While doing
research on Monongah High’s McDougal siblings, their spouses, children and
grandchildren I stumbled upon one of the most patriotic families in Lions
history.
With a ton
of help from Mareiia Wilmouth McDougal, Class of 1964, and Helen McDougal
Mudry, Class of 1965, these are the military service connections I hope I got
right:
Marieia’s
husband Earl Edward McDougal was in the military.
Earl’s
sister, Reva McDouglas Ash, had three sons in the military: John Arlen, Jeremy John and Guy Paul Ash.
Helen’s
son, Ronnie Mudry, was in the Navy.
Mareia’s father
was an officer in the Army Air Corps for 14 years.
Marieia’s son
Greg served in the Air Force for 23 years.
Marieia’s grandson
is with the Air Force in Alaska.
Many of
Marieia’s family and Earl’s family have served.
So have
uncles, aunts, brothers-in-law, cousins.
Marieia’s son-in-law
Brian Richmond was in the military.
Marieia’s son-in-law
Steve Jackson was in the military.
Haleigh McDougal, daughter of State Police Officer John McDougal
and sister of Nicholas McDougal, is attending Marshall and will enter Army as
an officer. North Marion grad Angie Criado McDougal is Haleigh's mom.
Haleigh McDougal is a granddaughter of Mickey Satterfield, who was a Salai
and a McDougal before marrying Mike Satterfield from East Side. Mickey is a
Monongah High graduate.
That’s a
dozen by name plus maybe that many more after you add in the uncles, aunts,
brothers-in-law and cousins.
Old Glory
means a LOT to this family.
Says Marieia:
“We are very patriotic in our families. We are extremely proud.
“Our grandaughter Haleigh McDougal
(State Police Officer John McDougal’s daughter) is attending Marshall University
for two years and then will enter the U.S. Army as an officer. We are so proud.
“My dad was in the Army Air Corps for
14 years as an officer.
“My son has been in the Air Force for
23 years.
“My grandson is serving with the Air
Force in Alaska.”
“My hubby (Earl) and many, many of my
family and Earl’s family have served. Most of my uncles, my aunts,
brothers-in-law and cousins also have served” in the military.
“My
sister Reva (McDougal Ash, Class of 1950, who lives in Marietta, Ohio) had three
sons in the military.” That would be John Arlen, Jeremy John and Guy Paul Ash.
Marieia
also passed along these thoughts about some of the military in this incredible
family:
We
fight all forms of oppression,
Helping victims far and near,
To keep the world from chaos,
To protect what we hold dear.
Mareia’s son in law
BRIAN
RICHMOND
On
Veterans Day we honor
Soldiers who protect our nation.
For their service as our warriors,
They deserve our admiration.
Mareia’s son
GREGORY
ALAN SWIGER
We’ve
seen it all before,
And we could not let it be;
We gave our lives for freedom,
For the world, and for you and me.
Mareia’s son-in-law
STEVE
JACKSON
Reva’s
children and grandchildren:
1-John Arlen: (son)
Jeremy John (daughter)
Sandra Marie, whose son is Johnaton Andrew.
2-Guy Paul
(son) Keith Arlen
(daughter) Kelsey Marie.
3-Larry Alan
(daughter) Haley Renee
(son) Luke Alan.
4-Beth Ann Lemley
(son) Ethan Shawn---
Ethan's daughters Lakelynn Grace
Sophia IleneAnn.
(son) Evan Shane
Baby on the way
(Son) Evan Shane
Baby on the way
Reva worked at Westinghouse before Johnnie (1955) was born until Paul was born
(1960). Before that she lived with her grandma Ferrell and worked at the
hospital in Clarksburg as a nurse’s aide.
Reva’s only daughter, Beth Ann, wrote:
“In all my years of growing up my Mom was home every single day when I got home
from school except for two days -- the
dad that Johnnie had an accident with a chainsaw and the day that she was at
the mall buying me bedroom curtains.
“Other than that she was home with a hot meal cooking on
the stove every day!!! She is a beautiful singer … with a one-of-a-kind voice.
She loves church and still sings in the choir.”
Reva was a
waitress in Morgantown when I attended West Virginia University School of
Journalism.
Ronnie Mudry is
married to Helen McDougal Mudry, Class of 1965. Their son served in the
Navy. Helen and Ron live in her parents’ home on Swisher Hill.
Helen's brother
Jim McDougal, Class of
1961, lives in Hendersonville, North Carolina. So does another
brother, Earl Edward
McDougal, who worked at BorgWarner.
Mareia
Wilmouth McDougal, Class of 1964, spent her first
three years at Shinnston High before transferring to Monongah High. Earl,
Class of 1963, was at MHS all four years. That’s where they met.
Earl Edward and Mareia have a blended
family of seven children that led to 28 grandchildren and great-grandchildren -- 10 grandsons, 10 granddaughters, 4 great-grandsons and 4 great-granddaughters.
That's what I call keeping the score even with every generation. .
Mareia
was born in Ohio. Earl was a coal miner till the mine shut down and they moved
to Hendersonville, North Carolina, their home for more than 30 years. Both are
retired from BorgWarner, where Earl sometimes is contracted for more BW
work. Mareia has been a florist for 45
years, including a department manager at Wal-Mart, where she retired at 62
after 17 years there.
Mareia writes:
“We are a loving, blended
family. Parents of 7 children. From oldest to youngest: Michele & hubby
Brian Richardson, parents to two boys; Greg, parent to 2 boys 1 girl; Cami and
Jody, parents to two boys and one girl and one granddaughter; Lori Ann and
Steve Jackson, parents to 4 girls and 1 boy and three grandchildren, two girls and
one boy; John, parent to one boy and one girl; Damian and Marci, parents to 1
boy and 1 girl; Shasha and pastor Phillip Youngblood, parents to 2 girls and 1
boy.
“That
makes us grandparents to 28. 4 of which are great grandchildren. 12 boys and 12
girls. Aren't we lucky? Yes, we are.
“We
attend a Baptist Church pastored by our son-in-law, Phillip Youngblood, husband
of our youngest daughter, Sha.
“Last
year Earl was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He had surgery and now I'm happy
to say he is cancer-free, doing great.
“I also
am a free-lance photographer Most all pics I have taken are mostly of my family.
Grandchildren and children.
“Thanks
for liking them. I'm proud to say they are mine.
“You
probably wouldn't recognize me because my hair was black. I was senior Homecoming
princess (at Monongah High) and I was escorted by James Davis. The car was driven
by Earl McDougal in the parade. And I married him years later.”
So the
Princess married the Chaffeur. I think I’ve seen a movie similar that. It
starred Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn as the rich son who falls for the
chaffeur’s daughter in “Sabina,” a 1954 movie.
Earl’s
brother, the late Johnny McDougal, also graduated from Monongah High. So did
Mareia’s sister, Sherry Wilmouth Vance, and her husband.
Sibling Helen Louise McDougal Mudry, Class of
1965, married Ronald Alan Mudry, class of 1967. They are the parents of Dr. Ronald
Alan Mudry, Jr. and Ryan Edward Mudry.
They have 3 granddaughters, Joelie Mudry, Hannah Rinker and Megan Rinker.
Helen
& Ron live in the McDougal homeplace on Swisher Hill. Ron is retired from Robinson Run Mine No. 95
and Helen has been with American Greetings for 35 years. She previously worked at City National Bank
and Westinghouse.
Ron’s
hobbies are fishing and hunting. Helen’s are “spending time with my family and my besties, especially my grandchildren,
and traveling.”
McDougal
sibling Jimmy married Darlene Sue
Morgan McDougal. They have 5 girls and 2 boys: Laurinda, Angela, Pam, Lori, Jimmy,
all living in West Virginia, and twins Brian and Bridgette. Jimmy and Brian live
in Fletcher, North Carolina near Asheville. Bridgette lives in Virginia and is
expecting.
Jimmy and Darlene have 11
grandchildren with another due soon. Jimmy worked at Brown Lumber Company in West
Virginia before moving to North Carolina and working at Frigidaire, then Lowe’s
before retirement. Darlene is a Clarksburg Liberty High grad.
They live in Fairview,
Buncombe County, North Carolina, also in the Asheville area.
Jimmy enjoys fishing,
hunting, camping and hiking. They like to travel. He loved babysitting his
youngest grandson till the little tyke went to pre-K. Loves spending time with
kids when they come.
The oldest
brother, the late John McDougal, Jr., was born
February 28, 1927 in Nutter Fort. He lived in the Fairmont area in mining camps
until his parents, John and Lora, bought the house on Swisher Hill. He married
the late Doris.
Johnny attended Monongah
High until he was 17 when he joined the Navy prior to his graduation. After
Great Lakes Naval Station basic training he was sent to Port Hueneme in
California before being shipped out to Guam in World War II. He was injured and
received a Purple Heart. He was discharged in 1945 after the war with Japan
ended.
Johnny worked at a dime store on his
return to Fairmont. So did Doris. That’s where they met, dated and were married
August 30, 1947.
Their daughters are Judy, Cynthia, Terry and the late Barbara.
Judy was born in Fairmont and went to
Wheeling with the family when she was 3, where Johnny was an insurance company
adjuster.
Daughter Cynthia was born in
Wheeling, a month premature. After the family moved to Clarksburg, daughter Terry
was born. Johnny and daughter Barbara both passed away in 2007, three years
after Johnny’s wife Doris passed away.
Johnny worked for Black Rock Paving
Company, later was transferred to the main office in Charleston. He rented in
Nitro near Charleston until he and Doris bought the house two doors down from their
rental, just like my parents Johnny and Lena Olesky bought the Church Street
house across from their Thomas Street rental in Monongah when my sister Jackie
and I were children.
Another sibling
is Edna Mae McDougal Saunders,
Class of 1948, who
married James Leonard Saunders, Sr. Both are deceased. Edna passed away
in 2011.
She was an accountant for the Southland Corporation in Virginia.
She attended the Swisher Hill Union Mission Church and the Everson Baptist Church,
and was a member of the Local Eastern Star Chapter # 34.
Edna loved to crochet and research family genealogy.
Her son, the Rev. Richard Edward Saunders, lives in Dale City,
Virgina with wife Teresa Anne.
Edna’s sisters-in-law are Doris McDougal of North Carolina and
Kathlene Saunders Blakemore of Kingmont, widow of Edna’s son, “Rat” Saunders.
Her grandchildren are John Parks, married to Carrie, and Daniel Parks of
Florida, father of Edna’s great-grandson, Jonah Parks.
And that, my friends, is the end of a long but fascinating story
about one of Marion County’s most patriotic and interesting families. A real
Pride of Lions that their country should be proud of, too, with so many serving
in the military.
I salute the McDougal family and all other Monongah High alumni
and their children and grandchildren who served our country. We owe them a debt
that we can never repay.
track of each other. I went to school with
Reva McDougal Ash and Edna at Monongah High. I publish the Monongah High Alumni
blog and would like to do my popular Catching Up With article on the McDougal
family. The hits on the blog double when I do a Catching Up With article with
photos. I grabbed your facebook photo of the 4 remaining siblings. If you have
photos of the deceased sibling(s) email them in jpeg format to me or point out
where they are on your Facebook photos album. My best to Reva! Thank you. Three
years I did this montage of Reva for a Catching Up With.
“
