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Virgin family to celebrate 50th reunion on June 13

By Dave Zuchowski, For The Greene County Messenger 4 min read

Back in July 1966, the family of Clarence and Elizabeth (Young) Virgin held its first family reunion at Jefferson Park in Jefferson.

Ever since, family members have made the get-together an annual event at venues such as Ryerson State Park, the Greene County Fairgrounds, Marianna Triple S Park and Washington Township Park.

“The year I graduated from high school, our first reunion drew 50 to 60 people – mostly Mom and Dad and their children and grandchildren,” said Cindy Stewart, a daughter from Lodi, Ohio. “We’ve grown considerably larger ever since.”

Last year, close to 170 family members got together for the annual event, and Stewart is expecting the same number, or even more, to show up for this year’s 50th reunion, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 13 at Wana B Park in Carmichaels.

Lifelong Greene County residents Clarence and Elizabeth Virgin raised a family of 15 children, first at Khedive, then later in Jefferson. Clarence Virgin was a coal miner who last worked the Gateway Mine on Ruff Creek Road near Jefferson and passed in 1976 at the age of 72. Elizabeth Virgin was a housewife who passed in 1987 at the age of 81. Both husband and wife are buried in Jefferson Memorial Park and, of their 15 children, eight have also died.

To celebrate the family during the 50th reunion, an entire day of activities has been planned. These include games for the youngsters, auctions for both children and adults, swimming in the park pool from 1 to 3 p.m., door prizes and lots of food.

“We each bring pot luck dishes and are some of the world’s best cooks,” Stewart said. “We’re also very competitive as to what we bring.”

The pot luck lunch starts at noon, with hot dogs and hamburgers served at 5 p.m. along with leftovers from lunch.

During the reunion, organizers stage a raffle drawing for about 10 themed, family-made baskets. They also hold a live auction of family-made items. Specially- made T-shirts are available for those wanting to wear one.

Stewart and her sister, Nancy Gray of Chatham, Ohio, have been organizing the reunions since at least 1970. However, this year will be their last at the helm because they are giving up the organizing duties to the next generation.

Since 1991, the reunions alternate every year between Greene County and Ohio, where several of the brothers moved to Medina, Erie and Lorraine counties to work in the Ford Motor plants. Some of the relatives come to the reunions from as far away as Kentucky, and there’s a strong presence of family members from Greene County.

Among the local family members, Stewart counts her nephews, Kevin Virgin, owner of Virgin Auto of Waynesburg until four or five years ago; Brian Virgin, a teacher for the Jefferson-Morgan School District; and her niece, Kim Behm, a nurse for the Jefferson-Morgan School District. Two other nieces, Pam Ozohonish, soon to retire from nursing, and Debbie White, a retired dental technician, also reside in Greene County. Joan Steinmiller, a resident of Jefferson, is a retired cafeteria worker for the Jefferson-Morgan School District.

The reunions have taken place each year since 1966, although no formal reunions were organized two years when Clarence Virgin got sick just before he passed.

To keep everyone informed about Virgin family business, Stewart sends out a family newsletter once a year. Since 1988, on the first Saturday in December, the Virgin siblings also hold a brother-sister party at one another’s homes on an alternating basis.

“Because some of us have since passed, we invite the oldest child of a deceased sibling to the party,” Stewart said. “We’re a close family and really enjoy getting together.”

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