RCNews June 7
 Zach Higgins, Cameron & Kyra Horesky accompanied the Hoisington CYO to Worlds of Fun June 2nd and 3rd.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Gray attended high school graduation exercises for William Greenway on May 13.  They are great grandparents of William.
 
Brett and Holly Gilbert & girls spent Memorial weekend at the lake with friends.
 
Kayla Tacha and Shirley Higgins accompanied the Norton 8th grade students to Washington DC, Jamestown and Williamsburg this Memorial weekend.  There were 44 8th graders and 10 adults on the trip.  Lindsey Tacha is a member of the 8th grade class.
 
Ty Elias and Joey Bittel visited with Neil Benton in Wilmington, North Carolina last week.  They attended the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 in Charlotte.
 
Jim Yori and Verlene Wilson went to Hope Valley, Rhode Island where they visited Jim’s relatives.  They also went to Newport for some site seeing.  Jim’s mother is still living and he had not seen her in 12 years.  She is 92 years old.
 
Roger Legleiter cashed in all his aluminum cans and motored to Hargrave for a mini vacation this past week.
 
Congratulations to Allison Cole on her first place finish in the high jump at the State track meet in Wichita.  She is the daughter of Jimmy and Monica Cole, Long Island.
 
Kallynn Petz, daughter of Kelly and Melanie Petz of Hays, performed for the Jackie Creamer's Dance Studio at the Beech Schmidt Performance Center at Fort Hays
State University on Friday, May 25.  She performed during the Acts of "Hard Knock Life," "Consider Yourself," and "Teach Me How to Shimmy."  Along with her parents and brothers Nathan and Nicholas, Danny and Patricia Petz, Leland and Mary Steitz, Wes and Sandy Oakley, and Tim and Kristen Nunnery and family were there to enjoy the evening performance.

Kelly and Melanie Petz hosted a one year birthday party for their son Kameron at their home in Hays on May 31. Following a barbeque, cake and homemade ice-cream (made by Grandma Pat) were enjoyed by the guests. Those who helped celebrate Kameron's birthday were Nathan, Nicholas, and Kallynn Petz, Danny and Patricia Petz, Leland and Mary Steitz, Wes and Sandy Oakley, and Tim and Kristen Nunnery and family.

Angie Huggard helped her mother, Patricia Petz, during the Phillipsburg Riverless Festival.  They enjoyed supper at their favorite restaurant in Hays at
Guitterez's.

Doug, Staci and Maggie Elias are moving back to Kansas to Concordia.  Doug will be the high school athletic director and Staci is the new volleyball coach at Cloud County Community College. 
 
Bruce & Peg Schrott, Sanford, MI and Lela Schrott, Wichita, visited with Roger & Brenda Legleiter & family over Memorial Day weekend.  Peg and Lela are sisters of Brenda.
 
Memorials have been given to the McCracken Alumni in memory of Keith Crawford from Elaine Wetzel Albright; Paul Grumbein from Marlene Pfannenstiel Bronish & family; Donald ‘Doc’ Davis, Carrie Davis House & Donna Davis Schuckman from Annette Davis Chestnut; Bob Elmore from Helen Irvin Goering; Oliver & Willetta Gordon Herdman from Terry & Carol Littler Herdman; Dixie McMullen Allen from Velma Rogers Legleiter; Vic Higgins from Jerry Higgins & family.
 
Cindy Wierman, daughter of Laura & Ray Wierman, graduated from Baker University, Baldwin City, Kansas on Saturday, May 19.  Gladys & Wendell Hinman, Francis & Roberta Wierman, many uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers & cousins were in attendance.
 
Tony & Tomi Rues and family were in Kansas City Memorial weekend where the ‘parents’ attended a wedding and the kids stayed with grandma & grandpa Rocky.
 
Memorial Day guests of Eunice North were Daryl, Linda, Trisha and Adam North, Paul & Joshua North, Travis, Ava, Breonna & Abby North, Daniel & Janice Basgall, Dylan & Taylor Basgall and Kayla Schmidtberger.
 
Carolyn Helmer, Shari Coldren, Ellen & Larry Hinman, Cheryl & Sarah were weekend guests of Gladys & Wendell Hinman and attended the Wagner reunion in Rush Center on Sunday.
 
A rodeo meeting was held at the rodeo grounds Sunday evening.  Those attending were Roger & Brenda Legleiter, Bill Greenway & Michael, Jim Yori, Holly Gilbert, Jerilyn Stull, Tony Rues, Tyrel Elias, Brenda Boese, Mark Brackney & Gary Barnes.
 
The Rues kids, Kate, Emma, Shelby & Will were happy to receive their pet for the summer from none other than Ben Thompson.  It is Oscar the turtle.  For all who were on the lookout for a turtle, the search is over.  Tomi only wants ONE.
 
Congratulations to John Allen Kober on his 50th birthday.
 
From May 26 to June 2 Kelsee Rogers was in Hutchinson at the Kansas Lions Club Band Camp.  On July 1 she goes to Wichita and on the 2nd will take a bus to Chicago for a week.  She is one of 74 Kansas High School band students who will march five miles in the 4th of July parade in Chicago sponsored by the International Lions Club, who are having their convention there.  She plays the flute, but has been asked to play cymbals in the Drum line.  Kansas has a reputation of precise presentation and excellent musical talent.  Many come to the convention and parade just to observe the Kansas band.
 
Guests at Roy and Phyllis Conrad on Sunday were Laurel and Phil Busch from Reno, Nev.  Laurel and Phil are cousins to Phyllis on the Gerritzen side.  They visited the Odin Cemetery and Church in Odin and drove by some of the old places where most of the old folks lived. They then went to Olmitz to visit friends and to visit the Church there.  They ate lunch in Great Bend then came back to McCracken to look through old family history.  Laurel and Phyllis have been researching family records for several years.  This is the first time they got to meet each other.  Laurel and Phil also wanted to visit with other family members in the LaCrosse, Burdett, Rozel and Garden City area.  Another family member was Father Mike Helms of Ulysses, who they visited this past Saturday.  They also wanted to go to Kansas City and Wichita if time permitted.
 
Addie Mills was a weekend visitor of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Klee at Council Grove.  On Saturday afternoon they attended the wedding of the Klees’ granddaughter, Carys Williams to Bryon Smiley at Lake Kahola.  All six of Maurice and Cellie’s children were in attendance; Tom and Patty Klee Schmitt and family, Glenwood, Iowa; Ken and Michelle Klee Peregon and family, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Kevin and Jackie Klee Colgan and family, Dunlap, Illinois; Gareth and Nancy Klee Williams and daughter, Tallahassee, Florida; Kevin and Susan Klee and family, Parker, Colorado; and Jay Klee of Yadkinville, North Carolina.
 
Steve Moses, son of Jack and Betty Moses, was here on Memorial Day and visited all the military graves in the McCracken Cemetery.  He is stationed at McConnell in Wichita.
He accompanied Bertie Moses Gay to McCracken.
 
The Honor Guard members for the Memorial Day Services were Bet McCormick, Glenn Conner, Alex McCormick and Richard Showalter.  Bill Zeller was the Master of Ceremonies.  Firing Squad included, Dennis Elias, Martin Higgins, Tony Harp, Babe Gilbert, Jake Tomlinson, Diz Washaliski, Steve Anderson and Dan Petz.  Sally Jacobs and Mark DeWald performed Taps.  Arlene Gilbert led the choir.  Lynette Doornbos and Susan Keith recited Flanders Field and Answer to Flanders Field.
 
The Jerry Casey family led the rosary at St. Mary’s Cemetery.
 
Congratulations to Clark and Nicole Kirk, Burrton, on the birth of a daughter, Madison Ann, born Tuesday, May 29 at Hutchinson.  Grandparents are Bill and Marge Moran.  Madison weighed 8 pounds 1 oz.
 
Francis Zeller attended the Ransom, Arnold, and Brownell Alumni Banquet at Ransom on Saturday evening while Julia went to the shower with the girls.
 
Judy and Paul Moran, Roz Bethke and Jean Moran were Monday visitors of Bill and Marge Moran after the Memorial Day Services at St. Mary’s cemetery.  In the evening Bill, Marge, Michele and Jason Moran attended a barbecue at John, Ellen and Josh Moran’s in Great Bend.
 
Haily Gilbert, Angela Morgan, Brian and Lisa Legleiter, Austin McGaughey, Jacob Keener, Hannah Bannister, Ashley and Rebecca Reichel were in Denver from Tuesday May 29 to Friday June 1 on a missionary trip.  They stayed at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.  Linda Boltz, Leann Keener and Joel Reichel accompanied them.
 
Deb Gaunt and Eric Scriven attended the 20th anniversary get-together with her class from Ransom on Saturday evening at the home of Chuck and Janice Luetters.
 
Addie Mills visited with Joan Klee at Good Samaritan Home in Hays and also with Donna and Andy Hansen last week.
 
Congratulations to Whitney Taylor, Ellis High School, on her three medals at State Track Meet.  She had a first place in the 200 meter running it in 26.10; 2nd in the 100 meter with a 13.03; and 3rd in discus with a throw of 122-8.
 
Max and Lavon Ives, Bella Vista, Arkansas were Memorial Day dinner guests of Francis and Julia Zeller at the City Building.
 
Michele and Marge Moran attended the Stefanie Reifschneider and Joshua Griffin wedding at St. Michael Catholic Church on Saturday afternoon and the reception at the Parish Center.  John Moran visited with his dad, Bill Moran..
 
Susan and Shannon Keith and Carolyn Thompson were in Manhattan on Wednesday and Thursday to visit Jody Crocker at Mercy Regional Medical Center where she had her spleen removed.  They also had lunch with Carlita Pederson.
 
Rodney Taylor has resigned as Rush County Commissioner and is working in Ellis.
 
McCracken History Notes
June 1877
J. G. Hicks has sold his claim near LaCrosse to Mr. Coe from Rice County.
 
June 1887
The number of resident taxpayers in each township – Big Timber 79; Alexander 98, Fairview 92 and Hampton 125.
 
A new enterprise:  L. A. Hicks of Stockton was in town this week looking for a location for a brickyard.  He found desirable clay northwest of town.  The first kiln of 140,000 brick will be completed in a month.  (One of the bricks is at McCracken Public Library)
 
June 1907
Ruby Alice, 5 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. P. True, died Friday.  She was buried in the Ramsey Cemetery.
 
Mrs. John Wagner and Miss Ruth together with Belle and Junior expect to leave shortly for several months visit to Pennsylvania.  They will visit the Jamestown exposition.
 
June 1937
McCracken plans for city’s 50th anniversary.  A baseball tournament will be scheduled from July 18-25th, a parade, dance, carnival and a barbecue.  The beef will be furnished by Ben Yawger, extensive cattleman.  Noble Campbell will head celebration committees.
 
Elmer Derr broke his arm after falling from a horse last Saturday.  He was rushed to a hospital at Hays where a bone specialist examined his arm.
 
June 1947
A. F. Marak is taking a two weeks’ vacation from his work at the Mo. Pac. Depot and accompanied by Mrs. Marak, left Monday night for a visit with their children on the west coast.
 
The Boy Scouts and their Scoutmaster, Ralph Oxford, went to Camp Pawnee, Saturday to spend a week.  The scouts included Stanley Wahl, Bobby Cheney, William Spomer, Dicky Buxton, Allan Thompson, Richard Gordon, Joe Jennings, Ronnie English, John and Peter Rixon, Pat Keener, Charlie Jacobs and Bobby Fear.
 
June 1957
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Moran on the birth of a son, Michael Robert, June 7 in Hays.
 
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. John Kober on the birth of a son, John Allen, born July 11 in LaCrosse.
 
John Rixon returned home recently from Korea where he had been with the Army for the past 17 months.
 
June 1967
Robert Peters received the top honor award in a contest on hardware retailing.  He has been employed by Humburg’s for three years and was made manager on May 15.
 
Glenn Eisenhour spent last weekend fishing at Alma, Nebraska.
 
Dixie Walker and Jan Halbleib were the first recipients of the Pearson Scholarship awarded by the McCracken Alumni.  Jan will attend nurses training in Wichita and Dixie will study music at Ft. Hays.
 
June 1977
Three seniors and one sophomore were placed on the National Honor Society.  They are Norene Fletcher, Kim McCormick, Paulette Healy and Tim Seltman.
 
Nine students received academic letters.  They are Craig Stull, Laura Unrein, Larry Hinman, Tim Seltman, Mark Baus, Norene Fletcher, Paulette Healy and Kim McCormick.
 
June 1987
Ownership of the water system serving McCracken has been transferred to Central Kansas Utility Company, effective May 20, 1987.
 
A library retirement tea honoring June Bible and Addie Mills was held Sunday, June 7 at the McCracken City Building.
 
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Kent Bible of Albuquerque,  New Mexico on the birth of a son, Mitchell Ryan, May 20, 1987.
 
Sylvester Conrad accompanied Richard and Linda Conrad and Andrew to St. Louis for a visit.
 
June 1997
Craig Rixon got his boat out and he, Debbie, Tony and Paulette Harp and kids spent Memorial Day at Cedar Bluff Lake.
 
Casey Brown won a 10 speed bike in a drawing at the Union Pacific Picnic in Hoisington.
 
Leonore and Dight House attended her 40th class reunion of Bethany College at Lindsborg this weekend.