January 24, 2018 News

Birthdays: January 24, Paula North, Carolyn Oller; January 25, Dana Irvin, Marlene Funk, Arlene Gilbert, Tom McCormick, Paulette Harp, William Rues; January 26, Teresa Wetzel, Jerilyn Stull, Nicholas Moran, Breonna North; January 27, Brycee Strickland, Martin Higgins; January 28, Chad Herdman; January 29, Stacy Betz, Benjamin Swanson, Robert B. Thompson, Fritz Foster, Eunice North; January 30, Ian Stevens.

Anniversaries: January 24, Neal and Amy Jacobs; January 28, Al and Judy Hugh.

Jackie Stiles has ocular melanoma cancer of the eye. She is an assistant coach to Kellie Harper at Missouri State. If you would like to send her a card the address is Missouri State Women's Basketball, 901 South National Street, Springfield, MO 67897

Congratulations to Silas and Megan Albers. They had a boy on January 16. His name is Zaddok Lee Albers.

We enjoy the items Linda Kenyon “From the Archives” puts in the paper each week. We know they are read because we get feed back from family about the items.

Regarding the charming item about Mrs. Frank Zitnik, Blanche Combest Zitnik, was the aunt of Signe Barnes and the sister of Signe's dad Merwin Combest. After Frank was released from the service, he returned to LaCrosse and was the Extension Agent. They later moved back to Ransom.

Judy Hugh, granddaughter Issac Newton Akers, wrote us about the house that burned. Here is her account: Issac Newton Akers built the house after they moved to McCracken in 1915, plus two or three others in town, and a cement swimming pool in 1926. The foundation of the swimming pool for the public can be seen in the lot behind the house. Issac was born in 1846, orphaned at age 14 and joined the Confederacy, serving in the cavalry under Nathan Bedford Forrest. He married Mary Ann Wilson and they had 10 children. Mary Ann died in 1897 and he married Nancy Duval. He and Nancy had 7 children (a son Jack died in infancy). Finally his Civil war pension was approved in 1932 but he had to move to Nashville due to the terms of the confederacy pension. He lived near his daughter, a member of the first family. He died at age 90 in 1936. His second family remained in McCracken, they were his wife Nancy and children, Bill Akers, Cleo Akers, Katharen Akers Rodeman, Ted Akers, Ruth Akers Yawger and Esther Akers. Judy Hugh has the distinction of being both a descendant of a grandfather who fought for the Confederacy and a great-grandfather, Jacob Aaron Yawger, who fought for the Union. Both these men settled in McCracken.

What a wonderful meal was served for the fund raiser on Saturday night for Bob and Charmaine. Lynnette Doornbos, .Kim Peach and Allie Ault organized the event. Others that helped were Rhonda Holloway, Billie Jo and Braden Bond and Jim Lutters. The served over 120. Not just a soup supper but we dined on mashed potatoes, chicken and noodles, green beans, ham and beans and cornbread, desserts glore.

The house that Bob and Charmaine Wolfe are restoring was first in the country between McCracken and Alexander (The Schlegel farm) 5-l/2 miles southeast of McCracken. Adam and Mary Conrad rented it in1930. They went to Colorado for a while and then moved back to the farm in 1932. A picture of it is owned by Roy and Phyllis. It was moved to McCracken where the upstairs was added. Bob and Hannah Sloan lived there

On Wednesday, January 17, G. T. and Signe Barnes attended the funeral at the Cathedral for Gerald Herrman, 91, of Dodge City He was a cousin of G. T.'s. Mr. Herrman, his dad and brothers owned the Herrman Implement Company at Ensign. It was a John Deere dealership. He attended Liebenthal Grade School and in1941 they moved to Ensign.
Mark your calendars for an event sponsored by the McCracken Public Library on Saturday, February 17th at 6:00 p.m. at the McCracken Community Building called “Death by Chocolate”. There will be a spaghetti dinner and all kinds of chocolate desserts, sugar and sugar free.

The Bleeding Kansas Program on Saturday February 4 at Lecompton, Kansas is “Weapons of Kansas and Missouri: Cavalry Carbines of the Civil War” by Gary Nevius, A1A gun collector and historian.

Shannon Keith attended the March for Life in Washington D. C. on Friday.

Elliott Lonnie Horesky was baptized Saturday evening, January 20, 2018 in Eudora at Holy Family Catholic church. Sponsors were Kyra Reese and Tyler Moran. Others attending were John and Tammy Horesky, Bryant Reese, John and Joni Moran, Morgan and Vincent Moran, and John Ross Moran.

Mark Nutsch, formerly of Washington, Kansas, and Bob Pennington, Army Green Berets, were assigned to help Afghanistan fighters take back their nation from the Taliban. Nutsch grew up on a ranch, performed at rodeos and was an expert rider, Pennington not so much. They and 10 other members of the 5th Special Forces Group survived painful saddles, bad tempered horses, harsh elements and an overwhelming enemy force to help defeat the Taliban. They earned the name “Horse Soldiers”. Seventeen years later their story is told in “12 Strong” a movie about the unit. Nutsch is portrayed by Chris Hemsworth, Australia. He played in the movie “Thor”. (Nutsch was a year ahead in high school of Laura Walker, daughter of John and Jeanne Walker).

Brad Lovitt and Scott Faiman stopped by Shirley’s Monday afternoon on their way back to Kansas City. They had come to Ransom for some hunting and R&R.

Shirley attended the “Winter Jam” basketball tournament held annually in Hoisington. She appreciates the Rues family for letting her ‘tag’ along. I had mixed emotions when I was there, saw some friends from ‘back when’ and missed seeing Lonnie and the grandkids playing. Congrats to the LaCrosse boys, they won over Russell by one point after being behind ‘a lot’. The LaCrosse girls placed third.

Blowing snow was the forecast for our area Monday morning and it happened!! Thankfully the temperatures were above freezing.

You may buy fresh eggs Wednesday evening from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. from Clay North on Main Street or until he has sold them all. $2.00 a dozen.

History Notes: 1958

The Oliver Herdman family, Albert Norths, Charles Walkers, Ed Reins and Mrs. Doris Jones entertained the grade school basketball team and cheerleaders with dinner and a movie at LaCrosse Thursday; Dorothy Crotinger and Samuel Graham were married at Danforth Chapel at Manhattan; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gaschler moved to LaCrosse where they will manage the Modern Hotel; Jodene Dawson is beginning nurses training in Wesley Hospital in Wichita; Mae Meehan will teach junior high in Hays next year; Mr. and Mrs. Sam Oller will leave for Hutchinson where they will make their home; first grade students this year include: Darrell Petz, Debra Schuckman, Carolyn Pfannenstiel, Richard Showalter, Linda Kleysteuber, Russell Peters, Douglas Whitis, William Wetzel, Valandia Derr, Richard Higgins, David Davenport, Patricia Casey and Ruby Ann Grumbein; Members of the MHS football team are Perry and Furlen Irvin, Bob Peters, Robert Rein, Leroy Herdman, Lennie Higgins, James Hanson, Gary Walker, Allen Showalter, Harold Herdman, Norman Pfannenstiel and Franklin Littler.