December 30, 2015 News

We are closing out the year - Happy New Year - may 2016 be the best year ever. Stay hopeful.

Birthdays: December 30, Velma Legleiter, Vicky Overley; December 31, Mary Beth Higgins, Stephanie Greenway, Emma Marie Showalter, Aaron Wiebe, Jaden Jacobs, Michael Karlin; January 1, Nathan Anderson, January 2, Bill Greenway, DeAnna Bergquist, Lynette Guy, Julie McCormick, Braxton Bentham; January 3, Alberta Kreisel, Melvin Simmerman; January 4, Lisa Day; January 5, Darwin Herdman, Clayton Wilson, Deb Gaunt.

Anniversaries: December 31, Arky and Diane McNair; January 1, Bob and Della Miller; January 3, Trenton and Jana Herdman.

Rev. and Mrs. Larry Brock of Hill City were Sunday evening visitors of Addie Mills.

Addie Mills spent Christmas with Marty and Tina Mills and also was a visitor at Bob House's home on Christmas eve.

Cheer on Kansas State University's football team at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis on January 2 at 3:20 p.m. They play Arkansas.

Todd Frazier, our web person for the McCracken Alumni site, had many nice pictures on Facebook for Christmas. It featured his family. We are grateful he keeps up our site.

There was an interesting item in the Ness County News this week regarding cost of mailing their newspaper to McCracken. The editor mentions that it is not where you reside but the address where you pick up your mail that determines how it will be billed. The post office charges more for residents who get their mail from the McCracken post office even if they live in Ness County on a farm.

Whew!!! The storm missed us. Springfield, Missouri, (Dominic & Kayla) received 10.5 inches of rain in two days.

Chandler Allen son of Neil and Rhonda Allen of Wichita & Grandson of Roy and Phyllis Conrad was featured on KSCH TV singing with North West High School Madrigals singing "Deck the Halls"

Dave and Carolyn Davenport and family were Christmas Eve guests of Barry and LeAnn Knight and family in Hutchinson. Tyrel Elias and Quintin spent Christmas Day and the following day with Carolyn and Dave. The weather forecast sent everyone home early.

Mitchell, Sandra and Priscilla Jacobs enjoyed Christmas in Wichita at the home of Neal and Amy Jacobs. Joining them were Tessa Jacobs, Jaden and Jenna Jacobs and family. The next day Priscilla and Sandra motored to Woodward, Oklahoma where they were guests of Gary and Leila Wolfe. Other guests were Lola Rixon, Carolyn Oller, Ben Wolfe, Don and Chrissie ? and family. (Ben, Chrissie & Don & family is the family of Leila and Gary).

Chad and Crystal Foust, Kaden and Anton were guests of Mitchell Jacobs over Christmas.

Herb Schwartzkopf estimated 200 people were served at the VFW dinner in Ransom. Albert and Alouise Zordel were two of the many volunteers who helped. Phyllis and Roy enjoyed the company of Arky and Diana McNair, Charlotte Ochs, Norma McNair and Betty Fear at the dinner.

Christmas guests of Diane McFarren were her family; Amanda Showalter, Rianne, Kyson, Terren; Jessica Berg, Jason Showalter, Havyn, Shailli, Taybree and Ryker.

Christmas Day guests of Shirley were Jerry, Jodi, Tanner, Jenna, Chuck, Zach, Tammy, John, Kyra, Bryant, Cameron, Courtney, Kayla, Dominic, Lindsey, Nicole.

Christmas guests of Bob and Marlene Funk was all their family plus special guests Renee Royer, Hays and Nate Pohlman, Salina.

Scott, Lora, Rae and Clay Faiman, Jennifer Lovitt, Teresa Lovitt, Brad Lovitt, Kathy Hurd, Audra and Austin were Christmas w/e guests of Bill and Sharon Lovitt.

Leslie Underwood of Lancaster, CA, friend of Shirley Higgins, Carolyn Thompson and Rose Rues Diehl of McCracken, KS, announces the birth this morning, of her first great-daughter, Lillith Marie Alexander. Lillilth is the daughter of Brandon Alexander, Leslie's grandson, and Thania Alexander, the granddaughter of Leslie's heart. Lillith joins her brother Logan Drew Alexander in bringing joy to the family.

Christmas guests of Jean Schutte were Joann Micheli and Kenneth Foster.

Those enjoying Christmas Eve with Mary McCormick were Lance McCormick, Mark McCormick, and Garrett McCormick, McCracken; Jeff McCormick, Hutchinson; Dan and Kim Townsend: Abilene; Megan Townsend: Boston; Tabitha Armstead and Harper: Mesa, Arizona.Christmas was celebrated on Saturday December 26th at Ron and Cathy Casey home in McCracken. Joining them were Alex, Catherine and John, Arline, Tim, Maddie and Lily, Leigh and Alicia Rues Barrett, Rose and Les Diehl and Tom Rues from New Hampshire. Tom is here until the New Year.

Nancy and Richard Baker spent the week before Christmas visiting their son, Paul, in Hawaii. Paul is in the Air Force and is stationed at Pearl Harbor/Hickam, a joint Navy and Air Force base. All four of the Baker kids (Kris, Dan, Sydni, and Paul) were together for the week, along with Nancy’s mother, Wilma, and sister, Kathryn. Paul and his fiancée, Stephanie, decided to take advantage of having everyone in the same place at the same time to get married. Stephanie’s parents and siblings joined us in Honolulu and the wedding took place on a beach on base. The group toured the island of Oahu in between wedding preparations, then returned to their homes in Manhattan, KS, Topeka, KS, Phoenix, AZ, Lawrence, KS, Great Mills, MD, and Billings, MT. As is typical for Hawaii, the temperatures were in the upper 70’s and lower 80’s with a little bit of rain and a lot of sunshine every day.

History Notes 1973 12/30

Danny Mills and Lonnie Irvin moved to Dodge City last weekend where they will be working at Dodge City Community College for the summer. Harold Herdman is the shop foreman for Pivonka Implement Company and Oliver Herdman is the Service Manager. Howard Higgins was married in Kansas City last Sunday. Joe Conner won 3rd place in the triple jump at the Junior Olympics in Manhattan. The Cookie team defeated LaCrosse 13-9. Tim Rues had two singles; Kellye Irvin had two triples and a double and is hitting at a .800 clip. Don Greenway, manager of Rush County Elevator estimates that wheat is running between 35-40 bushels an acre. Shannon and Shawn McKinney, Larry Buster and Leslie Rogers participated in track meets in Wichita and Salina. Lorraine Ryan has been elected vice-president of the USD 395 school board. Mr. and Mrs. Don Buster and family left Thursday for a three week trip to Europe. Melissa Morgan placed third in the toddlers show at the county fair. Brownell American Legion won a double header from Rush County 5-0 and 16-2. Rob Giess won the opener with Nolan Cromwell giving the relief effort and Lonnie Irvin got the win in a relief role for starting pitcher Dan Conner. New teachers at McCracken will be Shereen West, Peggy Crawford and Stephen MacCormick. Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Wittman and family have moved here from Alexander. Willa Start moved into her mother’s home (Maude Peer) last week. Enrollment at Alexander Grade School is 49; McCracken Grade 62; MHS 65. Total enrollment for USD 395 is 704. Pearle Moses moved to Bison last week. Congressman Keith Sebelius spoke at the Citizens State Bank last week concerning issues of the Congress. Kindergarten students in school held at Alexander are: Susan Thompson, Kevin Rixon, Chris Casey, Greta Dome, Laura North, Dale West, Michele Moran, Kris Bromlow and Scott Wittman. Teacher is Lorraine Norlin.