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Nedeff earns recognition as a West Virginia History Hero

CHARLESTON — A Vienna man will be recognized as a West Virginia History Hero later this month during a West Virginia History Day ceremony held in Charleston.

Roger Nedeff will be honored during West Virginia History Day as part of a state Legislature program and ceremony to be held at the Culture Center on the Capitol Complex in Charleston on Feb. 23.

Nedeff is a longtime member of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. He is serving his third term as a member of the board of directors.

“He is a invaluable asset in preserving and promoting regional history, serving on the archiving, cemetery and Phelps Tavenner House committees in addition to serving as administrator of the Facebook page,” according to a letter from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. “The historian and archivist for St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church for 40 years, Nedeff has written a history of the parish; transcribed the church’s baptismal records, 1855-1900, from Latin to English; conducts tours of the church; and tends to the cemetery.

“He also has written various history articles for publication.”

Bob Enoch, president of the Wood County Historical Society, said it was their organization that nominated Nedeff.

Nedeff has done a lot of work locally and with efforts at restoring the Phelps Tavenner House.

“Over the years he has done a lot for local history with very little recognition for it,” he said. “He has done a tremendous job.

“Roger is very deserving.”

Nedeff said he was overwhelmed by the honor, saying it is something that every historian strives for in West Virginia.

He is honored to be included with past local recipients like Enoch, Jeff Little, Cynthia Buskirk and others.

“To be considered in the same class as them has been overwhelming,” Nedeff said.

He said he got a late start, not really getting involved with local history until he was in his 30s and 40s when he was asked to take over as the historian for St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.

Nedeff said he was also inspired by local photographer Paul Borrelli, the long-time proprietor of Artcraft Studio where thousands of negatives and photographs of local history, notable residents, events and old buildings were kept.

Nedeff talked about how Borrelli’s enthusiasm for sharing local history.

“Seeing his excitement got me excited,” he said. “He really inspired me.”

Nedeff feels a lot of history is being forgotten and people are losing those “lessons of experience” as well as a sense of identity.

Over the last couple of years he has done articles about local history, including the 1917 flu epidemic and more.

He has also been involved in local cemetery work, including getting six new headstones for Civil War veterans buried at the Old St. Xavier Cemetery. He helps many people do genealogy work locally.

“Cemeteries are like history books,” he said. “There is so much in there.”

Nedeff was also inspired by local historian Ray Swick, keeping a quote of Swick’s in his wallet.

“Facts are the only basis for history,” the quote said. “If you want to deal with myths and rumors go into literature.”

Historians need to deal with facts as it happened and being as accurate as possible.

“You have got to have the facts,” he said.

Above all, Nedeff credits his wife Linda for his success.

“She was my ‘editor,’ supported my passion and patiently endured my history expeditions to the library, historical sites, cemeteries, etc,” he said..

West Virginia History Heroes are nominated by historical, genealogical, preservation, museum, patriotic or like organizations from across the state. The purpose of this annual award is to give state-level recognition to individuals chosen for dedicated service on behalf of an organization’s programs or for the recent significant contribution to state and local history through research, interpretation, publication or preservation.

The West Virginia Hero award is a one-time only recognition.

The 2023 History Hero Awards program is set to begin at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 23 in the State Theater at the Culture Center and will conclude before 11 a.m. Honorees’ local legislators have been invited to participate in the ceremony at the Culture Center, time and legislative session permitting.

West Virginia History Day at the Legislature was started by the West Virginia Archives and History Commission in 1997 and is officially designated by the commission as a special day to recognize the state’s rich and varied history. The annual event, during which groups from around the state provide history displays in the capitol, is now in its 26th year. This year, more than two dozen groups have registered to have displays in the upper rotunda of the capitol.

In addition to the Archives and History Commission, co-sponsors of West Virginia Day are the Mining Your History Foundation, Preservation Alliance of West Virginia Inc., West Virginia Association of Museums, West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, West Virginia Historical Society and West Virginia Humanities Council.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

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