News June 1
Rev. Helen Pratt Dent, 87, died April 9, 2006 in Culver, Kansas.  She was born July 31, 1918 at Bancroft, Nebraska, the daughter of Sylvester V. and Emma C. Jensen Pratt.  She with her parents left Bancroft in 1933 and moved to McCracken, Kansas where she graduated from high school in 1935.  On April 27, 1946 she was united in marriage to Ira A. Dent at Topeka.  She was preceded in death by her husband Ira February 16, 1985, her parents and 3 brothers.  Her son Edward, daughter Carolyn Dossett and 2 sisters survive her.  Burial was in the Crown Point Cemetery, Culver, Kansas.
 
Melissa Isle became the bride of Eric Davis on Saturday evening May 20th at Big Hill Lake near Cherryvale, Kansas.  Rev. Larry Brock of Marquette performed the ceremony.  Family members in attendance included Mr. and Mrs. Tim Isle, parents of the bride from Coffeyville; Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Davis, groom's parents of Grand Island, Nebraska; Mr. and Mrs. Brian Davis and Madison, Hutchinson; Mr. and Mrs. Allen Werth, Matt Groff and friend Stephanie of Hays; Kari Groff, Kansas City; Mr. and Mrs. Dustin Day, Keldon and McKaylee, Lenora; Mrs. Jared Scheetz and Hailee, New Almelo; Donnie Schuckman, LaCrosse; Mrs. Bruce Kershner, Clinton, Clayton and Addie Caroline, Rush Center; Bob House and Addie Mills.  All attended the reception and dance at Coffeyville.  Eric and Melissa are at home in Lincoln, Nebraska where Melissa is a student at the University of Nebraska.
 
Bob House, Addie Mills, Ellen Kershner and Clinton, Clayton and Addie Caroline were Sunday afternoon visitors of Francis Klee in Wichita.
 
Friday, April 21, was the Bennington High School graduation ceremonies.  Jerod and Jennifer Wierman, son and daughter of Laura and Ray Wierman, were two of the 48 students to graduate.  Those attending the graduation exercises and reception following at the Wierman home were the honor graduates, Jerod and Jennifer, Cindy Wierman, Jill and Joey Herschbach, Francis and Roberta Wierman, Marilyn and George Sommers, Gladys and Wendell Hinman, Tonya and Wade Hinman, Zaccary and Coty, Larry and Ellen Hinman, Cheryl and Sarah, Greg Hinman, Jessica Hinman and Jeffrey Hinman.  
 
Memorials have been given to the McCracken Alumni in memory of Oliver and Willetta Gordon Herdman from Terry and Carol Littler Herdman; to Bob and Hannah Sloan, Jim and Stella VanWinkle, Guy and Ruby VanWinkle, Perry and Helen VanWinkle from Joann Juvenal Micheli; Ivy and Ada Irvin from Reggie Irvin; for classmates Floyd Thompson, Jack Wilson, Dick Buxton, Carrie Klee Davis House and John Rixon from Bob Fear.
 
Ronnie Rein and his daughter, Laura Bookstore of Elkhart, were in McCracken Tuesday afternoon ‘touring’ old homesteads.  Ronnie had a severe heart attack a week ago and is recovering nicely.    
 
Over Mother’s Day weekend Roger and Norma McNair went to Topeka and were guests of Les and Rose Diehl.  They attended the Washburn College graduation for Michelle Wolf and enjoyed supper Sunday evening at Tracy and Rodney’s.  Norma’s daughters and her son and family were also there. 
 
Earl Prather of Pennsylvania was a guest of his sister, Mike and Mary Beth Peach, Brendon and Zach recently.  He and Mary Beth were using their metal detectors in the empty lot of Sylvester Conrad and found a 1905 J.C. Wharton 10 cent token.  Mary Beth has donated it to the McCracken Jail/Museum.
 
One hundred seventy five Prairie Hills middle school graduates walked through the line and received their diplomas on Thursday evening in Buhler.  Zach Higgins was one of the graduates.  Those attending were Michelle Higgins, Hutchinson, LeRoy and Wilma Jacobs and Lori Jacobs, LaCrosse, Shirley Higgins, McCracken, Lonnie and Tammy Irvin and Cameron, Hoisington and Chuck Higgins, Hutchinson. 
 
Matthew Stull took 4th in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:56 and 4th in the 800 meters, third in the 4x800 and third in the 4x400 relay at Big 7 Freshman Conference Track Meet.  Oak Park took third overall.  He also knocked his tooth out earlier in the month when he over rotated on a flip on a trampoline.  His tooth was placed back in his mouth by his alert father and three root canals later he is recovering nicely.  Katelynn took a NewMark Junior High 6th grade trip to the Omaha zoo last Friday with her father.  Jessica took 4th in the forensics state
 
Dennis Peters was in Kansas the weekend of the 13th of May for his niece’s (Christina Walter) and her husband’s (Kyle) graduation from Ft. Hays State.  She received a degree in “Elementary Education” and his degree was “ Organizational Management? “ .  Anyway, it was great to see them get their degrees and finally start to live in the REAL WORLD.  We had a reception in Great Bend at “Charlie’s” and had a really good turn out and a super time. 
 
Dennis Peters visited with Ronnie Rein at the Hays Medical Center.  Ronnie thought he could get out of playing golf with us at the McCracken Rodeo Tournament, but Dennis told the only way was for him to “Die with 2 weeks Notice” and no little ole “Heart Attack” would get him out of his obligation.  Anyway, thank the LORD that his attack didn’t have more serious results.  (Dennis and Ronnie have hung together from 8th through 12th grades at Mc).  Dennis returned to Plano, Texas on Sunday the 14th.
 
Word has been received of the death of LuAnne Scheideman Mathias.  Obituary in next week’s paper.
 
Arline Rues, Ron and Cathy Casey, Alex, Catherine and John went to Trotter’s cemetery in Lewis Sunday afternoon where Al Rues is buried.
 
Sonny and Betty Dykes were here from Thursday – Tuesday over Memorial Day weekend.  Sonny helped Roger McNair with the wiring of the Rodeo concession stand.
 
Sheila Brown has been accepted to Who’s Who of America.  She will be a sophomore next year at Western Plains High School in Ransom.  She is the daughter of Cecilia Gilbert.
 
Cathy Casey, Melanie Zeller, Sarah Urban, Mary Ann Higgins, Machree Jones, Norma McNair, Tomi Rues, Arline Rues, Julia Zeller and Shirley Higgins enjoyed a Ladies Day afternoon at the home of Rose Diehl.  They were joined later by Alex, Catherine and John Casey, John Zeller, Bill Zeller, Cecilia Gilbert, Sheila Brown, Thayne Jones, Francis Zeller, Roger McNair, Tony Rues, Kate, Emma and Will, Les Diehl, Martin Higgins, Roxene Kaltenbaugh and Kane, June Bell, Chuck Higgins and Zach, Tammy Irvin and Cameron Horesky.
 
Greg and Sheila Hinman were Sunday visitors of Gladys and Wendell Hinman.  They visited the Rush Center Lutheran Cemetery and the McCracken Cemetery to decorate the family graves.
 
Bill and Sharon Struthers Lovitt attended the 50th class reunion of the Rozel High School.  Sharon was a member of the class. 
 
The Hoisington High School baseball team lost the first game in the class 3A State baseball tournament held in Manhattan to Wichita-Trinity 7-0.  Cameron Horesky, sophomore, is a member of the baseball team.
 
The Hoisington High School girl’s softball team won their first game in the class 3A State tournament held in Manhattan by defeating Riverton 11-7 then losing to Herington-White City 3-1 and to Humboldt 8-1 on Saturday. The girls received 4th place medals.  Kyra Horesky, junior, is a member of the softball team.
 
Lyons High School defeated Yates Center 18-3 in a four-inning game in the State class 3A tournament on Friday.  They lost to Baxter Springs 21-1 and 13-7 to Wichita-Trinity on Saturday placing 4th.  Brett Higgins, son of Doug and Mary Higgins is a member of the Lyons team.
 
John, Kayla, Lindsey and Nicole Tacha, Jordan Boeve, Chuck and Zach Higgins, Jerry, Jodi, Tanner and Jenna Higgins, Shirley Higgins, Lonnie and Tammy Irvin attended the 3A baseball and 3A softball tournament held in Manhattan May 26th and 27th. 
 
Congratulations to the LaCrosse Girls track team on their 2nd place medal for the 4x100 relay at the State trace meet in Wichita on Saturday.  Members of the team are Jenna Folkerts, Brianne Sanders, Kayla Irvin and Lisa Legleiter.
 
Ashlin Carney, age 14, graduated from the 8th grade at Ness City on May 22nd with a 3.75 grade average.  Ashlin is a grandson of Alana Rogers and son of Mamie (Rogers) Carney.
 
Jean Schutte has returned from a week's vacation with her son, Jerry and daughter-in-law, Ann in Tempe, Ariz.  She got to visit lots of sights in the area.
 
Terry Lasater has returned home from the Hays Medical Center following complications from her back surgery.
 
Congratulations to Julius and Lucy Unrein on their 50th wedding anniversary.
 
R. B. Hayes has a beautiful flower garden of larkspurs.
 
Bill and Marge Moran had as their Mother's Day weekend guests, Clark & Nicole Kirk, Michele Moran, Jason Moran and Joya.  They were in Wichita on Tuesday following to visit David Moran for his birthday.  They also took gifts for Abby's birthday.
 
Sheila Brown had orthoscopic surgery on her left knee at Great Bend on Wednesday. 
 
Susan Keith was honored on Friday by USD 327 for her 15 years as a music teacher at Ellsworth Elementary.  She received a crystal bowl.
 
Pat Derr returned home from the hospital in Wichita following back surgery.  Her children, Debbie, Kerri and Dave were with her for the surgery.
 
Tatum O'Neal who starred in Paper Moon (filmed in the area) in her youth is now on a new hit TV show entitled Rescue Me to be shown on FX on Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m.  It is about a New York City firefighter.  Tatum plays the star's (Denis Leary's) troublemaking sister Maggie.  She was last seen in the show Dancing with the Stars.  The show will be on Golden Belt's Cable channel 61.
 
McCracken History Notes
June 1906
The editor of the Bison Bee umpired a ball game last week and says that he now carries a double barreled shot-gun in the day time and sleeps in a cyclone cave at night.
 
Howard R. Barnard gave a dance in his new school building last night.  About 60 invitations were sent out and a good crowd was present.
 
June 1936
Miss Alvina Bieker, Bill Wierman and Marie Wierman drove to LaCrosse Wednesday evening to attend the wedding of Dolores Wierman and Al Chlumsky.
 
June 1946
An explosion of an air compressor in the Anderson brothers garage shortly before noon Monday damaged the building and two men (Willis Moses and Clarence Grumbein) standing nearby narrowly escaped injury. The blast rocked the building, shoved the north wall out slightly and riddled 50 to 75 small window panes.
 
McCracken placed fourth place in the State Scholarship Tests.  Richard Shiney won second place in constitution and third in English 3; John Elmore, fourth place in world history and fifth place in general mathematics; Warren Irvin, third place in English 3, which was a tie; Phyllis Cheney, fifth place in English 2; Ronald Hinman, third place in geometery; Benny Thompson, two state firsts, one in physics and one in biology, fifth in constitution.  The mathematics team won second in the state.
 
June 1956
The senior class of McCracken High School accompanied by their teacher, Kellye Hart, left on the excursion train from Hays Sunday for Kansas City where they attended the ball game between the Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees.  They returned home Sunday night.
 
Miss Lola Oller returned home from Johnson where she taught in the grade school last winter.
 
Julius Unrein and Lucy Schuckman were married June 7, 1956 in Liebenthal.
 
June 1966
A twister hit the drive-in theatre just south of LaCrosse reducing the giant screen to mere kindling.  A tornado struck the Clyde Weeks farmstead in the Brownell area, tearing up a barn and brooder house just missing the home by a few feet.  Considerable damage was done to crops and buildings at the Sarah Casey, John Hanson, Raymond Mills and Pete McKittrick farms southwest of McCracken. The winds were clocled at 128 miles an hour in the Great Bend area with baseball size hail and heavy rain.
 
A family dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse McFarren on Sunday honored Mrs. McFarren on her birthday.  Guests included Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dawley and son, Norton; Mr. and Mrs. Gene McFarren and family, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Grumbein and Dary, Dighton; Mrs. Richard McFarren and family, Ness City; Mrs. Marlene Grumbein and daughters, Denver, Colorado and Mr. and Mrs. Dean McFarren and family, McCracken.
 
June 1976
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Walker, Fort Sumner, New Mexico, on the birth of a baby girl, Amy Lynn born April 27.  Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Walker, McCracken.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Legletier and Lynette, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Legleiter of Hays and Mrs. Alice Rogers attended Roger Legleiter's graduation Sunday at the Dodge
City Community College.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Conner and Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Conner attended Dan Conner's graduation at Pratt Junior College on Friday.
 
Tim Seltmann, freshman, Norene Fletcher and Paulette Healy, juniors were on the A Honor Roll at McCracken High School.
 
June 1986
Members of the West Burch American legion Post firing squad at Memorial Day Services were Bill Zeller, Jake Tomlinson, Dennis Elias, Diz Washaliski, Dan Petz, John Rixon, Alvin Janke and Vic Higgins.
 
June 1996
Kindergarten graduation held at Bazine on May 22 included the following McCracken students:  Dylan Derr, Sara Dome, Skyler Jones, Kelsee Rogers and Timothy Wellman.