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You searched for: Language English Remove constraint Language: English Location Wheeling (W. Va.) Remove constraint Location: Wheeling (W. Va.)

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["Kent Brayec, 53, is a Croatian musician and resident of Bethlehem, WV outside of Wheeling. He is the grandson of Croatian immigrants from Prugovac who settled in Benwood, WV in 1907. Brayec serves as secretary/treasurer of the Croatian Lodge #2 in Benwood and plays with a Croatian musical group in Cokeburg, PA. He spoke about immigrant communities in the area, Croatian traditions, foodways, music, and community that was centered around the Croatian Cultural Club in Benwood."]

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["Carol Dougherty is an elder in Wheelings Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church. She was born in Wheeling, WV in 1938 and was raised by her grandparents, who were immigrants from Lebanon. She is a traditional Lebanese home cook, a member of Our Lady of Lebanon Womens Society, and will be teaching a folk dance and dubke class for children at Our Lady of Lebanons 84th annual Mahrajan Festival in August 2017."]

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["Nicholas A. Ghaphery, Jr.Nick Ghaphery, 73, is a member of Wheelings Lebanese community. He is a retired hospital administrator. I was put in touch with him by Mary Monseur, my former Smithsonian Folkways colleague whose parents grew up in the Wheeling Lebanese community. In this interview, Ghaphery speaks about his parents immigration to the United States from Lebanon, growing up in the Lebanese community in Wheeling, and Lebanese foodways, music, and dance."]

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["Joanna Gusta (November 13, 1931-March 9, 2020) was a Wheeling, WV native and elder in Wheelings Greek community. She was an alumni of Bethany College a member of St. John, The Divine Greek Orthodox Church. In this interview, she speaks about her memories of the Greek community in Wheeling, and the Wheeling immigrant community in general. Her obituary is pasted below. Joanna Gusta, 88, resident of Wheeling, WV, passed away Monday, March 9, 2020 at Good Shepherd Nursing Home.She was born in Wheeling on November 13, 1931, daughter of the late Gero and Helen Papazoglou Gusta George. After her fathers passing, Joanna and her mother resided with the John Anast family in Wheeling until Mrs. Gustas marriage to Mike George.Joanna was a graduate of Bethany College and a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, Theta Chapter. She retired in 1988 with 30 years of service with the WV Department of Occupation working in the Employment Security and Unemployment Compensation Department. Prior to her employment with the State of WV, Joanna was employed at Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company in the Export Department. She was a member of St. John, The Divine Greek Orthodox Church where she was a longtime member and former director of the church choir and was a volunteer for church activities. She was a member of the Wheeling Civic Garden Center and a volunteer for the tax preparation group at the Ohio County Library. Most of all, Joanna was a beloved neighbor and friend.In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her stepfather, Mike George. Surviving are two cousins, Rev. and Mrs. Stephan Knight of Santee, CA and Desi Gallmeister of Los Gatos, CA."]

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["Maria Kayafas has been the Greek dance instructor at the St. John the Divine Greek Orthodox Church in Wheeling for 25 years. She grew up in Kent, Ohio. In this interview, she talks about her family background and heritage, her experience as a Greek dancer and dance instructor, and the community at St. John the Divine."]
["Wheelings Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church has been hosting its annual Mahrajan Festival at Oglebay Park for over 85 years. The festival began in 1933 as a fundraiser to rebuild the church, which had been lost to fire the year prior. Activities at the Mahrajan festival include a vast spread of Lebanese food--including kibbee, tabbouli, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, saj bread, and various Lebanese cookies and desserts, a sale of handcrafted Lebanese items, live music, Lebanese dancing, and a liturgy.To learn more about Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, visit their website: http://www.ololwv.com/Also see interviews with church elders Carol Dougherty and Nick Ghaphery in the West Virginia Folklife Collection. The Dougherty interview is excerpted here: https://wvfolklife.org/2017/02/23/field-notes-carol-dougherty/"]