Born Delores Jean Zicafoose at rural Asbury, probably at home on her parents’ farm. She was the youngest of five children, two of whom died young. Her early education was at home by her mother. She learned to read at an early age and read everything available, “including Pilgrim's Progress and the medical book." She began formal education at Asbury Elementary School at age 12, in the 3rd or 4th grade. Meanwhile, she was learning all the farm and home-making skills common to that era in rural America. The family raised their own fowl and livestock, grew their own garden, churned their own butter, and made their own feather ticks and maple sugar. They depended largely on horses for transportation and farm power. When she was 14, future husband Cosmo Chase came from Michigan to visit the Zicafoose family. When she was ready for high school, the lack of transportation from outside the towns resulted in her going to Alderson, WV, to live with her Uncle Willard and Aunt Alda Hedrick Jones. About mid-year she developed pneumonia and nearly died. It appears that she dropped out of high school at Alderson due to her long illness, homesickness, and her mother wanting to take her home. The next school year, she and a cousin rented a room at Smoot, WV, to attend Smoot High School where she finished freshman and sophomore requirements the first year and then her junior year. Her final year of high school was at Lewisburg where she roomed with a Mrs. Landers in a house that still stands. She did so well at LHS that she was the class valedictorian. Nevertheless, she said that she felt insecure when sitting for the class photo because of her homemade dress. She once said that she might have gone to college but for lack of finances. She returned home to Asbury and, after several years of intermittent correspondence with Cosmo and another visit by him, she accepted his proposal for marriage. They were married Mar. 31, 1931, in Grafton, WV, on the way back to Michigan. They returned to Asbury in time for the birth of firstborn Lynn on Feb. 2, 1932. Likely her greatest sorrow in life was his death from cancer on Aug. 10, 1950. Summer 1932 was back in Michigan, but WV family and friends beckoned and they returned to WV to settle on the small farm on Muddy Creek Mountain where her mother grew up and which she inherited. Lora and her husband raised their four children on the farm and they lived there until Cosmo’s death in 1971. Lora stayed on the farm until 1978 when health problems led to her leaving to live her final two years with her two younger children in Northern Virginia. On the farm, Lora was an expert homemaker but was equally at home helping with the livestock, and both she and Cosmo made rag rugs on the loom Cosmo constructed in 1939. One of her greatest loves was her garden, and she always preferred that to being in the kitchen. She loved her church, Jane’s Chapel Methodist, named for her late great aunt, Jane Hedrick Fry, and was the church organist and pianist all her adult life. She could play any hymn in the various hymnals at the church, and she sang alto as she played. At home she had a pump organ and many a Sunday afternoon she gathered family around to sing, especially when brother Dwyer came to visit and lend his tenor voice to the group. She is undoubtedly now praising God in heaven with her music as she enjoys reunions there with family and friends.
Grave marker coordinates: 37.895610, -80.624344
Grave marker coordinates: 37.895610, -80.624344
Born Delores Jean Zicafoose at rural Asbury, probably at home on her parents’ farm. She was the youngest of five children, two of whom died young. Her early education was at home by her mother. She learned to read at an early age and read everything available, “including Pilgrim's Progress and the medical book." She began formal education at Asbury Elementary School at age 12, in the 3rd or 4th grade. Meanwhile, she was learning all the farm and home-making skills common to that era in rural America. The family raised their own fowl and livestock, grew their own garden, churned their own butter, and made their own feather ticks and maple sugar. They depended largely on horses for transportation and farm power. When she was 14, future husband Cosmo Chase came from Michigan to visit the Zicafoose family. When she was ready for high school, the lack of transportation from outside the towns resulted in her going to Alderson, WV, to live with her Uncle Willard and Aunt Alda Hedrick Jones. About mid-year she developed pneumonia and nearly died. It appears that she dropped out of high school at Alderson due to her long illness, homesickness, and her mother wanting to take her home. The next school year, she and a cousin rented a room at Smoot, WV, to attend Smoot High School where she finished freshman and sophomore requirements the first year and then her junior year. Her final year of high school was at Lewisburg where she roomed with a Mrs. Landers in a house that still stands. She did so well at LHS that she was the class valedictorian. Nevertheless, she said that she felt insecure when sitting for the class photo because of her homemade dress. She once said that she might have gone to college but for lack of finances. She returned home to Asbury and, after several years of intermittent correspondence with Cosmo and another visit by him, she accepted his proposal for marriage. They were married Mar. 31, 1931, in Grafton, WV, on the way back to Michigan. They returned to Asbury in time for the birth of firstborn Lynn on Feb. 2, 1932. Likely her greatest sorrow in life was his death from cancer on Aug. 10, 1950. Summer 1932 was back in Michigan, but WV family and friends beckoned and they returned to WV to settle on the small farm on Muddy Creek Mountain where her mother grew up and which she inherited. Lora and her husband raised their four children on the farm and they lived there until Cosmo’s death in 1971. Lora stayed on the farm until 1978 when health problems led to her leaving to live her final two years with her two younger children in Northern Virginia. On the farm, Lora was an expert homemaker but was equally at home helping with the livestock, and both she and Cosmo made rag rugs on the loom Cosmo constructed in 1939. One of her greatest loves was her garden, and she always preferred that to being in the kitchen. She loved her church, Jane’s Chapel Methodist, named for her late great aunt, Jane Hedrick Fry, and was the church organist and pianist all her adult life. She could play any hymn in the various hymnals at the church, and she sang alto as she played. At home she had a pump organ and many a Sunday afternoon she gathered family around to sing, especially when brother Dwyer came to visit and lend his tenor voice to the group. She is undoubtedly now praising God in heaven with her music as she enjoys reunions there with family and friends.
Grave marker coordinates: 37.895610, -80.624344
Grave marker coordinates: 37.895610, -80.624344
