Mary Louise Vargo, affectionately known as “Weege” to her family and friends, is a lifelong resident of Harrison County. She is the daughter of the late Louis Vargo and Margaret Rose Devono Vargo.
Born and raised in Clarksburg, Weege attended Summit Park Grade School and Junior High from 1963 to 1972. She spent her sophomore year at Victory High School and, following its consolidation and closure, completed her junior and senior years at Liberty High School. She graduated with the Class of 1975. In 1979, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from West Virginia University.
In 1987, Weege moved to Bridgeport and persuaded her mother, who had lived in Summit Park for 72 years, to move with her. They shared a home and a life filled with tremendous love until her mother’s peaceful passing at the age of 96 in 2012.
Weege’s devotion to family extended well beyond caring for her mother. For more than 50 years, she lovingly cared for 11 senior members of her family as they journeyed through aging and end of life. She supported them in their own homes or welcomed them into hers, offering comfort, attention, and care.
Though she has no children of her own, Weege has played an important role in the lives of many children in her family, neighborhood, and church community. She was always the extra set of hands or extra set of wheels for numerous families. For more than 10 years, she served as Youth Group Director at All Saints Church, and many young adults still thank her for the lasting impact she had on their lives.
Weege enjoyed a successful 31-year career in the pharmaceutical industry. Over the course of her career, she was promoted eight times and worked in sales, management, and training. She received the nation’s highest honor for Excellence in Sales Achievement on five occasions and was recognized as a focused leader who built strong sales teams.
Raised in a close-knit Italian American family and environment, Weege has always celebrated her Italian heritage with family and friends. Her pride and enthusiasm are contagious. During her senior year at West Virginia University, she was part of the student marketing team that conducted a demographic study for the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival. She began volunteering at the Festival during its inaugural year in 1979 and has remained involved for all 47 years, serving in many capacities—including volunteer, office manager, assistant director, board member, board officer, board chair, and consultant.
In addition to her work with the Festival, Weege has devoted countless hours to community and church projects. She has served on numerous boards and is a member of the finance committee at All Saints Catholic Church.
Weege’s greatest joy is spending time with her family: her sister, Juliann; her nephew, Matthew; and her nieces, Amanda and Jessica, along with their families. Two of her favorite times of year are traveling to California to celebrate Christmas with her family and welcoming them to West Virginia for the Italian Heritage Festival.
Festival weekend is a cherished tradition, with everyone gathering at Aunt Weege’s home. Though they were not born here, her nieces and nephew consider West Virginia their home. As they say, it’s all about family roots—and West Virginia is “their place,” where they celebrate family, faith, and food.