by Marcia Raubach – Old King Coal Festival Publicity Director 

Eighty year old, Charles A. Bartoni Jr of West Frankfort has been named 2017 Old King Coal and will reign over the Old King Coal Festival May 11^th thru the 14^th in downtown West Frankfort. Bartoni will be officially crowned Old King Coal during the Princess Flame pageant, Saturday, April 22^nd beginning at 7PM at Paschedag Auditorium at Frankfort Community High School in West Frankfort.

Old King Coal President Steve Sawalich (left) is shown congratulating 2017 Old King Coal of West Frankfort, Charles A. Bartoni, Jr. in front of the Coal Miners Memorial monument at Coal Miners Memorial Park in downtown West Frankfort.

Coal was the primary financial support for the Bartoni family from 1940, when Bartoni’s father began mining coal for Old Ben #8. After 10 years, the elder Bartoni took a position at Orient #2 in 1950, when his young son was 13. The following year, just before Christmas, Charles Bartoni Sr was one of the 119 miners who lost their life in the Orient #2 mine explosion. Although the family was devastated by this loss, and his mother was against, the junior Bartoni followed in his father’s footsteps and became a coal miner 25 years later.

Bartoni began his mining career above ground working for Consol shop as a mechanic. Two years later he found himself underground working for Freeman Coal Company where he spent the next 10 years as repair boss. After 10 years with Freeman Coal, he began working for Kerr-McGee Galatia mine in 1987. In 1995 he received the General Manager Award in appreciation of his positive attitude, work ethic and his dedication to the safety and success of Galatia Mine. During his mining years he witnessed injuries of co-workers while underground and understood the dangers that were present daily. He volunteered to obtain his license as an Emergency Medical Technician in order to be of assistance if needed. Bartoni had a total of 20 years in mining, two years on top and 18 underground. In 2007, some 12 years post-retirement, still with mining in his thoughts, he wrote a poem entitled “The Deep Black Hole” about the experience of working in the coal mines.

In his nomination letter, submitted by his children, Mike, David and Jodi Bartoni Croslin, they stated “Coal is forever deeply rooted within our family and especially in our father’s mind. Coal fed his family, paid his bills and gave him a sense of a job worth doing. We are so very proud of our dad and believe that Charles Bartoni Jr. would be an excellent representative of the Old King Coal Festival. Bartoni and wife Dotti reside west of West Frankfort and attend First Christian Church where Charles serves as a deacon.

The crowning of both 2017 Old King Coal and Princess Flame will highlight the Princess Flame scholarship pageant where over $4500 in scholarship dollars will be awarded. The 2017 festival events include Luehrs’ Ideal Rides on the midway, Coal Miners Memorial Service, Old King Coal Grand Parade, and lots of free entertainment each night on the main stage with headliners Blue Suede Crew, Blend, Lew Jetton 61 South, Johnny Cash Tribute Band, The Brat Pack and Cadillac Jones Band. For a complete schedule of events go to www.oldkingcoalfestival.org or visit Old King Coal Festival on Facebook.