May 24
Dixie McMullen Allen died Wednesday, May 16 in Peoria, IL.  She was a 1950 graduate of McCracken High School.   She came ‘home’ almost every year for our rodeo and had a wonderful time with her classmates, Pat Derr, Wayne Irvin, Bob Thompson, Julius Unrein, Velma Legleiter, Wendell Hinman and many other friends. She lost a very long and courageous battle with cancer.  She never complained, always had a laugh and was very upbeat.  We will really miss her in July.
 
Memorials have been given to the McCracken Alumni in memory of Vic Higgins & Kenny Mills from Adam Conrad; Charles T. & Wanda Carman Walker from Diana Walker Hart; Edith & Oliver Pearson from Lynnette Pearson Guy; All graduates from Betty Jo Twiselton Jolly; Linus Schlitter from Tony Schlitter, Richard Buxton from Susan Reinhardt; Willard Thompson & Augustine Thompson from Bob Thompson; Patricia Casey Harmon from Sarah Casey; Emmett D. Sloan from Ruth Ann Sloan Sissel; Dixie McMullen Allen from Edith Moses Blair and Shirley Lovitt Higgins; Willis Redding from Adrian Doerr; The class of 1962 from Dwight Eisenhour.
 
There will be rosary before memorial services at St. Mary’s Cemetery starting at 10:15 a.m. on Memorial Day, Monday May 28. 
 
John Evans, Denver, visited this past week with his good friends, Arky and Diana McNair.
 
 Travis, Tina, Katie, and Tanner Elias, Colby; Ty Elias, Tina and Quintin Harris, celebrated Mother's Day with Carolyn and Dave Davenport, Hutchinson. The Davenport's hosted a get together on Friday evening. Attending were Lenora Stremel, Shirley Bundy, Art Behrmann, Kathleen Stremel, Leawood, Lanette Mathews, Lawrence, Celeste Davis, Memphis, LeAnn, Barry, Jordan, and Molly Knight. Everyone motored to the Knight's on Saturday evening. Ty fixed a deep fat fried turkey using his "secret recipe". Yummmm.
 
The Hoisington High School girl’s softball team qualified for the State tournament to be held May 25th and 26th in Manhattan.  The girls won their regional tournament at Lakin May 23rd by defeating Holcomb 10-0 in 5 innings and Lakin 14-0 in four innings.  Kyra Horesky is shortstop for the Hoisington team.
 
Max Hensley, Spring Valley, Ca, visited Friday with Carol Weber.  They enjoyed dinner at 4 Corners in LaCrosse.  Saturday her high school girlfriend, Carol Warthen, Denver spent the night with Carol.  They enjoyed brunch at the Hadley Bakery in Hays.
 
Roy and Phyllis Conrad, Rhonda, Chandler and Ashleigh Allen, Wichita, attended Hays High School commencement exercises held at Gross Memorial Coliseum Sunday afternoon.  Megan Jean Conrad, daughter of Randy Conrad and Robin McKee was a member of the class.
 
A grant has been applied for through hamburgerhelper.com for the McCracken City Park. We will keep you updated as the grant $$ is given every month. We will put an item in the McCracken news when it is posted.  We need everyone to respond.
 
If you have not eaten pizza at the McCracken Café, you have missed something very, very good.
 
Some more of the memorials listed at the Park:  Bill Darkes, L.L. Darkes Family, Albert and Hazel Phillips Davenport, Donald “Doc” Davis, Bob Derr, Henry & Polly Doerr, Kenneth Donecker, Emma R. Showalter Dugan, Glenn Eisenhour, Lucille Elias, Robert Elmore, Gue & Annie Farwell, Lucy Gilmore Fletcher, Ruth Moran Flynn, Helen Plotner Folsum, Freddie Foster, Marion Foster, Elizabeth McKittrick Gaschler, Joy Mills Gifford, Glenn Gordon Jr., & Donald Greenway.
 
Lyle Davenport ‘re-broke’ his hip in physical therapy last week and was in surgery for five hours.  He has been moved out of intensive care.  When he is released from the hospital he will move into the Manor with Midge.
 
On Friday night Travis and Tanner camped out near Hutchinson with Grandpa Dennis and went turkey hunting on Saturday morning. Tanner was glad we had bought a turkey to eat on Saturday, because they only saw them and didn't get to shoot any.
 
Kathleen Stremel, Leawood and Lanette Mathews, Lawrence were guests of Shirley Bundy and Lenora Stremel. Celeste Davis, Memphis, was also a guest.
 
Dave and Carolyn Davenport spent the evening on Mother's Day at the Mennonite Manor with Midge.
 
Sharon Lytle passed her GED and will receive her diploma Thursday evening in Salina.  The average grade for a GED graduate is 425, Sharon received a 622.  Congratulations.
 
Sharon Lovitt has returned to the home of her daughter, Kathy Hurd in Overland Park after her knee surgery last week. She is doing very well. Some good news:  The Hurds have sold their home in Kansas, found one in San Diego and Kathy has a job!!!!!!!!!!! 
 
Don’t forget the luncheon held Memorial Day at the Community Building in McCracken.  Serving will start after ceremonies at the City Cemetery.
 
Priscilla Jacobs attended the choir program at the middle school in Goddard this weekend. Tessa Jacobs, an 8th grader, is a member of the choir.
 
 Our rodeo week activities will appear in the coming issue of the Kansas Cowboy.  The Kansas Cowboy, edited by Jim Grey of Ellsworth, is a monthly newspaper that uses a heading on the front page of the paper from the old town of Sidney.  Sidney was the early town just south of Ness City.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Klee and Francis Klee, Wichita; Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Klee, Council Grove, and Addie Mills, met at the Cookery in Lindsborg on Wednesday for lunch.  A good visit and good food were enjoyed by all.
 
Spring Blackwell graduated from Hays High School on Sunday, May 20.  The exercises were held at Gross Memorial Coliseum.  Eddie and Gloria Blackwell hosted a reception at their home for family and friends following the ceremony.  It was great to see Shawn Baus and sons, Gareth, Bridger and Drake, from Louisburg and Qui Quach, his wife and son from Salina.
 
Curtis Deines, husband of Brooke Blackwell Deines, Naval Reserves, has been called up for service in Iraq.  He reports on June 15 and will spend three months in Mississippi in training.  The Seabees will be building roads etc.  Keep him, Brooke, Tayler and Morgan in your prayers.
 
Check out the handsome picture of Bob House at the checkout counter in Barrows.  We understand Ellen put it there.
 
Students from the Kansas City Christian School are ‘Running Across Kansas’ for the 10th year.  This run is in support of the US Veterans.  All runs will start on May 24 with groups following three different routes.  The group following the Middle Route will stop in McCracken on Saturday, May 26, for a lunch break.  The group will begin the day at Ransom and spend the night in Hoisington.  The three groups will conclude the runs at the Veterans Memorial on the State Capitol ground in Topeka.  Last year’s Run Across Kansas provided more than $20,000 in donations for the Kansas VFW Hospitalized Veterans Program.
 
McCracken History Notes
May 1877 (Hampton History)
 
Hampton, of Big Timber, is happy in the possession of a brand new girl baby.
 
Jack Strong and Tim Montgomery, who participated in the removal of the court house, were arrested for contempt of court, tried and found guilty and upon non-payment of fine were committed to jail. The board of county commissioners interfered and discharged the charges.
 
May 1887 (Hampton History)
This week men and teams are at work throwing a big dam across the Big Timber at McCracken.  It is the intention to have a large pool near the city.
 
T. R. Brooke is the postmaster at Hampton.  Capt. Edwards is carrying mail between LaCrosse and Hampton via West Point.
 
Mr. Witt and Miss Sally Miller will be married at Hampton church next Sabbath, May 27, 1887.
 
May 1907
Wm Lovitt sold three quarter sections of land to a gentleman from Nebraska at $25 an acre or $12,000.  Mr. Lovitt has lived here since he was 14 years of age.  He is thinking of making a trip to Texas.
 
Born to Mr. and Mrs. John McGaughey on Tuesday, a handsome girl.
 
May 1937
The following business firms join in extending congratulations to the high school graduates.  Jess Tadlock Café, Farmers Union Elevator, Humburg’s, D. D. Hunt Drug Store, Clark’s Confectionery, McCracken Oil Company, Alfred E. Warta, Norlin’s Big Store, Nash Hotel, McCracken Implement Co., Lyle Farwell, Ryan Motor Company, Irma’s Beauty Shop, Garden Theatre, Chas. Kinnamon Dray Service; Barr Mercantile Co., Rustic Tavern, Vanity Fair Beauty Shop – Ada Pearl North, W. F. Ramsey, Citizen’s State Bank, Roughton’s Market, Anderson Motor Co., McCracken Hardware Co., Phillips Grocery, Stein Tailor Shop and Mrs. Kline – Ladies’ Wear.
 
May 1947
Miss Jean Moran, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Moran, Hargrave, was installed as secretary of the Kansas Gamma Chapter of Kappa Mu Epsilon, national honorary mathematics fraternity.  Miss Moran, a mathematics major, will be a senior next year at Mount St. Scholastic College in Atchison.
 
The body of Mrs. W. R. Metz, missing for three days, was found in a wheat field at the edge of the cemetery south of McCracken.  Dr. Baker said the body lay in tall wheat and was hidden from view until a severe storm flattened the wheat exposing the body.  It was termed a suicide.
 
May 1957
Bill Tanck is a member of the Ness City High School graduating class.
 
Today’s market – Wheat $1.97
 
May 1967
Commencement services were held at the grade school Tuesday.  The address was given by Ralph Huffman of Ft. Hays.  Valedictorian is Douglas R. Higgins and Salutatorian is Elaine Wetzel.  Other graduates are Linda Irvin, Benny Rogers, Mike Peters, Susan Reinhardt, Danny Petz, Debra Ann Rogers, Penny Irvin, Gerald Dugan, Terry Peters, Dixie Walker, Janice Halbleib, Karen Casey and Sarah Casey.  The senior class of MHS and LHS took their senior sneak together to Colorado last week.
 
Eighth grade graduates are Buddy Barker, John Brack, Cheryl Casey, James Conrad, Kenneth Foster, Lynne Hinman, Stephen McFarren, Vic Parsons, Kirby Petz, Rodney Taylor, Louise Rourke, Karla Wendler and Howard Higgins.
 
May 1977
The Athenian club celebrated their 40th anniversary.  Those honored were Margaret Hair and Katharen Rodeman, chapter founders; Tacy Hanson, 39 years, Lorraine Norlin, 23 years, Edythe Baldwin, 34 years; Marie House, 34 hears, Lucille Reinhardt, 24 years.  Officers are Janet Herdman, Rose Showalter, Elizabeth Conner, Katharen Rodeman, Signe Barnes, Lorraine Norlin, Velma Legleiter and B. J. Baus.
 
Paulette Healy has received the Dean’s Award for outstanding achievement in mathematics and Science at K-State.
 
May 1987
Thomas Trivitt House received his degree from the University of Kansas on May 17 in journalism advertising.
 
Sabrina Higgins received her B. S. in Social Work at Fort Hays State University on May 15.
 
May 1997
Deb Rogers is a new employee at the Farmers Bank and Trust in LaCrosse
 
Congratulations to Ronn and Laura Martin of Fort Worth, Texas, on the birth of a son, Aidan Scott born May 12.  Grandparents are Jan and Arlyn North, great-grandparents are Eunice North and Icis Eisenhour.