CATCHING UP WITH MAREIA WILMOUTH McDOUGAL & EARL McDOUGAL

She fell in love with the chaffeur

Little did Mareia Wilmouth McDougal, Class of 1964, realize that, when she was the black-haired Senior Princess in the Monongah High Homecoming court, that she would marry her Homecoming parade chaffeur.

Explains Mareia: “I was escorted by James Davis. The car was driven by Earl McDougal in the parade. I married him years later.”

Earl McDougal, Class of 1963, and Mareia have a blended family of seven children.

Earl dodged a bullet last year.

Explains Mareia: “Last year Earl was diagnosed with prostate cancer, had surgery and now I'm happy to say he is cancer-free and doing great.”

Mareia was only at Monongah High one year, her graduation year, after three years at Shinnston High School.

Earl was there for the full Monongah High monty. He is a former coal miner who eventually retired from Borg-Warner, although “he is contracted out from time to time,” Mareia reports.

 

Mareia is a free-lance photographer and was a florist for 45 years as a Wal-Mart department manager. Earl and Mareia have lived in Hendersonville, North Carolina for more than 30 years.

Earl’s brother, Johnny McDougal, also graduated from Monongah High. So did Mareia’s sister, Sherry Wilmouth Vance, and her husband.

And Earl’s siblings, Edna McDougal Saunders, Class of 1948; Helen McDougal Mudry, Class of 1965; James McDougal, Class of 1961; and Reva McDougal Ash, Class of 1950.

Here’s the family tree, as provided by Mareia:

“We are a loving blended family. Parents of 7 children. From oldest to youngest ... Michele & hubby Brian parents to two boys; Greg, parent to three, two boys, 1 girl; Cami and Jody. Parents to three … two boys, one girl and one grandaughter, Lori Ann Lori and Steve ... parents to 5 children, 4 girlsm 1 boy and three grandchildren, two girls, one boy. John is parent to one boy and one girl, Damian and Marci parents to 1 boy 1 girl, Shasha and pastor Phillip parents to three children, two girls, 1 boy. Making us grandparents to 24, 4 of which are great-grandchildren. 12 boys, 12 girls.”

Whew! It would take a BIG bus to haul this family to an event!

Adds Mareia: “We attend a Baptist church pastored by our son-in-law, Phillip Youngblood, husband to our youngest daughter, Shasha.”

If you want to re-connect with Mareia or Earl, you can go to her Facebook page.