January 25, 2007

Matthew Smith, 21, Concordia, died Friday, January 19, 2007 at Salina.  He was born June 3, 1985 in LaCrosse to Dorance “Dean” Smith and Peggy Rixon Smith.  He graduated from Beloit High School and Cloud County Community College.  Survivors include his mother, Jewell; two sisters, Lori Gottschalk, Three Way, Tenn.. and Meredith Smith, Jackson, Tenn.; a grandmother, Betty Belle (Treffer) Smith, San Bernadino, Calif.  He was preceded in death by his father and grandparents, John and Carol Rixon.  Services were held Tuesday at Concordia with burial later.
 
This is a follow-up to the article last week about the Machine Shop south of the Humburg building.  In 1934 Art Schertz operated the shop there.  There was a door in each side (east and west).  You had to pull the cars in with a chain or vehicle to work on them.  James K. Wierman remembers visiting Art when he was 10 years old.  There were two shelves on the south side of the shop under the windows.  It was a work bench and on the second shelf Art had his invention covered with a cloth..  It was an early version of the power glide clutch. He showed it to “Whitey”.  The story was that two men came one day pretending something was wrong with their car.  They got Art out to check it and the other fellow mosied around, went in the building and took pictures of the clutch.   Before Art got it perfected it came out in the new Desoto car.  He was devastated his idea was stolen.  He left here.  He had a daughter in California so he moved there later.  He died in California in his 90’s.  From page 194 in the McCracken History it states, “Harlon and Gerald Anderson bought the Schertz motor and machine shop and will move it to the Percy Grumbein building”.  This was in February 1937. 
 
Those who attended the rodeo meeting Monday night were Bill Greenway, Bet McCormick, Roger Legleiter, Gary Barnes, Coleen Kerns, Jerilyn and Mike Stull.  The next meeting is scheduled for February 19, @6:00.  Please mark your calendars.
 
The book “The Worst Hard Time” by Timothy Egan has been given to the McCracken Public Library.  It is the untold story of those who survived the great American Dust Bowl.  It was given in memory of Eunice Oller Harding from Lorraine Ryan.
 
Bruce and Sue Davis have moved – again – this time from Nebraska to Tennessee.
 
LaCrosse High School Snowball candidates include Kate Moran, daughter of Tom and Patty Moran, McCracken; Ryan Webs, son of James and Leann Webs, Alexander.
 
Addie Kershner spent Friday evening with her grandparents, Frank and Dorothy Kershner while her family attended the baseket ball tournament in Hoisington.
 
Congratulations to Lance and Kayla Irvin, son and daughter of John and Sharon Irvin; Emily Rogers, daughter of Debra Rogers, Anthony Taylor, son of Rod and Bernadette Taylor for making Dean’s Honor Roll for the fall semester at FHSU.  Kayla has also been named on the Fall 2006 Honor Scholars list from the College of Business and Leadership at Fort Hays.  She has a 4.0 grade average.
 
Parent’s night was held Thursday evening in LaCrosse for the following 8th graders with McCracken connections, Sierra Jones, Amanda Morgan, Scott Irvin, Clayton Kershner, Angela Morgan and Derek Derr.
 
Congratulations to Robert and Jeanine Stolzenburg Bacon of Council Grove on the adoption of their sons, Colton Wade and Chase William, from Kyzylorda City, Kazakhstan.  Colton is 5 ? years old and Chase is 4.  The Bacon’s officially got to take the boys from the orphanage on Christmas morning.  The family arrived in America on December 30, 2006.  Their sister, Crystal Kelsey and husband Joe and big brother Kyle Stolzenburg were also there to welcome them.  Jeanine, Crystal and Kyle are former McCracken residents.
 
Babe and Arlene Gilbert returned home this week after spending 5 days in San Diego, Calif.  Arlene attended a director’s leadership conference for Mary Kay.
 
My sympathy to the family of Lois Laird, Dighton, who died January 10, 2007.  Lois and I did lots of genealogy together for the Creekmore/Lovitt families.  She was the sister of Virginia Basinger, Utica.
 
Congratulations to the Otis-Bison boys and the Quivera Heights girls basketball teams on being 1st place winners in the Hoisington Winter Jam Basketball Tournament held this weekend.  For the boys, Hoisington placed 2nd, LaCrosse 3rd and Russell 4th; for the girls Otis Bison placed 2nd, Victoria 3rd and Hoisington 4th. 
 
Cameron Horesky was named to the Winter Jam all tournament team for the boys and Kyra Horesky was named to the Winter Jam all tournament team for the girls.
 
Bob Martz, City Commissioner for Wichita, died this past week.  He was the son of Homer and Rosemary Martz.  Homer was a math, industrial arts and geography teacher and coached the football team in McCracken. He left McCracken in 1940 for Quinter.
 
 Did you know that the John Deere dealership was once in the old Library building next to the bank?  It then moved to the Ed Shiney Ford garage building.  If you have a story, please let us know.
 
Tony Harp suffered a mild heart attack, two days after his 60th birthday.  After staying at Hays Medical Center for one night, he was back to work on Tuesday.  Thanks to Dave and Layne for feeding the cows and Stubby for feeding his sheep.
 
Francis and Julia Zeller, Carolyn Thompson and Shirley Higgins attended the visitation for Earl Turner at Russell on Thursday evening.  They saw Gary and Elaine Turner who had just driven in from Fort Worth through the icy roads.  They also enjoyed eating at Meridy’s.
 
 William Earl Turner, Jr. died January 11, 2007 at Hays Medical Center after heart surgery. Earl Turner and Laytha Ryan were married on July 15, 1944.  She was the daughter of Claudas Guy Ryan and Alta Belle Sutton Lovitt.  Earl and Laytha moved to McCracken in 1947 where he was a self employed General Contractor.  He built the house next to Laytha’s mother’s house on the corner of 4th and West Locust.  They moved to Otis in 1953.  Earl is survived by his son William Gary Turner and his wife Elaine Fern (Burg) Turner, brothers Bruce Francis, William Douglas and William Pinkney Turner and a sister Betty Fern Tindle and his fiancé, Ada Wanamaker.  Graveside services were held at McCracken City Cemetery where he was buried by his wife, Laytha.  Military Honors were by the Ft. Riley Honor Guard.
 
Our sympathy to the Nickel/Nichol and Swisher families and friends who mourn the loss of Willis Redding.  Willis died January 15, 2007, at Hays Medical Center.  He was born September 5, 1917 to Herman and Evelyn Nickel Redding.  He lived all his life in Rush County and many years in McCracken.  Willis loved to sing and he was in a quartet with his father Herman, Bob Montgomery and Bud Charles.  They sang primarily old time and cowboy melodies. His father was the custodian of the McCracken schools. Willis graduated from McCracken High School in 1937.  He was a veteran and burial was in the Kansas Veterans Cemetery in WaKeeney. 
 
McCracken History Notes
 
January 1907
Mrs. Shepherd of Kentucky arrived in town recently to visit her sons, one of whom she has not seen for nineteen years.  She is over seventy years of age and never had seen a railroad prior to her starting for Kansas.
 
A rural route is to be established out of Rush Center within the next week or so.
 
Mrs. Sarah Rodeman and sister, Mrs. Lizzie Metz, recently left Bushton for their home near McCracken Tuesday evening.
 
January 1937
Mrs. Mary Brennenan of Wakarusa, Indiana, sister of Chris Derr, died at her home last week.  Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Derr, Chris Derr, Mrs. R. J. Sloan and Mrs. Kate Derr left for Indiana to attend the funeral.
 
June Randall of Kuna, Idaho and Wayne Russell were married in Kuna on January 17.
 
Only one student dropped out of high the first semester, Billie Woods transferred to another school, but we gain James Smith from Quinter.
 
The girls won an exceptionally rough basketball game against Bazine by a score of 35-5.
 
The City of McCracken will soon be fifty years old.  There is a really nice article in the l/29/1937 issue about the starting of the ‘city’.
 
January 1947
Saturday the city officers of a Rush county town confiscated a slot machine which had been operating there and locked it in one of the cells in the city jail.  Then came a jail break – not out, but in – and someone stole the slot machine.  To date, no trace has been found of either thief.
 
Archie Wilson, Sr. and wife have transferred to Marjorie Wheat the NW/4 of 2-18-19 by Warranty Deed.
 
 Mr and Mr. and Mrs. Dell Klema are parents of a daughter, Georgiana Jean born January 18 at Baker hospital in LaCrosse.
 
Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Ryan announce the engagement of their daughter, Norma to Robert David Bisagno of Augusta.
 
January 1977
Jane Moran was crowned Queen and Mike Conner King at the Homecoming game Friday night with Eastern Heights, Paulette Healy, Kim McCormick Layne Morgan and Leslie Rogers were attendants.  Kellye Irvin had 27 points in the game which MHS won 64-60.
 
Five students have been selected for Who’s Who in music from MHS.  They are Paulette Healy, Kim McCormick, Terri Rogers, Ellen Davis and Cheryl Foreman.
 
January 1987
Joy Zimmerman, McPherson, brought Christopher Friday for a visit with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Mills.
 
Troy Petz is a member of the McCracken Leopard Cubs B-team.  Troy played against Kinsley-Offerle Wolverines on Thursday.  He cleared the boards for eight and on defense he picked off the ball five times.  In the eighth grade game Clayton Wilson had 10 point and four steals.
 
January 1997
Bishop Schlarman of the Dodge City Diocese will be at Timken on Thursday to discuss re-structuring of Liebenthal, Timken and McCracken.
 
Bill and Alvina Cole attended the baptism of Clinton Dean Cole, son of Jim and Monica Cole of Long Island at Norton on Sunday, January 19.
 
Megan Janke, Junior at Bazine High School is a candidate for basketball queen at Bazine on Friday.