Generations of Dedication: Celebrating the Woomer, Hayes, and Ballengee Families
Ashlee and Michael Hayes
Roger and Michelle Woomer
Roger and Michelle Woomer have been married for 36 years. They married at Fellowship Baptist Church in Barboursville, where they are current members. They have two wonderful adult children, Corey and Ashlee, who were raised in Barboursville and now reside in the Barboursville area. Both Corey and Ashlee are teachers and coaches at Cabell Midland High School.
Ashlee is married to Michael Hayes. The Woomer family also includes a fur baby, Rudy Ryder Woomer, a miniature schnauzer, who was previously featured as a Precious Pet in Stroll Barboursville.
Priscilla Michelle is a lifelong resident of Barboursville. She grew up in Barboursville with her sister, Leslie Ballengee. Both sisters have raised their families here and often reminisce about their Village days as Barboursville High School graduates:: spending summer days at the Barboursville pool and softball fields, riding bikes and mopeds throughout the Village and East Pea Ridge. Michelle shared some of her fondest memories, "Being part of the first formed Little League softball team in Barboursville, participating in Village parades, and attending Barboursville High School football games."
Roger Woomer is from Huntington and graduated from Mid-America Christian School, where he played basketball and earned the nickname “The Wiz” for his skill on the court. He works at the Toyota Dealership in Barboursville and has volunteered and coached football and basketball in Barboursville for many years. He was also a former Tri-State Youth Football League President.
Priscilla Michelle graduated from Marshall University with a B.A., M.S., and Ed.S. degree. She is currently a Special Education teacher at Cabell Midland High School, where she adores her students. She began her career as a substitute teacher while also working for Legal Aide of WV. A lifelong advocate for vulnerable populations, she previously worked as a Behavioral Health Advocate for Legal Aide of West Virginia before transitioning to teaching in the Cabell County school system.
P. Michelle Woomer has dedicated her life to volunteering with Barboursville youth, as a homeroom mom, team mom, softball and cheer coach, and in various youth league leadership positions. Over the years, she has served as the Barboursville Middle Cheer Coach and Cabell Midland High School Cheer Coach.
One of Roger and Michelle’s greatest pleasures in life is watching their grown children, Corey and Ashlee, give back to their community by teaching and coaching at their alma mater. Their life’s journey, rooted in the Village of Barboursville, has been a tremendous blessing.
The Ballengee Family
Dewey and Leslie Ballengee have been married for 31 years and are high school sweethearts. They are lifelong residents of the Barboursville area. They have two children, Cody and Quinn. Cody graduated from Cabell Midland with honors and received several football and baseball awards. Quinn is set to graduate this May from Midland with very high honors.
Their family is very involved with CMHS. Leslie currently works as a secretary at Midland, and Dewey coached football under Coach Salmons for 6 years and is now an assistant coach with Cabell Midland Lady Knights Softball. Dewey is also the owner/operator of D&T Automotive. Their son, Cody, is a special education teacher at Midland and was an assistant coach for the football team for 8 years. Their daughter Quinn cheers and plays softball, where she has won multiple softball awards.
Family is the biggest reason we have chosen to stay in the area. We have a very close family and depend on each other. Leslie shared with Stroll Barboursville, "We all live within a few blocks of each other. Traditions are a big deal to our family. For example, Christmas Eve is spent at our home. One thing about our family, we like to celebrate holidays. If there is a holiday, you can bet we are all together celebrating and having a good time."
Leslie stated, "We love our neighborhood. We have some of the best neighbors anyone could ask for. The community has been very good to us and we have enjoyed being a part of making memories and friends through little league baseball, softball, football, school activities, festivals, carnivals, parades, and other gatherings".
Ashlee and Michael Hayes
Ashlee is from Barboursville, and Michael grew up in Ona. They have been together since their senior year of high school in 2010 and recently celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary. As high school sweethearts, both graduated from CMHS. Michael works at Steel of West Virginia in Huntington, and Ashlee has been teaching in Cabell County for six years as a Special Education teacher, currently at Cabell Midland. Ashlee is also taking classes through Marshall University to become a principal someday. In May 2023, she was awarded the Superintendent Superhero for performing CPR on a student. Ashlee is the head cheer coach at Cabell Midland High School and has been coaching cheer for 11 years. Last year, her team made history by winning Regionals for cheer.
In their spare time, Michael and Ashlee enjoy spending time at home with their cats, Oreo and Snickers, or with family. They enjoy traveling whenever their busy schedules allow. They love living in the town and couldn't imagine living anywhere else.
Corey and Michelle Woomer
Corey and Michelle Woomer live in East Pea Ridge and have been married for 8 years. They met at Marshall University, where both earned Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. Michelle grew up near Columbus, OH, and moved to the area to play golf for Marshall University on an athletic scholarship. Corey, a Cabell Midland graduate, has lived here his entire life.
Corey has coached football and basketball for several years at Barboursville Middle, Milton Middle, and Cabell Midland, and was the head football coach at Milton Middle. He is now in his second season as head boys' basketball coach at CMHS and has been teaching English there for the past 5 of his 8-year career. Michelle is a school counselor at Culloden Elementary, having previously worked at Huntington East Middle School.
The Woomers have two children, Lincoln (7) and Lily (3), and a boxer named Maci. Lincoln loves sports and currently plays basketball, soccer, flag football, and baseball, recently finishing as a shortstop for Barboursville Little League. Lily enjoys playing dress-up and make-up and takes dance classes at True Impact Dance Studio in Barboursville.
Active members of Fellowship Baptist Church, the Woomers are always on the go but love their busy lives. They cherish living in Barboursville and supporting local youth and athletics, hoping to continue doing so for many years.
Great Community Members
The Woomer, Ballengee, and Hayes families are all exceptional members of our community. Their deep roots and active involvement in local schools, sports, and community events showcase their dedication and love for their hometown. They have made significant contributions through teaching, coaching, volunteering, and supporting local youth and athletics. These families exemplify what it means to be part of a close-knit, supportive, and thriving community. Their efforts and dedication ensure that Barboursville remains a wonderful place to live and raise a family for generations to come.