Ramona ramping up for reunions

A lot of people are gearing up for the 92^nd annual Monongah High Alumni Reunion May 28, but Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949, as usual has that and much more on her plate.

Nearly everyone who visits Monongah winds up at Ramona’s house. This year will be no exception.

Her granddaughter, Tammy Hulderman Weintrab, will be flying in from Brazil. Tammy is Tom Hulderman’s daughter. They’ve been in Brazil since 1988 because at one time this University of Miami coed met a guy from Brazil while interning at a medical facility in Florida.

Tom Hulderman, Class of 1969, caught quarterback Nick Saban's passes in the 1968 state championship game for Monongah High. Today, Brother -- Nick Saban, Jr. -- is the best college football coach in America, and at Alabama with five national titles in his coaching career.

Tom Dean, Class of 1949, who lives in Lynch Station, Virginia, and the first one to send in his MHS dinner-dance reservation, will be at the reunion and at Monie’s house, as he calls Ramona. Tom will be coming in via car with his son.

Elaine Hewitt Monell, Class of 1949, also will show up, to help Junior Koloski celebrate his 90^th birthday. Elaine is the widow of Raymond “Soak” Monell. She lives in Riverside, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio.

In the photo above, at the 2009 reunion, Ramona is with the late Rev. Allen “Mickey” Shuttlesworth, Jo Ann McDaniel Huff and Tom Dean. Ramona and Tom will be attending their 5^th consecutive MHS Reunion, according to treasurer Donna Davis’ records. Jo Ann hasn’t been there since the 2009 reunion photo was taken.

Mickey passed away in 2013.

Jo Ann lives at the bottom of Kings Alley in Worthington. Her grandfather was Monongah stationmaster Ted McDaniel. Her siblings are Mary Jane McDaniel Pritchard, Donald McDaniel and Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960, who lives with wife Mary Faust McDaniel, in Rehobothbeach, Delaware. Jim is an Air Force retiree.

Tom never enters Marion County without visiting Monie.

So if you show up at the Knights of Columbus on Mary Lou Retton Drive in Fairmont, chances are you’ll pass by folks on their way to and from Ramona’s house.

It’s not too late for you to make reservations for the Monongah High Alumni Reunion. You’ll get to meet former classmates and long-time friends and dance to the music of the Stepping Stone.

The classes of 1956, 1961, 1966 and 1976 will be honored and begin having their group photos taken at 5:30 p.m. ($30 per person), the banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the music and dancing will start at 8:30 p.m.

If you go, email jpeg photos with full identifications of everyone in them, including maiden names, and other details to John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com

Have fun!