROM

MR. CORDER’S SONS LYNN AND LYLE

submitted by: Lynn Corder (RW '54)
Wvlynn@ma.rr.com

I look forward to reading the WI newsletter each month even though I graduated from RW in 1954. The October issue was special for me as I read several nice comments about my dad who taught shop at Central for many years. He took great pride in the many different projects that his students made over the years. He spent a lot of time at home looking through magazines to get ideas for new and different projects. I wish to thank all those who took the time to send in the comments about dad. Even though I am now 74, it feels good to hear the positive remarks about your father. He could have made a lot more money doing about anything other than teaching school, but he enjoyed teaching and his shop at Central. I am reminded of him every time I pass the decaying building when traveling on the Clarksburg express way.



submitted by: Lyle Corder (RW '57)
Wvlyle@aol.com

I really enjoyed the comments made about my father, Coplin Corder. He taught seventh grade shop at Central for about twenty-five years. All he ever wanted to do was to teach school. He walked away from his home at a young age with only the clothes on his back and about $3.00. He eventually put himself through college without any support from his parents.

In those days, teachers didn't make much money and he had to do house painting and other odd jobs to make a living. He worked for many of the unmarried lady teachers at Central. He always worked "by the hour" because people soon learned they would always get their money's worth from him. He was a good man.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I can truthfully say that Lyle and Lynn had a terrific father. And I am speaking for the rest of the readers when I say thank you for the above notes….I know you were proud of your father and he must have been very proud of both of you.



PICTURES AND ITALIAN MUSIC

submitted by: Paul C. Chicarell (St Mary’s '55)
chicie55@cox.net

I have placed the slide show of all of St. Mary's graduating classes on my music web site. Here is the link if anyone is interested. It also contains many sports pictures.

http://www.italiansongtranslation.com/id15.html



REUNIONS

NOTICE:
COMING REUNION:
Class of 1971

Roleta, we are planning our 40th class reunion for July 16, 2011.We would like to contact our classmates through email. Please contact one of those listed below…..or if anyone knows someone who doesn’t read the newsletter but graduated in 1971 from WI, please notify them to get in touch with one of us. They can email me -Gladys Williams -gwill1004@aol.com; Babbs Hyde Tolley - raeh74@ma.rr.com; Penny Day Rexrode- pdrexrode@frontier.com; or George McQuain - mcquainj@aol.com.



COMING REUNION
Classes of 1975, 1976, 1977

Dear Washington Irving classes of 1975,76, and 77. We are in planning stages for our 35 year reunion. The tentative plans are to have it at Clarksburg Country Club on Labor Day Weekend 2011. We are adding the Class of 1977 to this reunion and look forward to socializing and seeing all of our friends from that class. Our first order of business is trying to get contact info for all the members of these 3 classes and to establish a committee to pull this off. Please contact me if you are interested in helping out and forward all contact info you have on yourselves and any other member of our classes. Any info you can provide me for getting contact info, face book etc would be a great help! Maybe we can set up our own page. My e-mail is Luke@lukechristie.com. My wk # is 304 264-6091 and I am on Face book.

Thank you very much
Luke Christie (75)



NOTRE DAME ALUMNI HOMECOMING EVENT

October 8, 9, and 10th is the 1st NDHS Alumni Homecoming Event.

On Friday evening, we will begin the weekend with a tailgate party outside the gates of Hite Field before the ND/Weirton Madonna Homecoming Game (7.30pm KO). Food from Alumni Chef will be provided. We will be selling long sleeved Alumni Homecoming T-Shirts.

Saturday from 10-3 there will be a Fall Festival at the NDHS gym.

On Saturday Night we will have OUR Homecoming PARTY at Village Square with heavy appetizers, music, giveaways and more. The cost is $15 a person. Cash Bar!!! Pay at the door.

Sunday we will attend Mass at Immaculate Conception Church at 11am. After Mass there will be food and drinks in the NDHS cafeteria and you can also tour the school. Don't miss this great event!!!

Please let us know if you will be attending. Call Rachel L. Torchia at 304-624-0523 and leave a message if there is no answer or email Rachel at trumpy@ma.rr.com. All the events are in conjunction with the ND student Homecoming Week. Dress is casual at all events.

From Ian McAra
Director of Development: Harrison County Catholic Schools



WI 1970 HELD THEIR REUNION

submitted by: Diana Matheny Jones (WI '70)
Diana452@sbcglobal.net

The reunion was held at the home of one of our classmates at Pete Dye Country Club, July 31, 2010. It was the first one I have attended and it was awesome seeing everyone after 40 yrs. Coach Castellana and James Bennett former principal attended.

Thanks to Terry Brewer who kept everyone informed and gathered a list etc also many thanks to Manny Alvarez and Dave Romano. The food was awesome and was provided by generous classmates.



Pictured above are Coach Al Castellana and wife Jean.




Pictured above are: Diana Matheny Jones, Marilyn Malindzak Spatafore and Mary Fox McCoy




Pictured above are: Diana Matheny Jones and former principal James Bennett




submitted by: Jane Phillips Heitz (WI '70)
janeheitz@comcast.net

The 1970 Class of Washington Irving held a social gathering at a private residence at the Pete Dye Country Club on Saturday, July 31, 2010. We would like to thank our classmates Manuel "Manny" Alvarez, Vince D'Annunzio, Dave Romano and Terry "Myers" Brewer for hosting and working so hard to make this a successful reunion. We would also like to extend thanks to the other members and spouses of the committee that worked so hard on this event.



1970 Class of Washington Irving High School

Pictured left to right:
Row 1: Rodney Kidd, Steve Nutt, Jim Winters, Mike Smith, Dick Gottlieb, Bob Tolley, Phil Wyatt and Tom Cobb

Row 2: Vince D'Annunzio, Lisa Cottrill Trofatter, Danny Knight, Dave Preston, Alan Freeman, Bill Cather, David Selvig, Terry McNemar, Michael Angotti, Bill Manley and Marshall Angotti

Roe 3: Danny Richards, John Kyle, Suzie Hemsworth Kyle, Mike Irwin and David Swartz

Row 4: Mike Brown, Dave Romano, Joyce Aspy Molloy, Sallie Rolland Skipper, Mary Fox McCoy, Marilyn Malinzak Spatafore, Diane Matheny Jones, Kathy Grant Goots, Cathy Burdiss Hickman, Mary Ann Norris Ribas, Pam Bokey Mitchell, Elaine Kern Faust, M.L. Maud Jarvis Quinn, Jane Phillips Heitz, Becky Allen Ausmus, Sharon Sutton

Row 5: Roger Harman, Kathy Esposito Cummons, Coach Castalana, James Bennett, Principal, Beth Allen Goff, Honorable Irene Keeley, Brenda Thompson Mazzie, Vicki Marks Crimm, Terry Myers Brewer, Manual Alvarez

Present but not pictured Joe Shelbaer.



WI CLASS OF1960
HAD THEIR REUNION

The WI Class of 1960 held their reunion activities on August 27th and 28th in Clarksburg, WV







FRIENDS WHO ARE NOW CONSIDERED FAMILY

submitted by: Jim Alvaro (WI '56)
JAlvaro@aol.com

These are very dear friends of mine who have been part of my family for many years. They are originally Clarksburg guys who all live in the Atlanta area. When I was in early teens I worked for Producers Dairy and delivered milk to them in the PK Addition. Little did I know then that we would all end up in GA. We try to get together as much as possible and play golf together from time to time.


PICTURED:     l-r Paul LIght WI '55 Ron Light St Mary's HS '53     John Light Notre Dame HS Jim Alvaro WI '56



NEW EMAIL ADDRESS

Rob Kidd (WI '70) r.kidd@msesinc.com
Stewart Kirby ('74) salkirby@aol.com
Ann Bush Kirby ('76) salkirby@aol.com
Irv Miller (WI '61) irvmil@hotmail.com
Dick Bewick (WI '47) dynaflow29@verizon.net
Charles R “Rusty” Short (RW '73) Crshortjr@aol.com
Donna Sokolosky Barnard (WI '75) donnabarnard@hotmail.com
Donald J. Adams (WI '60) unigen@aol.com

CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS

Linda Johnston Binkelman (WI '59) binkelman@aol.com
Diana Swiger (WI '66) dianaswiger@frontier.com
Virginia Scholl ('56-St. Mary’s Hospital
School Of Nursing)		 georgegin@frontier.com
Greg Werner (WI '82) wernergodspeed1@aol.com
Jim Pulice (WI '62) jpulice@frontier.com
Jim Ali (WI '65) jimali@frontier.com
Tom Keenan (WI '49) tpkennan@frontier.com
William J Kaska (VHS '59) billkaska@comcast.net
Anna Williams Walsh (WI '71) annawal53@yahoo.com
Sherry Slaughter (WI '66) slslaughter@sbcglobal.net
Martha Blair (Norris) Chartrand (WI '56) mbchartrand@earthlink.com
Diane Sullivan Cork (WI '53) was: unruly2@comcast.net
is now:gdsullivan12@hotmail.com
Sandra Kay Smith Barrick (VHS 1963) was: barrickcla@verizon.net
is now: barrickcla@frontier.com
Joe Boom (WI '54) was: jboom36@tds.net
is now: jboom36@gmail.com


EDITOR’S NOTE: Even though I know that most Verizon email addresses will be changing to Frontier, I will not change any Verizon email addresses to Frontier unless I am notified as different areas are changing at different times.………..Roleta1@aol.com



submitted by: Augie Malfregeot (WI '56)
Ad.malf38@att.net

I print out all the newsletters and this last newsletter was the best ever other than the one of the Sarasota picnic which was pictures thanks for all of your efforts



submitted by: Dorothy Ann Shaffer (WI '52)
cshaffer@pathwaynet.com

As I continue to enjoy the Newsletter I realize I need to get my "Roundtuits" in order and let someone know I am alive and well. I see that I missed the headcount and want to be included even if I am late.

Put me down as being from the Grand Rapids Area and am wondering if there are others from WI in this area as well. Yesterday attested to the reason we have stayed here even after retirement as with 48mph wind gusts Lake Michigan put on a good show for us. Waves weren't as gorgeous as they get in more winterey weather but then 70 plus degree temperatures make for even more enjoyment. Yes, I still miss the hills. But we can always vacation in our real homeland. Although my husband is not from the Clarksburg area (being from Thomas, WV) we BOTH enjoy the Newsletter and find it pulls back memories for us. Thanks for your commitment



submitted by: Tom Keenan (WI '49)
tpkeenan@frontier.com

Subj: Sept Newsletter
I appreciated the list of people that read your news letter. I guess I missed the request to inform you who read it each month. I apologize for that as I do appreciate your work and effort of all that contribute.

I often see names of individuals contributing to the newsletter that I remember from my growing up in Clarksburg and I enjoy their remembrances. While not providing a remembrance, the one name that I saw in the reader's letter was Jimmy Mills. He was a friend for the 5th grade on and I haven't seen him since out last year in WI. I always remember him as the only one of our class that had his own vehicle, An old Ford Model A that he had worked to buy, fixed up, painted with a brush, Ford Black, of course. and yellow wheels. Speaking of wheels, Jimmy took a class at RW in the afternoon and was driving there one afternoon and as he drove down the hill into Arbutus Park, one of his rear wheels went past him. I hope his luck has been better through the years. He was very generous in accepting riders if you were going in his direction. I think most of us were jealous as we walked and/or used the bus to get to school no matter what the weather was.



submitted by: Phyllis Alton Nichols (WI '57)
nmimiphyllis@aol.com

First I want to thank you and Judy for doing the great job you do with the Newsletter. I am sorry I missed the survey in the last one, but I would like to belatedly give you my information. I am still in Clarksburg. Most of my growing up years were in Stealey on Milford St. I love my town of Clarksburg, and I loved Stealey, but there have been a lot of changes to both, and not necessarily good ones. Malls, strip malls and huge superstores have almost gutted downtown Clarksburg, and some parts of Milford St. and Stealey look kind of woeful too. Despite all this, there are still good aspects to being in Clarksburg. I now live in town on Locust Ave where a lot of my WI friends lived when we went to WI.

Now, the Stealey playground was not far from where I lived. Before I was old enough to date or ride in cars with other kids, I spent a lot of evenings at the playground. We had fun just playing around and hanging out as the kids call it. One of our playground teachers was a Miss WV in the Miss America Pagent. She was a beautiful blond and so NICE. Her name was Miriam Reep. I know it was in the fifties, but I am not sure what year. Just wanted to catch up with you on these things, and add to the survey!



submitted by: Jo (Ann Reed) Sharber (WI '54)
cnjsharber@frontiernet.net

Subj: August Newletter
Sorry I'm late in answering your survey, somehow I missed the August issue, and after reading your latest (Sept.) issue, noticed you had asked for input as to who's actually reading. Anyway, wanted to let you know that I do read the newsletter faithfully each month. You do a wonderful job and I commend you for being so conscientious, it's a tough job.

I attended our 55th reunion last year in Clarksburg, and it was the first reunion I had attended since graduation in 1954. It was great to see all those folks again. However, I probably would not have recognized very many of them without Name Tags, and I'm sure they would say the same about me. I, along with my best friend Shirley Vickers (Akey) were the band "Drum Majors" from '52 to '54. I tried my best to get Shirley to come to the reunion last year but could never convince her to come.

Anyway, I live in Fairfield Glade, Tennessee now, and as I said, enjoy reading your newsletter monthly. Thanks.



submitted by: Bill May
billmayflorida@yahoo.com

We are blessed that there are people out there like you.



submitted by: Joanne Westfall Simpson-Tetrick (WI '52)
fragilegranny@ma.rr.com

As I was reading about other's memories of Central, I remembered the fun that Roxanna Meyers, June Skidmore Yates and I had during the war years going out gathering papers, magazines, etc. We worked hard for the War Effort and it still is a vivid memory.

I seem to remember a restaurant called "Hammond & Harper". When I was dating Don Simpson (WI '52), we would stop there after a movie for hot chocolate and peanut butter cookies. That sounds pretty old fashioned, huh? We also enjoyed 40+ years of marriage....



submitted by: Gloria Rosenthal Plevin (WI '52)
Gloriaplevin@roadrunner.com

I notice that I am not listed among the living who graduated from WI. I have lived in Cleveland, Ohio for over fifty years, and in Chautauqua, NY for over 40 years in the summer. I am an artist, recently widowed. My husband Leon Plevin, from Weirton, WVA, died in 2008. We were married for 52 years. I have four children and six grandchildren. I enjoy the WI Newsletter



submitted by: Bryan Stealey (WI '90)
bryan@racerxonline.com

We just had our Washington Irving Class of 1990 20-year Reunion, and a classmate of mine (Lori Hostutler) told me about this newsletter. Would you mind adding my email address to your subscriber list?

My father is Bob Stealey, and my great-aunts Helen, Jane, and Alice Stealey lived in the big white house on Milford St. across from Stealey Park. I see the call for stories about the playground for the September newsletter -- I'll try to get you some good stuff from my generation. I lived on Hall St. and spent time at my aunts' house nearly every day, so the park was pretty much the center of my life as a kid. I'm really looking forward to hearing other people's memories as well.



HALLOWEEN FREE ROCTOBER TUNES

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

The last two Octobers I loaded up this column with all things Halloween (I even snuck in "The Monster Mash" both years.). This year it's Halloween-Free, and I have renamed the month Rocktober. I wanted to include some songs which invoke the entire autumn vibe of October.

First up, 3 videos touting the illumination one can receive from the October moon! You can even dance under the moon by it!

"Shine On Harvest Moon"...Laurel & Hardy....from The Flying Deuces, 1939. Couldn't resist including a little L & H, always good for a giggle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72qZZapTHFo&feature=related

Without a doubt, my favorite "October" song. This is Van the Man live in 1980 at the Montreux Jazz Fest. I have the DVD of this show. I recommend it. Van Morrison..."Moondance".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-kLeQkJRxU

"Dancing In The Moonlight"...King Harvest. Late October of 1972, peaked at #13 nationally. One of those songs I always forget about until I hear it again. It's got a nice bonfire energy to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMc8naeeSS8

The following songs were on the charts in the month of October during the years listed.

1949..."Slipping Around"...Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely. Here's a slick sounding duet that is all about cheatin'! This was number one on both the pop charts and the country and western jukebox charts. This song sold a LOT of records. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQWvcTixbmc

1951..."Sin"...2 versions of this song were in the top 10 in October of 1951. This leads with the Eddy Howard arrangement which was number one in the nation for 8 weeks! The Four Aces, from Chester, PA, follow with their version which reached #4. The third version is by the Dupree's from 1964.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7OZGeBL0YA

1952..."Juke"...Little Walter. I've reached over into the Billboard R & B Charts where this snappy little instrumental was topping the charts throughout October. I recommend putting this on a tape loop and play it any time you need to clean house. It will keep you moving and cut your dusting time in half. Glad I got to include some Chicago blues, so here's a double dose https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiGpv-UeiDI

Little Walter "My Babe", #1 on national r&b chart October of 1955. You will immediately say, "oh, I know that song". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GID8SPUMDxQ&feature=related

1956..."Honky Tonk Pt. 1 & 2"...Bill Doggett. Here's another instrumental I could listen to all day. Great groove. Reached #2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq4NhcfurgU

1959..."Teen Beat"...Sandy Nelson. What can I a say? I'm on an instrumental kick. This drummed its way up to #4 nationally. Nelson was a session drummer (that's him on the Argyles "Alley Oop") and he played mostly in surf and hot rod bands, before fronting a group of session players and throwing drum solos into any song, any time. This was a big hit. Why? I'll never figure out. He's just not that good of a drummer. (Note: the video has some 1950's vintage cheesecake illustrations.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KypIMAydkLI

1963..."Washington Square"...The Village Stompers. A joyous instrumental with sad over tones from this Dixieland styled band based in Greenwich Village, NYC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUAwqhnqSAc

1965..."Treat Her Right"...Roy Head. This video comes from the Dick Clark "Action" TV music series and shows off Head's dancing and acrobatics. Good radio song that always seemed to end way too soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BLQgQNuN-M&feature=related

1967..."Expressway to Your Heart"...Soul Survivors. This was a staple on the jukebox down at The Village Shoppe. Remember the VS? Just below the Robinson Grand and near Ritzy Lunch on Pike Street. This was a big hang out when I was at Central Jr. High. This song got a lot of play at The Village Shoppe. Always loved the car horns clearing out space for the band to strut into the song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQpTEaPFHXQ&feature=related

1972..."Burning Love"...Elvis Presley. This was Elvis' last top 10 single, it got to #2. Good live version from Hawaii. Following that version, the video shows rehearsal footage of Elvis working on "Burning Love", so stay tuned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcJac6OykfM

1974..."Can't Get Enough"...Bad Company. This solid rocker peaked at number 5 in October of '74. Lead singer Paul Rodgers always brings it. This was a bit of a "super group" as Mick Ralphs, formerly of Mott the Hoople, was also in the band. Live from ABC TV's show "In Concert". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4sKdiWlLR8

1976..."Lowdown"...Boz Scaggs. This is a fantastic live version (though somewhat abbreviated) with full orchestra, and check out the shimmering back up singers. Hubba, Hubba!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afBdFyE7PeE

1979..."Lonesome Loser"...Little River Band. Likeable Australian band that had a number of US hits. I saw them in Pittsburgh around this time when they opened for the Eagles. Great show!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5KWI71s3DY

1981..."Step by Step"...Eddie Rabbit. A number five smash, for Mr. Rabbit, performed here on the Tomorrow Show with host Tom Snyder in Dec. of '81. Had to stay up late to see this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSoQvmh_ia0

Keep those email and requests coming.



GRADE SCHOOLS

submitted by: Roleta
Roleta1@aol.com

What was the name of your grade school?
Do you remember the names of any of your teachers?
What was the principal’s name?
What is the status of that school now?

Please write your responses to the above questions to: Roleta1@aol.com


submitted by: Barbara Paugh Patton (WI '61)
BAP5555@aol.com

I went to Alta Vista Grade School on Haymond Highway and now the school is gone. After they closed the school it burned down some years later. I know Mr Cubbins was WI principal, Mr Lowther was Central principal, but I cannot remember who was The principal of Alta Vista. 3rd grade teacher was Mrs Haley. I know the gang that set on the bridge next to Stalnakers would remember them. My question is how many of you remember who your principal and grade school teachers were. Let us know about the status of your grade school.



OBITUARIES

ROBERT A. FLANIGAN (VHS 1953)

Robert A. Flanigan, 76, passed away August 22, 2010. He was born the son of the late Alvin L. and Otalene McDonald Flanigan. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Ruth Ash Flanigan, whom he married September 25, 1954.

He served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1958.



MICHAEL JAMES CHERUBINO (ND HS)

Michael James Cherubino passed away on September 1, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer. Beloved husband of Cheryl Begandy Cherubino. He is the son of the late James Joseph Cherubino and Catherine Louise Allowatt. While in high school he lettered in baseball, football, basketball and track.



HELEN ELIZABETH LAWSON WRIGHT (WI)

Helen Elizabeth Lawson Wright, 89, formerly of Clarksburg and currently of Meadowview Manor, Bridgeport, passed away September 4, 2010, at Ruby Memorial Hospital with family by her side. She was born February 13, 1921, in Brushy Fork, Harrison County. She was the wife of the late William Wright, and he passed in 1978, and the daughter of the late Willie D. and Freda V. Pratt Lawson. Helen was a graduate of Washington Irving High School and lived her entire life in West Virginia except for a brief period in Florida.



PHILIP CHARLES CANN (Notre Dame HS 1971)

Philip Charles Cann, age 58, of Anmoore, departed this life on September 5, 2010, at his residence following an extended illness.

Philip was the son of the late Anthony Joseph Cann and Margaret Gill Cann of Bridgeport, WV. He is survived by his wife, Mildred “Midge” Ann DelRio.

Philip was a 1971 graduate of Notre Dame High School and Catholic by faith. He retired in 1993 from Marks Construction Company with 38 years of service, and was a member of the Local Laborers Union No. 984.



NINA LEE HAMRICK FLOYD (WI 1938)

submitted by: Larry L. Floyd (WI '58)

A brief note of my mothers passing August 13, 2010.

Nina Lee (Hamrick) Floyd Birth date June 12, 1918 (WI Class of 1938)

Preceded by Harry Lee Floyd WI Class of 1937
Gary Lynn Floyd WI Class of 1963

Services were held at interment site Upshur County Memorial Park, by Reverent Joe Carter.

Attending were family and friends.



ANGELA M. COLOMBO (RW)

Angela M. Colombo, age 87, died September 4, 2010, following an extended illness. She was the daughter of the late Battista Colombo and Antonia Tiano Colombo.

Angela was a graduate of Roosevelt-Wilson High School, and the West Virginia Business College. She retired from a family-owned restaurant, Colombo’s Towne House Restaurant-West.



WILLIAM L. RADTKA (RW 1964)

Mr. William L. Radtka, age 65, of Clarksburg, WV, passed awaySeptember 19, 2010 at the United Hospital Center. He the son of the late Ernest J. Radtka and Lillian Mae Humphreys Radtka.



GEORGE DALE JUNIOR NUTTER (VICTORY 1944)

George Dale Junior Nutter died September 19, 2010, following an extended illness.

George was the eldest son of the late Harley Dale and Ruth B. Radcliff Nutter.

On January 24, 1950, he married Loveta G. Cleavenger in Front Royal, Va.

While at Victory, George participated in and played varsity football and basketball. He was named on the All Harrison County football team, where he played end his senior year



FRANK MARTINO (WI 1928-1932)

Mr. Frank Martino, age 96 passed away September 9, 2010. He was the late son of Luigi Martino and Antoniella Oliveto Martino, an end of a generation of eight children and a mother and father who emigrated from San Giovanni in Fiore, Italy, May 22, 1900. He was the sixth of eight children. Leonard, Josephine, John, David, Mary, Sara and Anna, all preceded him in death.

He was also preceded in death by his beloved wife of sixty-nine years, Leah Stalnaker Martino.

Mr. Martino is survived by his children: son, Dr. David (Denda) Martino and daughter, Judy (John) Gray, both of Worthington, OH; several grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Mr. Martino graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Glenville State College and a Master’s Degree in Education from West Virginia University.

Frank was an outstanding athlete, setting a myriad of records in basketball, football, baseball and track, both high school and college. He was chosen All State in both basketball and football while attending Washington Irving High School from 1928-1932. Mr. Martino was able to attend college only because he was offered an athletic scholarship. To earn extra cash, he lived in a boiler room apartment, where he fired the furnaces. He played varsity football at Glenville State for four years, where they were conference champs in 1937. He played varsity basketball for four years, where they were conference champs during his junior and senior years. He was selected to the “All Collegiate Team” his sophomore, junior and senior years at Glenville. In 1938, he was selected to the “All Eastern Team,” which included all colleges and universities east of the Mississippi. The 1938 Glenville State basketball team won 42 straight games without a defeat. To this day, this record has never been broken in West Virginia. The Chicago Herald Tribune rated Glenville State College the 3rd best college basketball team (1938) in the country. As a senior, Frank was chosen for the Second String All-American Team. He went on to play professional basketball for a short period of time with the Clarksburg Generals.

While in the U. S. Navy, Frank was the only officer to play basketball with enlisted personnel. As a coach, he achieved the impossible when his 1945 Normantown High School basketball team won the State Championship. There were no school divisions (AAA, AA, or A) during that time. He was released from the Navy in 1945, although he remained a Lieutenant in the Naval Reserves for 30 years.

In 1946, he went into business with his three brothers and opened Cascade Cleaners in Clarksburg, WV. Their business thrived for 12 years, but Frank yearned to be back in the classroom and coaching, where he ultimately returned in 1958. He taught social studies and coached at Adamston Junior High School and Gore Junior High School in Clarksburg until his retirement in 1983. He was inducted into the Glenville State College Curtis Elam Hall of Fame, May 2001, as a Charter Member.

He was a longtime member of the Clarksburg Baptist Church, (over 60 years), where he had served as a Deacon and Trustee. He was an avid golfer and a member of Sunny Croft Country Club.



MARIE E. ROLLAND COLVIN (WI 1933)

Marie E. Rolland Colvin, age 94, of Clarksburg, WV, passed away on September 5, 2010. Mrs. Colvin was the daughter of the late Ernest Jules and Nina Mae Collins Rolland. Her husband, Charles William “Bill” Colvin, preceded her in death in 1989.

Mrs. Colvin is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Ellen Marie and Dr. Thomas E. Condron of Bridgeport, WV; three grandchildren and one great grandchild, one sister, Jean (Robert) Sullivan.

In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Colvin was preceded in death by her daughter, Nina Mae Colvin in 1949; two brothers, Joffre J. Rolland and Ernest Rolland, Jr.; and one sister, Blanche Howard.

Marie attended St. Mary’s Grade School, where she was a member of the First Communion Class at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. She worked in the business office of Rolland Glass Company, which her father and uncles started.

Mrs. Colvin was a faithful member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court Clarksburg 334 and an active member of the Serra Club. She was past president and lifetime member of the Clarksburg League for Service, past president of St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary, former coordinator of the UHC Holly Ball, an active member and past president of the Clarksburg Woman’s Club and past president of the Stealey Terrace Garden Club.. She was a member of Sunny Croft Country Club, where she played bridge weekly and was a member of the Harrison County Senior Center and played duplicate bridge regularly.

Mrs. Colvin was awarded the Outstanding Citizenship Award for community service by Governor Arch Moore and honored on her 90th birthday by Governor Joe Manchin as an outstanding West Virginian. She also received the Outstanding Citizen Award from Clarksburg Mayor Margaret Bailey. She traveled to Rome, and her proudest moment was attending a Serra Vocation Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul, II.



MARY V. MARTINO (VICTORY)

Mary V. Martino, age 95, departed this life on Sunday, September 12, 2010, at her home. She the daughter of the late Salvatore Martino and Victoria (Fiore) Martino.

Ms. Martino was a member of St. James Catholic Church. Ms.Martino was formerly employed by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Factory.



EMMA JEAN HOLYFIELD WILLIAMSON (WI 1959)


Emma Jean Williamson, age 69, of Clarksburg, WV, passed away on Wednesday, September 22, 2010, at United Hospital Center. She was born July 4, 1941, in Clarksburg, WV, a daughter of the late Samuel Holyfield and Emma (Poindexter) Holyfield. Mrs. Williamson attended Kelly Miller and graduated from W.I. High School.



Information for the Obituaries is sent to me by readers and is often gathered from obituary columns in the Clarksburg Exponent newspaper.







IF YOU WRITE TO ME AND YOUR MAIL IS FOR THE
NEWSLETTER—PLEASE INDICATE THAT!
ALSO, SIGN YOUR NAME, SCHOOL AND YEAR OF GRADUATION
TO EVERYTHING THAT IS FOR THE NEWSLETTER
OTHERWISE IT MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED!

Thanks for helping me out, Roleta1@aol.com




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