Tribute to Mabel Sarver
Mabel Elizabeth Clower Sarver (1925-2015)
I would like pay tribute to Mabel Sarver who was a pivotal figure in the development of the Union High School Cornerstone Website.
Mabel was a graduate of Petersburg High School and after graduation she attended Potomac State College for two years and then finished her degree at West Virginia University in 1947. She then moved to Union, West Virginia, taking a position as a Home Demonstration Agent, serving the families of Monroe County and the Farm Women’s Clubs in that capacity until 1952.
Mabel married Herbert Lee Sarver, Jr. and they had three daughters: Catherine, Peggy and Joanne. All three daughters graduated from UHS.
In 1966, Mabel returned to work at Union High School teaching Biology. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma, the International Society for Key Women Educators, and a supporter of the 4-H program and served many years as a leader. She was also an elder at the Union Presbyterian Church. Mabel loved US and WV history. She was a long standing member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Around 2008, when I was working on the Cornerstone Website, I had this idea that I would like to add the senior pictures of all the classes graduating at UHS. I was able to get a number of yearbooks from people that I knew to copy pictures but I still had so many missing. Connie Knapp, a graduate of UHS was able to get me in touch with Mrs. Sarver’s daughter who arranged for me to visit her mother.
The day arrived and I went to Union to visit Mrs. Sarver. She graciously invited me into her home. After chatting with her for awhile, she showed me all the yearbooks that she had acquired while being a teacher and the mother of three girls at Union High School. She then told me to take them all if I wanted to use them. I took the box that I had brought and loaded it full of yearbooks. I told her I would copy the pictures and return the books to her in two weeks, but she insisted that I keep them as long as necessary. She was such a blessing because I did not know how I would ever find so many yearbooks.
I would like to show my appreciation to Mabel Sarver by paying tribute to her for all the kindness and support she gave to the UHS Cornerstone Website.
Many, many thanks to Mabel Sarver!
Linda Cohernour - Class of 1961
Editor of the UHS Cornerstone Website