January 9, 2018 News

Birthdays: January 9, Jason Casey, Clinton Kershner, Robert David Bisagno; January 10, Rachel Grumbein, Linda North, Terry Showalter, Angie Tomlinson, Brad Pfannenstiel; January 111, Hailey Clancy, Joyce Eisenhour, Amber Littler, Cody Pfeifer; January 12, Terry Doerr, Debbie Anderson; January 13, none; January 14, Maggie Elias; January 15, Lucas McCormick, Cameri Mills, Shawn Baus, Scott Rome, Rose, Lu Ann Weatherby, Andra Allen, Quinn Anderson.

Anniversaries: January 12, Travis and Ava North; January 14, Kellye and Sandy Irvin, Brett and Holly Gilbert.

We had a Christmas letter from Kim Irvin Thompson , of Midlothian, Virginia. She is the daughter of Wayne Irvin. Wayne is in a Memory care unit in Richmond. At Christmas time the family gathered. Wayne's son Todd and his family who live in Northern Virginia spent several days with them and Wayne. Kim will retire in 2019 from ATFafter 32 years. She followed in her dad's footsteps.

Robert Bearley, former teacher at McCracken, is still living in Kensington. He continues his life of church and service to the community. Son Bobby and his wife Julie and the twins Ethan and Elijah moved to a new home in Neola, Iowa. Bobby is an officer for the Fourth Department of Corrections for the State of Iowa. Crystal and her husband Sean live in Manor (Austin), Texas. She is Director with the Department of Family and Protection Services for the State of Texas. Sean is with the Department of Motor Vehicles for the State of Texas. Justin and his wife Lori and children live in Cheney, Kansas. He teaches Technology at Cheney High School. Lori is the Department Administrator for Kansas University Medical Center in Wichita. Robert and his family traveled this year to the Bad Lands and Yellowstone, Breckenridge and to a Kansas State Football game. He had a press pass thanks to his nephew Bryce Kintigh. He sent a family portrait of the entire family.

Those helping with the recent mass at St. Mary's were Roy Conrad, sacristan, choir, Michele Moran and Shannon Keith with organist Susan Keith, collection, John and Jason Moran; gifts, Nicole, Madison and Clark Kirk, rosary, Faith Sharing, lector, DeAnna Bergquist. Servers, Lillian and Jack McGaughey and priest, Father Eric. It was a joy to see those who attended.

All the churches were beautifully decorated in Rush County for the Christmas season along with the city street lighting in the county. Epiphany services were held on Sunday, January 6 to end the Christmas season.

Judy Hugh and Carolyn Thompson celebrated Judy's birthday at IHOP in Hays on Thursday. Eighty years ago Judy was born at the Yawger Ranch house in Waring Township. We enjoyed the ice cream and strawberries following our meal. If you would like to send a card her address is 2101 Lincoln Drive in Hays 67601. She likes to celebrate for the whole month of January!!!

Deines Cultural Center in Russell will  present Eric Scriven’s Wood Relief Exhibition on Friday, January 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. with an Opening Reception.    He has 71 diverse pictures in wood including his abstracts. Eric will be in attendance to answer questions about his works.  All are welcome to attend.  The Deines Center is located at 820 N. Main in Russell. The show will be on display from January 11 through February 15.

The weekend after Christmas found Bob and Marlene's home filled with family for two days celebrating Christmas. Home for the holiday was Jeff and Anita Butler, Shari Funk, Mike and Kelly Weber, Nate and Ursula Pohlman, Spencer and Whitney White, Levi White, Mason Weber and her fiancé Dakota Coats. It was decided that this year everyone would help Santa and skip going downtown to view the Christmas Lights. Too cold! Best present was the announcement that Spencer and Whitney are expecting a baby the end of July. Needless to say Grandad Bob and Grandma Mary are over the top excited to join the Great Grandparent Club. Sunday was the Wilson Christmas with Verlene Wilson, Babe and Arlene Gilbert, Kizmin, Gunner, Isylee and Presley Wilson, Bryan & Treva Bergquist with Audra and her boyfriend Taylor enjoying lunch and visiting together.

Mike Conner and Lori Woods accompanied Les and Sheryl Rogers to the KC Chiefs – Oakland Raiders football game Sunday afternoon in Kansas City.

Christmas Friday and Saturday guests of Shirley were Jerry, Tanner and Jenna Higgins, Chuck and Zach Higgins, Tammy and John Horesky, Kayla Weskamp, Lindsey and Nicole Tacha, Bryant and Kyra Reece.

Arky and Diana McNair and Charlotte Ochs spent Christmas in Colorado with their families.

Christmas Friday evening guests of Jean Oelkers were Richard and Kay Hardwick, Tony and Dyan Axman, Shelly and Bob Keener, Galen, Lynn and Lillian Oelkers.

Christmas guests of Norma McNair were Dallas and Jamie DeWitt, Hunter and Maverick.

Cynthia Higgins spent Christmas week with her father, Presley Stickle and her step-mother, Charlotte, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Her husband Joe and son Ryan stayed home with Nana and Papa Higgins. Cyndi had a wonderful week visiting her dad, friends, going to the candlelight service at her church in Uniontown, and eating at some of her favorite restaurants. She, dad, and Charlotte had Christmas day dinner at Charlotte's son's home. She sent pictures of the foods and boy did they look good. She returned home to Lenexa on Dec. 28 in time to have New Year's Eve and day with her Kansas family.

"Mary and Martin Higgins and Carrie, Lenexa, spent Christmas eve with Paula and Gino Corte and Gino's family at their home in Gladstone, MO. Those present were Paula and Gino, Paula's daughter Andrea and husband Bryan, Gino's daughter Nunzia and her husband Reggie, and their daughters Stella and Annie. Also present was Reggie's mother Shirley, Gino's brother Pete and Gino's stepson

Steven. Dinner was wonderful as usual --- Paula is a fabulous chef! Joe and Ryan were unable to attend since they were both a little under the weather but some of the delicious food was brought home to them to enjoy."

"The Martin Higgins family wishes everyone in McCracken a wonderful, blessed, prosperous 2019! And may you all stay well!!"I read an interesting article in Sunday, Dec 30th’s Hutch paper called “Tiny houses bring people home to Nicodemus” They broke ground in April but with all the rain they had lots of set-backs, but now they are back on track. A grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation provided funding of $120,000.00 for the project. The number of people in Nicodemus has increased from 15 in 2015 to 47 today. Four people will be able to move into the ‘tiny’ homes in March. Nicodemus is now a part of the National Park System a National Landmark. Plans are to build 7 tiny homes.

Roy and Kathleen Langdon, Ted and Shane Purvis, Missouri, spent New Year’s weekend at their homes in McCracken. Ted bought the former Jim Schafer’s, Roy’s house is south of Ron and Cathy Casey’s.

History Notes:

1992 Floyd, Carolyn and Susan Thompson spent Christmas to New Year’s Eve in Oahu, Hawaii; Bruce and Sue Davis, Eric and Brian have moved into the former Bill McKinney residence;there are 70 one pound loaves of bread per bushel of wheat; Audrey Seltman,58, died February 9 at her home near Alexander; Beryl I. McFarren, 86, died February 13 at the Ransom Hospital; Ron and Cathy Casey, Topeka, are parents of twins, a boy Alex Wayne and a girl Catherine Rose born February 6 in Topeka; Clyde Weeks, 71, Brownell died February 21 in Ransom; today’s market $3.81 wheat, $4.25 milo; two buildings that held much history in McCracken were demolished in McCracken on Thursday. A community store with a lodge meeting space above it and what was the Community’s Opera House.



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Patricia Petz:

New Year's Eve was really a special evening as mom and I attended mass at St. Michael's Church in LaCrosse. The mass and prayers for that evening had special intentions for my husband Danny.  After mass mom and I decided to locate a place to eat and it seemed like Jct. 4 was the only place to eat without going out of town.  

I so enjoyed New Year's Day as the Rose Parade was shown on TV.  The Rose Parade began in 1890 by the Valley Hunt Club members led by Charles Frederick Holder. More than a century later, the parade floats are a marvel of the state of art technology with all of the beautiful floral floats along with the marching bands and the high-stepping equestrian units along the 51/2 mile route down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California. As many of you went out to celebrate the new year, I decided to stay home and watch some Hallmark movies in the warmth and comfort of my home.

January 2nd, has always been an exciting day for Dan and I.  We would have celebrated our 48th anniversary, but this year, we were just too many miles apart.  We were married at St. Michael's Catholic Church in LaCrosse and the day was absolutely beautiful.  It was like a spring day, however by six o'clock that evening it began snowing and it blew in a full fledge blizzard.  Many people were unable to make it home and had to find refuge with friends and family in LaCrosse.  Who would ever have thought that our honeymoon would have been spent at the Green Acre Motel!  After 3 days, we were finally dug out and able to make our way to Fort Benning, Georgia, where Dan had to report back to duty on his return from VietNam.  

I needed to pick up a few things in Hays on Friday afternoon and afterwards I spent the evening with my mother-in-law, Dolores Petz, in Ellis.  We've been working on her genealogy books and so we had fun reviewing notes and looking at pictures in her albums. 

Saturday evening, I was able to have Christmas with my Great-grandson (Easton - five years old), grandson (Nathan), son (Kelly), and the rest of his family; wife (Melanie), daughter (Kallynn), and son (Kameron). Easton wanted "Pizza Hut" pizza for supper, so that's what he got!  We had a nice evening opening presents and I was so thankful that he got to come out to the farm and spend some time with me. Now, I can start putting my Christmas decorations away! 

After mass on Sunday, mom and I decided to try out "Old Chicago" in Hays.  We had not eaten there since they had opened up. The atmosphere and decor sure has changed since the days of the "Golden Corral."   Later, we did some shopping and then I took mom back home.  What does every woman want for a gift?  A vacuum sweeper, right?  Well, that is what mom wanted so, I got her a new "Sharp" cordless sweeper and she had not put it together yet, so before I went home, I was put to the task of putting it together for her.   I even surprised myself as I'm not that mechanically talented! 

I'd like to wish you all a very Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year!