RCNews March 19
Those who attended the Lenten retreats in Liebenthal Tuesday/Thursday were Maggie Dechant, Rita Oborny, Mary Ann Legleiter, Mildred Sauer, Rosarie Jecha, Carolyn Thompson, Blanche Tomachek, Judy Hugh, Eleanor Moeder, Shirley Higgins, Judy Hoffman, Joann Micheli, Twila Higgins, Jean Schutte and Lucy Dechant. 
 
Some of those enjoying the musical “Hairspray” At Beech-Schmidt on Tuesday were Zelda Brack, Ruthetta Irvin, Roger and Norma McNair, Shirley Higgins, Carolyn Thompson, Lorraine Ryan, John and Melanie Zeller, Al and Judy Hugh, John and Sharon Irvin, Kelsee Rogers, John and Janice Stull and Nancy Bates.  Angela drove the bus, I don’t think she enjoyed driving that Liebenthal Road. 
 
Charlotte Ochs, Ron and Cathy Casey, Catherine and Alex, Diana and Arky McNair enjoyed the Rush Center St. Patrick festivities Saturday.  They returned home and had pizza at the home of Les and Rose Diehl.
 
Melanie Zeller, Sarah Urban and Ruth Axman visited with Lance, Rachel and Haydn Legleiter in Lawrence over the weekend.  Melanie’s sister, Lisa Gamber, Ethan and Eli of Wichita joined them.  They all visited the Kansas City Zoo.
 
The finals of the 5A State tournament held in Topeka this weekend was televised on Channel WB (62) between Highland Park and Bishop Miege.  Jerry Higgins was one of the referees.
 
Word has been received of the death of Roberta Anderson Bullock. An obituary will appear in next week’s news.
 
Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 28 for Ladies Day Out!!!  It begins at 8:00 am – 12:00 noon.  Tickets are $5.00 which includes breakfast. You may purchase a ticket in McCracken from Arlene Gilbert.  The proceeds benefit all Rush County Fire Departments.  It is well worth your time and effort to attend this event.
 
Dexter Wolfe, extraordinary Beagle of Bob and Charmaine Wolfe and life long resident of McCracken, passed in his sleep early on the morning of March 16th.
Dexter joined the Wolfe family in 1989 after being adopted from the Hays Animal Shelter. Over the past two decades he had become a fixture in the community and made many friends with children and adults alike. He will be sorely missed. Memorials may be sent to the Humane Society of the High Plains, Hays, Kansas.
 
 Catherine Casey thanks all of those who bought burritos from her to help sponsor her trip to Chicago.
 
Dennis and Jeannie Elias, Kathy Bracken and Hayden and Riley Sandefur, Enid, Oklahoma attended the St. Patrick's festivities in Rush Center on Saturday.  Riley is going to Oakley this week to spend time with his cousins, Tanner and Katie Elias.
 
 
LoRee Grumbein Kuska , 85, died March 4, 2009 in Salinas, California.  She was the daughter of Percival and Dora Kraus Grumbein.  She was born in McCracken on December 13, 1923.  She was a 1941 graduate of McCracken High School and received her business degree from Fort Hays in 1945.  She taught in Ellis.  She married George Kuska on June 24, 1951 and they moved to Salinas, California where George was an architect.  She taught business at North Salinas High School, Mt. Toro High School, Salinas Adult School and Hartnell College over a 35 year period.  She was active in the First Presbyterian Church.  She and George were married for 51 years.  He died in 2003.  Survivors are sons, Kraig and Kim Kuska and daughters, Karen Shepherd and Karol Hernandez, six grandchildren, Bryan and Andrew Shepherd, Clinton and Allison Kuska, Monica and Christian Hernandez,  two nieces Susan Etheridge and Pennie Avery.  Memorial services were held March 20 at the First Presbyterian Church in Salinas.
 
Five one hundred pound boxes of Ryan research arrived on Thursday.  They are a gift to the Jail/Museum from Mildred Stout, who wrote “More Ryan Roots”.  These records include not only Ryan information, but family information for all those who migrated to McCracken from Whitley County, Kentucky.  Most McCracken natives trace their roots to these Kentuckians. 
 
McCracken History Notes
March 1889
 
The sleigh bells seem perfectly natural and can be heard at all hours of the day.
 
The snow last Sunday was worth millions to Rush county.  Old timers say the wheat crop is now a certainty.
 
March 1909
Horace Anderson has traded his town property here for 80 acres of land near Ellinwood, and will move down there right away.
 
March 1919
Nell Ward and Gilbert McKenzie were married at the home of her parents, Sunday morning.
 
Blanche Davidson and Lott M. Hall were married at LaCrosse Monday.
 
March 1939
Mrs. John Singleton was hostess at a shower given at the Assembly of God, parsonage in honor of Mrs. Ernest Lyda, formerly Miss Mary Ellen Williams.  Those present were Mesdames H. M. Hollis, Freeman Barnes, Sam Crouse, Louis Irvin, Barney Earl, Florence Elmore, Everett Bullock, Edna Durand, Vincent Pratt, Chester Irvin, John Irvin, Will Moses, John Singleton, Stella Ryan, Carl Bible, Len Gilbert, Nancy Akers, Bert Lyda, Muriel Conrad and Misses Eleanor and Amy Holdgate, Helen Barnes, Esther Akers, Lois Earl, Inez Showalter, Ruth Durand, Eunice Irvin, Donetta Lyda, Blanche Pratt and the honored guest, Mary Ellen Lyda.
 
March 1959
Wheat market is $1.78 per bushel; milo per 100 wt., $1.60.
 
Otis Rural High School District 4 voted in favor of a $160,000 bond issue to finance construction of an auditorium-gymnasium and remodel the present gym for use as a vocational shop.
 
March 1979
Sally Irvin has been selected as a member of Mortar Board, national senior honorary.
 
Albert L. Rues, 59, died Friday, March 20 in Great Bend.  He is survived by his wife, Arlene, sons, Tim, Tom and Tony, daughters, Alicia, Rosemary and Cathy.  Burial was in Trotter Cemetery, Lewis.