PHS Class of 1956

03/26/2022

Sally Ann Tribett Giffin, 83, passed away suddenly on March 17, 2022, in Sun City West, AZ due tocardiac arrest. She was our ray of sunshine and will be missed tremendously by her family and all who knew her.
Sally was born in Sutton, WV on June 14, 1938. She was the daughter of the late Frank “Dutch” Tribett, who was a state policeman, and Doris Buzzard Tribett McDonald. She was preceded in death by her husband, James “Ted” Giffin and brother, Charles Tribett, as well as brothers-in-laws Joseph Giffin and Ernest Courrier.
Sally lived in Romney and Petersburg, WV before moving to Keyser before her sophomore year. She was a 1956 graduate from Keyser High School where she was a cheerleader, Miss Pep recipient and active in plays, groups, as well as holding officer positions her Senior year. She was outgoing and a friend to everyone, which earned her “Queen Courtesy” in Petersburg as well as a write up in the Petersburg newspaper for the “friendliest girl in town”. She met her husband, Ted, in high school and they married on 8/8/1959. She graduated from the nursing program at Cumberland Memorial Hospitalin 1959 and has maintained many wonderful friendships from there.
Sally and Ted had their first child, Brad in Morgantown, WV where Ted was attending WVU. They moved to Santa Maria, CA, and had two more children, Mark and Stacey. In 1965, they moved to Merritt Island, Florida where Ted worked on the Saturn launch program. In 1973, the family moved to Renton, WA and raised their family there.
Sally and a neighbor started their own business in the late 1980’s, The Paint N Paper Dolls, for interior painting and wallpapering. They enjoyed working together and loved what they did.
Ted and Sally moved to Sun City West in 2011 and were “snowbirds” going back up to Renton to stay with their daughter and family each summer. Sally loved the sun and enjoyed living in AZ very much.Ted passed in April 2016 after being married almost 57 years.
Sally enjoyed gardening, travel, dancing and being with friends and family. She was very social and could strike up a conversation with anyone. She had a strong faith in God. She was able to travel to Europe and Ireland within the last few years with her daughter’s family. She was such a joy to be around, and we will forever miss her bright presence with us.
Surviving are her three children, James “Brad” Giffin, Mark Giffin and Stacey Giffin King – all in AZ. Sally was so happy to have all three children in Arizona these last few years. She adored hergrandchildren, Rachel and Andrew, who were the light of her life, as well as her son-in-law, Wayne. She is survived by her sister, Connie Courrier and by her beloved nieces and nephews their extended families.
A memorial is planned on March 30, 2022 at 2 pm at Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church in Sun City West AZ and a service will be conducted on June 4, 2022, at 11:00 am in Keyser, WV, through Markwood Funeral Home, Keyser.
If desired, memorial contributions can be made to any children or animal’s charity. — with Bill Boor and JoAnn Snyder Harman.

09/29/2021

A good looking, bright, and fun group from the PHS Class of 1956 gathered at Sue’s to celebrate the fact that 65 years ago they graduated high school. Who can you identify? Jack Bowman, Sheri R. Mullenax Arbogast, Becky Mullenax, Frances Hawk Park,

08/16/2021

Thinking about setting up a 65-year class reunion I have spoken with Tim, Ed (by email) and Paige and we have pretty much come up with the following thoughts:

We will meet for lunch sometime in September or October.

Tim had mentioned that the Petersburg Lions Club meets at the old Coffman Fisher building with a catered lunch. My only concern with that is we would have to make arrangements (probably including a payment of some sort) to meet at that building and would also have to arrange and pay for a catered lunch. I would rather keep it simple and avoid such arrangements and payments.

Paige suggested that we gather at Sue's restaurant in South Petersburg. Other groups have been doing that. We would have to share the room with other people, but that doesn't seem to me to be a serious problem.

So . . . I suggest that we meet at Sue’s at 11:30a.m. on Friday, September 17th or 24th (avoiding the WVU football schedule). Paige will call Sue’s and have them set a table for a dozen or so people. We will then gather and have lunch (each person paying for their own lunch) and stay as long as we like and then head home.

I have some email addresses from our last meeting and I can also put a notice on the Petersburg High School Alumni News and Notes website and we can go from there

What do you think? And which date do you prefer? Or do you have another date you would prefer? (I picked those two dates so I could avoid having to show up after facial surgery for skin cancer, which I will have on Sept. 27. But I would be willing to gather at any other date you might prefer.)

06/22/2021

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02/01/2021

Mary Helen (Smith) Sites, age 82 of Petersburg, WV passed away on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at Grant Rehabilitation and Care Center in Petersburg, WV.

She was born August 17, 1938 in Petersburg, WV and was the daughter of the late Tracy Gerome Smith and Emily (Harman) Smith. In addition to her parents, Mary Helen was preceded in death by her brother, Carroll H. Smith.

Mary Helen is survived by her husband of 51 years, Gerald R. Sites whom she married on August 9, 1969; two sisters-in-law, Viva June Kile of Petersburg, WV and Shelba Jean Hoss and husband Robert of Palm Bay, Florida; one brother-in-law, Harold E. Rohrbaugh of Falls Church, VA; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Mary Helen was a graduate of Petersburg High School Class of 1956. She attended Catherman's Business School in Cumberland, MD and was bookkeeper and partner with her husband of Sites Excavating for over 50 years. In 1957 she was employed by Grant Memorial Hospital in the accounting department for 25 years. Mary Helen was a member of Grove Street United Methodist Church. She was a life member of the Grant County Historical Society and was instrumental in the restoration of the Scherr Schoolhouse where her father attended grade school.

Mary Helen was past President of Landes Farm Women’s Club. Mary Helen was chairman of the Car, Truck, and Tractor Show of Spring Mountain Festival. She enjoyed driving her Model A yellow car in parades in Petersburg and Tri-State area. Mary Helen and her husband were involved in community projects such as hayrides and picnics on North Fork Road. She was an avid collector of antiques especially antique egg baskets, dolls and hats. Mary Helen was an avid gardener and took pride in her flowers and lawn care.

Family will receive friends on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 from 11 AM to 2 PM at the Schaeffer Funeral Home in Petersburg. Funeral service will begin at 2 PM with the Rev. Larry Hakes and Pastor Lynn Durbin officiating. Interment will follow in South Branch Valley Memorial Gardens in Petersburg, WV.

Those who wish to remember Mary Helen in a special way, may make memorials to Grove Street United Methodist Church, 11 North Grove Street, Petersburg, WV 26847 or Grant County Historical Society, 105 North Main Street, Petersburg, WV 26847.

01/31/2021

We received word the Mary Helen Smith Sites passed away early this morning

04/19/2020

Class of 1956:

Just received word that Mary Helen Sites has a cancerous tumor. She will be transported to Morgantown tomorrow or Tuesday for surgery. That is all we know right now. Prayers for Mary Helen and Jerry.

07/06/2018

Saddened to learn of the death of our classmate.

James Oliver Jim Judy, age 80 of Petersburg, WV, passed away on Thursday, July 5, 2018 at his residence. He was born on August 23, 1937, in Smoke Hole, WV, the son of the late Kermit Oliver and Pearl Gladys Landis Judy. On December 15, 1960, Jim married his wife