One of the first things I learned during my 43-year career as a newspaper editor was to go to the source to get my information.

I wanted to do an article about all the people who had owned the Dairy Kone in Monongah, which is next door to the Monongah Art and Antiques owned by Diane Criswell Furr.

So, after exchanging Facebook posts with Kacie Cunningham, who helps out around her house, I phoned Amelia Shenasky Zentz.

Belinda Morgan Sheppard

Amelia and her late husband, Bruce Zentz, built the Dairy Kone in 1968, across the street from where we played baseball as children in the 1940s and where brothers Angelo and Alec Catania built the Sinclair service station that covered part of our baseball field.

Mind you, Amelia, who lives on Shenasky Lane, named for her parents Pete and Nell who ran P.P. Shenasky Grocery on Camden Avenue (U.S. 19) next door to Thoburn School, is 96 years old.

So, when I asked this woman who is almost a century old about the previous owners of the Dairy Kone, she rattled them off without hesitation:

“Bruce and I had it for 18 years, where the service station (Joe Hanus’) used to be. George Shaw built it for us.

“Dairy Queen and Dairy King were franchised, so we named it Dairy Kone.

“We had it for 18 years. Chris Martin worked for us. After a while, she wanted to buy it, so we sold it to her.

“Chris sold it to Patty McCombs, who sold it to Milton Hurley after 5 or 6 years.

“Then he sold it to Larry and Donna Anderson.

“They sold it to Gary and Diane Masters.

“They sold it to Lloyd and Sandra Parrish,” the current owners.

I’m 83 but I can’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday, and Amelia, at 96, rattled off the names as if she had a calculator for a brain. Amazing!

Amelia will be 97 in January, but “my mind is still pretty good.” Indeed, Amelia.

Monongah’s Phillip Joy remembers going to the Dairy Kone after baseball games. His favorite? Dip Kone.

Belinda Morgan Sheppard, Class of 1969, recalls working for Bruce and Amelia for three summers (1975-1977). “I loved working there,” Belinda writes. “They even gave me a baby shower in 1977.”

Her favorite? “Best thing were the hot dogs. Her recipe has not been matched. Monongah is one of the first places we go when we come in from Florida.”

Belinda, daughter of Bill Morgan, who attended Monongah High for one year before switching to Farmington High, and Jacqualine Wilson Morgan, 1956 Farmington High grad, lives in Port Charlotte with husband George Sheppard. They celebrated their 47^th wedding anniversary two days ago.

When I phoned her last year and identified myself as John Jr. Olesky, Amelia replied. “Oh, yes, Johnny and Lena’s boy.” Right again.

I remember Amelia as a blonde working behind the counter at the Shenasky store when I was a kid in Monongah.

And the woman could dance! Good enough that, as Amelia recalled, “When I was 19 I went to New York City and danced in the Cotton Club.”

Even years after she returned to Marion County, Amelia and the late Walt DeWitt did a pretty good Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers imitation with their ballroom dancing.

Amelia also was an excellent golfer and bowler. The woman was athletic.

Amelia’s father, Pete Shenasky, bought the building from Mr. Martin in 1921, Amelia said. Amelia and Bruce helped out at the grocery. So did Al Williamson, who lives in the house next to Amelia’s today.

Bruce passed away years ago after 55 years of marriage to Amelia. Irene Shenasky, widow of Amelia’s brother, dentist Dr. John Henry Shenasky, passed away last December.

Al, who later worked at the Shop & Save Store in Shinnston, was the son of Ruth and Doug Williamson. His sister, Kathy, is Class of 1978; his brother, Johnny Williamson, worked at Meffe’s bar on Jackson Street. Doug Williamson worked for years at Alasky’s in Farmington.

Margaret Salabor used to help Amelia out. Now Amelia gets assistance from Kacie Cunningham and Casey's husband, who cuts Amelia's grass.

Pete, who passed away at the age of 69, sold the Shenasky Grocery to John Boggess, son of Evelyn Kasper Boggess, Class of 1953, and retired coal miner Okey Boggess.

Evelyn and Okey live in the Frogtown home south of Monongah where Evelyn grew up with siblings Helen Kasper and Bob Kasper, Class of 1950, who has homes in South Lyon and Presque Isle (on Grand Lake), Michigan.