A CHRISTMAS
TRADITION
Write and tell me
one tradition that you and your family practice. I would like to know if
this is a tradition that you started or is it a tradition from your younger
years? Some suggestions: a special dinner; going to church; giving gifts;
giving in someway; traveling; who you are with; games played; type of wrapping
paper used; when Santa visited; something you received as a gift; something you
gave as a gift; unusual place you have spent Christmas.
Now that I have
suggested some to jog your memory, you have probably thought of something. Some
don’t celebrate Christmas, if not; do you have a holiday that you celebrate?
What is your holiday and how do you celebrate?
Please
give a memory to me by writing to Roleta1@aol.com
This won’t cost you
a cent. It will only cost you a few minutes and you will be giving me a very
nice gift this year. I hope I receive hundreds of letters!
PITCHING HORSESHOES
From: Marolyn Tustin Jett (WI 1956)
Playing horseshoe in
the late 40's at the corner of Duff and Duncan Avenues that I wrote about last
month. I remember the name of the young man on the left, Jim Alltop out Duncan Ave. He
is wearing a WV Wesleyan shirt, so was possibly a student at that time. My dad
smoking a cigar while pitching horseshoes. He ran the electric from our home
across the street so they could play on summer nights.
You can see the Wood home on the
corner of Duff Ave and Hall St. Walter
Rutherford lived beside them in large white home, then my house next to
Phillips Market, before that it was Picks Grocery. Some of you older readers
may remember Lillian Pick and her son in law Rusty Phillips.
THE HOAGY
CHARMICHAEL
From: Joe
Malone (WI 1952)
The Carmichael Auditorium was built and owned by Homer Carmichael
Sr. who owned and ran a GMC/Oldsmobile dealership on the first floor and lived
with his wife and Homer JR (Hoagy) in an apartment above with a balcony that
allowed them to watch whatever activity was in the Auditorium. My sister who
was a peer of Hoagy did that occasionally. The Carmichael's also owned a home
at Lake Floyd, two lots east of mine.
Grandson, Brad owns it still.
Note: It was Hoagy that organized the WI-Salem HS post season BB games
in 1952. So there!
HOT DOG CHILI OR
SAUCE?
From: John Harrison
(WI 1956)
Here is some feedback you
asked for: First, you put chili on a hot dog and not sauce. I tried ordering
the items one time in Ocean City NJ when the owner refused to serve the hot dog
as ordered. The problem was that the chili had beans in it and I had to pick
them out before I could make a real hot dog. L Bulldog Drummond (sp) sold hot
dogs 10 for a dollar on the corner of Main and Water St. And finally, thank you
for a wonderful Newsletter. Keep it up.
From: John Teter (WI
1961)
I have always referred
to HOT DOGS as having CHILI on them, not sauce!!!! Nobody here in Virginia
has ever referred to wanting hot dogs with "sauce" OR
"slaw".
From: Frank Bush (WI
1959)
Another great
newsletter. I remember getting hot dogs with chili sauce at the Hamburger Mart
on the corner of Main and Water Streets. The cost was 10 cents each or 12 for a
dollar. This was in the early Sixties.
From: John Cooper (WI
1951)
Our family called
chili that was put on hot dogs with onions and catsup. We had a couple last
night for dinner. Never beans in the hotdog chili. Never cole slaw. Some people
like mustard. My daughters Brenda (WI-1971) and Karen (WI-1973) ran the
concession stand at the WVU football games some years ago. They gave packets of
catsup or/and mustard with each "dog"--certainly NO chili or cole
slaw.
From: Nancy
Kirkpatrick Gaines (WI 1950)
My family from Clarksburg always called it Hot
Dog Sauce. It is a meat sauce, no beans! Still get them and they are a hit in
Fairmont, WV.
From: Mitch Davis (WI
1961)
My family used to get
hot dogs from the East End Lunch, just up the hill from Notre Dame High School.
As I recall, it was $1.00 for a dozen.
I always called the
topping "chili" but my wife from NJ has gradually trained me to ask
for meat sauce. I think she's correct since there are no beans in hot dog
"chili."
I have
spent the better part of my life searching for something that tastes like a WV
hot dog. Hardly ever pass a hot dog stand in the USA without
stopping for a taste test. At this point, the closest I have come to WV hot dog
chili is the canned stuff that Wal-Mart sells.
On a different topic,
I found a store selling pepperoni rolls here in Albany, NY. The cook at the
store was surprised when I told him about WV being the state that created this
other great delicacy. He particularly liked the explanation about why it was
created for the coal miners, so they didn't have to keep carrying a roll and a
piece of pepperoni into the mines.
I sure wish I lived
closer to the Ritzy Lunch!
Thanks for the great
job you and your sister do with the Newsletter! You make a lot of us folks very
happy.
From: Bill Meredith
(Monongah HS 1957)
I have a brief comment
concerning putting slaw on a hot dog. I have been eating hot dogs my entire
life. During high school, my lunch each day consisted of three hot dogs and a
quart of milk, so I've consumed more than my share and still eat them regularly.
I love good cole slaw,
particularly the kind made with vinegar. Some call that type Amish slaw.
However, when I want a hot dog, I want a hog dog, not a salad. If I wanted a
salad, that's what I'd order. The idea of putting anything other than good
sauce, onions, catsup or mustard on it does not sound appetizing to me. I once
saw a man put gravy on cherry pie. Just because he did it, does not mean it is
right for everyone.
We have a sign in our
office which reads, "It is OK if my competitor sells for less. He knows
what his stuff is worth". Likewise, it is OK if some people put slaw on
their hot dog. They obviously don't care for the taste of a good old West
Virginia
Incidentally, I have
attended many Marshall football games in Huntington, which I consider a
"southern" city. As I recall, they sell a "Stewart's Hot
Dog". At the time I attended, they did not offer slaw as a topping,
although that may have changed now.
Regardless, I agree
with most of our readers. You just can't find a good hot dog outside of West
Virginia unless you make the sauce yourself from an old WV recipe. If you want
some of the best, attend the Clarksburg Picnic on March 12, 2016 in Sarasota, FL.
From: Rod Kidd (WI
1970)
Not sure what started
this discussion on hot dogs, but thought I would add my 2 cents worth. Growing
up here in Clarksburg nobody ever ordered slaw on a hot dog. The standard
toppings were onions, mustard, ketchup and “chili”... Used to get them at Sanitary
Hot Dog up by the old Jerry’s Auto or at the WV Hot Dog Restaurant. Ritzy Hot
Dog is the only long standing restaurant left in town. T&L Hot Dog is a new
comer, and if I had to categorize their chili I would call it sauce as it is thin, runny,
and no signs of meat. The first time I even heard of slaw on a hot dog
was when I was in college, and those from down around Clendenin and South would
order slaw on theirs. That was strange to me, and to this day I still have
never tried it. That’s not to say it isn’t good, it just doesn’t appeal to me.
From: Jim Alvaro (WI
1956)
Nothing
beats WV hot dogs with WV chili. My wife Sonja, has been making WV hot dog
chili for years. Our neighborhood has a "Spring Fling" and "Fall
Festival every year. They are always requesting Sonja to bring hot dogs with
her chili. If a few are left over, which is rare… people would wrap them up and
take them home.
I
remember while growing up in Clarksburg,
prior to my mother making the chili, we would go out to get our hot dogs. We would go to East End Lunch to get our hot
dogs. Of course I don't remember calling
them chili dogs because all hot dogs came with chili, unless you told them
"to hold the chili." Who would
do such a thing?
When
I came to Ga. and
we would go out to a restaurant and ask for a hot dog, you got a
"weenie" on a bun. Some places only had a "weenie" on a bun
and you would put your own ketchup and mustard if you wanted some taste to it.
Slaw dogs were popular here in Atlanta and
those aren't bad. I like them once in a while with Sonja's chili and cole slaw
on top. Makes for a large dog. Now getting back to the going out in Clarksburg buying
our hot dogs, I remember buying them at East End Lunch, I believe was owned by
the Mahalik (sp?) family. Also, someone mentioned the little restaurant at the
corner of Main and Water St.
The owner at the time was a friend of my father. As I remember, his name was
Lowell Drummond we called him "Bulldog" Drummond. The cost I believe
was around fifteen cents at the most. And I believe the name of the restaurant
was the Hamburger Mart.
East
End Lunch had their dogs for round ten cents and if I remember there was a
place across Pike from East End Lunch named Cook's. There was a hot dog war
between them that the price got down to seven cents. I don't think that lasted
for a day or so. A popular hot dog place in Atlanta is The Varsity.
I think it is a good
experience going to T and L Hot Dogs in Clarksburg also.
Still nothing beats
the taste of a good ole WV hot dog with chili.
1 lb ground beef
¼ C. chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 ea 6 oz can tomato paste
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp pepper
NOTES:
I assume the meat is
not fried… most of the meat in the hot dog chili recipes is cooked by putting
about a cup or so of cold water in a pan. Put it on the heat, place the meat in
the water and with you clean hands or hands in plastic gloves, start crumbling
and squeezing the meat until the water gets too hot to have your hands in it,
then start stirring with a large fork or spoon. When cooked, add the other
ingredients.
I think the
recommended 2 tsp of salt for one pound of meat sounds like a lot of salt, I
suggest you add ½ tsp and then add more to taste.
You will need to keep
cooking this until it reaches the thickness that you desire… you can keep
adding a little water at a time and the more it is cooked, the better the
spices cook in and the more the meat resembles that hot dog chili that we grew
up with.
As with all recipes,
tweak it and test it and add more spices as needed to your taste.
BY THE WAY - I will bring slaw for
the hot dogs at the Clarksburg Area Reunion Picnic on March 12 2016 in
Sarasota, Florida. Very few people ever eat it I think John Jett always brings some slaw
too. He is afraid that I will forget it! Hope to see you all there
- Roleta
WHY AND WHEN I LEFT CLARKSBURG
From
Frank Bush (WI 1959)
I left West Virginia
to join the Air Force intending to come back after one hitch. Somewhere along
the line I decided to make a career of it. I was very fortunate in that I
started my career as an enlisted airman and rose to the rank of Master Sergeant
when I was selected and sent back to college for two years to finish my degree.
I was commissioned as an officer in the finance field. After getting a Masters
degree in Management, I ended up at the University of California Berkeley as a
ROTC instructor where I was retired after a total of 21 years of service. My
travels around the United States and the World exposed me to many different
cultures and experiences which I can find close by in California but don’t
believe would be available to me in West Virginia. While I will always consider
myself a Mountaineer I don’t expect to return except to visit.
From: John Teter (WI
1961)
After graduation in
1961, I went to Fairmont State College for a year and roomed with Sam Bailey at
one of the dorms on campus. We used to make a lot of trips to and from
C-burg during the week and weekends as both of us were dating WI girls that we
wanted to see. My grades the first semester were "so-so", but the
girl and I broke up and the second semester I really worked on my grades - AND,
all of my grades went downhill. Keep in mind, I had one professor that went
crazy and another professor that I had was suspended for failing so many
students.
SO, I decided to go to
work and my first job was with Sutter Roofing Company in Clarksburg. I was
hired for a 3-month project at the Union Carbon and I worked in the hottest,
dirtiest, filthiest, blackest, etc part of the Carbon that existed. I made a
decision that I would never have another job where I could get that dirty again
in my life. AND, I haven't.
My sister and her
husband were living in the Hyattsville/Bladensburg, Maryland area, so I decided
to visit with them after my tenure at the Carbon as I did not really want to go
back to FSU. I was looking thru the Washington Post to see what types of jobs
were available in the MD area, applied for a job in DC at Capitol Radio
Engineering Institute, got the job, and the rest is history.
I have been in the
DC/MD/VA since August 12th, 1962 and had several jobs in the computer arena. I
eventually went to work for a printing company in Arlington, VA; moved to
Alexandria, VA after a year and a half of living in DC. My working in the
computer arena came to an end after I had been with a different printing
company, but after 30 years, the company was bought out and I got laid off. I
went to work for an accounting company for 2 years and have since (sort of) retired.
When did I leave
Clarksburg? August 12th, 1962
Was I happy about
leaving?? No, but there was no work
for me to do in C-burg that I wanted to do
Do I miss living in
Clarksburg??? Yes, as people there
seem to be a lot more friendly than a lot of people are here in Virginia. Plus,
I miss seeing my friends from "back in the friends from back in the
day", but most of those friends have also left C-burg.
EDITOR’S NOTE: What is your story?
Why and when did you leave West Virginia? Share with us, write to me at:
Roleta1@aol.com
The uniforms shown in the October newsletter are different than the ones pictured below. Thanks for the letter below
USHER UNIFORMS
From Elizabeth Teter
Akin (WI 1956)
I, too, do not
remember the ushers or "doormen" at the Robinson Grand wearing these
uniforms during the time I worked there on and off during high school and
college (1955-1957). On the other hand, ushers at the Ritz did wear uniforms
during this time. Attached is a photo I may have submitted before, of three of
the Ritz ushers, circa 1955-56: Buzz Floyd, David Thayer, and someone whose
name escapes me. If I think of it, or find the photo with the names recorded, I
will let you know.
From: Roleta1@aol.com
Re: The picture below:
I wrote to Buzz Floyd to see if he knows the third boy in the picture…he
responded:
“The third guy’s name
was Jenkins, but I’m having trouble remembering, or locating, his first name.
He was also in my Marine Reserve unit, and I would have sworn he went to
Victory”.
Can you help? Do you
know the name of the third boy?
NOVEMBER MYSTERY
PICTURE
From: Jim Rogers (WI
1964)
The mystery picture is
Harbert's Drug Store owned and operated by Pharmacist Steve Trahanis located on
fourth St. He started in the late 50's and closed in the early 80's.
He had a soda fountain
which was very popular. Although small in size, he and his wife ran a very good
business. I did not go in very often because Harbert's Drug Store was a
friendly competitor of mine. Although I did have lunch there on a few occasions.
Steve and Georgiana
are still active in The Harrison County and are both good customers of mine.
From: Anna Williams
(WI 1971)
The
picture is Harbert's Drug store on Fourth Street in Clarksburg. My cousin
Georgeann Trahanis and her husband Steve were the owners. I remember they had a
soda fountain and customers could get floats and sundaes. A couple of my
friends recently told me they loved their peanut butter flops!
From: Mary Sue Spahr
(WI 1956)
I
think this is Harbert's Drugstore on Fourth Street close to Moore's Opera
House. I'm not sure of the name. At first I thought it was Bland's but then I
remembered that Bland's was on Pike Street. I was never in either of them very
much. Our family doctor was James Brennan, MD whose office was in the building
on the west side of Fourth and Main. This is likely why Mother always went to
that drugstore to fill our prescriptions. It always seemed dark inside and
smelled to me of medicinal odors. It was never as much fun to go there as to go
the five and ten cent stores close by.
From: Lloyd Miller (RW
1962)
The
mystery picture is Harbert's Drug store on south 4th street.
We
would stop there after going to the movies to get a coke and snacks in the late
50s and early 60s. All the booths had names carved on them and my girlfriend
carved our initials on one. We have now been married 53 years. The building is
still there. The windows are covered. I couldn’t see inside. There is a For
Rent sign in the window.
From: Linda Nutter
Gimmel (WI 1966)
I think I do remember
the Harbert name also but always referred to it as the Rexall. I went there a
lot when shopping downtown with my grandmother. They made something called a
peanut butter flop. It was vanilla ice cream with a very thick chocolate peanut
butter sauce. It was served in a sundae glass with an ice tea spoon. It was
awesome. They had wooden booths and a counter with the glass containers with
red and white striped straws in them. They also sold small toys near the
pharmacy to occupy children. Seems like yesterday!
REMEMBERING
From: Roleta1@aol.com
We are always talking
about remembering. Always saying I wish I could go back. Does this sound
familiar?
Charles McClung
(Victory HS 148) sent me the poem below that he found. The author is unknown.
However, it says so many things I have said so many times. If only this or if
only that….. I hope you will enjoy it too:
BACK
HOME
If I had the power to
turn back the clock,
Go back to the house
at the end of the block
The house that was
HOME when I was a kid,
I know that I’d love
it more now than I did.
If I could be back
there at my mother’s knee,
And hear once again
all the things she told me,
I’d listen as I never
listened before,
For she knew so well
just what life had in store.
And all the advice my
dad used to give,
His voice I’ll
remember as long as I live;
But it didn’t seem
really important then;
What I’d give just to
live it all over again.
And what I’d give for
the chance I once had,
To do so much more for
my mother and dad;
To give them more joy
and a little less pain;
A little more sunshine
– a little less rain.
But the years roll on
and we cannot go back,
Whether we were born
in a mansion or in a shack;
But we can start right
now—in the hour that’s here,
To do something more
for the ones we hold dear.
And since time in its
flight is traveling so fast;
Let’s not spend it
regretting that which is past;
But let’s make
tomorrow a happier day
By doing our “good to
others”---TODAY
JUST A COMMON SOLDIER
THIS IS SO GOOD, I HAD TO SHARE
Sent by: Ron Prince
(Victory HS 1960)
(Click
on the link below)
Please
enjoy this tribute to the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen who have given
so much for our country.
WORLD WAR II HISTORY
Don’t forget to check
out the WW II History section of the newsletter.
Tim Cork (tpcork@bellsouth.net) is continually
adding information as he receives it.
As you know, he has
copied major parts of all of the WI Yearbooks.
He has copied the
names of WI Students who served in WW II, as listed on the brass plaques which
hung for years in the main hallway of WI, just outside the doors to the
auditorium. They were placed there as a memorial to all who served.
Now he has gone
through the yearbooks and matched up those listed on the plaque with their
senior picture and what was written about them in their yearbook.
He didn’t stop
there. Now he is adding the
branch of service and the years served to this information, along with any
pertinent information sent to him by relatives of those who served.
Some information is
very important: Tim is running into an interesting problem. Example: A name
appears on the plaque….but there are sometimes 2 people with the same name in
different senior classes in the yearbooks for the WW II time frame). So input
from you readers is very important for the history to be preserved correctly.
If you have a relative
or you know of someone who went to WI and served in WW II, we would love to
have information about your relative or friend. Include the veteran’s name,
year of graduation if you possibly can, the branch of service, years of
service and where they served, what their job was….basically any information
that we can add in.
The Clarksburg Library
and the Harrison County Historical Society is interested in cataloguing this
information also.
A major problem: many
of these people have already passed away. You may be the last generation who can
help us!
Thank you so much.
HUBERT FLESHER
My
goodness, I never knew any of these things. A war hero born in Clarksburg and
graduated from WI, Hubert Flesher was in the Air Force and served in Vietnam.
His aircraft was shot down. He ejected, was captured and became a prisoner of
war. This is a very interesting story.
On 2 December 1966, Flesher and Berger were Number Three in a Flight of four F4C's on MIG Caps just north of Thudridge. They swung wide to the right of the rest of the flight with MIG 21's on the right and a SAM (surface to air missile) on the left. The aircraft was at 14,000 feet, 913 MACH air speed, 100 left bank at SAM impact. They immediately gained 500 feet in altitude. They were hit at the aircraft's center of gravity. Both ejected and were captured.
On 2 December 1966, Flesher and Berger were Number Three in a Flight of four F4C's on MIG Caps just north of Thudridge. They swung wide to the right of the rest of the flight with MIG 21's on the right and a SAM (surface to air missile) on the left. The aircraft was at 14,000 feet, 913 MACH air speed, 100 left bank at SAM impact. They immediately gained 500 feet in altitude. They were hit at the aircraft's center of gravity. Both ejected and were captured.
Below are three links
if you would like to read more:
EDITOR’S NOTE: Many of you readers
from Clarksburg served our country in Vietnam. I would like to feature you in
this newsletter. Some have written and told us about your service. I wish more
of you would do that. Send us a
picture of you in your uniform if you can.
HARRY POWERS REMEMBERED
From: Patricia
Dofflemyer Nixon ( WI 1965)
nixonkp@yahoo.com
My
father was living in one of Powers house rentals. During all of this, said
police even dug around their house to be sure no more bodies. Said
he really felt sorry for his wife he said she was a quiet shy woman.
I am starting the sale
of tickets for the 2016 WIN Scholarship Quilt Drawing.
This is
the major fund raiser for this cause. Some ladies are kind enough to make quilt
squares and Sue Selby Moats (WI 1955) puts them together to make a quilt top,
and then she quilts the entire project into a lovely design usually appraised
at well over $2,500.00. This year the quilt has been named “The Madala Quilt.
All money we receive goes to the scholarship fund and each year we have been
offering 2 scholarships to graduates of R.C. Byrd High School in Clarksburg,
WV. Each are awarded a $3,000.00 scholarship paid to their student account at
the college of their choice. This money is paid as $1,500.00 before the fall
semester starts and $1,500.00 before the winter semester starts. This money may
only be used for tuition, books, or other on campus educational expenses.
This has been a wonderful "pay forward"
project as a thank you to our community, educational system, our principal and
our teachers in Clarksburg, WV.
Won't you please give some money to the Scholarship
fund or buy some tickets to try to win the 2016 WIN Scholarship quilt?
Tickets are 6 tickets for $5.00 and 12 for
$10.00…..so increase your chances by buying lots of tickets. The winning ticket
will be drawn at our annual CLARKSBURG AREA REUNION PICNIC which will be held
in Sarasota, Florida on Saturday in March 12, 2016....Mark your calendars to be
there. You do not have to be present to win. I will ship the quilt to the
winner… More details about the picnic
will appear in the next two months.
You can even sell tickets to relatives, friends or neighbors. We
don't care who wants to buy.
Make your check out to:
Roleta Meredith /WIN Scholarship
And
mail to:
Roleta
Meredith
3201
Charles MacDonald Drive
Sarasota,
Florida, 34240
WITH YOUR CHECK OR MONEY ORDER
PLEASE INCLUDE A NOTE:
Tell
me your full name
Your
school and year of graduation
Indicate
whose name you want put on the tickets.
I would like to have 2 volunteers to take care of the listing
of the tickets. No tickets are mailed to purchasers, the ticket number is
recorded and the ticket is put in a bag until the drawing of the winning ticket
will be done at the March 12, 2016 Clarksburg Annual Sarasota Reunion. If you
can help me, please get in touch. Roleta1@aol.com.
WHO MAKES THOSE SQUARES?
From: Gwen Clark (VHS
156)
I have named the quilt
block "Gwen's Folly". The
reason for the baskets in the corners is that basket weaving is my number one
passion. I have been weaving baskets
since around 1983 and Mother once told me that is the only hobby that I am good
at completing!!! I haven't been into
quilting very long (which may show to some) but other hobbies include knitting,
needle punch and cross stitch. I recently told a WI graduate that I was doing a
quilt block through the WI Newsletter for Scholarship, and her reply. OMG VHS
was our biggest rival"! But went on to say that guess it is time to bury
the hatchet and this is for a good cause!! Hope
the square passes inspection and look forward to seeing the completed quilt.
From: Mary Virginia
(Duncan-Johnson) Wilke (WI 1955)
I finally finished my
square this morning and it is my adaption of Signature Square from Quilters
cache! This one gave me a headache, but I finally came up with the pattern.
Tried a different one first.
BILL GREER
From: Don Marple (WI
’53)
dmarple@bellsouth.net
I was sorry to hear
about the death of Bill Greer. He and I were great friends in high school. We
built a model railroad in the second floor of his house, and played a lot of
tennis together at Lake Floyd. After our graduation, I got to see Bill and
Becky in Philadelphia while he was in school, and Bill and his family in Walnut
Creek many years later when I was there on a business trip.
Bill had an unusual
tennis serve. He brought the racket almost to the ground and then swept it up
and through the ball. I don’t think he used his elbow at all and I have to say
that, with that motion, he missed a lot of balls that he threw up to serve.
My friends and I
called him “Peanut” for reasons that I don’t remember. My wife Nancy Harper
Marple (WI class of ‘54) called him “Peeps” because he wore such thick glasses.
I remember one
incident from high school. Several of us were cutting up in the W.I. library
and Miss Kishbaugh came over to break us up. She sent me to one table, Fred
Heflin to another and then said to Bill, “Now Billy, you’ll have to come with
me.” “He put a finger to his lips and said, “Miss Kishbaugh, I’m overwhelmed.”
Even she laughed at
that one.
From: Carolyn Reynolds Burnside (WI 1952)
carolynburnside@outlook.com
Wonderful newsletter. I'm so pleased Joe Malone wrote about my
dear, dear talented friend Gloria Plevin.
We were close friends at WI. I attended
the museum opening with Joe; we were able to spend time with Gloria and her
family who were with her. I have several of her paintings, which I love.
Next subject: hot dog chili I have
the WI Football Mothers' recipe for the chili they served at their Friday lunch
dog sales--- that was still occurring when I taught there during the eighties. I was also there when the addition was done in 1986. First, they tore down the Lynch house
and redirected 5th Street. That has
become the main entrance walkway ramp rather than all the steps. Upon entering, the cafeteria with kitchen is
to the left with a gymnasium above. It
can be accessed from Irving Place. On
the right the old entrance steps from 5th Street to the first floor remain. When I left WI, the library was in the same
location, the best in the county. The
girls' study hall was the art room; a couple of class rooms had been built into
the boys' study hall. The stairs were no
longer designated and no Be Square members directed traffic. Be Square dissolved
in the early eighties. At some time, the
stair wells were enclosed for fire safety and an elevator was installed. All of this took place before I left in
1991. I have no idea what other changes
have been made, I think the bathrooms were FINALLY redone.
EDITOR’S NOTE Do you know of any other changes that have been made to Washington Irving? Parking was always a problem. Luckily very few students owned cars but where did all the teacher’s park? I think some may have walked to school? Do you remember the answer to this? Write to Roleta1@aol.com
From: Sharon Sprouse Bramhall (Victory HS 1960)
sharon.bramhall@yahoo.com
THANK YOU for all the work you do,
Roleta. I especially enjoyed the bread
articles this month. Here in the greater
Cleveland area I am always in search for the "holy grail" in bread,
even in what we call "little Italy".
But we all know where the "grail" remains. Which reminds me, the weather is cool again,
and I need to put in a mail order to Tomaro's Bakery!
I was so proud to read that Tomaro's
and Annie's Restaurant were listed by (chef) Rachael Ray as one of her 51 most
favorite places to mail order food. This
just verifies that it "ain't" just what you're "usta"!
Although it comes with pangs of the
heart, I am also very grateful for the Clarksburg obituaries you post.
This month's issue included two of my former Summit Park neighbors, Bob
Fultz and the former Carla Fernandez, who, ironically, though in different
eras, occupied the same house on Lewis Street, across from my old home
place. I last spoke with Carla when her
older sister and my friend/classmate, Susan, died; Bob and his wife, Jeannine,
and I have maintained our friendships through the years.
DECEMBER
MYSTERY PICTURE
Above is a picture of
a very well known building in Clarksburg. Do you remember it? Where was it
located? Do you have any memories of this place? Tell us anything you can about
it. I will not publish incorrect answers.
Please sign your
name, school and year you did or would have graduated. Thank you.
Write to: Roleta1@aol.com
BRIDGEPORT ALUMNI FOUNDATION
INDUCTION OF
PHIL ‘SONNY” NICEWARNER
From: Mary Nicewarner Tucker (WI
1956)
maryspankytuk7@aol.com
Alumni
Foundation to induct Phil 'Sonny' Nicewarner -
News - ET Mobile
GO HERD
Many thanks to Marilyn Tustin Jett, (W
I 1956), who sent me the picture below showing a cake in the image of
"Marco" the mascot of the Marshall Thundering Herd. It amazes me how much talent people who make
these desserts exhibit in their work.
The Herd football team had another fine
season, finishing at 9--3. Congratulations and "GO HERD".
EXCELLENT START
Six games into the season, there is one
thing that you can say about the WVU basketball team. It wins ugly, but it wins. In what might be called a "Wall to Wall
Bedlam" style, the Mountaineers have reeled off six straight wins to open
the season. Press Virginia isn't pretty
to watch for the basketball purist, but it is effective.
Their latest triumph was in the
championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational, where they beat a decent San
Diego State team, 72--50. As I watched
most of their games, it became evident that this style, which uses 10 or 11
players and constantly presses, wears out their opponents. It was so bad for Richmond, that they could
hardly get the ball to the rim on several of their foul shots.
Devin Williams has been a force inside
and if the guards can continue to bury their threes, this team could be a load
for anyone. Let's hope the streak
continues, at least until the conference season.
What do you think of the Mountaineers,
so far? Send your comments to:
Bill (billmere@aol.com)
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
From: Bill Meredith (Monongah 1957)
Six local high school football teams
made it to the state playoffs this year.
In first round action, winners included Bridgeport, Fairmont Senior, R C
Byrd and South Harrison, while Lincoln and Morgantown were eliminated with
losses.
Only Bridgeport and Fairmont Senior
survived to play in the semi-finals, and as you might expect, the two teams
played each other. In a much closer game
than expected, Bridgeport won the game by a 28--20 count to advance to the
state championship game against Tolsia.
Best of luck to the Indians as they try
for their third title in a row.
To Bill:
This is my father's football letter
from Tyler County High School in Middlebourne, WV, from 1931-32. He was Captain of the team. At the bottom of the letter is a felt
football.
His coach, Paul Christie, was a first
year coach and had just graduated from Salem College. The five Tustin boys lived in the country on
Walnut Fork and the ones who played
sports were unable to get home after football practice, since the busses quit
running. So, Coach Christie would drive
them to the head of Walnut Fork and they would then walk the rest of way home. Then, there were farm chores awaiting them. Of course, there were chores before school in
the mornings, too.
Marolyn Tustin Jett, W I 1956
Reply to Marolyn:
Thanks for sending the picture and the comments. Young people these days do not realize how
hard it was for students in earlier times to play high school sports. Many had to work, not only on farms, but at
other jobs, just to help the family. Times were tough and I speak from
experience. I worked a job forty hours a
week my senior year in high school and still tried to play sports. It wasn't very enjoyable. But, it certainly makes all of us appreciate
what we have, and created a work ethic for our generation.
Thanks again for sending and providing us another life lesson.
Bill (billmere@aol.com)
To Bill:
You asked for
comments re: the WVU Football team in the newsletter.
Here is my
response;
What do the
following college football teams have in common?
Memphis
Houston
Toledo
Temple
Appalachian State
Navy
Marshall
Western Kentucky
Pittsburgh
Answer: They are all ranked ahead of WVU in the
latest football polls.
Even more damning
is the fact that Clemson, who WVU destroyed in their recent bowl matchup, is
now considered the top dog in the country in the first "Bowl
Championship" rankings.
Michigan, whose
program was in disarray only a year ago, is now ranked in the top twenty.
Ditto for Florida,
also with a new first year coach!
If "paying for
performance" is a legitimate yardstick, would Holgerson get a paycheck at
all??
Truthfully, I now
believe that my 6 and 6 prediction is in real jeopardy.
Stu Cashman,
LaSalle HS, Niagara Falls, NY
Reply To Stu:
In all honesty, things are looking up since
Stu wrote this. Four wins in a row can
change many things, like fans calling for a new coach. There are still those
who have never cared for Holgorsen and a good season won't change their minds.
As far as the list of teams is concerned, my
guess is that all of them would have lost to the four Big 12 powers who beat
WVU. As I've said before, if you want to
run with the big dogs, you need to recruit players who can compete with them. The
Mountaineers are still a work in progress.
Will they ever compete for a Big 12 championship? No one can answer that question. However, if the goal of a national
championship is to ever be reached, WVU must be in one of the Power 5
conferences and at this time, the Big 12 is our only choice.
On the positive side, your 6--6 prediction is
safe. In fact, 7—5 is even safer.
Bill (billmere@aol.com)
FEELING BETTER
I'm sure many people will disagree with
me, but I think the last four games have been Dana Holgorsen's “finest
hour" as the WVU coach. Losing four
in a row to some of the best teams in the country could have destroyed this
team. Instead, they stayed together and
won the next four in relatively easy fashion. Granted, these were not top 25 teams, but they
weren't all Kansas, either.
A win at Kansas State next week will
result in an 8--4 season. Even a loss
would make it 7--5 and in all probability, would change any thought the AD had
of changing coaches. Wouldn't it have
been nice to not have given Oklahoma State the gift earlier in the year.
But, we can't live on what might have
been. Let's look forward to winning a
bowl game to cap a good season.
Incidentally, the Cowboys went further
than they should have gone, based on their level of talent. They were not the best team on the field when
they played the Mountaineers. Of course,
I've always said, "I'd rather be lucky, than good".
Do you have any thoughts on the WVU
season.
If so, send them to:
Bill (billmere@aol.com)
CHANGES IN THE LAYOUT OF WI
DUE TO REMODELING OF THE SCHOOL
From: John Teter (WI 1961)
From what I can remember from my last
tour of WI, which would have been 2014 during the Centennial Celebration
weekend:
1. The new section of the school houses
a new gym on the lower level and a cafeteria on the upper level.
2. The library is still where it was
and has glass coverings for the tables that were originally there, with a lot
of initials carved into the tables.
3. The cafeteria would provide the
lunch room.
4. There is no longer a swimming pool,
and if I remember correctly the pool was covered over back in the early 1960's.
5. The old gyms are now band rooms, but
it was interesting that you could still see some of the markings on the floor
from the old gym. Some of the markings were right up against the walls, which
goes to show how cramped those gyms were.
DELETE THESE EMAIL ADDRESSES
SilverFeather588@aol.com - not a known
member
jdarnall@socal.rr.com - invalid mailbox
bboop65@webtv.net - mailbox unavailable
sandralousmith@yahoo.com - account has
been disabled
(From DeeDee King)
CHANGE THESE E-MAIL ADDRESSES
Herb Cashdollar (RW 1957) hcashd@gmail.com
Carolyn Burnside (WI 1952) carolynburnside@outlook.com
ADD THESE NEW E-MAILS
Larry Jett (RW 1956) larryjett24@gmail.com
Robert (Bobby) Abell Jr. (WI 1960) theabells2@yahoo.com
Sandy Fox Smith WI 1966) and Larry
Smith (WI 1964)
meme.sghs.29@gmail.com
Richard Underwood (WI 1960)
runder@comcast.net
JERRY’S AUTO SHOP ON PIKE STREET
If you remember, write to Roleta1@aol.com.
Iced Tea Dee sent a memory
From: Iced Tea Dee (WI 1969)
I remember getting my first Barbie from
the toy department at Jerry's Auto on Pike Street. The toys were in the rear of the building near
the back door entrance. Across the
street, in the back, was the newspaper building.
I'm not sure if I got Barbie for my
birthday or if it was a Christmas gift. But
remember spending many hours at Jerry's Auto staring at all the beautiful
Barbie's & wanting one so bad.
Mine looked like the one in this pic
with blonde cotton/silk like hair. I was in seventh heaven whenever I got mine.
In
1959, the first Barbie doll sold for $3.00 (that would be the equivalent of
$23.97 today).
EDITOR’S NOTE: Did you ever shop
at Jerry’s Auto Shop? What an unusual place to go shopping for toys. What are your memories of this place?
THOSE FOUR GOOD LOOKING BOYS IN THE NOVEMBER 'WHO ARE THESE GUYS?'
From: Mary Sue Clark Spahr (WI 1956)
The four boys in the picture are Bud
Collins, Jim Alvaro, Ron Chartrand and Don Douglas. Great picture!
From: Bud Collins: (WI 1955)
I am on the left, next is Jim Alvaro
(WI 1956) Chartrand died 3 or 4 years ago. He was married to Martha Blair
Norris (WI 1956.) Don Douglas (WI 1954). Capt of 1954 basketball team. Born and
raised about 4 houses from me in Broad Oaks. Douglas only played basket ball
after his freshman year.
From: John Harrison (WI 1956)
The next thing to mention is the photo of Bud Collins, Jim Alvaro,
Ron Chartran and Don Douglas. These were
very special guys. Bud Collins was a heck of a football player who would knock
your socks off during practice and then help to stand you up so he could do it all
over again. He was outstanding at Pot
State. Next in line is one of the best friends
I ever had: “Jimmy Ladies Man Alvaro”. By day he was mild mannered “Jim Iceman Alvaro”.
At night he trurned into “Jim Willow
Beach, Meadowbrook , every girls dreamboat dance man Alvaro”. Secretly, he was my little brother and I was
really a part of the family of Fred, Mary, Jim, Freddie, and Larry. The next
two were Rocket Ron Chartran one of the fastest guys in the Big Ten. He was also a great guy and friend to
everyone. Finally, we come to a great
basketball player and one who always looked like he was about 18 years
old. He was always smiling and helping
some one.
From: John Teter (WI 1961)
The guys in the picture must have been
in the graduating class of 1956, as the only one that I truly recognize is Jim
Alvaro (which is the one second from the left with the WI sweater on).
From: Steve Limbers (WI 1957)
Anyone my age or near it knows these
four guys. And they have something in
common. All four were top notch people
and remained that way from the time I met them until the last time I saw
them. Bud Collins, Jim Alvaro and Don
Douglas were Broad Oaks guys and good role models for me. Ron Chartrand (gone too soon) was a little
scary at first but I soon found out he was friendly and kind. I already knew his older brother and that
friendly and kind stuff must run in families. Don Douglas topped them all, though, by
marrying my cousin (and introducing me to her at a Clarksburg reunion, since we
had never met).
Thanks for your continuing
efforts. All are appreciated.
From Don Sager (WI 1956)
Deez Guys are (l to r) Buddy Collins, Jimmy Alvaro,
Ronnie Chartrand and Donnie Douglas. Don
was in the Class of ’54, Bud and Ron were in the Class of ’55 and Jim was in my
Class of ’56. At first I thought this
picture was taken at a Sports Banquet but based on the bottles it was probably
at Willow Beach or somewhere inthe East End or Glen Elk. I am sure that Bud, Jim and Don are
“World-Famous” because they are part of the “Broad Oaks Bunch” and Ron is
“World-Famous” because he latched onto the best-looking girl (arguably) in our
‘56 class----Martha Blair Norris. I can still recall in my mind as Mr. Cubbon
was apt to say, “These are four of our finest young men”. For more memories of the best time (in the
1950s) to have been raised in Clarksburg, come to the Sarasota Picnic in March
where we are always reliving the good ole days.
From: Sharon Gretzer Dial
sharondial4804@gmail.com
From left to right: Bud, Jim Alvaro,
Ron Chartrand and not sure?
From:
Charles Ferrell (WI
1946)
I really enjoyed reading this last WI
Newsletter.
Davis Grubb's family lived down the street from me on Hartland
Ave. His younger brother and I were about the same age. We had a lot of
interesting neighbors. Shirly Ross, stage name Judy Starr a tiny singer
(82 pounds), was with Kemp's Band.. Next door a few years later was Rusty Sloan, a future US Air Force Surgeon
General. Two doors down the street was
the Wilson family who had four sons who became doctors. Tom, the youngest was in my classes from Morgan
School to WI. My next door neighbor, Jack Loudermilk
was a navigator on a B-17 during WWII.
I knew Cal
Forsyte who lived in Hartland. I was involved in the same DeMolay chapter, Masonic
Lodge and Shrine many years later. I got
my third degree in 1950 in the Masons and in the winter 0f 1950. I finished thru the 14 th degree, before
I was drafted on Dec. 4, 1950 into the Third Armored Division. About a year later I came home on leave to
finish the 32 th degree in army uniform. Eddy Tompass and
I got the third degree at the same time. He later became a druggist
at Bland's.
DID YOU KNOW THIS?
While "Cleaning of the Stones" at the National Cemetery in
Holly, I noticed a quarter placed on one of the stones. Later, I also noticed a nickel placed on
another stone, I was so touched with this that I took pictures. (Sorry the
nickel did not turn out). I Googled
about the coins and found this out and I am very proud to share it.
A coin left on a headstone lets the deceased soldier's family know that
somebody stopped by to pay their respect. Leaving a penny means you visited. A nickel means that you and the deceased soldier trained at boot camp
together. If you served with the soldier, you leave a dime. A quarter is very significant because it means that you were there when
that soldier died.
DUFF HOLLOW
From: Rod Kidd (WI 1970)
I saw the picture of the old Duff Street Hollow in the newsletter
this month and can remember some of the times we had playing in the area. Can’t tell for sure in the background, but I
remember a small building built right off the corner of Duff and Ducan used as
an insurance sales office. It could have
had several uses, but that is what I remember. I lived off of upper Duff Ave on Marion Street
so I walked by this area on the way to Morgan School all the time. The one thing that has not changed from this
picture is the road conditions in Stealey during the winter. They remain snow covered until the cars wear
it off. Today the right side of the hill
shown in the picture is full of cars as every family owns at least 2 to 3 cars
these days. The hollow would lead you
from Duff all the way down to the bottom of Hart Street where the unfinished
portion of Davis Street ties in. There
used to be an old swinging bridge down there that crossed over into the Point
Comfort area. It was probably installed
to provide access to factory workers at the old Continental Can Plant. We used to have a good time getting this
bridge to sway and bounce. Hart Street
has been closed for years, at least the portion that lead back onto Milford due
to landslides. It is so overgrown now
you wouldn’t even know there was a street there anymore.
HUNKY
DORY
From: Charlie McClung (VHS 1948)
WORDS AND PHRASES FROM OUR PAST
Words gone as fast as the buggy whip! Sad really! The other day I said something to my son about
driving a Jalopy and he looked at me quizzically and said what is a Jalopy? OMG
(new phrase!) he never heard of the word jalopy!!
So we went to the computer and I pulled up a
picture from the movie "The Grapes of Wrath." Now that was a Jalopy!
I knew I was old.....
I hope you are Hunky dory after you read this
and chuckle...
About a month ago, I illuminated some old
expressions that have become obsolete because of the inexorable march of
technology. These phrases included
"Don't touch that dial," "Carbon copy," "You sound like a broken record" and
"Hung out to dry." A bevy of
readers have asked me to shine light on more faded words and expressions, and I
am happy to oblige:
Back in the olden days we had a lot of moxie. We'd put on our best bib and tucker and
straighten up and fly right. Hubba-hubba! We'd cut a rug in some juke joint and then go
necking and petting and smooching and spooning and billing and cooing and
pitching woo in hot rods and jalopies in some passion pit or lovers lane. Heavens to Betsy! Gee willikers! Jumping Jehoshaphat! Holy Moley! We were in like Flynn and living the life of
Riley, and even a regular guy couldn't accuse us of being a knucklehead, a
nincompoop or a pill. Not for all the
tea in China!
Back in the olden days, life used to be swell,
but when's the last time anything was swell? Swell has gone the way of beehives, pageboys
and the D.A.; of spats, knickers, fedoras, poodle skirts, saddle shoes and
pedal pushers. Oh, my aching back.
Kilroy was here, but he isn't anymore.
Like Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle and
Kurt Vonnegut's Billy Pilgrim, we have become unstuck in time. We wake up from what surely has been just a
short nap, and before we can say, I'll be a monkey's uncle! Or, this is a fine kettle of fish! We discover that the words we grew up with,
the words that seemed omnipresent as oxygen, have vanished with scarcely a
notice from our tongues and our pens and our keyboards.
Poof, poof, poof go the words of our youth,
the words we've left behind. We blink,
and they're gone, evanesced from the landscape and wordscape of our perception,
like Mickey Mouse wristwatches, hula hoops, skate keys, candy cigarettes,
little wax bottles of colored sugar water and an organ grinders monkey.
Where have all those phrases gone? Long time passing. Where have all those
phrases gone? Long time ago: Pshaw. The milkman did it. Think about the starving Armenians. Bigger than a bread box. Banned in Boston. The very idea! It's your nickel. Don't forget to pull the chain. Knee high to a grasshopper. Turn-of-the-century. Iron curtain. Domino theory. Fail safe. Civil defense. Fiddlesticks! You look like the wreck of the Hesperus. Cooties. Going like sixty . I'll see you in the funny
papers. Don't take any wooden nickels. Heavens to Murgatroyd! And awa-ay we go!
Oh, my stars and garters!
It turns out there are more of these lost
words and expressions than Carter had liver pills. This can be disturbing stuff, this winking out
of the words of our youth, these words that lodge in our heart's deep core. But
just as one never steps into the same river twice, one cannot step into the
same language twice. Even as one enters,
words are swept downstream into the past, forever making a different river.
We of a certain age have been blessed to live
in changeful times. For a child each new
word is like a shiny toy, a toy that has no age. We at the other end of the chronological arc
have the advantage of remembering there are words that once did not exist and
there were words that once strutted their hour upon the earthly stage and now
are heard no more, except in our collective memory. It's one of the greatest advantages of aging.
We can have archaic and eat it, too.
See ya
later, alligator!
GUY ROPER
Husband of Marsha Woods Roper (WI 1959)
Guy Roper Jr.,
former owner of a legendary bar and former Hollywood city commissioner, died
Monday, November 1, 2015 of a rare liver disease.
Mr. Roper, of
Plantation, was 77. Mr. Roper was born
on March 6, 1938, in Illinois. His
parents moved to South Florida when he was in high school to run the family
business and he moved in with a friend to finish school.
His grandfather, Al
Stratford had established Stratford`s Bar and Restaurant in Hollywood in 1938. When he died, the place was passed on to his
son, Guy Roper Sr. Mr. Roper Jr. took it
over in the 1980s. To the bar's
regulars, the location became a landmark. During the 1972 Dolphins season, the season of
the 17-0 championship team, Mr. Roper told the Sun Sentinel he once put on a
voodoo ceremony to hex opposing teams and Dolphins players arrived each week to
stick pins into dolls.
It was an incident
at Stratford's Bar that inspired him to go into politics. In 1958, when he was
a college junior studying wildlife and working at the restaurant, Mr. Roper
overheard his father arguing with a state Department of Transportation
official. The DOT was widening Hollywood
Boulevard and planning to build a barrier of dirt in front of the restaurant,
blocking the way for customers. The official allegedly said: "Mr. Roper,
we've put finer businesses than yours out of business." Mr. Roper told the Sun Sentinel in 1989 that
he silently told himself: "Someday,
I'm going to get involved, and never treat anyone the way he treated us. Mr. Roper never went back to school. He was first elected to the Hollywood City
Commission in 1986, after a sitting commissioner announced a bid to run for
mayor. "I saw a vacuum, and there
was nobody stepping in to fill it," he later said. He described himself at
the time as the voice of the little man and was widely known as a moderate on
the five-member commission. He was also
known as Hollywood's silent commissioner, since he rarely spoke during
meetings. He said he was content with
the way things worked out for him. "If
not for the episode with the DOT, I'd probably be a fishing biologist
today," he told the newspaper. He
retired from office in 1994. One
political comeback attempt in 1998 was unsuccessful. Mr. Roper sold the bar about four years ago.
Politics was his
passion. "He loved it, he was a
people person," said his daughter, Robin Gayle Roper. "There were no
strangers for him. He was the most caring, loving, giving person."
In addition to his
daughter, Robin Gayle Roper, of Clayton, N.C., he is survived by his wife,
Marsha Roper of Plantation, FL; a son, Guy Franklin Roper IV of LaBelle, FL.;
and four grandchildren.
LARRY KIMLER
Husband of Judy Daugherty Kimler (WI 1959)
and my former partner in the newsletter
Larry Kimler, 62 died
on October 30, 2015 just a little less than 2 months after his wife Judy
Daugherty Kimler passed away. They had
no children. Larry died from cancer as
did his wife Judy.
There were no
services or printed obits for either.
Both were cremated.
WILLIAM ARNOLD McKOWN
William Arnold
“Bill” McKown, 65, Jane Lew, passed away on Thursday, October 29, 2015, in the
United Hospital Center.
He was born in
Clarksburg on June 1, 1950, a son of the late Arnold Elwood and Meryl Lena
Merryman McKown.
Surviving are his fiancée,
Phyllis Wanstreet and her family of Jane Lew; one daughter, Kiley Daugherty and
her husband Matthew of Clarksburg; two granddaughters, Abigail and Addison
Daugherty; one sister, Sue Lipps of Clarksburg; one nephew, Steven Lipps of
Spelter; and one niece, Kelly DiLorenzo of Clarksburg.
Mr. McKown was a
graduate of Washington Irving High School, and a United States Air Force
veteran. He was a United States Postal Supervisor, having started his career as
a carrier and then window supervisor at the Clarksburg Post Office, then
Fairmont, and on to Eastpointe where he retired. He was a member of the B.P.O.
of Elks No. 482, having held the position of Officer and past Exalted Ruler.
Bill was an
enthusiast of all sports, especially NASCAR and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball.
WALTER SWIGER
Walter E. Swiger
Jr., 87, of Wilsonburg, WV, died November 7, 2015, at his home following an
extended illness.
Walter was born
September 16, 1928, in Wilsonburg, WV, to the late Walter E. and Daisy Adams
Swiger.
He is survived by
his wife of 36 years, Orpha Demastus Swiger, whom he married on October 14,
1979.
Also surviving are
their children, Lee Swiger and his wife Sue of Salem, Monty Swiger and his wife
Rebecca of Greensburg, PA, Patricia Swiger of Elkins, Sandra Swiger of
Wilsonsburg and her companion Jerry Warner, and Christie Swiger of Winter
Haven, FL; one sister, Martha Bird and her husband Lee of Saline, MI; and
several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in
death by his daughter, Deborah Swiger.
He lived and worked
in Wilsonburg all is life. He was a graduate of Victory High School in 1946,
W.Va. Business College in 1947 and the University of Hard Knocks through
Alderson-Broaddus in 1980. He was also known as the unofficial mayor of
Wilsonburg.
Walter started his
career in the petroleum business in 1947. He worked for American Oil for 28
years, then formed his own company, WESCO Fuels, in 1975, serving Harrison and
surrounding counties for more than 44 years.
He was a 60-year
member of Hermon Lodge 6, AF&AM. He was a 32nd-Degree Scottish Rite Mason
with membership in the Clarksburg bodies and a member of the Nemesis Shrine
Temple of Parkersburg.
Walter was also a
60-year member of the Lions Club, holding membership in the Clarksburg club and
a charter membership in the Wilsonburg Club.
He held several
offices in the clubs and served as district governor of Lions International
29-I in 1961-62. He held the highest award from Lions International, the Melvin
Jones Fellow.
He was a 25-year
member of the Harrison County Solid Waste Authority, where he also served as
chairman. He was a 16-year member of Central W.Va. Community Action, where he served
as treasurer.
He also served on
numerous boards and committees, such as the Wilsonburg Homecoming Committee,
LEPC, Long Term Planning Committee and Homeland Security.
The Harrison County
Commission declared March 26, 2001, as Walter Swiger Day for his work on the
Solid Waste Authority. Under his chairmanship, he worked to develop a
countywide recycling ordinance and established a recycling hotline.
He was also
recognized for his leadership in one of the top integrated waste management
programs in W.Va. Walter also worked diligently on getting approval for
Meadowfill Landfill. He was named Volunteer of the Year in 2000 by the
Association of West Virginia Solid Waste Management.
Walter was a
well-respected individual and was admired for his kindness, generosity and
honesty. He was a member of the Wilsonburg Baptist Church.
JUDITH DOTSON
Judith “Judy”
Dotson, 65, of Clarksburg, passed away on Monday, November 2, 2015, at her
residence following an extended illness.
She was born in
Clarksburg on December 21, 1949, a daughter of the late Percy C. and Pauline
Thelma Knight Ashcraft.
She is survived by
her husband, Daniel G. Dotson, whom she married on August 1, 1970. Also
surviving are one son, Christopher W. Dotson of Summit Park; one daughter,
Heather Whetsell and her husband Kenneth of Summit Park; a special
daughter-in-law, Hope Dotson of Summit Park; four grandchildren, Katie Dotson,
Paulina Dotson, Brayden Whetsell and Jacob Whetsell; two brothers, Percy C.
Ashcraft, II and his wife Cindy of Prince George Virginia, and Gary Ashcraft of
Summit Park; several nieces, nephews, and one great niece.
Mrs. Dotson was a
1967 graduate of Victory High School, a 1971 graduate of Fairmont State
College, and received her Master’s Degree at Salem College. She was a teacher
with the Harrison County Board of Education, retiring with 35 years of service
and having taught at Ziesing Elementary School, Summit Park Elementary School
and Adamston Elementary School. Mrs. Dotson also worked for the Harrison County
Parks and Recreation, coached Summit Park Junior High Girls’ Sports, Broadway
Jr. High School Girls’ Sports, and was an active member of the Summit Park
Association. She was a member of the Summit Park Baptist Church.
JACK C. BENNETT
Obit sent
by Jim Alvaro with this note about his good friend:
“Jack was really good friend of
mine. I ran around with Jack along with
several Notre Dame guys. He was a swell guy. I saw Jack several years ago at
the Italian Festival and we had a great time talking about the old times."
Jack C. Bennett
left this world peacefully on November 10, 2015, in the arms of his loving wife
of 51 years, Judy, and his beloved daughter, Erin, in his own home as he
wished.
He was born April
29, 1938, in Buckhannon, WV, to the late Margaret Trusler Bennett and Troy
Gilbert Bennett.
He is survived by
wife, Judy R. Drumpus Bennett, daughter, Erin Jacqueline Bennett, one sister,
Jeanie Bombardiere; sister-in-law, Jean Neff; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law,
Bill and Carole Flowers, and, Mike and Myra Sinkiewicz, and many nieces and
nephews.
In addition to his
parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, John Dale Bennett.
Jack was a 1957
graduate of Notre Dame High School, where he lettered in football and
basketball. His nickname was
“Speedy.” He was a Catholic for most of
his life until he became a member of the old Reynoldsville Christian Church and
later attended the United Methodist Temple.
Jack was a
wonderful, loving, devoted husband and father who had many, many friends.
He loved to golf
and was a member of the Lake Floyd Golf Club.
He had also been a member of the Union Carbide Bowling League. He was always athletic and loved sports.
He served for six
years in the Army Reserve. He worked for
PPG Industries for 16 years until its closing, and then worked for 11 years at
Union Carbide until he took a job with the WV Plumbers and Steamfitters Local
152 in Morgantown. One of his last jobs
working for the union was on construction of the first FBI facility in
Bridgeport. He dearly loved his job and
never missed a day of work.
He took great pride
in all that he did and was ready and willing to help anyone and anywhere he was
needed.
MARY LOUISE POKRZYWA
Margaret Louise
Pokrzywa, age 87, passed away on Sunday, November 8, 2015, at North Woods
Village, Kokomo, IN.
She was born on
August 14, 1928, in Mt. Clare, a daughter of the late David C. and Mary Wetzel.
She graduated from Victory High School, Class of 1947.
On October 25,
1947, she married Eugene Joseph Pokrzywa, who preceded her in death on January
3, 2010.
Margaret was a
homemaker, enjoyed gardening, plants and flowers, being with family, and was a
wonderful cook. She was a member of North
View United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women and Metheny-Swigert Bible
Class. She was a member of the Letter
Carrier Auxiliary 883, Clarksburg, past president of the Auxiliary Letter
Carrier Association and also local president for many years and received her 50
year pin. She was a life member of
Lucinda Rose Auxiliary 883, Clarksburg, and past president. She was past president of Victory High School
Athletics Club in 1968, Women of the Moose 409, a member of the Friendship
Club, American Legion 13 and also past president, member of Fraternal Order of
Eagles Auxiliary, Lake of the Elk, Eastern Star Queen Esther Chapter 11, Order
of the America 3, White Shrine of Jerusalem, charter member of the Nutter Fort
Women’s Club and member of the Clarksburg Women’s Club. She volunteered at the VA Hospital for over
25 years. She also belonged to the Bingo
Club, was a lifetime member of the Senior Citizens and a member of the Kitty
Edwards Club. She enjoyed traveling with club members.
JAMES LEE BARRICK
James Lee Barrick,
88, of Clarksburg, passed away Friday, November 13, 2015. He was born February 5, 1927, in Clarksburg,
son of the late Glenn Barrick and Thelma (Lee) Barrick. Jim is survived by his best friend and companion,
Patty Kimble of Clarksburg, WV; two daughters, Shirley(Jim) Cole, and Susan
Deem., Roger (Sandy) Barrick, and Eddie Barrick and his companion, Bob Knight;
four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren.
In addition to his
parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife, of 38 years, Anita Joan
Barrett Barrick; one brother, Richard Barrick; and a son-in-law, Jeffrey Deem.
Jim was a graduate
of Washington Irving High School. Jim
served in the Army Air Corps during World War II until 1947. He retired as a pressman from Fairmont
Printing and at one time printed issues of Wild Wonderful West Virginia and
West Virginia football programs. He was
a member of the Clarksburg Baptist Church, Clarksburg Moose, B.P.O.E 482 Elks,
Clarksburg Model Aviation Club. Jim also liked to deliver cakes with Patty.
CAROL FAYE WESTFALL
LeFEVRE
Carol Faye LeFevre,
83, of Clarksburg, WV, died November 10, 2015. She was born September 29, 1932, in
Clarksburg, the daughter of the late Opha and Margaret Westfall.
She was married for
over 53 years to the late David LeFevre, who preceded her in death in January
2008.
Surviving are three
children, Denise Jenkins, Tim (Amy )LeFevre
, and Phil (Kim)
LeFevre; seven grandchildren; two great-grandsons, and one brother, Dave (Linda)
Westfall and his wife Linda of Williamsburg, VA.
Carol graduated
from R-W High School in 1950 and attended the Freedom Southern Baptist Church.
VELDA WESTFALL
Velda J. Westfall,
age 52, of Clarksburg, W.Va., departed this life on November 10, 2015.
Velda was born in
Orleans, France, on June 23, 1963, a daughter of the late Clarence E. Arnett
and Barbara Ann Williams Arnett.
She is survived by
her husband of 30 years, Robert R. Westfall.
She is also survived by her daughter, Velda Nicole “Nikki” Westfall and
her companion Charles Riley; her grandson,; two brothers, Jed Arnett and David
Arnett; one sister, Veronica Arnett “Kickles”; one nephew, three nieces.
Also surviving are
her father and mother-in-law, Charles (Delores M.) Westfall , sister-in-law and
her husband, Nora and Bob Grant; and their children; her uncle, Carl Williams; cousin,
Ruth Ann Blair, as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Velda was a graduate
of Liberty High School, Class of 1982; she graduated from the Clarksburg Beauty
Academy and was a homemaker
VIOLET M. LOWTHER
Violet M. Lowther,
of Clarksburg, WV, passed away on Friday, November 20, 2015. She was a daughter
of the late George W. and Mildred M. (Reed) DeLoe.
Violet is survived
by one daughter, Vickie Lee (Jesse) Emerson; one son, John Allen (Terri) Lowther;
one sister, Ivy (Bob) McCauley; 11 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her
parents, Violet was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, John Lowther,
on December 7, 2007; two sisters, Fern Lenore DeLoe and Sylvia Myrtle Hunter;
and an infant brother, George William DeLoe.
Violet graduated
from Bridgeport High School and then obtained an Associates degree from the
University of Salem. She was an artist, and her work is displayed in many
private collections. The governor once chose her work to be displayed at the
Arts & Crafts Museum in Charleston for one year. Violet loved her artwork and had belonged to
the Clarksburg Senior Citizens’ “Happy Artists” group.
KITTY ROSS WOODSON
Kitty Ross Woodson,
age 90, passed away November 3, 2015, Born
September 25, 1925, in Green Valley, Harrison County, WV, a daughter of the
late William and Rosa Marks Ross.
She is survived by
her daughter-in-law, Catherine Allman Woodson; three grandchildren eight
great-grandchildren, as well as several nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in
death was her husband Hayward Darrell Woodson in December of 2001 and their
only child Hayward Darrell (Butch) Woodson II in April of 2011. She is the last
surviving member of her family, with four sisters preceding her in death, Willa
Morris, Iva Cutright, Nellie Crouse, Gertrude Smith, as well as an infant
brother.
Kitty was a 1943
graduate of Bridgeport High School. She was employed with the Louis A. Johnson
VA Medical Center for 20 years before she retired.
Kitty was a member
of the Broad Oaks United Methodist Church, where she served as a trustee, and
belonged to the Methodist Women in which she volunteered her time with church
dinners and helping to care for the less fortunate.
JOSEPH E. MILLS
Joseph E. “Joe”
Mills, 76, passed away November 19, 2015.
He was born in
Nutter Fort on July 15, 1939, a son of the late E.E. “Dick” and Eva A. High
Mills.
He is survived by
his wife, Patricia Jo Signorelli Mills. Also surviving are three sons, Richard (Lisa)
Mills, Robert Mills, and Scott; four grandchildren; sister-in-law, Carole
Moodispaugh; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his
parents, Joe was preceded in death by one sister, Margaret Ann Wolfe; and two
brothers, Kenny Mills and Pat Mills; and his brother-in-law, Gary Moodispaugh.
Mr. Mills was a
1957 graduate of Roosevelt-Wilson High School. He then began serving his
country in the Army National Guard where he served for four years. He worked
simultaneously at Pittsburgh Plate Glass where he retired after 18 years of
service. He then went into law enforcement in his hometown of Nutter Fort for
several years. Following that, Joe began working for the Department of Highways
in 1979, where he retired in 2001. He also retired as Deputy Chief of Nutter
Fort Fire Department. Mr. Mills was a former member of the Nutter Fort Lions
Club and was a current member of the Knights of Columbus. He was also a member
of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, where he served as an usher and
was a member of the Martha Mary Group.
DAVID GIBSON
David W. Gibson passed
away on Oct. 13, 2015, at his home in, California, after a five-year battle
with cancer.
He was born in
Clarksburg, WV, to Wayne and Ara Gibson, former teachers in Harrison County. He
was an outstanding student and athlete at Salem High School, playing on the
undefeated conference basketball team and making the All-State teams his junior
and senior years. He continued his education at Salem College, graduating magna
cum laude while majoring in physics and math in 1956. He excelled in basketball
and tennis and was selected to the All-Time WVIAC basketball and tennis lists
in 1974. He was later inducted into the Salem College Hall of Fame. He was also
listed on the Outstanding Students Among Universities and Colleges.
In 1956, David joined
Union Carbide Corporation (National Carbon Div.) as a development engineer at
its Development Laboratories in Fostoria, Ohio. While there, he pioneered work
on the development of carbon fiber fabrics for aerospace and military
applications. While in Ohio, he completed a master’s degree at the University
of Toledo. He continued his work in graphite industry in California, retiring
in 2000. He also continued graduate work at UCLA.
He is survived by his
loving wife, Mary Ann, two sons, Kevin and Brian, and his beautiful daughter,
Shannon. Also surviving are his twin brother,
Byron E. Gibson. David was a long and
active member of the University Methodist Church in Irvine, CA, where a
Celebration of Life Memorial Service was held Saturday, October 31, 2015.
