The family of Chuck ’45 and Ruth Riegert Mignery ‘46

The Mignery name is a household name at Badin thanks to the legacy of the late Charles “Chuck” Mignery ’45 and his wife, the late Ruth Riegert Mignery ’46.
They had six children, all of whom are graduates of Hamilton Catholic or Badin – Mike ’66, Ed ’67, Mary Lee ’72, Steve ’76, Chuck ’77 and Tom ’81.
Chuck Sr. was the class president as well as the team captain of the Hamilton Catholic football team as a junior, then joined the Army Air Corps after that year in the midst of World War II.
He received an honorary diploma after returning from the war – where, among other things, he participated in the largest bombing raid against Berlin – and married the former Ruth Riegert in June of 1947.
Chuck, a union plumber and pipe fitter, purchased a new home in Fairfield in 1953 and raised his family there. Ruth was a homemaker who also worked for the Board of Elections. She passed away in January of 2006. Chuck passed away in June of 2010.
Chuck, Ruth and the Mignery children have left a major legacy in our athletic annals.
“It was the determination, morals and values that our parents taught us that shaped us into the people we are today,” wrote Mary Lee ’72 in a note accompanying her biography.

Mike ’66 – Mike credits Coach Terry Malone’s “love of history and high standards of doing things right” as a major influence. Taught Social Studies for 37 years, and served five terms as a Hanover Township Trustee. Coached various sports at Roosevelt Junior High and Edgewood High, including football, wrestling, golf and track. He and his wife, the former Mary Jo Ziepfel ’67, are the parents of five children – Ben ‘94, Sarah ‘96, Mark ‘98, Anna Marie ‘00 and Kate. Mike was ordained as a Catholic deacon in 2007, assigned to Queen of Peace Church, and is the president of the Butler County Right to Life organization.

Ed ’67 – As a player, Ed was a part of three consecutive varsity football teams that went a combined 29-0, and parlayed his success and knowledge as a player into an outstanding football coaching career as well. Retired after a four-decade teaching career, Ed was the head coach at Hamilton, Trotwood-Madison, Xenia and Springfield Shawnee high schools. He guided Hamilton High to the playoffs three times and was the Associated Press Ohio Division I Coach of the Year in 1994. In the meantime, he also found time to be one of the premier wrestling officials in the state prep ranks. Ed and his wife, Chris, are the parents of three children, Allison ’92, Alex and Andy.

Mary Lee ’72 – Mary Lee was a four-year gymnast and drill teamer and calls her friend Deidre Lauer Thieken ’72, being inducted tonight, an “inspiration to me.” She currently works in the health care field after nearly three decades with Champion International, and wrote, “My parents’ faith example and Badin’s emphasis on faith helped me through my darkest days undergoing cancer treatments. I am proud to say I am a cancer ‘survivor’ … and am grateful for all of my brothers, who are always there for me.” Both of her daughters graduated from Badin, Amanda ’97 and Beth ’00.

Steve ’76 – “Growing up in our house was as good as it gets,’’ wrote Steve, who is a pipefitter superintendent in the Pipefitter & Plumbers Union Local 392. “Our parents taught us that when you get knocked down, and we did, it’s OK – but you have to get back up and try again. Quitting is not an option.” Steve served in the Army for four years, 1976-1980, attaining the rank of sergeant – and credits teachers like Terry Malone ’52, Dean Wright ‘65, Greg Richard and James Fening ‘65 with preparing him for life. He and his wife, the former Debbie Newton ’75, are the parents of three daughters, all Badin grads – Kellie ’97, Lisa ’03 and Jill ’05.

Chuck ’77 – “I was not a great student or athlete by any stretch of the imagination,” wrote Chuck, “but I credit my high school teachers with giving me many lifelong lessons that were only realized many years later as an adult.” He noted Terry Malone ’52, Greg Renneker ’64, Dean Wright ‘65 and Libby Turnbull as some influential teachers. Chuck has taught World History at Badin for more than three decades, and was a member of the state championship football coaching staff in 1990. He and his wife, the former Michelle Schweinefuss ’87, are the parents of four children – Rosemary ’11, Grace ’14, James ’15 and Patrick ’18.

Tom ’81 – “Self-discipline, pushing yourself and understanding that passion necessitates suffering are fundamentals of life lessons learned at Badin,” according to Tom Mignery, part owner of the Burgess and Nipple engineering firm and director of the environmental division of the company. Tom earned his undergraduate degree in geology from Miami, and a master’s degree in hydrogeology from Kent State. He credits Terry Malone ’52, Bill Mulcahey ‘63, Greg Renneker ‘64 and Sister Monica as having a great influence on his Badin career. He and his wife, Kathy, are the parents of four children and live in suburban Columbus.