June 3, 2015 News

Birthdays: June 3, Tim Rues, Clayton Herdman, Kathy Norlin, Anton Foust; June 4, Zachary Simmerman, Natalee North; June 5, Marlene Pfannenstiel Bronish; June 6, Michelle Mays Gill, Carolyn Thompson, Spring Blackwell, Montana Skinner; June 7, Addie Kershner, Melissa Davis, Father Pascal Klein; June 8, Catherine Casey, Kathy Whitis, Emily Washaliski, Olivia Washaliski; June 9, Natalie Walker Travis North.

Anniversaries: June 3, Greg and Beverly Buster; June 4, Mike and Jerilyn Stull; June 5, Norman and Malinda Anderson; May 6, Scott and Emily Keener; June 7, Julius and Lucy Unrein; June 8, Carl and Velma Legleiter, Hung and Tran Pham; June 9, David and Lanette Kaster.

Martin and Mary Higgins have donated to the Jail/Museum a piece (. 73 grams) of a meteorite entitled McCracken (b) found in 2005 in Ness County, Kansas. It is an H4 Chondrite. The total weight of the specimen was 159.7g. The Kansas Meteorite Society gave a Certificate of Authenticity that the meteorite material enclosed is from outer space and is authentic in origin by Bob Barratti of Wichita, Kansas. His e-mail is barratti@cox.net Joe Higgins found the specimen on E-Bay.

Mary McCormick has given to the Jail/Museum two pens that belonged to Buck and Lucy Vogle. One is yellow and red and says Minneapolis Moline MM Modern Machinery, Anderson Implement Company, Phone 43, McCracken, Kansas and black and silver pen Compliments of George and Bertha, Phone 394-2535, McCracken, Kansas.

Lucy Vogle was buried on Saturday of Memorial Weekend at McCracken City Cemetery beside her beloved husband Gloyd “Buck” Vogle. Father Matthew Kumi presided. Lucy was a wonderful restaurant cook and pie baker. She served many years as a Senior Companion, What a special lady.

Jolene Niernberger, Director of the Senior Companion Program, treated the Rush County Senior Companions to lunch at Tracy's last Friday.

William Harper, Houston, Texas, phone 713-939-1945 e-mail harperbulldog@comcast.net wrote William Harp that he has Civil War Books and Western America, Texana and Mormonism Books that people might like. Please contact him if you are interested. There are 77 books about the Civil War and 142 books in the second group. I printed off the list and you can contact me about the books.

Rev. Larry Brock and wife Denise of Hill City were Saturday evening supper guests of Aunt Addie Mills. They also visited with Aunt Ruthetta Irvin at Long Term Care and toured the area cemeteries.

Danny and Marilyn Mills met Addie Mills at the City Cemetery last Sunday afternoon and helped to decorate the family graves.

Randy Ryan of Scott City was here for Memorial Day. He was so impressed by the services at the McCracken City Cemetery and joined everyone enjoying the meal at the City Building. He gave the Jail/Museum a poem written by Eugene Van Winkle on Ryan-Chenoweth Land and Live-Stock Co. stationery. Their ranch was six miles northwest of Brownell. Thomas Ryan was the Manager of the Ranch and others involved were G. M. Ryan and E. S. Chenoweth. The poem was entitled “If I were you”. The stationery was from early 1900's.

I picked up a brochure about Lecompton Historic Territorial Capital Museum and there was our own Tim Rues pictured in a re-enactors white hat and period suit.  Very handsome Tim.
 
Shannon Keith, Ellsworth, placed 9th in the 3A discus at the KHSAA Track and Field meet on Saturday.  Stephanie Greenway’s Ellis 4 x 100 team placed seventh. They placed 13th in the 4 x 400.  Congratulations to both for a successful year.
 
Our sympathy to the family of Leonita “Nita” Brackney, 79, who died May 23, at Newton Medical Center.  She was the daughter of Pete and Martina Gabel and was born June 2, 1935.  She married Kenneth Brackney, June 2, 1958 in Ness City.  He survives.  They had a son and three daughters.  Burial was in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Ness City.

Kelly and Alexanderia McKinney, Shawn and Pam McKinney visited with Sandra Jacobs and her family Memorial Day.
Rose Diehl, Ron & Cathie Casey, Myron and Debi Schuckman, Lynnette Doornbos, Dustin and Robert, worked very hard on Main Street Saturday ‘hacking’ weeds by the former Boondocks Café and the empty lot between that building the ‘old’ CSB building. If you happen to drive by and see someone working, help make it easier and faster by stopping to help.

Arlyn and Jan North, Heath North family, and Ted North family attended Commencement exercises for Temple Christian School in Arlington, TX. Aidan Martin, son of Ronn and Laura North Martin, was one of the graduates.

Grandma Jan, Carson and Dalton remained in Texas to play with Laura's family. So far we have been to the Dallas World Aquarium, took a train ride to see the model train display at Cook's Children's Hospital, and swam every day between rain storms. Highlight for Boys was fishing with Uncle Ronn in the flooded parking lot of Lake Arlington. Leaving on train tomorrow for Sea World in San Antonio

Congratulations to the many area ‘trackesters’ who qualified for the State Track Meet in Wichita. They spend many, many hours of hard work to qualify.

Those girls who performed in the Styles Dance Centre Showcase 2015 at Beach/ Schmidt performing arts center held Sunday evening from our area were Audrey Irvin, Katelyn Engel and Taylor Doornbos. Those attending were Don and Dena Irvin; Rich and Pam Leiker; Don and Lynnette Doornbos and John; Shirley Harp; Cheryl Burns; Lisa Day, Brian Harp.

Thursday, May 21, marked the end of the school year for the students at the La Crosse Elementary School. the students and staff recognized those staff members that will not be returning next year. They are Dave Woods, custodian, Tiffany Fox, third grade teacher, Andy Schroeter, PE teacher, and Patricia Petz, second grade teacher.

That afternoon the Rush County Teachers Association provided a nice retirement reception for Dave Woods and Patricia Petz. Pat had 36.75 years of teaching in the USD #395 school system. Dave served as custodian for 11 years. Before receiving her degrees in education she began her teaching career working as a para helping Kirk Rixon at the McCracken Elementary School. Pat received her B.S. in Elementary Education in 1979 from Fort Hays State University, and her M.S. in Elementary Education as a Reading Specialist in 1986. The rest of her teaching years were spent at the Alexander Grade School, Mc Cracken Grade School, Rush Center Grade School, and the La Crosse Elementary School.

On Tuesday, May 26th, the La Crosse Elementary staff met for their last official day of the school year. Then they met for a nice luncheon at Gutierrez’s in Hays to celebrate the retirement of Patricia Petz and Dave Woods.

Arky and Diana McNair and Charlotte Ochs motored to Thorton, Colorado where they attended an after graduation party of their granddaughter, Kristen McNair at the home of her parents, Curt and Kelly McNair. Many relatives and friends attended this special event.

1884 History note Descendants of early Irish emigrants from Scotland, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota settled in McCracken and yearned for a place to pray. In August 1884, the Catholic families first gathered for services with Father Joseph Hardes the sod houses of his flock. There were about a dozen families. The first mass was held in a sod house owned by Charles McGaughey and eventually moved to a small stone house owned by Thomas A. McKittrick. In 1886 lumber was hauled across the prairie from Fort Hays and the first church (40x30) of Ness County was constructed. On September 8, 1886 Wm. H. Bitter and a hardy group of pioneers assembled for the dedication for their beautiful new church, it was called Church of the Nativity at Templeton, later known as St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Early settlers included such names as McKittrick, McGaughey, Brenner, McCormick, Hearity, Ramsey, Sweeney, Higgins, Start, Casey, Dailey, Maguire, Moran, Wierman, Cramer & Casey. Many of these family names are still present in the McCracken area. (The church was later moved to McCracken and was the home of Emma Elias Start in the southwest part of McCracken)