Let Adam Michna, who graduated from North Marion in 1980 after attending Monongah High for 3 years, begin this story:

“On June 11, 1960, Rev. E.F. Briggs married two couples at St. Stanislaus Church. Henry 'Dinkle' Martin and Gloria Jean 'Jeanie' Nichols, and my parents, Adam Michna and Ethel Stevens. It was a very warm day fifty-seven years ago.”

The Martins and the Michnas also shared the same street for their homes. Dinkle and Jeanie lived at 350 McCue Avenue, Adama and Ethel at 364 McCue.

All of the Martin and Michna children attended Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Monongah under supervision of the Auxiliaries of the Apostolate’s nuns, including two from the Michna family.

Dinkle and Jeanie had three children: David, Michael Ann (Michelle) and Robert "Robbie".

Dinkle died at the age of 53, Jeanie at 57, Adam at 77 and Jeanie at 83.

Henry Michael "Dinke" Martin, Class of 1957, made the PAT kick that won the 1955 state championship for Monongah High, the second of five Lions state titles in football (to go with the 1955 state crown in baseball behind Frank DeMoss’ pitching with Dinkle involved in state title games for MHS in two sports, a rarity).

Dinkle kicked the game-winning point over Wirt, 14-13, after Joe Meffe caught the TD pass that tied the contest. Their teammates included Bob Joy, who passed away in 2013; Danny Manzo, who with wife Brenda Manzo has attended recent Monongah High Alumni reunions; John Koval, who grew up on Jackson Street with his sister, Shirley; Dave Carlot, whose parents Julie and Gene ran Carlot’s Grill for years just across the street from Monongah High School; John Gillespie; Bob Boydoh; Bill Lewis; Vic Durret; and Don Kerns.

Dinkle also was a starter on the Lions’ basketball team and on the golf team for three years, a game he played almost to his dying day, usually with Paul Goush at his side.

I remember Dinkle, during his days at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School with my sister, Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, as Monongah’s version of a freckle-faced Huckleberry Finn.

Dave, Robbie and Michael Ann remember Dinkle as their father who was married to Gloria Jean Nichols Martin, Class of 1959, the daughter of former Monongah mayor Bob (whose barber shop for 60 years was near Thoburn School on U.S. 19) and Margaret Blocker Nichols. They remember their childhood on McCue Avenue in Monongah with their parents.

Dave Martin lives in Millwood, West Virginia with wife Mandy Martin. He became president of the Mason Jackson Roane Central Labor Council after his Fairmont State graduation.

Dinkle had a fatal heart attack in 1990 at Consol’s Loveridge Mine in Fairview. Gloria Jean passed away in 1999.

Dinkle and Gloria Jean lie in Grandview Memorial Gardens in Fairmont next to the plots that Paul and Dietta Harden Goush purchased from Sam Lopez. Both couples purchased their plots at the same time.

Dietta says “Paul quit playing golf after he lost his golf buddy.”

Dinkle’s brother, Joe Martin, is married to Chris Martin. Their parents were Henry and Della Martin.

As for the original Adam Michna, wed on the same day as Dinkle, he had another, intriguing same-day tie. His parents, Francis "Frank" Michna (1887 - 1947) and Katrazyna Dering Wegrzyn (1877 -1947), died on the same day in 1947.

Adam the dad’s two daughters became Sisters with Auxiliaries of the Apostolate -- Sister Rose and Sister Dolores of the Sts. Peter and Paul School nuns.

Son Adam Michna II is a Monongah historian. I get a lot of my MHS Alumni blog stories and photos from Adam.

Adam II wrote:

“Sister Joseph taught my father when he attended Sts. Peter and Paul School and she also taught me in 1st grade. As an adult, she gained his respect and undivided attention through the board of education.

"She mellowed after many years, and was my 1st grade teacher. My father was stunned speechless when he picked me up after school one day: found me sitting on her lap and eating chocolate chip cookies. Life was good for me in the 1st grade.

“My father skipped a grade or two at Saints Peter and Paul and graduated from Fairmont’s Saint Peter's High School in 1938.

“He attended Fairmont State Teachers College and was drafted into the Army during the spring semester of 1943. Upon his return from the service he graduated from Fairmont State College in 1948. My mother graduated from Mannington High School in 1948.”

Adam the father was legendary for sloshing through wetlands and woods on field trips as a biology teacher at Fairmont State.

To see the 19-page online album of Henry “Dinkle” Martin, click on https://picasaweb.google.com/115483244393507838338/HenryDinkleMartin#

After reading this article, Richard Weaver, Class f 1957, responded:

“I remember all of these folks. I went to grade and high school with Dinkle, attended church while Father Briggs was pastoring.

“Bob Nichols and his wife were good friends with my parents in their younger years. He was my barber for many years. When he moved to Fairmont he bought a house about a block from where I live in the Watson area. Nice folks. Many good memories.”

Dick is a Fairmont State grad who retired from the United Hospital Center and lives in Fairmont with wife Esther. He lived in Monongah during his MHS days.

He missed the 2017 Monongah High Alumni Reunion because of health issues (“nothing lethal,” he quipped).

Diane Weaver Tennant is his daughter.

Debbie Weaver Hurley, Class of 1979, is his sister and married to 1977 Fairview grad Milton Hurley.

Jim Weaver is Class of 1948.