Obituaries

Lucie Ann Romano died Tuesday evening at her home in Nutter Fort surrounded by her four boys, several grandchildren and her long time care givers, daughter-in-law, Sallie Romano and granddaughter, Rachel Romano.

Lucie was just shy of her 90th birthday, having been born February 27, 1928. Lucie was a dedicated wife, mother, sister, aunt, teacher and confidant to her extended family who always looked on the bright side of life and lived it to the fullest whenever possible.

Lucie was born at home at Stop 14 in Wilsonburg, a few miles west of Clarksburg. She was the youngest child of twelve. Her father, John Guarascio Wash, emigrated from San Giovanni in Fiore (St. Johns) Italy in 1906, later bringing his wife, Teresa Iquinta Wash, to live and work in America. Her Mother died when Lucie was only 8 years old and she went to live in the Glenn Elk section of Clarksburg with her older sister Mary W. Tiano, while her Father worked. She was the last living member of her immediate family.

Lucie’s siblings Susie Romano, Mary Tiano, Rose Patsy, Thelma (Tillie) Chiado, Joe Wash, Pansy (Teaver) Maseda, Tony Wash, Sam Wash and Frank Wash all pre-deceased her. All of her brothers and sister Tillie moved to Detroit, Michigan during the Depression to work in the automotive industry. Her four brothers were all combat Veterans of World War II having served in the European and Pacific Theaters.

Lucie was married to Melvin J. Romano who predeceased her in 1978 and later married John B. Tiano of Livonia MI where Lucie resided for 18 years before returning to West Virginia. Husband John predeceased her in 2002.

Lucie is survived by her four sons, Paul, David, Michael and John of whom she was extremely proud as all attained advanced college degrees. John being “the baby” was particularly doted upon by his Mother. In addition to her four sons, she is survived by their wives and children and several great-grandchildren, including son Paul’s wife Judy and their sons, Shawn of Charleston and companion Brooke, and his two daughters, Isabella and Sophia, and Ryan of San Diego; son David’s wife Sallie, and their children, Rachel and husband Corey Heater of Clarksburg, and their children Hunter and Allie Marie, David and wife Kisley of Fort Eustice, Virginia, and their children, Isabella (Bella) and David Cito; Nathan of Clarksburg and Lucie, of Morgantown; son Michael’s wife Amy, and their children Emma and Michael Joseph, and son John and his sons, Sam and Jack.

Lucie is also survived by many special nieces and nephews of which there are too many to list. She was especially close to nieces Gloria Tiano Smith of Greensburg, PA and Marlene Tiano Hinig, deceased, and considered them the daughters she never had. She was also very close to her husband Melvin’s family, as she was introduced to him by his niece Connie Oliverio Hopper while Melvin was overseas in the Army Air Corp during World War II. She remained close to all of his family for the rest of her life and always enjoyed seeing all of them at the Romano family reunions held at the “Camp” on the Buckhannon River.

Lucie believed in education and she became a teacher after graduating from Fairmont State College in 1954 as she had begun her education at West Virginia University in 1945 after graduating from WI High School but was interrupted when she married and had sons Paul and David. Lucie received her Masters degree from West Virginia University in 1963. She also completed more than 30 hours of post graduate work towards a doctorate degree in education. Lucie taught school in both private and public schools in Harrison County for 30 years. She was the first lay teacher at Notre Dame High School in 1956. She also taught at Bridgeport High School and at the former Roosevelt-Wilson High school. Lucie loved teaching, and education was a big part of her life. She instilled a thirst for knowledge in everyone she encountered, including her family.

Lucie loved her students and they invigorated her desire to teach. She taught during a time of change when our Country entered “modern era” brought by the 60’s in social changes in dress, music and behavior. Being a modern thinker herself, she helped her students with these changes by exposing them to new ideas while counseling them on how to deal with such drastic changes in lifestyle.

Lucie was always proud of her Italian heritage and reminisced about the difficult times being the daughter of Italian immigrants and having to struggle for recognition and advancements. However, Lucie always believed in the saying that “what didn’t kill you only made you stronger”. She also often spoke of the good times, of which there were many, that her heritage provided, including close family relationships and long lasting traditions that provided meaning to accomplishments and a sense of pride and purpose, which was why education was so important to her.

Lucie was active in many organizations and professional groups, but she mostly devoted her time to helping others, including family members and other individuals who relied upon her educational talents to help them progress. She was an active member of the Continuing Education for Harrison County Schools, Delta Kappa Gamma Teachers Honorary Society, Representative for Southeastern Regional Association Teacher Education for State of WV, Council for Teachers of English, Educational Chairman for Literary Program for Catholic Daughters of America, Volunteer coach for West Virginia Challenge, and Teacher of English as a second language Livonia MI.

Lucie was named as a Notre Dame “Legend” in 2008, and as the Italian Festival Mother of the Year in 2014 along with many other accolades for her accomplishments in education. However she often stated that her greatest reward was how her many students always remembered her and never failed to seek her out to converse with her whenever she saw them even many years later. She got great joy from such encounters.

Lucie was a lifelong Catholic and Member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and a member of the Catholic Daughters of America.

Family, friends, and any of Lucie’s former students, will be received on Friday, January 19, 2018, at Amos Carvelli Funeral Home, 201 Edison Street, Nutter Fort, WV, from 2 pm to 8 pm with a vigil service at 7:30 p.m. .  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 10:00 am at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 126 E. Pike Street, Clarksburg with Father Casey Mahone as Celebrant.  Interment will be in the Holy Cross Cemetery. At Lucie’s request she will be cremated.

Expressions of sympathy may be extended to the family at www.amoscarvelli.com.  A service of Amos Carvelli Funeral Home.