Monongah was a village that raised a child long before it became a political slogan because everyone in town made sure that everyone else’s children were safe or kept in line.

And while most of the fathers risked their lives every day by going into the coal mines, the mothers were left to keep the children clean of body and mind, get them off to school on time and wipe away their tears and change their diapers.

This is a tribute to the mothers whose bodies died but whose fire still lives within their children.

Taking them in the order that they appear in this photo montage, they are:

Dorothy Stevenski Kerns

Class of 1942, mother of Paula Kerns Fazio, Class of 1979, Dave Kerns of Mannington; Donnie Kerns, who lives in Worthington with wife Linda; Pamela Kerns Ross, Class of 1970, who lives in Syracuse, Indiana, with husband Christopher Ross; and Patti Kerns Haught, who lives in Lumberport with husband Glen Haught. Dorothy married Wester Warren “Bud” Kerns.

Iris Delores Martin Carpenter

Class of 1950, mother of Doris Carpenter Rogers, Class of 1971, who lives in Charleston with husband Scott Rogers; Will Carpenter, Class of 1975 and a Marion County teacher since 1975 who lives in Fairmont; and Amy Carpenter.

Irene Basagic

Mother of Goldie Basagic Huffman, Class of 1974, who once worked for the federal government and is married to retired coal miner John Huffman.

Mary Jane McDaniel Pritchard

Mother of Jane “Nene” Pritchard Moore, Class of 1975; Beth Pritchard Brooks, Class of 1978, and Jonna Pritchard Barnett, 1980 North Marion grad. Mary Jane was married to John Charles Pritchard.

Violet Morris Higinbotham Mikulski

Class of 1944, had five children who grew up in Carolina and were Monongah High School graduates.  David Higinbotham, Class of 1960, a retired electrical engineer for Allegheny Energy and wife Cheryl Gillis Higinbotham of Greensburg, Pennsylvania; Stephen Mikulski, Class of 1964, a Montgomery County Public Schools teacher of engineering design and wife Holly White Mikulski of Hanover, Pennsylvania; Tom Mikulski, Class of 1966, a retired Professional Golf Caddy of Las Vegas, Nevada; Catherine Rogers, Class of 1969, a retired Marion County teacher and husband Harry, also Class of 1969, of Fairmont; and Susan Morgan, Class of 1972, a Master of Science, Physician’s Assistant in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Susan is an alumni of Alderson-Broaddus and the other four children are Fairmont State alumni.

Frances Olesky Fazio

Class of 1937, mother of Dave Fazio, Class of 1968, married to Cora Fazio, who runs Fazio ElderCare in Stoney Lonesome; Irene Fazio Preolitti, Class of 1966, who lives in Traction Park, Monongah, with husband Mike Preolitti, Class of 1962; Mary Chris Fazio Ramsey, Class of 1969, married to Tom Ramsey and living on Pike Street in Monongah in the home once owned by Helen and Steve Kerekes; and Steve Fazio, Class of 1975, whose wife, Nancy, is deceased. Frances and husband Renzy Fazio, Class of 1937, owned Fazio Grocery on Jackson Street.

Eleanor Ruth Shaver Yanero

Married to Fred Yanero. Their children are Pamm Yanero Bragg, Class of 1969; Freddie Yanero, a successful high school basketball coach who lives in Maryland with wife Jan; Danny Yanero; Tom Yanero, who lives in Watson; and Donnie Yanero, who passed away at the age of 18 months.

Gezala Futten Loss

Mother of Jerry Loss, Class of 1956, who lives in North Olmsted, Ohio; and the late Robert Loss, Class of 1959. Gezala and husband Frank Loss owned and ran a 100-acre farm in Mill Fall.

Lena Futten Olesky

Mother of Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, who lives in Rivesville, and John Olesky, Jr., Class of 1950, who lives in Tallmadge, Ohio. Gezala, Lena and brother Si Futten, a long-time Fairmont barber, immigrated to America in 1920.

If I left out any of the children, or made other mistakes, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com and I’ll add them or make the fixes in this article.

And if your mother is alive, treasure her as much as the rest of us do our departed Moms.