WP COKE PLANT RETIREES’ BREAKFAST GROUP — The Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Coke Plant Retirees’ Breakfast Group held its annual picnic at the Follansbee Community House on August 3. In attendance were, seated, left to right, Ed Berisford, Paul “Pete” Spencer, Tim Lucey, Pearl Brown, and Raymond Zak; second row, Butch Foster, Paul Tuth, George Mazezka, Carmina Blankenship, John Klofis, Nancy Deneen, Rick Martin and Monte Smith; third row, Garvin Crook, Mark Madden, Ronald Kzeczowski, Brent Weimer, Russel Orenchuk, Howard Milhorn and Val Giglio; and fourth row, David Turrentine, Jerry Tennant, John Ewusiak, Steve Stein, Joe Stein, Luther Rowland, Keith Taylor, Mike Gilkey and Sam Novak. — Contributed
FOLLANSBEE — The Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Coke Plant Retiree Group held its annual picnic Aug. 3 at the Follansbee Community House.
The group has been meeting for many years, meeting the first Wednesday of every month at 9am at the Eat ‘n Park restaurant on Three Springs Drive in Weirton.
Attendance ranges from 25 to 35 people at monthly appointments which have increased over the past 20 years. George Mazezka leads the meetings, opening with the oath of allegiance, which is followed by a prayer.
The picnic included Carmen DeStefano, a longtime member of United Steelworkers Local 1190 and former employee of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp., offering an update on the status of the retiree insurance plan. DeStefano donated chicken and candy for the occasion.
The covered picnic was attended by 31 retirees and spouses and guests. At 90, the two oldest present were Tim Lucey of Wheeling and Paul “Pete” Spencer, an artist. Attendees come from a distance that includes Moundsville, Burgettstown and Mingo Junction, and the gatherings nurture many memories of the coking plant, according to a spokeswoman.
Keith Taylor won the draw 50-50 and returned it to the group.