- Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 September 2014 21:43
Monongahela High School Class of 1959 celebrated its 55th anniversary reunion on August 8 and 9.
On August 8, reunion chairperson Leona Marraccini Cole welcomed the 71 classmates and their guests to the dinner at the Southpointe Hilton.
Following a social hour, Norma Patton Thomas offered a toast to the class, prepared by Fran Frye, widow of deceased classmate Joe Frye.
Mary Ann Guzanick Toth did a memorial reading and lit a candle at the table where photos of the deceased classmates were displayed. Ruth Ann Moore West offered the invocation. Classmate Frank Lomago did a comedy routine.
Following the buffet dinner, Master of Ceremonies Ed Nicholanco called on committee member Karl Amoroso, who introduced the other committee members: Johanna Rubino, Norma Patton Thomas, Mary Ann Guzanick Toth, Virginia Curdie Lilly, Casey Lilly, Ruth Ann Moore West, Kenneth Cole, Gerald Radus, Donna Dawson Moody, and Karen Fawcett Jurczak and chairperson Leona Marraccini Cole.
Prizes awarded by Virginia Curdie Lilly and Johanna Rubino were:
First Response: Ronald BroglieFirst Hotel Reservation: Betty Welch Clous55th Response - Joe WiliuszisLast Response - Jerry Pellegrini
During the closing remarks, Leona kept with reunion tradition and announced "This is it - I won't be in charge of another reunion." She thanked Casey Lilly for his help with the booklet, name tags, place cards and bookmarks; also acknowledged was Deborah Cole Massa for the centerpieces and booklet cover design as well as being the DJ and arranging a slide show.
Debi kept to our theme by playing Barbara Streisand's recording "The Way We Were" during the slide show of the way we were from school and from some past reunions.
On August 9, the reunion continued at the Beachfront Marina in New Eagle with a catered lunch.