Marcia Michalski Westfall, Class of 1974, and husband Dave Westfall, who tool around the country on their Harley Electra Glide motorcycle, dodged a tornado in Burlington, Colorado.

Marcia explains:

“So we stopped at a rest area, took off, then backed up 50 yards to an emergency median, turned around and made our way to a Loves store and were immediately directed to the bathrooms. A tornado missed us by 100 yards. Excitement for the day; glad we turned around.”

That shouldn’t have been a surprise. Burlington averages THREE tornadoes a year and has had 159 tornadoes since 1950.

It’s on the border with Kansas, so “Wizard of Oz” fans know that means tornadoes which don’t respect state boundaries.

It also has earthquakes, flash floods, landslides and forest fires.

Burlington is 170 miles east of Denver.

Marcia has been a kindergarten teacher at Monongah Elementary School for nearly three decades. Dave has been with the West Virginia Division of Highways for 24 years.

They live in Kilarm have three adult children -- Brandy Westfall Haney, North Marion cheerleading coach Amy Westfall Raines and North Marion grad Dave Westfall -- and eight grandchildren.

Marcia's parents are Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949, who lives in Monongah, and the late Frank Michalski, who was in the Class of 1948.

Marcia’s siblings are Mike Michalski (wife Jan) and Jay Michalski (wife Debbie), both of Monongah, Carol Michalski Drake (husband Bob) of Shinnston and Ramona Michalski, who lives with mom Ramona in Monongah. 

Their sister, Mary Frances Michalski Gapen, Class of 1968, married to Rick Gapen, passed away in 2012.