Many area residents quickly recognized the Grand Marshall at Dungannon's 20th Annual Fourth of July Celebration. Mrs. Ruth Childress lead the parade in a car being driven by former student Danny Mann. It may seem a bit unusual to see Mrs. Childress passing by in a car rather than dancing along the streets. Each year she partakes in the flat-foot contest and has won it on many occasions.

The youngest of sixteen children she is the only remaining survivor of Martha Daisy Porter Parks and Stephen Van Parks. She was raised in the "Little Duck" section of Nickelsville, Virginia but has lived in the Dry Creek section of Dungannon since 1935. She is the widow of Fred E. Childress.

Mrs. Childress began her career as a teacher after working in many arsenal's during WWII. Her first teaching assignment began at the Strong's School and after its closing she taught in the one-room school located at the Miller Yard section of Dungannon. Mrs. Childress recalls many stories of patrons of the two schools helping her cross swinging bridges and walking up steep hills through deep snows.

Mrs. Childress is remembered by most area residents as the third grade teacher at Dungannon Elementary. At the ripe old age of eighty-nine Mrs. Childress can still recall the found memories of most of her students and the mischievous they caused while in her class. So many of her students are surprised at the recollection of vivid memories she has of them.

Mrs. Childress retired from Dungannon Elementary in 1976. She stayed home a few years but missed the contact with the students and faculty. So once again she set out to teach. Mrs. Childress has been an employee of the Flatwoods Job Corps for more than fifteen years. Three of four days days a week she can be seen driving up the winding mountain road to tutor students at the Job Corp center. Although her daughter, Martha, has retired and is staying home Mrs. Childress has no intentions of leaving her job any time soon. Mrs. Childress is certainly an inspiration to our community!