Breaking News
Top Headlines

Ohio Valley Residents Express Sorrow at Queen Elizabeth II’s Death

By SHELLEY HANSON 2 min read
FILE - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II smiles while receiving the President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis and his wife Paola Cassis during an audience at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, Thursday, April 28, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96. Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a statement on Thursday Sept. 8, 2022.(Dominic Lipinski/Pool Photo via AP, File)

WHEELING - Many Ohio Valley residents who have an affinity for British culture likely are mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday.

A few locals said they were saddened to hear the news of the 96-year-old monarch passing.

Wheeling resident Brittany DaGrava was sad to hear of the Queen's passing, adding she has always had a love of the British culture. She studied abroad in London in 2008. While there she got to see the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, and the day she visited Windsor Castle the Queen was also there, though she did not get a glimpse of her.

DaGrava, who works as a firefighter and EMT for the city of Moundsville, said she has always admired the Queen's role as a female leader. She wishes there were more female leaders in high positions.

"She's a force to be reckoned with - or she was," DaGrava noted.

She added the whole royal family, though it had problems of its own, is wonderful and impressive.

'Princess Diana. She was strong and smart and powerful," adding she admired the princess' humanitarian work.

DaGrava said she went on to receive a master's degree in museums, which was inspired by her travels abroad and by visiting the museums in London.

Christina Schessler of Wheeling also said she was sad to learn of the Queen's passing.

"I always liked her. Even with all the family problems, but every family has problems," Schessler said. "She was a mechanic in the second World War."

Moundsville resident Whitney Healy said it was sad the Queen died, but noted that "she lived a good, long life."

Healy said she was interested to see how the British public will react to the transition of Prince Charles into King Charles III.

"I'll be interested to see how they handle it," she said.

Healy said she went on a school trip to London in 2017, and during her trip she visited Windsor Castle. She has always been interested in the British culture and can remember as a child playing with paper dolls from England including one of the Queen.

Starting at /week.