REVISITING THE CAMEON SISTERS

 

This photo of the Cameon sisters Angela, Joanna, Francine and Denise sent me into the jungle that is the Cameon family tree.

Frances King Cameon, Class of  1942, who passed away in 2019, and Joe Cameon, who passed away in 2014, are the parents of Angela Cameon Viney, Class of 1968; Joanna Cameon Reeves, Class of 1971; Francine Cameon Kincaid, Class of 1979; North Marion graduate Denise Cameon Jett; George Claudius Cameon and Joe Cameon, Jr., Class of 1974, who passed away in 2019.  

Clyde and Maggie Cameon of Carolina were the parents of Joe Cameon, Sr., Virginia Cameon Mezzanotte, Bill Cameon, Class of 1960, Nathaleen Cameon Oliverio, Class of 1948, Pete Cameon, Class of 1958, Linda Cameon, Class of 1966, Arthur Cameon and Rudolph Paul “Rudy” Cameon, who passed away in 2013.

Frances was born in Widen, West Virginia to Dorothea Anna Tekaucic Kralj and George Kralj. The family name later was changed to King. Frances moved with her family, at the age of 12, to Carolina. Frances worked at Owens Illinois, Westinghouse and, where she met her husband, Joe Cameo, at Consolidation Coal Company Store. Joe passed away in 2008. Frances and Joe’s sons George Claudius passed away in 1992 and Joseph in 2019.

Stan is Insurance Connexion owner/agent in Fairmont.

Frances was the sister-in-law of Al Cameon, who passed away in 2014 and was married to Alice Cameon.

Joe Cameon, Sr. was one of nine children of Clyde and Maggie Cameon.

Angela lives in Spartansburg, South Carolina and received the Lifetime Conservation Award from the Conservation Voters of South Carolina in 2018. She is a board member of Spartanburg Water’s water and sewer commissions and was the oldest of the six children. Angela graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in business administration. She served 20 years at the Red Cross working in communities from West Virginia to Missouri to South Carolina.

She also served as executive director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation and coordinated the first statewide National Hunting and Fishing Day.

Joanna is married to Arthur Reeves and lives in Mannington. 

Francine lists herself as a 1982 North Marion graduate and Monongah Class of 1979.

Denise is a North Marion graduate who is Student Services Coordinator at Pierpont Community & Technical College, Manager at Hidden Treasures and Assistant Manager at JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores and lives in Fairmont. Of course, she grew up in Carolina, as nearly every Cameon did.

Joe, Jr. was a construction worker married for 27 years to Mary Satterfield Cameon.

Virginia lives in Fairmont. She married Pat Mezzanotte. Her niece is Debbie Oliverio. 1981 North Marion graduate Stan Cameon is her nephew and lives in Fairmont with his wife, 1980 North Marion grad Sheri Slamen Cameon. Virginia’s cousins are Loretta Mauro Ferguson, Lorraine Chiaravalle and Nicole Chiaravalle Holmes. Kim Haught Mezzanotte is her daughter-in-law.

Bill moved to Highland, Utah to work for All Systems Electric.

Nathaleen 60 years ago moved to East Chicago, Indiana, across the state line from the windy city of Chicago, Illinois. She is the widow of Sam Oliverio. Their sons are Dominick, Lowell and Tom. Dominick became a psychologist who worked in federal prisons. Tom became an Illinois State Trooper captain. Lowell became a police officer for Lowell, Indiana. Nat said she moved away from West Virginia to keep her sons from dying in the coal mines. She succeeded.

Pete Cameon is a WVU graduate who married Beth Passarello Cameon, who once lived in Rome, Italy, and lives in Morgantown.

Linda lives in Carolina, of course.

Arthur Cameon was Class of 1947.

Rudolph Paul “Rudy” Cameon, who passed away in 2013, served in both the Navy and the Army during the Korean War. He had three sons, Christopher, Craig and Michael who live in San Diego, California.

Connie Koldres Cameon, Monongah High Alumni Association secretary, will be at the oldest continuous high school reunion in West Virginia history on Saturday, September 4 at the Knight of Columbus on Mary Lou Retton Drive in Fairmont.

If you want to be part of a unique history, make YOUR reservation for the September 4 MHS Banquet, send a check for $30 per person made out to the Monongah High Alumni Association and mail it to:

Donna Davis

858 Park Avenue

Monongah, WV 26554-1143

The Reservations deadline is Thursday, August 26. So step on it!

Photos for the honor classes (1960, 1961, 1970, 1971) will be taken at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. The Stepping Stones band – Ron Poole and son Todd Poole – will provide music for dancing till 11 p.m.