P. J. Zickefoose Fund
The P. J. Zickefoose Fund provides skiing opportunities for youth in Tucker and Randolph counties who would not otherwise have the financial means to participate in the sport.
TYPE OF FUND: Field of Interest
DATE ESTABLISHED: January 2006
PURPOSE: To provide skiing opportunities for youth who otherwise could not financially participate in this sport.
DISTRIBUTION: Upon the recommendation by the Grants Committee and approval by the full Board of Directors of TCF, grants will be made to youth (up to age 19) for skiing events or equipment from Tucker and Randolph counties on a rotating basis, to honor his residency and practice in both counties. Because all grants must be awarded to or through a non-profit organization, all those seeking a Zickefoose grant will do so by submitting a grant through their respective school administrator. The school administrator does not have the authority to make decisions regarding the recipient of the grant; therefore, immediately after the TCF deadline for grant applications, the school administrator will present the applications to the Grants Committee of TCF.
VARIANCE POWER: If, in the judgment of the TCF Board of Directors, the restrictions and conditions of the fund become unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the community, the TCF Board of Directors maintains the right to modify the terms of this fund.
FUNDING: An initial donation of $10,000 from his parents, Paul and Barbara Lewis Zickefoose, and memorial donations by friends and family.
BACKGROUND: P.J. Zickefoose was born in Elkins, WV, on January 15, 1971, the only child of Paul and Barbara Lewis Zickefoose. His given name was Dennis Paul, but his parents had referred to him as “P.J.” and the nickname stayed with him throughout his life. From a young age, P.J. loved the outdoors—hunting, fishing, tying his own flies, riding motorbikes, and especially skiing. He loved Canaan Valley, where he built a home and lived until his marriage. His mother said P.J. considered Canaan Valley “so very special… incredible.” He served on the Canaan Valley Ski Patrol and enjoyed biking.
A 1989 graduate of Elkins High School, he majored in biology at Fairmont State College, completed dental school at West Virginia University, and pursued an additional year of training in anesthesiology. His interest in medicine was influenced by a neighbor, the late Dr. Paul Snedeger. During and after dental school, P.J. worked at Monongalia General Hospital, Ruby Memorial Hospital, and the Veterans’ Hospital in Clarksburg, WV. He completed his rural residency in Davis with Dr. Tom Patrick, who became a beloved mentor.
When Dr. Patrick was diagnosed with ALS, he asked P.J. to “be my arms and legs, throw my children in the air.” His passing deeply affected P.J. The two had shared not only a profession but also a love for skiing. Dr. Patrick had even arranged P.J.’s hours to allow him to ski in the mornings and work afternoons and evenings.
A year before his death, P.J. established his own dental practice in Elkins. On March 10, 2003, he married Michelle Large, a nurse anesthetist. Just nine months later, on December 27, 2003, P.J. died in a single-vehicle accident on Route 219 near Elkins. He had stayed late after a cousin’s wedding rehearsal to help set up the reception and hit black ice on his drive home. He died instantly.
In addition to his parents, P.J. was survived by his wife and maternal grandmother, Mildred Lewis. His wife later remarried Edgar Watring, a Tucker County resident. His mother is postmaster in Montrose, and his father is retired.
