Community Leader Remembered at Benwood Mine Memorial
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BENWOOD -- More than 50 people gathered Monday morning to remember Joseph "Joe" Tellitocci Jr., who made the Benwood Mine Disaster Memorial a reality in his final years.
Tellitocci was remembered by friends -- of which he had plenty -- co-workers, and neighbors for his tireless work to improve his community in numerous capacities throughout his life. In 2011, he began working as project coordinator for the memorial commemorating 119 lives lost in the April 28, 1924 mine disaster. Tellitocci died March 15, 2018 at the age of 65.
Monday morning, Tellitocci was honored with a stone of his own at the memorial site on Boggs Run Road, dedicated by Benwood city leaders.
Police Chief Frank Longwell spoke of the years he knew Tellitocci as a staple in the community, including serving as a Benwood councilman from 1982 until 2002.
"Ironically, it's Labor Day. There's not a person on Earth who's worked harder than Joe," Longwell said. "Perfection was Joe's recipe. When this project was just getting started, city officials said 'What can we do?' I told them, 'Stay out of his way.' Joe truly, truly loved the city of Benwood."
Longwell recalled the time of a major flood, which threatened to overtake Center Benwood. Tellitocci, who was traveling, stayed on the phone with Longwell for hours to keep pumps working and prevent the flood wall from being breached.
"We had water coming down off every street and crack in Benwood, we were on the verge of the flood. Our pumps were overheating and shutting down," he said. "We were in the middle of changing administrations and nobody really knew what to do. I called Joe, because the flood wall was his baby. … He stayed with me on the phone all through the night, and we were able to save Benwood from flooding by getting the pumps up and running."
The memorial was dedicated in 2014, and both Joseph and his son, Joseph "Joey" Tellitocci -- who was co-chairman, treasurer and historian for the project -- were honored in Charleston as West Virginia History Heroes.
Longwell and mayor Ed Kuca dedicated Tellitocci's portion of the memorial to his memory, while the Rev. Arul Anthony, of St. John Parish, led a brief prayer, blessing the memorial.
Tellitocci's two sons, Travis and Joey, briefly spoke of their father to close the service.
"It's been over 17 months since my dad's passing," Travis Tellitocci said. "While life will never be the same for our family, we're humbled and honored that his legacy will live on with this monument. I think it's appropriate that the stone is here at the memorial site, because my dad began his career working as a coal miner, working for (Consol). … The mine disaster memorial became his pet project. He spent countless hours and dollars in the planning and construction of this project, dedicated to the miners who lost their lives in Benwood. This memorial became his home away from home."