Traveling top retirees topic

Rosetta Blanton and cousin Lonnie Thomas are headed for Hopkinsville, Kentucky; Tom Moore is bound for Fort Myers, Florida; Tracy McClellan is hoping to return to Albuquerque, New Mexico; and John Olesky is preparing to fly to Paris, France.

All that came out of the conversation today at the monthly lunch for Beacon Journal retirees and their family members at Papa Joe’s Restaurant on Akron/Peninsula Road at Portage Trail Extension.

Rosetta Sholdar Blanton will be visiting her birthplace. Lonnie’s mother also was born in Hopkinsville. Rosetta’s mother and Lonnie’s mom were sisters and Hopkinsville natives. Rosetta’s husband, BJ engraving retiree Watson Blanton, died in 2009. 

Rosetta and Lonnie live near each other in the Merriman Road and Palisades areas of Akron.

Rosetta will be visiting her brother, who still lives in Hopkinsville.

Rosetta told how she sold the last of the 10 acres that her and husband Watson owned in Clearwater, Florida. The buyer kept upping the price because it was the last land left that hadn't been developed and built on in that area. Rosetta kept saying: "Can't you give me a little bit more?" The buyer did, again and again, so Rosetta got thousands of dollars more than the original offer.

BJ newsroom retiree Tom Moore will leave next week for former BJ Sports Editor Tom Giffen’s Roy Hobbs Baseball World Series for older guys in Fort Myers. The tournament, which has nearly 300 teams, lasts into November. Tom writes and publishes the daily newsletter for the players, plus whatever else Tom Giffen wants him to do. Giffen pays Moore for his skills and provides Moore with lodging.

Tracy McClellan, daughter of retired printer Gene McClellan, who died in March 2012, has sold Gene’s vintage cars and motorcycle but still is trying to dispose of the Mogadore home that Gene had. 

That’s where Tracy is living till she can settle pop’s affairs and return to her husband, Ken, in their Albuquerque home. They moved there while Tracy works on her law degree through the University of New Mexico.

Tracy’s sister, Erin, lives in California. Their brother, Dean, lives in Japan.

Newsroom retiree John and former State Desk reporter Paula will be flying to Paris for an Oct. 25-Nov. 2 stay (between WVU Mountaineer football games, of course), John’s 8^th anniversary present to Paula. While they’ve been to 50 countries together, it’s the first visit to Paris for John, unless you count a stop at Charles DeGaulle Airport on the way from Venice to New York City.

Retired printer Al Hunsicker also joined the lunch bunch.

The sextet provided the third-highest attendance at the monthly chat-and-chew events since August 2011.

BJ retirees, family and friends are welcome to join the party at 1 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month at Papa’s Joe Restaurant on Akron/Peninsula Road at Portage Trail Extension.