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Jean is the queen at Holiday
With her 98th birthday not far off, you’d expect Jean Guarnieri to make weekly visits to a doctor’s office.
Instead, she travels to a bowling alley once a week as a member of Holiday Seniors.
“It takes me out of the house for four or five hours and gets me away from home,” Guarnieri said of the therapy that the league provides.
“It’s a break from just the average day,” she said of the activity. “I enjoy the whole afternoon, whether I bowl good or bad. It’s a challenge.”
The next-oldest bowler is 90 and the youngest member is 58 in the no-tap league, which treats a nine-count as a strike.
Guarnieri carries a 115 average in the 40-person league which comprises 10 teams.
“We aren’t sanctioned,” said 77-year-old league secretary Valda Noble, who noted that five 300s have been rolled so far this season, including one by a woman.
“It’s hard to get a 300, even with no-tap,” Noble said.
The best averages are as high as 229-230.
Guarnieri has been in the league for many years.
“My husband and I joined together and then he passed away a few years back and I stayed on.”
Guarnieri, a right-hander, said she’s not a good bowler, but she’s not bad enough that she throws gutter balls, either.
Even though she no longer drives a car, Guarnieri said that she had a clean driving record.
“I could drive, but I decided it was time to give it up. I figured that if I had the slightest accident and it was a younger person’s fault, I’d be blamed because of my age. Everything would be against me.
“If somebody touched my fender, it would be my fault because the young person would say that the old lady did it and who would they believe?
“But it wasn’t a big deal because my daughter and son are good about picking me up.”
The former Jean Petrarca was born in New Kensington, Pa., then moved to Youngstown.
She graduated from East High School, then worked at Strouss’ Department Store.
“I was like a fixture there,” Jean said her employment as a manager, both downtown and then at the Liberty Plaza location.
Physically, Guarnieri considers herself in very good shape.
Besides bowling, her other activities are golf and swimming.
Guarnieri recalled an experience several years back that started on the golf course.
“We were in a foursome, but I didn’t know one golfer who hit the ball way out. I watched her the whole summer and was envious because my tee shots were poor.
“In the fall, I’d go to the pool at the Jewish Community Center. After I jumped off of the diving board and started swimming laps, I saw someone in the baby pool, against the wall. She was scared to death of the water. When I took a good look, guess who it was? The good golfer.
“I said ‘thank you, God.’ If I had my choice, I’ll take swimming because it may save my life sometimes. Golfing isn’t that important.”
NEWS AND NOTES
On the subject of upper 90s, condolences to the family of Lloyd Lincoln Murray, who passed away recently at age 95.
In the few years I knew him from Sterling House, “Link” was a most pleasant man with a smile to match. The last time I saw him before Christmas, he was wearing a “Buckeyes” hoodie.
Dan Fishel had an 11-in-a-row 290 and 833 in Hively’s Sportsman at Amron on Jan. 3, while Teri Haefke’s 289-804 led Thursday Matchplay Ladies.
Jim Dodge had 804 to highlight Monday Classic action at West Side on Jan. 3.
Adam Barta had 811 and Don Ford rolled a 300 in Belchyk/Action Plumbing Classic at Holiday.
BYO was F.D. Mason’s second-quarter winner at Holiday with Tonja Cowart, Roz Mahone, Sandra Evans, Jerry Moxley and George Thomas.
Team Fore won Mixed Bankers’ second quarter at Holiday with Stephanie Novak, Cori Smith, Jennifer Smith and Mike Socie.