May 10, 2009

photo by Randy Chaney

Mungovan Celebrates 80th Birthday

FKEC employee Barbara Mungovan recently celebrated her 80th birthday with family and friends. In addition to a birthday party held for her at work at the Co-op, her family and co-workers also threw her a giant surprise beach bash with over 250 guests.

Barbara’s six surviving children all traveled to the Keys from across the country to surprise her for her birthday. They performed a skit in costumes and wigs to an Irish song she would sing to them as children and she didn’t recognize them until they removed their disguises.

Her visiting children were: Cathy (Mims, FL) with husband Jim; Laurie (Central FL) with Bean's great-granddaughter Ashton; Kelly (Austin, TX) with husband Hartt; Nancy (Virginia) with her son Matt; Danny (Wisconsin) with wife Rosanna; and Tim (Miami) with girlfriend Angie and her two daughters.

In addition to her children, Mungovan has 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Mungovan also celebrated her 20-year employment anniversary at FKEC last year. She joined the Co-op in 1988 as a Utility Person and continues in that position.

When she started at FKEC she had 11 years experience as one of the first women to be hired at Eastern Airlines Aircraft Overhaul Maintenance Department. During her tenure at Eastern, she was one of only 120 employees to earn special recognition out of 6,000 employees.

In 2006, she was honored with FKEC’s “Illumination Award” for performing well in her position and for her dedication to the community, her support of her co-workers, and her volunteer work for countless charitable causes.

Mungovan is now actively involved in the Women of the Moose and has been honored as that group’s Woman of the Year. She is also past Senior Regent and is very involved in St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church.

She is well known locally for writing and publishing timely poetry for special occasions. She has been writing poetry since she was a child and has written for family, friends, co-workers and her community.