Marion County Remembers

Remembering SSGT Louis Josephius Tootsey (Fairmont) February 5, 1916 - October 10, 1945 ---- Note: While most military and census files list his name as Tootsey, in other places their family name is listed as Tuzi, including on his parents' gravestone. ---- SSGT Louis J. Tootsey (Service Number 15097583) was born February 5, 1916, the son of Italian immigrants Peo and Teresa (DeArcangelis). Tootsey/Tuzi. When Louis was born, their family lived in Fairmont, WV, near the neighborhood of Bellview. Peo worked as a laborer, in both the coal mine (1910, 1920, 1940 Censuses), and the glass factory (1930 Census). Louis was a 1935 graduate of West Fairmont High School (WV Memory Project). On July 3, 1936, Louis married Anna Ruth Wills in Paintsville, Kentucky. Military Service:  On October 16, 1940, Louis registered for the draft in Van Lear, Kentucky, where he lived with his wife Anna. He was employed by Consolidated Coal in Van Lear. Louis was 5'11" and 180 lbs with brown hair, ...

Remembering 2LT Louise Grumbach (Barrackville) July 7, 1917 - May 24, 1944 ---- Note: Louise is one of two WACs that I've found so far from Marion County who died during their time of service. It's also unclear whether her name was Ann(a) Louise or Louise Ann, it's printed either way in multiple locations.  ---- Anna Louise Cestaric was born July 7, 1917 in Grant Town, WV, the daughter of Joseph and Marie (Dreskovich) Cestaric. Her parents were both from Yugoslavia, but immigrated to the United States around 1909. When she was born, her family was living at the Jamison Coal Company Settlement and her father was a coal miner (1920 census).  Anna was the middle child of five siblings, with two older brothers-- Joe, Jr. and John-- and two younger sisters -- Julia and Elizabeth. Her family later moved to Green Township in Harrison County, Ohio (1930 census), where Joseph operated a grocery store. By 1935, they were back in Barrackville, with their address listed as "13 Bar...