Marcia Michalski Westfall, Class of 1974, and husband Dave Westfall, Class of 1972, have varoomed into retirement, as they often have in life.

Their Harley motorcylce roared through the Smokies and South Carolina on its way to Key West. The bike has been to California in earlier years, roaring across San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.  

It didn’t take long after both retired June 30, Dave from the West Virginia Division of Highways and Marcia from the Marion County Board of Education after 31 years as a teacher.

Dave worked at Fresa Construction in Bridgeport for 18 years, EIMCO for 1½ and DOH for 27 years.

Marcia has worked in every school but the high schools in Marion County. She added: “I subbed, traveled to many schools as a Gifted teacher, worked many years in Mannington at Blackshere and lastly at Monongah Elementary.”

Their children and spouses are Brandie and Kiley Haney, Chad and Amy Westfall Raines and David and Nichelle Westfall.

The grandchildren are, via Brandie, Caleb, Kiley and Aiden Haney; via Amy, Ally and Ethan Raines and Brevon Westfall; and by Dave, Lucy and Forrest Westfall.

Dave’s parents are Gilbert Junior Westfall and the late Lillie Marie Higginbotham Westfall.

Dave and Marcia were named Fairmont Times Family of the Year in 2015. Marcia took an active role in the West Virginia teachers strike was so successful that became the template for teachers’ unions in states across America.

Fairmont State graduate with a WVU masters Marcia’s parents are Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949, and the late Frank Michalski, who started at Monongah High at the same time as Ramona.

Marcia’s siblings are Jay Michalski, Mike Michalski, Carol Michalski Drake, Ramona Marie Michalski and the late Mary Frances Michalski Hulderman Gapen.

Marcia and Dave are, literally, Lions who roar.