** This article appeared in The Parkersburg News on February 6, 2003

Great Loss

Don Fenton's death leaves void in Mid-Ohio Valley

Once again, the Mid-Ohio Valley is reeling from the death of a citizen who worked tirelessly to make this area a better place to live. At the age of 52, Williamstown businessman Don Fenton was taken from us much too soon. He died early Monday at Charleston Area Medical Center while recovering from triple bypass surgery. He had been admitted Sunday after suffering a heart attack following a game of racquetball.

What makes Fenton's death even more tragic is it comes so soon after the Dec. 11 death of his father Wilmer "Bill" Fenton. Both of the Fentons were heavily involved in the family's Williamstown business. Both had helped lift Fenton Glass from a small glass plant into the internationally known and respected place of business the plant now occupies.

But what made both Don and his father truly special was their love for Williamstown and the Mid-Ohio Valley. At the time of the elder Fenton's death Williamstown High School Athletics Director Frank Marcinko had been called upon by the newspaper to reflect on what he had meant to the town. Once again Marcinko had the sad duty to discuss the loss of another one of Williamstown's leading lights.

"It's hard to replace someone like that (Don Fenton) and especially hard because we are dealing with the loss of his dad several weeks ago," Marcinko told the newspaper. "They were pure, genuine individuals and they had a lot of qualities that you would like to see in other people. They will be sorely missed."

The Fenton family, possibly because of where they are located, in Williamstown, but with Marietta just across the river, had a unique view of the area that others may have lacked. Because of this view, the Fenton family was instrumental in getting the Marietta and the Wood County tourism bureaus to work together and market the area as a whole and not as two separate destinations. That has paid off handsomely for the Mid-Ohio Valley on both sides of the river.

"It was an extreme privilege and pleasure to work with him," Steve Nicely, president of the Parkersburg/Wood County Convention and Visitors Bureau told the newspaper. "He always saw the big picture. I was always impressed with the way he looked out for the best interests of the area."

Our hearts and prayers go out to the Fenton family as they begin dealing with this second sudden loss, coming as it has so close to the first one. We want them to know that the entire Mid-Ohio Valley feels this loss. As Williamstown Elementary School Principal Monty Stoops noted, "Don's way of thinking reflected the right way of thinking. He was an excellent role model. I think he came from the old school of thought that said 'you should give back to the community.' ... Don was always ... one of the pillars of the community."

We think even though these two individuals are no longer with us, the legacy will ensure those pillars created by their presence will remain in place and continue to be strong. Because of that Williamstown and the rest of the Mid-Ohio Valley will be a better place for years to come.