Dawn Mastrodonato with John Olesky

Another reunion with 1944 Shinnston tornado survivor

Dawn Holleman Mastrodonato, who was an infant survived the 1944 tornado that killed 30 in Shinnston and 103 there and elsewhere in West Virginia that day, had her artwork on display in The Villages, Florida today.

It still is the worst tornado toll in West Virginia history.

Dawn was almost 4 months old when rescuers plucked her from the rubble of her home. All of Dawn’s family survived the tornado. They lived on the West Side, but could see over to Pleasant hill where 50 homes were demolished.

Paula and I have reunions with Dawn nearly every winter in Florida.

Dawn and Ron have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

Other towns visited by the tornado were Flemington, Meadowsville, Montrose and Thomas in West Virginia, Oakland in Maryland and Chartiers, McKeesport and Smithfield in Pennsylvania.

Today, she is marrried to Ron Mastrodonato.

Dawn sometimes makes it back to Fairmont, where Ron was born and spent his childhood, for a visit.

Paula and I were at the Laurel Manor Recreation Center where Paula was performing in the lobby with the Flute Fanatics.