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Below are links to portions of this week's news articles. For the full story, pick up a paper at your local newsstand or send $1.25 with your name/address to P.O. Box 70, Woodsfield, OH  43793.

 
Nov. 26, 2009

Ground Broken for Assisted Living Facility at MCCC

by Martha Ackerman
Staff Writer

Ground was broken Nov. 19 for an assisted living project at Monroe County Care Center, Moore Ridge Road, north of Woodsfield. From left are Carl Davis and Tim Price, county commissioners;  Bob Reed, SHARE, LLC; John Pyles, county commission president; Kelley Hill, MCCC administrator;  Rick Hindman, Buckeye Hills/Area Agency on Aging; and Minister Jeff Rich, Beallsville Church of Christ.   Photo by Martha Ackerman

It’s been a long time coming, but Monroe County Care Center’s Assisted Living is now becoming a reality. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Nov. 19.

The project was made possible with the aid of a $250,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development State Appalachia Grant Program. One of the primary goals of of the program is to promote health care access across the region.

“I’m very pleased with everything,” said Kelley Hill, MCCC administrator.  “It took everyone to pull this all together.”

The new 10,745 square feet facility will house 15 assisted living apartments consisting of eight one bedroom and seven efficiency units, a central living room, country kitchen, private dining area, beauty shop and laundry facilities.

“This project will help fulfill the need for affordable assisted living services in Woodsfield and the surrounding areas,” said Bob Reed, Share, LLC management consultants for the Monroe County Care Center. “The project is the result of the commissioner’s response to requests from area citizens. It has been brought to this stage through the coordinated efforts of Commissioners John Pyles, Carl Davis and Tim Price; Auditor Pandora Neuhart; Treasurer Judy Gramlich; Prosecutor Lynn Riethmiller and an assorted team of consultants including bond counsel Bricker-Eckler; bond underwriter RBC Capital  Read more in the Nov. 26 issue of the Monroe County Beacon

Woodsfield Loses Administrator

Jeff Woodell

 

 He was a man of contagious enthusiasm.

He was man of ideas and a will to water and work those ideas until they blossomed.

As Woodsfield Village Administrator, he was a man who looked ahead and planned for the future needs of his hometown.

Jeff Woodell would have begun his third year as village administrator on Dec. 3.

His life ended on Friday, Nov. 20. He was 51. 

During the two years that Woodell was village administrator, Woodsfield advanced in many areas. His top three priorities when taking over in 2007 were to go forward with the purchase of Rubel Lake, which had been stalled in bureaucracy, seek funding to fix water problems and address television cable complaints. Rubel Lake was purchased with a two percent loan. It was the first step in resolving the problem of low water reserves, a problem the EPA had mandated be addressed since 1952. Recently, a new waterline extension was completed from the lake to the village. Woodell obtained two grants for the project, one for $448,900 and another for $250,000. The lake now gives the village a 498-day supply of raw water.

He also brought in $400,000 in grants and a zero percent loan of $156,000 for a carbon filtration project. This project, along with a sludge removal project, makes Woodsfield’s water supply one of the finest in the state. Woodell obtained over $334,000 in grant monies and nearly $223,000 in a no-interest loan for the sludge plant.

Woodell was instrumental in helping the village separate the storm water from the sewer drains. Waterline repair and replacement has been ongoing. Replacement of a main waterline was completed on Eastern Avenue this month.

Through the process of negotiation, Woodell was able to purchase SuddenLink TV cable for the village. He had the idea that if the village owned the cable system, they could maintain it better and faster than people who were many miles away. Customer complaints were heard at nearly every council session. Today, thanks to Woodell’s efforts, Woodsfield owns and operates its own cable company.

Several business professionals, with Woodell’s encouragement, have installed new sidewalks. The decorative walk featuring red brick inlays was recently completed in front of the municipal building. Utility lines under the walks have been replaced and Victorian lamps are replacing street Read more in the Nov. 26 Beacon

 

Our Readers Write

 

Around the Burnside 

After all is said and done, the wife has said it and the husband has done it.

The world, in its concern with left and right, seems to have forgotten there is also an above and below.

Did you know we have dinosaurs running around and flying around everywhere? It’s true according to a couple of folks I heard on TV the other night. They have evolved from the dinosaurs and we now call them birds. The birds were once the dinosaurs. To be honest I’m not a strict believer in evolution but I can’t see how some of the beautiful birds were once an ugly old dinosaur.

Now as I think I understood them, the closest thing we have to a dinosaur is the chicken. They claim the chicken carries the DNA of a dinosaur. If somehow this could be brought back to life, chickens would grow a tail.

Come to think of it, if there were no feathers on a chicken it wouldn’t be very pretty and maybe  would resemble a small dinosaur. Maybe they’re right. I don’t know and really do not care.

I like to eat chicken; I never thought I was eating a present day dinosaur. The next time I chomp down on a cooked chicken leg, I like the dark meat, I’ll never give it a thought. I’ll just enjoy it. I’m kinda surprised they don’t have a TV commercial “Save the Dinosaur; Don’t Eat Chicken.” Then I wonder, wouldn’t a turkey be a larger dinosaur? Think about it around the table on Thanksgiving. Who knows?

We had quite a large Hunter Education class this year. Seventy-seven signed up. As I write, I do not know how many will score 80 or better on the test. It’s this evening.

One thing I do know. We need someone to take over the leadership in teaching this Hunter Education program. I know a number of folks in the county who could do an excellent job with a little extra effort and care about the future of the sport of hunting. It’s really an interesting job.

Last week I mentioned, I think, football season is over. We can start the basketball season, soon to get underway.

I then got to thinking. When I was in school we had only one varsity sport, basketball. Even at that, we were not very good, but we did have fun. Only one sport, how did we ever make it? OK the FFA did have a softball team that played a few other FFA Chapters but that was it. What about today?

High schools can offer a number of varsity sports. I have a book that contains information about all high schools in the state and the sports offered.

I opened it the other day at random and this is an example. One school with an enrollment of 205 students offered 14 varsity sports they could participate in. Another school with 910 students offered 19 varsity sports. A school with the proper facilities could offer 24 approved sports programs. Twelve each for boys and girls. Again I ask, how did we get along back then without all these sports? I guess maybe pitching you know what out of the barn, milking the cows, chores every evening and all of the other things we did to keep busy made up for the lack of sports available. We even refer to them as the “good old days”, ha.

Go Bucks! Well, Ohio State has made it to the Rose Bowl. It will give me something to watch on New Year’s day. I just hope they don’t come up smelling like a dead rose.

Then there’s that team up north.  Seven out of eight ain’t bad. Just so it becomes that on Saturday. It’s still kind of nuts to be such a fan. I recently started picking teams I want to lose. I picked four the first week, three the second week and one the third week. So far I’m 100 percent with my picks. I hope it lasts one more week. What’s wrong with picking a loser?

Last year I watched the Rose Parade on RFD. No commercials. Was that ever an enjoyable experience. I hope they do the same thing again this year. This doesn’t happen very often. I read a letter from a football fan claiming at one time there were nine minutes of advertising and six minutes of football. No wonder it takes three hours to play 48 minutes.

Couple of notes to the wise: First, start going to church to get ready for Christmas. Second, do not eat too much dinosaur this Thanksgiving.

 

 

Bill Parks’ General Store, Garage 

Bill Parks of Bill Parks’ General Store was welcomed into the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce Nov. 12. The store has been in the Parks family since 1938 and carries groceries, hardware, candies, gasoline and much more. Shown, from left, are Bill Parks, Ruth Workman and Tom Scott, representing the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce.          
Photo by Martha Ackerman
 

by Martha Ackerman
Staff Writer

Only nine years after the Civil War and President Lincoln’s assassination, a little general store came into existence in a rural area of Monroe County. Parks’ General Store was built in 1874 by Jacob Kochert shortly after her married Elizabeth Knox. It has served as a general store from that time on and is now operated by Bill Parks. It has been in the Parks family since 1938.

According to Bill Parks, the Kocherts built a grist mill directly across the road from the store. It was in operation from 1875 to 1918. The mill is still in Marr and 80 percent of the outside has been restored. Parks uses the inside for storage.

In 1899 W.G. (Win) Linda-mood married Jacob Kochert’s daughter Anna and they assumed ownership of the store a few years later. They operated the store until 1920 when Harold, Herbert and Forrest Conner purchased the business. The Conner brothers sold the store to Reason (Reese) W. Parks and his wife Lavina  in 1938. Mr. Parks died of cancer in 1942 at the age of 55, leaving his wife, and children. Two sons, Ralph and Harry, were serving in the military during World War II. The  youngest son, 18 year-old Walter entered the U.S Marine Corps shortly after his father’s passing. The oldest daughter Mary had married and left home leaving Lavina and her two younger daughters Mar-tyne and Shirley to keep the store operating until after the war.

When Lavina’s sons re-turned home from the military, they helped her in the store. Lavina passed away in 1979. 

Walter Parks married Mary Thomas in 1950 and operated the store with the help of their six children, Julie, Mark, Marla, Bill, Lisa and Kent. Walter died in 2000 at the age of 75. Mary continued to operate the store until September 2007 at the age of 89 when her health forced her to give up the running of the business.

At that time Mary’s middle son William “Bill” took over the store and since that time has made several improvements, but nothing has been changed from its original appearance. The inside of the store remains the same with the oak and walnut counters, the large ornate spool cabinet, the Putnam Dye case and the bins that once stored bulk food.

Mail sorting shelves were installed when a post office was established in the store in 1880. It was discontinued as a post office in 1961. Bill uses the sorting shelves in a corner of the store that serves as his office.

You certainly step back in time when you enter the country store. You’ll find everything from a pitchfork and assorted tools, to cereal, canned foods and other staples. The store also sells gasoline, hardware and feed ... and delicious chocolates in season. “I sell about 1,000 pounds of chocolate each holiday season,” said Parks. That includes chocolate covered marshmallows and peanut clusters in several filled flavors. Yummm!

Being an enterprising young man, after graduating from Swiss Hills’ mechanic program, Bill opened his garage  in 1978. He moved his mechanic operation on the 

Read more in the Beacon

 OBITUARIES

GERTRUDE K. ALLEMAN 
Gertrude “Gertie” Katheran Holtsclaw Alleman, 89, of the Monroe County Care Center, Woodsfield, died Nov. 19, 2009 at the center. She was born Dec. 29, 1919 at Benwood, a daughter of the late James and Margaret Ann “Annie” Craig Holtsclaw.

She was a homemaker and was a member of the Moffett-Fletcher United Methodist Church near Woodsfield.

Surviving are three sisters-in-law, Florence Alleman of Sardis, Elizabeth Alleman of Woodsfield, Wilma Alleman of Woodsfield; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Edward Alleman on May 13, 1974; two brothers, Wilbur and Ralph Holtsclaw; three sisters, Velma Holtsclaw, Ethel Pyles and Opal Claus

Friends were received Nov. 22 at Watters Funeral Home, Woodsfield, where funeral services were held Nov. 23. Burial followed in Oaklawn Cemetery, Woodsfield.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.wattersfuneralhome.com

DORIS I. HINES
Doris I. Hines, 85, 43178 Hansen Ridge Rd., Woodsfield, died Nov. 18, 2009 at Marietta Memorial Hospital. She was born Sept. 23, 1924 at Pavilion, N.Y., a daughter of the late Percy and Lena Coolbaugh Ridley.

She was a homemaker and was the former owner of D&M Ceramics near Lewisville; a member of Woodsfield Church of Christ; a 50 year member of the Order of Eastern Star #268, Woodsfield, where she served as a former Past Matron; a charter member of the Woodsfield Emergency Squad and a member of the Lewis-ville Volunteer Fire Dept.

Surviving are four daughters, Kay Hupp of Lewisville, Anita (Bob) Orf of Newport, N.Y.., Margaret Romer of New Hartford, N.Y., Diane Welch of Bellville; a son, Pat (Pat) Welker of Stafford; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; special friends, Wendell and Betty Wallace of Lewisville.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Mansel C. Hines on Oct. 21, 1991; and two brothers, Donald and Earnest Ridley.

Friends were received Nov. 21 at Watters Funeral Home, where funeral services were held Nov. 21. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family.

Eastern Star services were held Nov. 21 at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Monroe County Humane Society, 41383 Stonehouse Rd., Woodsfield, OH 43793.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.wattersfuneralhome.com

CLARENCE HENTHORN 
Clarence “Tiny” Henthorn, 83, Woodsfield, died Nov. 18, 2009, at Barnesville Hospital. He was born Aug. 4, 1926 in Monroe County, a son of the late Clarence Dewey Henthorn and Ruth Pearl Nalley Henthorn Vansant.

He retired from Ormet Corp. in 1988, was a Navy veteran of WWII, a member of the Church of Christ and a member of the VFW Post 5303. He was a former supervisor of the JTPA, original member of the Woodsfield E-Squad, former Woodsfield city councilman and part-time deputy sheriff. He also helped organize the first Pee Wee and Little League football teams in Woodsfield and helped start Woodsfield High School girls basketball.

Surviving are his wife of 62 years, Mary Giesey Henthorn of Woodsfield; two sons, Mark (Cindy) Henthorn of Woods-field, Scott (Amy) Henthorn of Lewisville; a daughter, Sharon (Gary) Keevert, Woodsfield; a sister, Doris Ady of Woodsfield; nine grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; four nieces and a nephew.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, William Henthorn, Luther Smith; and a sister, Violet McConnell King.

Friends were received Nov. 20 at Bauer-Turner Funeral Home, Woodsfield, where funeral services were held Nov. 21, with Max Winland officiating. Burial was in Fairview Cemetery, Woods-field. Military service was conducted by the Belmont Veterans Council.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.bauerturner.com.

ETHEL A. MORRISON
Ethel Alma Christy Morrison, 89, Second St., Marietta, died Nov. 18, 2009, after a lengthy illness. She was born in Watertown, a daughter of Henry E. and Mary C. Thoma Christy.

She was a graduate of St. Mary’s High School. She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church and the Catholic Women’s Club. 

Before she became ill, she worked tirelessly to provide a nurturing environment for her family. She and Charlie reared three children. In addition, she also reared Jason, her oldest grandson, who remained at her home for 30 years until she was unable to care for him. She was, and continues to be, a role model for her family. 

Surviving are a daughter, Patricia “Patty” Sayres, of Marietta; a son, Charles R. “Bob” (Helen) Morrison of Marietta; grandchildren, Stacey Crock (Scott) Eddy. Marietta, Jason Sayres, Wellington, Eric Morrison, Philo, Christina “Chrisy” Morrison, Waterford and Matthew “Matt” Morrison of Marietta; great-grandson, Ethan Eddy and son-in-law, Cletus Crock of Marietta.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Melville Morrison on Feb. 28, 1997, whom she married on Feb. 20, 1941; and a daughter, Shirley M. Morrison Crock on Oct. 31, 1989.

Friends were received Nov. 20 at Marietta Chapel of Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home. There was a vigil service Nov. 20. 

Funeral Liturgy with Mass was held Nov. 21 at St. Mary Catholic Church, with Rev. Msgr. John Michael Campbell as celebrant. Burial was at East Lawn Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Mary’s School Foundation, 506 Fourth St., Marietta, OH 45750.

Condolences may be expressed at www.cawleyandpeoples.com.

RAYMOND K. WEBER
Raymond K. Weber, 92, Woodsfield, died Nov. 14, 2009 at Barnesville Hospital. He was born Feb. 6, 1917 in Monroe County, a son of the late Charles and Matilda Fisher Weber.

He was a printer by trade. He was a member and former Elder of the Woodsfield Presbyterian Church, Chapter member of the Mountaineer CB Radio Club, longtime member of Center and Pomona Grange, 4-H Advisor for 29 years, former member of the Monroe County Fair Board, Barnesville Area Coin Club and the O R & W Club.

Surviving are a son, John (Katherine Gates) Weber of Woodsfield; a daughter, Jane (Roger) Howard of Grove City; a brother, Urban (Midge) Weber of Woodsfield; a sister, Elizabeth (Betty) Weber of Woodsfield; three grandchildren, Daniel Weber, Russell Howard, Audrey (Corey) Johnson; and two great-grandchildren, Allie and Faith Johnson.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mary E. Greenbank Weber on Dec. 13, 2005; two brothers, Philip and Leighton Weber; three sisters, Edith and Clara Weber and Viola Henning.

Friends were received Nov. 18 until time of funeral services at Bauer-Turner Funeral Home, Woodsfield, with Rev. Susan Lehosky officiating. Burial was in Oaklawn Cemetery, Woodsfield.

Memorial contributions may be made to: O.S.U. Monroe County 4-H Endowment Fund, 101 Main St., Room 17, Woodsfield, OH 43793, and or Woodsfield Presbyterian Church, 409 East Church St., Woodsfield, OH 43793, and or Monroe County Agricultural Society, P.O. Box 111, Woodsfield, OH 43793.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.bauerturner.com

JEFFREY D. WOODELL
Jeffrey D. Woodell, 51, 284 Holiday Ave., Woodsfield, died Nov. 20, 2009 at his home. He was born Oct. 10, 1958 at Barnesville, a son of Carolyn Edington Gray, Woodsfield.

Jeff’s love of politics led him to accept the position as the first Village Administrator of Woodsfield. He also operated many businesses, volunteered endless hours to civic groups and the youth of Monroe County. He was the founder and first president of the Sideliners football boosters, Monroe County youth soccer, River Youth Football and Goalkeepers Soccer Boosters.

He started the high school soccer program at Monroe Central High School, Woodsfield, and was their first head coach. He was a member of the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, Jaycees, Woodsfield Kiwanis Club, Monroe County CIC, Woodsfield Village Council and was an avid Ohio State fan.

In addition to his mother, surviving are his wife of 24 years, Jenny Woodell; two sons, Jeffrey Woodell, Timothy Woodell, both of Woodsfield; Ashley and Reagan Woodell, both of the home; a sister, Teresa Gray of St. Clairsville; a brother, Kevin Gray of Woodsfield; an aunt, Nancy Hastings of Woodsfield.

Friends were received Nov. 23 at Watters Funeral Home, Woodsfield, where funeral services will be held Nov. 24, with Pastor Greg Fish officiating. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family.

Online condolences may be expressed at: www.wattersfuneralhome.com