Thursday, July 29, 1971
HAIL STORM
On the night of July 22, 1971, an unusual hail storm hit the Green Bank area, unusual in that the severest part of the storm was limited to an area approximately 4 1/2 miles long and by the intensity and amount of hail that fell.
The storm started in the vicinity of Slavin Hollow (formerly the Hosterman Road). The first and hardest hit house was the old Hardy house, now occupied by the Oref family. Mr. Oref and three of his children were at home. He gives this account: “About 8:30 p.m. the sky became very dark. Winds began to gust and rain started to fall.
Ten or fifteen seconds later a terrific wind raged, rain fell in torrents, and hail, in almost unbelievable quantities, pelted the house and yard.
At the same time lightning flashed all around like neon signs. Thunder sounded like a big gun battle. The wind’s intensity forced rain into cracks along every window on the northern side of the house and half flooded three rooms. One sill over a door in the middle of the house dripped water for five minutes.
“Outside, hail piled up in the yard. I estimated that within five minutes the hail had covered all the area I was able to see to a depth of 1 to 2 inches; by the time the storm passed, about 3 inches of hail covered the same area. On the north side, along the entire length of the house, hail piled up against the house like drifting snow, some places a foot deep. At the bottoms of all the drain spouts, hail accumulated in inverted cones, some 8 inches deep and 2 1/2 feet wide. Upstairs, all the downspouts and gutters were filled with hail and another six inches of our flat roofs.
“At this time, I first saw my garden. In disbelief, I saw that the plants in my garden were beaten almost beyond recognition and several inches of hail lay all around. The storm wiped me out. Corn was shredded like so much tissue paper. My tomatoes were literally naked, all leaves gone, branches broken, stems scarred and all tomatoes pock-marked; little green tomatoes were all over the place. Cabbage leaves were torn to pieces and some of the heads ripped apart. No cucumber leaves were left on the vines. I had difficulty telling one squash plant from another. Not one whole leaf of lettuce. And so it was for everything in our garden. In a matter of 15 minutes my garden was wiped out.
“In several places, hail accumulated in piles as snow accumulates in drifts. One such pile, about 12 feet by 7 feet, at the bottom of our driveway, was over a foot deep.
“The storm was very limited. After hitting our house, it took a southeast course and hit the Interferometer Control Building, a mile southeast of Slavin Hollow. From this area, it disappeared and next hit Wesley Chapel. The hail stones at Slavin Hollow were 3/8 inch while those at Wesley Chapel were reported as being 3/4 inch in diameter. Never had I experienced a storm like this one. When I finally came to my senses, I was wondering if someone upstairs wasn’t trying to tell me something.” ~ Wally Oref
MHS CLASS REUNION
The 1961 Class of Marlinton High School, with 60 graduates, held its 10-year reunion July 3, 1971. The day began with a coffee hour at the El Poca.
Later the reunion was highlighted by a dinner at Mary Shafer’s.
After the dinner hour, a program was presented with 1961 class wills, gifts, prizes, etc…
The program was closed with a poem in memory of deceased classmates: Luster Friel, Jake VanMeter and Dorothy Scott.
Those attending the reunion were Lynn Triplett, Elaine Sharp Carpenter, Gloraia Buckland Ramstetter, Ellen Friel Almaroad, Rebecca Sage Vaughn, Maybell Kelly Hurst, Hazel Landis Underwood, Jane Liptrap Taylor, Helen Sparks Jackson, Wanda Underwood Johnson, Carolyn Wilson Baxter, Kay Sharp Roy, Paula McNellan Sharp, Barbara Reed Shinaberry, Karen Sprouse Bradley, Charlotte Fertig Biggs, Thelma Kramer Hansford, Virginia Gallaher Shafer, Evilene Friel Beverage, Mina Hively Cupp, Josephine Underwood Dean, Katherine Vandevender, Michael Leonard Loudermilk, Steven Lane, Henry Burr, Joseph Roy, Tiney McComb, Kenneth Slagle, Ralph Doyle, David Buzzard, Judson Howard, Hugh Jackson and Robert Taylor. Special guests Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Yeager and Mrs. Florence Bailey, senior class sponsor.
WEDDINGS
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Kelley, of Huntersville, wish to announce the marriage of her daughter, Nancy Ann Dilley, to Larry Blankenship, son of Mr. Opal Blankenship, of Droop, and the late Oral Blankenship, July 18, 1971 in the Marlinton United Methodist Church…
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Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Dilley invite you to the Open Church Wedding and reception of their daughter, Pamela, to David Sharpes, Saturday afternoon, July 31, 1971 at two o’clock in the Marlinton United Methodist Church.
DEATHS
John Wimer, 86, of Mill Point; born at Rock Cave, a son of the late Josh and Harriet Brake Wimer. Burial in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Mrs. Lena Brown Bright, 82, of Deerfield, Virginia; born at Arbovale, a daughter of the late Robert and Hester Hamilton Brown. Burial in the Rocky Springs Cemetery near Deerfield.
Meredith Daff, 41, of Valley Head, a son of Mrs. Grace Swick, of Buckhannon, and the late William C. Daff.
Gertrude Rebecca Cashwell Jones, 52, of Washington, D.C.; born in Marlinton, a daughter of the late Saint James and Octavia Virginia Cashwell. Burial in Harmony Memorial Park, in Landover, Maryland.