City of Monongahela to Honor Fred Cox, Joe Montana on Sept. 13

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 July 2025 15:01

By Matthew Peaslee

The city of Monongahela will honor two of its favorite sons on Sept. 13, 2025. NFL legends, and hometown heroes, Fred Cox and Joe Montana will be celebrated with a parade and the unveiling of a new historical landmarker.

The event is led by committee members Joe Ravasio, Don DeVore, Chuck Smith, Janie Long, Patty Kozon, Mark Gadd and Monongahela Mayor Greg Garry.

The idea for the historical landmarker is the brainchild of Dennis Dutch, who now lives in Florida.

“When he comes home to visit his friends in Monongahela, it always concerned him that there should be more to honor Fred Cox and Joe Montana,” Ravasio said. “He really got the ball rolling on this.”

The parade will begin at 12:00PM at Chess Park on Main Street and will march its way down to 2^nd Street. It will be a true celebration of Monongahela with the whole community joining in to praise Cox and Montana.

Current sports teams from Ringgold High School will be marching, along with the 150-member marching band under the direction of Dawn Mason. Members of midget football teams from Monongahela, Union and Finleyville will also join in on the action.

Those who have antique cars and sports cars are invited to cruise down the parade route as well. Seven horses will march in the parade, with each horse adorning a number of Cox and Montana, with their school pride from Monongahela High School, Ringgold High School the University of Pittsburgh (for Cox) and Notre Dame (for Montana).

High school, college and even professional teammates of Cox and Montana will be on hand, as well as close friends and family members from near and far. Cox passed away in 2019 at the age of 80, but his wife, Bonnie, will be flying in from Minnesota where she still lives. Montana, himself, will be in attendance.

The historical marker will be placed near 4^th and Main streets, around the gazebo near McDonald’s. It will be 38x45 in length with yellow lettering on a blue board, produced by the company in Erie that manufactures historical landmarkers throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania.

Cox was the Minnesota Vikings’ kicker for 14 seasons and twice led the NFL in scoring. He also was the inventor of the Nerf® football. Montana led Notre Dame to a national championship and won four Super Bowls for the San Francisco 49ers.

Anybody who would like to be a part of the parade or celebration can call Devore at 724-258-7100 or Ravasio at 412-302-1248.