Amelia Shenasky Zentz was ecstatic on the phone, talking to me about her 100^th birthday party in the Monongah Town Hall.

“I was really surprised,” Amelia said. “I got all kinds of goodies.”

She continued: “I got a birthday card from the President. I got a birthday card from the Pope.”

Amelia also got a Facetime phone call from Alabama football coach Nick Saban, quarterback of the 1968 Monongah High state championship football team, congratulating her on the milestone.

“I got 145 cards,” Amelia said. I could hear the joy bubbling from her voice.

My response to Amelia: “You know that everyone in Monongah loves you.”

Diana Hartzell-Wheeler of Mannington, Amelia’s caretaker as arranged by Mary “Kitty” Ahouse Morrison, Class of 1968, who lives on Lyndon Avenue in Monongah, said:

“Amelia did really good for her 100th birthday! She ended up with 145 regular cards, a birthday blessing from Pope Francis, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump sent her a birthday card, a birthday poster from WVU football coach Neil Brown and an autographed WVU football and basketball from Coach Bob Huggins, 48 colored pics from some of the students from Monongah grade school and a lot of others goodies. She had a beautiful party and is still talking about it.”

Monongah made Amelia very happy. That made me proud of Monongah, by birthplace in my Olesky grandparents’ house on Walnut Street at the Pike Street intersection.

Later, we moved to a Thomas Street rental, the home nearest to Church Street, and then across the street to the Church Street home on Camden Avene (U.S. 19) my parents purchased from Consolidation Coal Company, which knew it would closing the mine in 3 years and began selling off the rentals to make more money.

Amelia said she was so happy that “John Henry,” son of her brother the dentist, showed up. His father came to our house when I was a child to do dental work on me because I had developed a phobia of dentists after hearing my sister scream in the dental chair when I took Jackie to Fairmont. My parents figured maybe he could kind of sneak up on me before I could work up my phobia. Well, he touched my teeth and I fainted.

I asked Amelia about the candy corn I gave her during my December visit to her Shenasky Lane house. When I was a child Amelia and her mother, Nell Shenasky, would let me dip my small hand into a bowl of candy corn and I got to keep and eat what I could grab with one try. So I brought her a bag of candy corn, told Amelia the story and gave it to her.

“We finished it right away,” Amelia said. Her and a young relative accomplished the task.

Amelia’s parting gift to me: “I love you and good night.”

I love you, too, Amelia. I am amazed how your memory is so much better than mine, and I’m only 87 years old.

When I asked her what she planned to do for her 101^st birthday, Amelia responded: “My doctor wanted to know what I would do for my 105^th birthday.” That’s her goal. God bless her.

As for the town of Monongah: I give you a giant pat on the back for honoring the Grande Dame of Monongah.

Her parents, Pete and Nell Shenasky, let coal miners run up a tab when the coal operators held out stubbornly during long strikes so that their children wouldn’t starve.

After the strike, my parents paid off every penny. Some people did not. But Pete and Nell were more concerned about the children than about piling up a mountain of money.

My family, and many other families, have been forever grateful to the Shenasky family for that.

No wonder I am so in love with Monongah and my childhood there.

Amelia is a "Walker, Texas Ranger" fan, too. That Chuck Norris stirs her blood, too, I guess. Or maybe Amelia just wants to give martial arts a shot.

The series lasted 8 seasons, which is impressive. Amelia gets that longevity by a lot!