CELEBRATION — Mary Miller waves to spectators during the Bloomingdale Fourth of July parade. She was named 2020 grand marshal in honor of all the hard work she has done for the village. (Photo by Esther McCoy)

BLOOMINGDALE — Mary Miller, 85, never thought for a moment when Mayor David Gaffney came knocking on her front door that his question would be: “Would you be our Fourth of July parade grand marshal?”

She didn’t jump up and down and get all gushy, but she did reach out and give him a big hug and a resounding, “Yes.”

And she looked impressive in her patriotic outfit and white hat with red and blue decorations while riding in a decorated golf cart in the parade. To show that she knew what grand marshals were expected to do, she gave the proper wave as she cruised down the village’s Main Street. It was that Miss America wave, where they hold their elbow at a right angle and the upheld hand goes back and forth like a pendulum on a grandfather clock.

The mayor and council felt that the still spry 70-year resident of Bloomingdale deserved to be honored. It wouldn’t have happened if George Miller, who lived in Bloomingdale, didn’t come into the 5-and-10-cent store in Wintersville, seat himself at the soda fountain area where Mary worked and got a cold drink.

“He was such a good man, we got married, had four children and he started working with the family in the peanuts-in-the-shell business 75 years ago. Actually the business has been in the family for 140 years. Drake Miller started it when there was little but peanuts and popcorn available at fairs,” she noted.

“We went to fairs in Cadiz, Carrollton, Smithfield. St. Clairsville and Guernsey county and other places and stayed on the grounds in our trailer for the five or six day duration. All the children and some grandchildren took their turns working at the fairs, and we met some interesting people along the way. At the Harrison County Fair, they got a chance to meet Dolly Parton, who was performing on the stage one night.”

Mary Pratt and Ruth McAfee, her daughters, worked with the sandwich stand that sold hot dogs, meatball heroes, caramel corn, cotton candy and cold drinks and are still in the business, but the elder Mary has had enough of the rush and excitement. Actually cooking has been an occupation for her since before her marriage — she was a cook at the Bloomingdale Elementary School. After marriage, she went to the Wintersville High School cafeteria.

A grandson, Dustin, is following part of the 4-H creed that mentions “pledging the hands to greater service.” There are youth with 4-H livestock in the village but have no place to raise them. Property is offered on the former Miller farm. Dustin bought piglets for one member to raise for the livestock auction and it will be interesting to watch the outcome of those days of feeding before and after school no matter the weather or other places to go to see how they fare in the judging.

The Millers have contributed with social activities such as craft shows in the Community Hall, helped with roller skating nights and provided candy for tossing to spectators at parades and carnivals. Mary was a member of the volunteer fire department auxiliary as well. With the fairs, the family was aways ready for the next one that came on the calendar. And ,the last week of June was the kick-off for sending for the peanuts that were sold. When asked who put the peanuts into the little brown paper bags, Dustin was the first to pop up and say. “It was me.”