Family

Spike moved to Oregon in early 1976. It was a big move for him as he left his family on the East Coast for the first time and moved West. He returned for the first time in the summer of 1978 and had a family reunion with his family. An outing to a local amusement park in his hometown of Huntington produced this photo of his brothers and sisters. From left are Nick, Shelley, Mark, Rick and Spike. We were trying for a serious photo but Rick kept cracking up in laughter at the photographer’s instructions.

30 years later, how kind have the years been?

A family reunion in the summer of 1978

Nick, the second of Mary’s five children. Nick is a newspaper publisher in Kentucky. He is married with three grown children and one grandchild.

Rick, the fifth of Mary’s five children, lives in South Caroline. He’s in retail mangement. He has three grown children and several grandchildren.

Mark, the fourth of Mary’s five children, retired once from teaching but went back to work. He lives in Ironton, Ohio, with his wife. He has two grown children and one grandchild.

Shelley, the third of Mary’s five children, retired last year after a career in teaching in Ohio. She has a grown son, who lives in Texas, and has two children.

Spike, sometimes called Michael, is the first born of Mary’s five children. He lives in Oregon. He is gay and has no children.

Birthplace: West Virginia

Parents: Michael D. and Mary Jane

Spike’s father, Michael D., as shown in his graduation photo from Huntington High School. He was 17 and a half when Spike was born.

Spike’s mother, Mary Jane. This is a photo taken on graduation day from Huntington High School. She was 19 when Spike was born.